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Does anyone have advice on teaching a student with ADD?
I have a 14 year old student who Can Not focus. Most lessons consist of 2 lines of one song because he is all over the place with whatever comes to his mind, this sometimes consists of rude jokes and comments, he has been sent to the hallway. I have had him as a student for 2 1/2 years, Not only does he focus poorly at lesson but home practice is almost never. We are no longer using a lesson book because he would "forget" it at home, he only wants to learn one song a year.
When I realized after year one that any lesson book was hopeless I tried to teach chording, more playing by ear, improvising, jazz etc, just trying to find any style of music to spark some drive and goals. I have tried to teach him practice techniques and games to help him focus. I have also talked to his parents on many occasions.
I did know his previous teacher and I don't think her struggles were any different than mine.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, I am starting to feel like I am a poor teacher.

Not a teacher, but don't do that to yourself. I do this to myself as a player way too much.

I don't think my childhood teachers found me a model student but they planted a seed. While the goal of a teacher is to have a student surpass them, it's also a reasonable goal to kindle such a need for music in their students that their students continue.

How can you know?

You're not a bad teacher, I don't think, but you cannot address his problem with the usual tactics (trying to get them interested/focused by finding the right genre, improving their practicing habits, etc.). It's called "special needs" for a reason, and you need to learn some special techniques to help him focus.

Here are some suggestions:

- Is it taking medication? If so, I would insist that he takes his meds at a time so that he can focus for the lessons. This may mean rescheduling the lesson for a time that would work (perhaps a Saturday, since he'll need his meds for school). Always ask him or his parent before the lesson (or whoever brings him) if he's had his meds today. You may want to decide if you'd rather allow them to reschedule or refuse to teach him. You have to be comfortable with whatever you decide.

- Make sure that your room is very organized. If you have books out from previous lessons, put them away before he comes in the room. Try to minimize distractions by having less for him to look at, so perhaps if you have lots of knickknacks, you can decide to only keep a few of them out. As long as it's organized and doesn't look cluttered, that will help.

- Make your lesson format predictable. Be firm as to what you're going to do from the beginning of the lesson. Go over the lesson plan from the start, but keep it simple. Set a time limit on any one activity, and move on no matter what is actually accomplished. This is for your sanity as well.

- It's a shame he's 14 now, because it's a bit harder to use the rewards that you could use with a younger child. Still, perhaps there is something that you can entice him with. You know what he likes, and it should be something that you can "award" him every lesson if need be. Maybe it's just something like allow him to play whatever he wants on the piano as long as he doesn't abuse it, or whatever. If you're not sure what would work, ask him what he thinks.

This reward would be used at the end of the lesson if you are able to get through each task for the lesson. It's important that you have the tasks reasonable for the length of the lesson, so that he can accomplish it.

- Give visual cues as to how he's doing - something to show him which task he's on, how many tasks he's accomplished, and how many he has to go. That visual aid could be something simple like a list of tasks with a check mark on either side: one side being "done" and the other side "not done". The latter category is for when you've spent the allotted time on the task and he refused to do it. Don't use this to show if he's tried but has trouble doing it. You want to reward the effort only. Maybe different names for the checkmarks would be better, but that's something you can decide what works for you.

- Be sure each task is clear and succinct (i.e., "Play through measures 8-12 hands separately three times"). Having clear instructions will help him to focus on what he's trying to accomplish.

- Be fair when deciding if he's done the task or not, but stick to your guns about the rude comments: if those happen, there will be no reward for the day. In fact, I think the lesson should end right there if that happens. It may be a good idea to give him one warning though before ending the lesson, like, "Did you really mean to say that rude comment?" He may need a reminder before the consequence happens.

- I think reconsider going back to a method book. Even if you only use one or two books, I think the structure will be helpful for him. Choose a level that is easy for him, one where he can actually learn the pieces if he only plays them once/week at lessons. Have a copy of the books in your studio. Most likely you'll be using them each time, but not remembering the books won't be an excuse.

- Lastly, tell him that learning one piece a year is not acceptable. He does not dictate how the lessons go, and explain to him the reasons why this will not be a good idea. Learning one song a year will pretty much guarantee that he will not learn how to play piano and he will easily forget all the work he's put into things. He is showing up for lessons, and so there obviously is a desire for him to stick with this. Perhaps he really likes you and enjoys the one on one time, in spite of the rudeness. But he needs to agree to a minimum of doing what you say in the lessons.

- If he doest not agree to trying this with you, then I do believe you need to be prepared to let him go. In that case, tell his parents that you have tried all you can, but you are not the teacher for him - I find that taking on the blame for something like this makes it easier for the student to move on.

I have current and former students with ADD. They are all different. Most made good progress but all in their own way. All required some extra hands-on work from the parents.

Redirecting a distracted student (whether ADD or not) works best if I talk about the thing I want them to do, instead of talking about the thing they're doing instead or scolding them for being distracted.

If you've talked to the parents a lot, they must have brought you up to speed on the kinds of things that work for him for schoolwork/homework. Try to bring some of those things into the lesson. If the student's behavior is very unusual then the lessons will also be unusual. You may be doing a lot of improv and that's ok.

The parents will have to coach home practice unless the student becomes able to manage that on his own. They are surely overwhelmed with coaching homework already so keep the practices very short and expectations very minimal, except for the expectation that they do it every day or nearly every day. Discuss the previous week's practice with student and parent at EVERY lesson until a good routine is established.

The gift of ADD is extreme creativity and hyperfocus with certain loved activities and if he ever decides that music can be one of those activities you're golden. He'll still be distractible in lessons but he'll be at the piano all the time at home and make great progress (if not always on the things you assigned.)

Elysia, you have our sympathies. But remember that you have been teaching this lad for 2.5 years now, so clearly you have done much that is successful. I think the fact that he has not quit is remarkable, and a tribute to your rapport together.

I agree with Morodiene that you should return to a method book, and then supplement this as best you can with what this boy might want. Do you know what turns him on musically?

You also haven't told us what his parents say: they have the most expertise in dealing with him. I'm with Heather here.

He is there for therapy.

Thank you, Dr. Steven.

Thank you everyone for the encouragement and suggestions. I talked to his father at lesson today, it is agreed that they will monitor his practice.
I have told the student that we will be setting goals and accomplishing more. Often he has not taken his medication before lesson and I am ok with that. During conversation with my student today he has explained that not taking medication is better for his creativ side, which I completely understand. I also have ADD, but on a different level.
I agree that a firm plan and structure is best, my weakness is that I am often quite soft in nature, though I find that fading with every year lol.
He is a bit old for most of the rewards that I use, although today he asked for a sticker. I do make him wait for the end of class for whatever video he has been wanting to share with me.
Finding pieces that he likes is a struggle. I would like to use a book called Chord Play and also teach him to turn a scale in any key into a blues scale. I am hoping that this will give him a better understanding of music and allow him to arrange or compose his own.I like all my students to see music as more than notes on paper. He often likes to play what he thinks sounds better, I think I should encourage that where appropriate.

Elysia, don't underestimate the value this boy places on his learning relationship with you. You have stuck by him, and continue to do so. And you are trying to meet him halfway: he recognizes a fine teacher, and so do his folks!

Thank you. I put a lot of heart into my job, I think it breaks a bit when things are not going well. When things seem bad enough, I loose sight on what I am really needed for. I am sure that I am not alone in that feeling.

agreed!
and how wonderful that he can be so creative with you.