Inquiry Brief Fall 2016

EDE 4944
Caitlin Snider
University of South Florida Level III
Intern

Background
I am currently a pre-service teacher that is placed in a fourth
grade classroom. The school I intern at is located in
Hillsborough County, Florida.
The school is an ERT school.
My CT has a departmentalized classroom, which means that
she only teaches the students math and science and then
they switch to another class to do reading and writing.
In the classroom there is 42 students (20 in one class and 22
in the other). Overall 40% of the students are white, 33% are
Hispanic, 24% are African American, and 2% Asian.

Background: Seating Arrangement

We put islands (individual desks) on the side
and labeled these the green tables.
A round table in the back of the classroom and
labeled this the yellow table.
A square table in the back which is the red table.
Students go to the green table if they understand
the content, yellow if they think they understand,
but would still like help, and red table if they do
not understand the content and need to be
retaught.

Background: Seating
Chart

Background: Technology
There is limited technology in the
school, but the teachers do have
access to Mimio and iReady.

Background: Rules in the Classroom

Three Rs (Respect, Responsibility, and

Right Choices)
School Wide Hand Signals (Water,

Restroom, Sharpen Pencil, Line Up, etc.)

School Pledge
CHAMPS

Background: School
Pledge

On my honor, I promise to attend school

and be on time. I promise to give my best
effort, be kind and considerate, keep a
positive attitude, and make good choices
everyday as this is the _____ Way.

Background: Trends I Started to See

in the Classroom
Students behavior when they were
not following directions some days
and were other days.
I asked the teachers why and they
informed me these students did not
take their ADHD medication
regularly.
One student in my class started to
develop neurological damage.

What Lead to my Inquiry

How did one of my students develop
neurological damage from ADHD
medication and is that a risk for all
students?

Purpose Statement
My purpose for this inquiry was to discover how
ADHD medication affects student behavior. This
inquiry is important to me, because it started to
affecting my students everyday life. Not only
were students acting like completely different
people one student actually developed
neurological damage from the medication.

Article Brief 1
Consequences of ADHD Medication Use for Childrens Outcomes
Children are over diagnosed with ADHD.
ADHD is one of the most common chronic mental heath
problems among young children (3-7%).
Symptoms: Hyperactivity, Impulsiveness, Behavioral Problems.
When in pharmacological treatment at a young age there is a
much worse outcome than others who are diagnosed later in
life.
Treatment is rarely initiated until after the age of five.
The study found that children diagnosed and put on medication
after 10 did not have as many long-term effects as compared
to children put on ADHD medication before the age of 10.

Article Brief 2
The Association of ADHD Symptoms and Reading
Acquisition During Elementary School Years
Difficulties found with single-word, processing
speed, reading skills, and vocabulary found in
children with ADHD.
Students with more sever ADHD tend to have
lower reading levels.
Students with long term ADHD tend to have
decoding problems and show less growth in
reading skills.
The earlier diagnosed the better off the student
will be with reading.
If students are diagnosed in kindergarten with a
learning problems it might help prevent them
form reading problems as well.

Article Brief 3

Effect of Stimulant Medication Use by Children With ADHD on Heart

Rate and Perceived Exertion
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neuropsychological
disorder that is characterized by poor attention as well as impulsive
and hyperactive movements.
In the US approximately 3-9% of children are estimated to have ADHD.
Boys are usually diagnosed more than girls.
ADHD is often treated by pharmacological means.
Side Effect of Stimulant Medication: Increased heart rate, increased
blood pressure, appetites suppression, and sleep disturbances.
Students with ADHD have diminished motor skill proficiency,
demonstrate disruptive behaviors, and have poor peer and social
relationships.

Questions/ Wonderments
How does the students behavior and
work ethic change when on ADHD
medication?
How does the students behavior and
work ethic change when off ADHD
medication?
What are the long-term effects of
ADHD medication?

Methods
I plan to conduct my inquiry by conducting

interviews with teachers and students,

behavioral logs, seating chart, observation
notes, and looking at and studying articles.
All of these will be color coded by student
and keep in my data collection log.

Data Collection

Timeline: Jan-Feb
January
Interview Students
Pictures of Students Work
Behavioral logs
Observation Notes
February
Interview parents
Re-interview teachers
Take pictures of Students
Work
Conduct a Second
Interview With Students
Observation Notes

Timeline: March-April
March
Continue to Take Behavioral
Logs
Take Pictures of Student Work
Conduct a Third Interview
With Students
Observation Notes
April
Finalize Putting All Data
Together
Final Interview of Students
Behavioral Logs
Pictures of Students Work
Observation Notes

References

Dalsgarrd S., Nielsen, H.S., & Simonsen, M. (2004). Consewuences of ADHD

medication use for childrens outcomes. Journal Of Health Economics, 37 137-151.

Ehm, J., Schmiedek, F., Hasselhorn, M., Gawrilow, C. * Koerner, J. (2016). The
association of ADHD symptoms and reading acquisition during elementary school
years. Developmental Psychology, (9), 1445.
Mahon, A.D., Woodruff, M. E., Horn, M. P., Marjerrison, A. D., & Cole, A. S. (2012).
Effect of Stimulant Medication Used by Children with ADHD on Heart Rate and
Perceived Exertion. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly 29 (2), 151.