4 Tips on How to Start the School Year Right!
It's that time of year. Time to get the backpacks ready and start back to routines. For kids with learning challenges this can be a really difficult time of year for the student and families. New schools and classrooms can cause anxiety, making new friends or building relationships with new teachers can be difficult. How can you as a family member support your student? Here are a few things you can do to help.
1. Talk to your child's teach or send a note/email
The biggest way a parent can support their child is to communicate with the teacher. Do this by calling and setting up a time and date to meet in the first week. This is not a parent being overly protective, this you supporting your child and giving support to the teacher. You want your child to have a successful school year. Communication between you and the teacher is key. Teachers want to ensure that all students can succeed and often the littlest bit of insight can make all the difference!
2. Talk to the principle
If for whatever you reason you feel that your issues or concern should be brought the administration then do that. Making sure that all the team members at the school are aware of what your child might be going through and what things work to help calm them and reassure them is key. Again the principle is there to lend support.
3. Prep your child
Talk to you child often. This can be a quick little chat throughout the day on the weekend or after school. Talk to them about what they are nervous about, what they think they need and how you can help. Sometimes just a quite little conversation, even at the dinner table, with no pressure you'll get a good understanding of what they feel they need.
4. Share information
If at any point throughout the summer or after you have any sort of documentation (doctors notes, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Hearing tests etc.) please share those. These documents help teachers and team members at the school support your child based on recommendations from those documents. Often times parents wish to hold onto those for fear that they might not be helpful or are might label their child. If the teacher doesn't have all the information for your child it can take longer for support to provided.
School's can be scary for families with students who have learning needs and differences. Remember that every teacher and member at a school is there to help support and guide students to success. That is done through partnership, as the parent or family member you are the biggest part of the team. Speak up, advocate and ask questions.
