Dipolar Disorder, Behavioral Problems, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Teachers of all subjects and levels experience and teach a wide variety of learners students cannot be filed into one group and so teachers’ instructions shouldn’t either. Among students, there is a select group who are recognized as having emotional disturbance or experiencing a behavioral disorder. These behaviors and disorders can range in their intensity, type, and overall effect on the student’s learning ability. Within this report, emotional disturbance and behavioral disorder will be defined, and background information on each disorder will be given.

The characteristics of someone with these disorders will also be mentioned, as well as strategies and classroom accommodations that teachers may implement in order to best meet the needs of these students. Emotional Disturbance and Behavioral Disorder is defined as “A condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.

An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances. A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression. A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems. Emotional disturbance and behavioral disorder is not a singular term but instead refer to many different disorders grouped under this category. These include anxiety, bipolar disorder, conduct issues, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and more. In the 1960s, Eli Bowers researched students who needed services because of severe emotional and behavioral problems.

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In 1957, the term “emotional disturbance” was proposed to congress and was adopted in 1975 with the passing of The Education For All Handicapped Children Act, which allows students with disabilities such as Emotional Disturbance and Behavioral Disorder the right to a public education that accounts for their needs and abilities.

Since emotional disturbance and behavioral disorder can refer to many different specific disabilities, there are multiple behaviors that teachers should be aware of. These characteristics include: Hyperactivity: Having short attention span, impulsiveness, and being constantly active with disruptive behavior. Aggression or self-injurious behavior: Acting out, fighting, displaying hostile or violent behavior or attitude towards another. Not interacting socially with others, excessive fear and anxiety. Inappropriate crying, temper tantrums, poor coping skills. Learning difficulties: Academically performing below grade level. It is mentioned that students with extreme emotional disturbances may show excessive anxiety and abnormal mood swings.

These characteristics may seem normal to see in a child here and there, but students with Emotional Disturbance will continue to exhibit these behaviors consistently over an extended period of time. This behavior can signal that they are not coping with their fellow students or the learning environment. Going off the statement that emotional disturbance and behavioral disorders are very broad for teachers to successfully address and accommodate these disorders in the classroom, their accommodations must vary. Discussed below will be a sample of some of the more prevalent disorders among students, but not all. Instructors should research each child’s disorder before making any decisions on accommodating their learning experience.

Anxiety Disorders in children are defined as anxiety that is excessive, persistent, seemingly uncontrollable, and overwhelming. Sometimes even irrational fears of everyday situations may be involved in the child’s life. Anxiety disorder is an umbrella term, and when dealing with a child who has this, their distinct disorder should be known. Disorders include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder (also called social phobia), and specific phobias. Some accommodations teachers may need to implement for these students include Extra time on tests or even a private area to take tests Preferential seating Word banks and equation sheets for students who “go blank” when taking tests Next, Bipolar Disorder is defined as a serious medical condition that causes dramatic mood swings from overly high and or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again.

Teachers can accommodate students with this disorder by providing: A safe place to go when emotionally distressed Lastly, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Repetitive behaviors (such as handwashing, counting, checking, or cleaning) are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these so-called “rituals,” however, provides only temporary relief, while failing to perform them markedly increases anxiety. Teachers can help students afflicted with OCD succeed in class by:  Provision of frequent breaks during lecture • Shortened assignments  Special pass to use the restroom or go to the office.

With any student who has an emotional disturbance or behavior disorder, the teacher should try and get to know the student. As an agriculture teacher, the relationship with the student is that much more important. Students will be working with dangerous tools, animals large and small, machinery, and all kinds of potentially triggering things. Knowing your students’ mannerisms and personalities will allow you to see if they’re starting to have an attack and ultimately how to respond to it. Working with the student’s IEP case manager will help outline the students’ needs and aid in planning instruction. Being a teacher is overwhelmingly satisfying. One of the main sources of this satisfaction is the ability to overcome the challenges of a diverse group of students and see them be the best they can be.