Thanks for this post. Your practical suggestions are really helpful, and I think you've found great ways to work with your ADD learners and give them positions they can be proud of in the classroom.
I worked extensively with a homeschooling family last year with a hyperactive-impulsive ADD 12-year-old who unfortunately didn't have teachers like you, and was shamed in his early school experiences for who he was. The biggest changes for us came after 90% eliminating sugar from his diet, which I could write a whole post about... Actually, I might go do just that. Also, similar to your advice, definitely having some rigorous physical activity before doing any kind of mental work helped a lot.
I wrote more about working with this youth and some key learnings that came up in these personal stories:
Letting People Make Their Own Mistakes and Supporting them Afterwards
Oh, and ANIMALS! Walking dogs at the shelter was the most healing thing for this youth, though for reasons more complicated than just ADD.
This also shows that teachers can make or break a learner, which is one of the saddest parts of teaching. I think, in almost half of these children's' cases, if you control their diet and add physical activities we can manage them. When I just began teaching I had a boy in my class who also had hypercative-impulsive ADD. He was a foster child, but was lucky enough to be placed in the care of one of my fellow teachers. So his eating habits etc was controlled. He was also an amazing long distance runner, so whenever he became fidgety we used to send him to run around the track field(luckily my class was next to it). This helped a lot and he came back refocused and class could continue.
Did you try horse therapy with him to?
Yes, teachers have a BIG responsibility, far bigger than many realize. I mean, how many kids spend more time in the class room and with their teachers than with their parents and family. I also get why it would be really frustrating as a teacher with 25+ students to have someone who seems to be acting out "disrupting" your class, especially if you've got 100+ students in a day, you're working long days, and you're not well-paid or well-respected for all the extra work that is happening outside of class. My hats off to public school teachers, I could not do it.
We did not try horse therapy, but I think he's in a summer camp where he might be able to connect with horses right now. Maybe I'll write a post about walking dogs, there's a lot in there to unpack. This little human is an adoptee from birth, so maybe some interesting parallels with the foster youth you mention. In his case, there is also a way in which he identifies with pitbulls because they have a bad rep but are actually very sweet, and, I think, identifies with shelter dogs because they need a home. He did very well when put in a position of giving care, focusing on the dogs' needs with unconditional love. I think part of it too, specifically in relating to ADD is seeing the animals' unbridled energy, reflecting his own energy as natural and having that affirmation and validation that he's not totally crazy for having a different body and learning style than what he's being told in so many ways is "normal."
I think most of the children are failed by the system. There are teachers/people who take into consideration everything that child has gone through and who then works with that to help that child. Others just see it as the child is acting out and then labels them as naughty and disruptive. Yes, you do get children who doesn't have a "past" and who is just naughty but one must make double sure that that is the case before reacting on the behavior.
Animals play such an important role in the emotional development of learners. You should write that article, I would love to read it.