---
title: 'What teachers see: How ADHD impacts learning in high school'
description: As high school students with ADHD gains independence, symptoms can have an impact on learning. Here’s what a teacher might see.
slug: what-teachers-see-how-adhd-impacts-learning-in-high-school
author: Amanda Morin
reviewer: Bob Cunningham, EdM
published: '2019-10-16T11:46:54.998Z'
source_url: https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-teachers-see-how-adhd-impacts-learning-in-high-school
lang: en
---

# What teachers see: How ADHD impacts learning in high school

High school isn’t just about academics. It’s also about learning to be self-sufficient and self-aware. Here are examples of ADHD symptoms your teen’s teacher may notice.

## Keeps showing up late

- Your child has trouble getting to school on time.
- Your child misses the first few minutes of class after lunch period.
- Your child is on probation with the sports team for being late to practice.

**The issue:** 
Kids with ADHD can have trouble keeping track of time.

## Challenges authority

- Your child corrects teachers during lectures.
- Your child gets into trouble for not following the rules in class.
- Your child is “fired” from a community service project for being rude.

**The issue:
** Kids with ADHD often speak without taking into account who they’re speaking to.

## Is unreliable

- Your child forgets to come in after school for a tutoring session or to make up a test.
- Your child misses assignments or hands in incomplete work.
- Your child leaves fellow students to pitch in on a group project.

**The issue:
** Kids with ADHD can have trouble getting organized and following through.

## Doesn’t seem to listen

- Your child appears not to be interested in what classmates are saying.
- Your child loses the point of what’s being discussed in class.
- Your child doesn’t participate in large group discussions.

**The issue:
** Kids with ADHD often have trouble listening and following conversations.

---

<!-- structured-data -->
```json
[{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-teachers-see-how-adhd-impacts-learning-in-high-school#webpage","url":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-teachers-see-how-adhd-impacts-learning-in-high-school","description":"As high school students with ADHD gains independence, symptoms can have an impact on learning. Here’s what a teacher might see."},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-teachers-see-how-adhd-impacts-learning-in-high-school","name":"What teachers see: How ADHD impacts learning in high school"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","datePublished":"2019-10-16T11:46:54.998Z","description":"As high school students with ADHD gains independence, symptoms can have an impact on learning. Here’s what a teacher might see.","headline":"What teachers see: How ADHD impacts learning in high school","url":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-teachers-see-how-adhd-impacts-learning-in-high-school","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.understood.org/#organization","name":"Understood for All Inc","logo":"https://cdn-images.understood.org/p0qf7j048i0q/307jFAYQevghG8nQMCjh89/ccdbbec895765824db43f6d30b496e83/logo_lockup_navy.jpg"}}]
```