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My name is Ms. and I teach sixth grade. One of my students, Tara Sullivan, has

been diagnosed with having Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. OCD is an anxiety

disorder and is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts and or repetitive

behaviors. Obsessions are thoughts that get stuck in the person's head and compulsions

are activities or rituals that the person performs in an often futile attempt to relieve their

obsessive thoughts. Tara is an intelligent, eleven year old girl in my class who is a

prisoner of her own mind. The voices in her head or “tyrants” as she calls them compel

her to perform seemingly meaningless rituals over and over again. It began when she

heard the popular rhyme, "step on a crack, break your mother’s back." For Tara, avoiding

cracks in the sidewalk became just the first of many obsessions. She would get upset if

someone or something interrupted a ritual. She would have to start over to insure nothing

terrible happened if she didn’t complete it accurately.

It was crucial that I make necessary classroom modifications to create a safe,

learning environment for Tara. To reduce outbursts similar to that of the holiday scene

(Hesser, 1998, p. 93) I decided to post the daily schedule in a highly visible place so she

and the other students will know what to expect on a day-to-day basis. I owe it to Tara

and the other children to establish a clear, predictable schedule which provides stability.

I believe it is imperative to alert the class of any changes in the daily routine beforehand

so as to prepare Tara and avoid additional stress. For instance, whenever possible I will

give her prior notice of a fire drill in an attempt to ward off anxiety.

I debated about the seating arrangement and where the most appropriate place for

Tara might be. I thought I would either seat her in front where I can better monitor her

behaviors and needs, keeping her away from the window to minimize visual distractions.
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On the other hand, closer to the door can make it less awkward for her to make an exit if

she needs to leave the room to relieve an anxiety build-up. I decided to ask Tara for her

input in the matter and would remain flexible.

I believe Tara would benefit from both whole-class and small-group instruction. An

advantage to large-group instruction is that she would not be singled out as being

different from her peers. Perhaps, with permission from Tara’s parents, we can educate

her peers about OCD by conducting classroom discussions. It can be a positive step

toward building understanding and tolerance. When implemented correctly, mixed-skill

grouping can provide all students with a range of positive models for both academic and

social behavior giving kids the opportunity to help one another. Collaborative grouping is

an effective arrangement for this age group (Wood, 2007, p.138); however, I’m uncertain

how Tara will react in this type of setting. If I pair her with a buddy or carefully select a

small mixed-group of four, she can greatly benefit. Poorly assigned groupings will cause

an escalation in her anxiety level if, for instance, she is teased by her classmates.

Tara is often unable to complete her tests within the allotted time given her need to

check and recheck her answers, as well as her need to dissect her choices (Hesser,

1998, p. 22). As her teacher I will offer her additional time and/or give her oral tests as

an alternative. Moreover, I will allow extra time to turn in her homework, without penalty.

Since many children with OCD expend a large amount of energy, a reduction in the

amount of homework may be necessary, perhaps assigning only the odd numbers vs. all

problems. Tara may have difficulty or slowness with completing written assignments

because she is compelled to write letters, numbers, words, or sentences over and over.

She may need to revise her work multiple times to be sure everything is "just so.”
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Extreme fatigue may result from staying up late repeatedly rereading or writing and

rewriting assignments. I will give her the option of using the computer to type any written

assignments thereby reducing time and stress.

When noting Tara’s learning strengths and needs, I consider her neurological

development. It is important for me to note that her OCD-related problem is just a part of

the whole student, not the focal point. I document Tara’s peer interactions, any

outbursts, any prescribed coping skills and strategies in order to evaluate their

effectiveness. I look for triggers. For instance, what might set her off. If Tara has

repeated episodes of anxiety or rituals, the times and circumstances should be noted.

Could certain stimuli or events be eliminated or altered so that she won't become so

anxious? School personnel who interact with Tara can also help by identifying her

strengths. I praise any successful attempts to resist compulsions, and I focus my

attention on positive elements in her life such as her abilities in certain areas; her

creativity, language skills, sense of humor, artistic ability, etc. will help to reinforce her

capabilities and value. By emphasizing Tara's strengths I will not only can help her with

self-esteem issues related to OCD but will also provide encouragement to her parents. I

recognize Tara’s strengths and her successes.

