Introduction: When Punishments Don’t Work
Lucas, a 2nd-grade student with ADHD, gets up for the 5th time in 20 minutes. You say to him: “Lucas, sit down!” He sits down… for 30 seconds. Then he gets up again.
You raise your voice: “Lucas! How many times do I have to tell you?!”
He sits down again. 1 minute later, he is tapping his pencil loudly. The other students are distracted.
You lose patience: “Lucas, you lose 5 minutes of recess.”
Lucas starts to cry: “It’s not fair! I didn’t do anything!”
You are exhausted. Lucas is unhappy. The class is disrupted. And tomorrow, it will be exactly the same.
The problem? Punishments do not work with ADHD behaviors. Worse, they worsen the situation.
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurological disorder that affects:
- Impulse control
- Attention regulation
- Motor regulation (moving)
- Executive functions
- ❌ A lack of education
- ❌ Bad will
- ❌ A whim
- ❌ An intelligence problem
- ✅ A neurological disorder
- ✅ A regulation difficulty
- ✅ A deficit in executive functions
- Difficulty maintaining attention
- Easily distracted
- Forgets, loses belongings
- Does not listen to instructions until the end
- Need to move constantly
- Gets up, fidgets, taps
- Talks excessively
- “Internal motor” always running
- Acts without thinking
- Interrupts others
- Difficulty waiting for his turn
- Responses come out without raising a hand
- Environmental adjustments
- Immediate positive reinforcement
- Teaching compensatory strategies
- Lucas mostly gets up during long tasks (>15 min)
- Lucas disrupts when he is bored or does not understand
- Lucas is worse at the end of the morning (fatigue)
- Easy visual contact with you → Quick refocusing
- Less visual distractions (no other students in front of him)
- You can intervene discreetly (hand on shoulder)
- Congratulations from the teacher
- 1 token (5 tokens = 5 min of COCO)
- Lucas was fidgety, he used his elastic instead of getting up → 1 token
- Lucas raised his hand instead of speaking without permission → 1 token
- Lucas stayed seated for 10 minutes → 1 token
- Remove other students
- Stay calm, soft voice
- Do not touch him (risk of escalation)
- ❌ Raise your voice
- ❌ Argue, reason
- ❌ Threaten with punishment
- ✅ Stay calm
- ✅ Speak softly
- ✅ Give space
- Space at the back of the class with a cushion, book, stress ball
- Lucas goes there VOLUNTARILY (not forced)
- He stays there until he calms down
- Short tasks (10-15 min max)
- Regular breaks
- Immediate positive reinforcement (tokens)
- Movement tools (cushion, elastic, fidget)
- Anticipation of transitions
- Break down homework into small tasks
- Plan active breaks every 15 min
- Reinforce efforts, not perfection
- Use a visual timer
- Verbally praise as soon as he makes an effort
- Long and distant punishments (“grounded from the console for 1 month”)
- Comparisons with siblings
- Constant reproaches (“You are always fidgety!”)
- ADHD in depth
- Behavioral strategies
- Practical adjustments
- Positive reinforcement
- COCO THINKS and COCO MOVES Program – Perfect for ADHD with active breaks
- Training: Supporting Students with Learning Disorders
- Training: DYS Disorders: Identify and Adapt
Lucas does not CHOOSE to get up. His brain has an irresistible need to move. Punishing him for that is like punishing a nearsighted person for not seeing well without glasses.
The solution? Anticipate behaviors, adapt the environment, offer compensatory strategies, positively reinforce.
In this article, we will explore how to manage ADHD behaviors effectively and compassionately: understand ADHD, identify triggers, anticipate, adapt, teach self-regulation. Concrete, scientific, respectful. Ready to transform your approach? Let’s go!
Understanding ADHD
What is ADHD?
ADHD = Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Origin: Neurological (differences in brain development, particularly in the prefrontal cortex)
It is NOT:
It is:
The 3 Dimensions of ADHD
1. INATTENTION
2. HYPERACTIVITY
3. IMPULSIVITY
→ A student with ADHD can have one, two, or all three dimensions.
Deficient Executive Functions
Executive functions = the conductor of the brain.
In individuals with ADHD, these functions are immature or deficient:
1. Inhibition
Ability to STOP an impulse.
→ ADHD: Cannot help but talk, get up, touch…
2. Working memory
Keeping information in mind while working.
→ ADHD: Forgets the instruction along the way.
3. Flexibility
Ability to change strategy, adapt.
→ ADHD: Gets stuck, difficulties with transitions.
4. Planning
Organizing the steps of a task.
→ ADHD: Does not know where to start.
5. Emotional control
Regulating emotions.
→ ADHD: Intense emotional reactions (anger, sadness).
→ Understanding this changes EVERYTHING. Lucas does not CHOOSE to get up. His inhibition is deficient.
Principle 1: Punishing is Useless (and Worsens)
Why Punishments Fail
Classic punishment:
“Lucas, you got up 5 times. You lose 5 minutes of recess.”
Why it doesn’t work:
1. The behavior is involuntary
Lucas does not get up out of provocation. It is his ADHD brain that needs to move. The punishment does not change the need.
2. The punishment is distant
“You lose recess IN 2 HOURS.”
→ For someone with ADHD, 2 hours = eternity. No link between present behavior and future consequence.
3. Negative reinforcement
Repeated punishments → Lucas feels “bad,” shame, guilt.
→ Decreased self-esteem, opposition, dropout.
4. Escalation
The more you punish, the more stressed Lucas becomes. The more stressed he is, the more he moves. The more he moves, the more you punish. Vicious circle.
What Research Says
Barkley Study (1997):
Sanctions and punishments are INEFFECTIVE for permanently changing ADHD behaviors.
What works:
Principle 2: Anticipate Triggers
Identifying Behavior Triggers
An ADHD behavior often has a TRIGGER.
Common triggers:
1. Exceeded attention span
Lucas can be attentive for 10 minutes. After that, he disconnects and moves.
→ Trigger: task too long
2. Task too difficult or boring
Lucas does not understand the exercise → Frustration → Agitation
OR Lucas is bored → Seeks stimulation → Disrupts
3. Sensory overload
Noisy classroom, bright light, heat → Over-stimulation → Agitation
4. Unprepared transition
Sudden change of activity → Disorientation → Opposition
5. Fatigue or hunger
End of the morning, before lunch → Low energy → Regulation difficulties
6. Unmet need to move
Sitting for 30 minutes without a break → Physiological need → Gets up
Keeping a Behavior Journal
For 1-2 weeks, note:
“`
┌──────────┬─────────────────┬──────────────┬─────────────┐
│ Time │ Behavior │ Context │ Trigger? │
├──────────┼─────────────────┼──────────────┼─────────────┤
│ 9:15 AM │ Gets up 3 times │ Math (calc.) │ Long task │
├──────────┼─────────────────┼──────────────┼─────────────┤
│ 10:00 AM │ Talks without │ French │ Boredom? │
│ │ raising hand │ │ │
├──────────┼─────────────────┼──────────────┼─────────────┤
│ 11:20 AM │ Cries │ End of math │ Frustration │
│ │ │ │ (did not understand)│
└──────────┴─────────────────┴──────────────┴─────────────┘
“`
After 2 weeks, you see the PATTERNS:
→ You can now ANTICIPATE and PREVENT.
Principle 3: Adapt the Environment
Adjustment 1: Strategic Placement
Instead of: Putting Lucas at the back “so he doesn’t disrupt”
Do: Place Lucas IN FRONT, near your desk.
Advantages:
Bonus: Place Lucas near a calm and kind student (not near another fidgety one).
Adjustment 2: Movement Space
Lucas MUST move. Rather than fighting against it, GIVE HIM ways to move without disrupting.
Tools:
Dynamic seating cushion / Exercise ball
Lucas sits on a cushion that moves slightly.
→ Allows him to move WHILE SITTING, without getting up.
Elastic under the feet
Elastic stretched between the two front feet of the chair.
Lucas can push against it with his feet.
→ Discreet movement that channels energy.
Discreet fidget
Small manipulable object (stress ball, silent fidget spinner, modeling clay).
→ Keeps the hands busy, calms the brain.
Movement “pause” corner
A corner at the back of the classroom with a mat.
When Lucas feels he MUST move, he can discreetly do 10 jumping jacks, then come back to sit.
Adjustment 3: Reduce Distractions
Lucas is hyper-distractable.
Adjustments:
Partition on the desk
Small panels that create an “isolated desk.”
→ Reduces visual distractions.
Noise-canceling headphones
When Lucas needs to concentrate, he can wear noise-canceling headphones.