I should be educated specifically about Tara’s disorder. I want to meet with her

parents regularly to address any concerns or strategies that are being used at home.

Some potential problems that may arise for Tara might result from her uncontrollable

rituals. Her repetitive behaviors often cause her assignments to be late or incomplete

since she is compelled to perform a ritual until it looks, sounds, or feels "just right" or in a

certain order or pattern. Eleven year olds are particularly sensitive (Wood, 2007, p. 136)
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and I will demonstrate empathy toward all my students giving careful consideration to

Tara’s who is also easily embarrassed; therefore the best way to help her cope with OCD

is to be as kind and patient as possible. Sadly to say, cliques, bullying and inappropriate

behaviors are common at this age (Wood, 2007, p. 138). Tara is unfortunately subject to

greater ridicule due to her condition. Unkind behavior from classmates causes any child

to become anxious, but especially for Tara who incessantly battles her anxiety. Excessive

concern for perfection in small details that interferes with the completion of projects

Tara’s mental illness produces great distress and is time consuming. Her obsessions

and compulsions significantly interfere with her normal routine, functioning, or usual

social activities or relationships resulting in late or incomplete assignments.

I will not hesitate to enlist help from other school personnel. I believe it is a vital

step toward the success and well-being. I am certain it will be to Tara’s benefit, as well

as my own, to discuss my concerns with her parents, the school psychologist, social

worker, counselor, school nurse, or other appropriate school professional. In doing so, I

will use the information I gather to brainstorm adaptations and explore new strategies

specifically for Tara.

It is essential to provide instructional accommodations, and modifications when

necessary to compensate for Tara’s disorder and ensure her success. One of my

classroom mottos will be, "Everybody makes mistakes." I will cultivate a safe place

where Tara and the others don't feel threatened or intimidated by the need to be

academically perfect. Perfectionism should not be praised. Instead, I will praise their

individual effort and note that mistakes are "okay." I will give Tara the option of taking a

test orally instead of writing answers to questions. This way I will know that she knows
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the material, but does not have to labor over how the words or letters look on the test

answers. I will modify tests. will allow her some time during the day to organize his or

her materials. By providing a set time to do this, some of the anxiety over whether all

materials are properly organized is reduced. I will provide Tara with two sets of materials

and books; one for working in school and one for working at home.

Finally, I will ask Tara to identify which strategies she would like to try using. I

plan to meet with her parents regularly to evaluate her use of the strategies both at home

and in school. We should discuss how things are going and whether there are any new

concerns. I will praise her progress rather than focusing on areas of continued

disorganization. Since Tara appreciates neatness and order, I might suggest that she set

up a notebook or other system for organizing her work. I will monitor her progress and

offer suggestions as to how to break down a big project into smaller sections that are

easier to handle. All my students, including Tara will have projects of interest and choice.

I can evaluate their progress by allowing them to demonstrate their knowledge in ways

they will shine. For instance, I would not expect Tara to give an oral presentation in front

of the class but she might illustrate her knowledge by designing a poster. I will pay

attention to her general attitude about school and note any significant changes. Perhaps

a notebook or “log” might be a good way to track Tara’s behavior and to send notes

home to parents concerning her progress. Moreover, it might be useful to indicate where

extra attention is needed to complete a class assignment. Tara’s parents also can make

notes and I can check the notebook daily to keep communication open between us.
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PROJECTS OF INTEREST: CHOICE

A special show and tell could be held, depending upon the child's willingness to
participate, where the symptoms are discussed with the class and the child is shown to
have regular hobbies and interests like everyone else.

oral presentations, Competitions involving scores on tests or homework be avoided.

Bill 624-1350 and to prevent further anxiety, manage space

Scribe or copy peer’s notes or recorded

Communication is most important

learning how to learn” skills: test taking, problem solving, note taking.

assign fewer questions on a test, assign every other question, or give her the choice to

write very short answers

Erases and rewrites assignments;

Orders or arranges things in a certain way;

Insists that his or her things must stay in exactly the same place;
Repeats words or numbers over and over