→ Reduces auditory distractions.
Organized materials
On Lucas’s desk: ONLY what is necessary for the current task.
Everything else stored in the locker.
→ No temptation to play with something else.
Adjustment 4: Break Down Tasks
Lucas cannot stay focused for 30 minutes straight.
Instead of: “Do the 10 math exercises.”
Do: “Do exercises 1 and 2. When you’re done, come show me.”
→ Short task (5-10 min)
→ Quick feedback (reinforcement)
→ Then exercises 3-4, etc.
Principle: Tasks of 10-15 minutes maximum, with micro breaks.
Principle 4: Teach Self-Regulation
Teach to Recognize Internal Signals
Lucas does not realize he is starting to lose control.
You can help him RECOGNIZE the signals:
Activity: The Agitation Thermometer
Create a visual thermometer with Lucas:
“`
🔴 RED (5/5): Very agitated, I can no longer control myself
🟠 ORANGE (4/5): Agitated, I want to move a lot
🟡 YELLOW (3/5): A little agitated, I am starting to fidget
🟢 GREEN (2/5): Calm, but I need to move a little
🔵 BLUE (1/5): Very calm, focused
“`
Learning:
“Lucas, where do you sit on the thermometer right now?”
Lucas: “Yellow.”
You: “Okay. What can you do to stay in green and not go up to orange?”
Lucas: “I can use my elastic under my feet.”
You: “Great idea. Do it.”
→ Lucas learns to self-assess and act BEFORE losing control.
Teach Calm-Down Strategies
When Lucas feels he is going up to ORANGE/RED, he can use strategies:
1. Breathing (simple exercise)
“I breathe slowly: inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, 3 times.”
2. Allowed movement
“I will go to the movement pause corner to do 10 jumps.”
3. Drink water
“I will drink a glass of water” (excuse to get up legitimately, move a little, come back).
4. Ask for a break
Lucas has a “BREAK” card on his desk. He raises it discreetly.
You see him and nod. He takes a 2-minute break (breathing, movement).
→ Lucas has TOOLS to manage his agitation himself.
The Behavior Contract
Create a clear contract with Lucas.
“`
📋 LUCAS’S CONTRACT – Managing Agitation
🎯 MY GOAL:
Stay seated for 10 minutes straight (instead of getting up every 2 minutes)
🛠️ MY TOOLS:
☐ Use my dynamic cushion
☐ Use the elastic under my feet
☐ Use my discreet fidget
☐ Ask for a break if needed
✅ IF I SUCCEED:
📝 Signature Lucas: __________
📝 Signature Teacher: __________
“`
→ Clear goal, provided tools, planned positive reinforcement.
Principle 5: Immediate Positive Reinforcement
Why Immediacy is Crucial
Students with ADHD have a deficit in anticipating rewards.
To say “If you are good all week, you will have a privilege on Friday” = DOES NOT WORK.
Solution: IMMEDIATE reinforcement (within seconds/minutes).
Immediate Token System
Principle:
As soon as Lucas makes an effort to regulate, he earns a token IMMEDIATELY.
Examples:
5 tokens = 5 minutes of COCO play (or another privilege)
→ Quick reinforcement, achievable within the day or the next day.
Specific and Immediate Verbal Feedback
Instead of: (silence when Lucas does well, reprimand when he does poorly)
Do: POSITIVE feedback as soon as he makes an effort.
“Lucas, great job, you stayed seated for 10 minutes, you used your cushion. Great strategy!”
“Lucas, you raised your hand instead of speaking directly. Thank you, that’s exactly what I expect!”
→ Lucas knows EXACTLY which behavior is valued.
The COCO Program for Students with ADHD
The COCO THINKS and COCO MOVES program is particularly suited for students with ADHD.
Why COCO is perfect for ADHD:
1. Mandatory active breaks every 15 minutes
After 15 minutes of play, COCO imposes a 5-minute sports break.
→ Satisfies the need to move
→ Natural motor regulation
→ Return to calm before resuming
2. Constant positive reinforcement
“Great!”, “Awesome!”, “Keep it up!”
→ Immediate feedback that motivates
3. Short and varied tasks
Games of 2-5 minutes, then change.
→ Suited to the short attention span of ADHD
4. Automatic adjustment
The level adjusts. Neither too easy (boredom) nor too difficult (frustration).
→ Optimal challenge zone
5. Control of screen time
Automatic breaks = no risk of harmful hyper-focusing.
Recommended use:
COCO sessions 15-20 minutes, 3 times a week, in workshops or for positive reinforcement.
Managing Behavioral Crises
When Lucas “loses it”
Situation: Lucas screams, cries, refuses to work, throws his materials.
What happens: Emotional overload. Lucas has exceeded his tolerance threshold. He is no longer in control.
Step 1: Ensure Safety
If Lucas is violent (hits, throws objects):
Step 2: Do Not Feed the Crisis
DO NOT:
DO:
“Lucas, I see you are very angry. I will stay here. When you are ready, we will talk.”
Step 3: Offer a Withdrawal Place
If possible, Lucas goes to a “calm corner” (not a punishment, a regulation place):
Step 4: Debrief After the Crisis (not during)
When Lucas is calm (30 min – 1 hour later):
You: “Lucas, what happened?”
Lucas: “I didn’t understand the exercise, I was upset.”
You: “Okay. Next time, what can you do before it gets to that point?”
Lucas: “Raise my BREAK card?”
You: “Exactly. We will practice doing that.”
→ Learning, not punishment.
Involving Parents
School-Home Consistency
Strategies must be COHERENT between school and home.
Document to give to parents:
“`
📋 MANAGEMENT OF LUCAS’S BEHAVIOR
🎯 WHAT WORKS AT SCHOOL:
🏠 WHAT YOU CAN DO AT HOME:
❌ TO AVOID:
“`
Regular Communication
Positive liaison notebook:
Each week, note 2-3 SUCCESSES of Lucas (not the difficulties).
“This week, Lucas managed to stay seated during the entire mental math session. Well done, Lucas!”
→ Positive communication, values progress.
Training in ADHD Management
Training: Supporting Students with Learning Disorders
This training covers:
Training: DYS Disorders: Identify and Adapt
Testimonials: When Anticipation Changes Everything
Sophie, 2nd-grade teacher
“Before, I constantly punished Lucas. It was useless, he would do it again. Since I understood ADHD, and I anticipate (short tasks, breaks, dynamic cushion, positive reinforcement), it’s day and night! Lucas regulates himself much better. And I am no longer exhausted.”
Parents of Lucas, ADHD
“The school told us Lucas was poorly raised. His new teacher understood that he had ADHD. She changed everything: front placement, movement tools, regular breaks, positive reinforcement. Lucas is transformed! He loves school now.”
Lucas, 9 years old, ADHD
“Before, I was always getting scolded. Now, I have my cushion that moves, I can go jump when I need to, and my teacher says well done when I make an effort. It’s so cool!”
Action Plan: Managing ADHD in 8 Weeks
Weeks 1-2: Observe and Identify Triggers
Keep a behavior journal. Identify patterns.
Week 3: Adapt Placement and Environment
Place Lucas in front. Set up dynamic cushion, elastic, fidget.
Week 4: Break Down Tasks
Offer tasks of 10-15 min max with quick feedback.
Week 5: Teach Self-Regulation
Introduce the agitation thermometer. Teach calm-down strategies.
Week 6: Implement Positive Reinforcement
Immediate token system. Constant positive verbal feedback.
Week 7: Create the Behavior Contract
Draft the contract with Lucas. Clear goals, tools, reinforcements.
Week 8: Involve Parents
Meeting with parents. Document of consistent school-home strategies.
Conclusion: Anticipate, Adapt, Support
ADHD behaviors are not provocation. They are symptoms of a neurological disorder.
The 5 principles for effective management:
1. Punishing is useless
2. Anticipate triggers
3. Adapt the environment
4. Teach self-regulation
5. Immediate positive reinforcement
The goal is not to “normalize” Lucas. The goal is to give him TOOLS to manage his ADHD, succeed in school, and develop his self-esteem.
Lucas does not choose to move. But with a dynamic cushion, regular breaks, and positive reinforcement, he CAN learn to self-regulate.
So, ready to transform your approach? Set up a dynamic cushion this week. Break down tasks. Reinforce positively. Watch Lucas thrive.
Because managing ADHD is not about punishment. It’s about understanding, anticipating, and supporting!
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Resources for Further Exploration:
ADHD: anticipate + adapt + reinforce = regulated behaviors!