Setting Children Up For Success in the New School Year

Often for this introduction to your child, it can be best to describe who you are, who your child is, as well as, the positives and negatives your child has experienced in the past.  One word of caution about negatives is that it isn’t often helpful to talk negatively about other past teachers.  Instead weigh on the side of saying things such as, “We have found that our son thrives in environments with clear limits, positive encouragement, and clear structure with lots of rewards built in.” as opposed to statements like, “Last year my son struggled because Teacher X was too unstructured and didn’t reward him.” Through experience we have found including the strengths of your child and where they excel is equally as important as including the areas where they struggle. You can also include your child’s interests as a way for the teacher to begin building a connection with them from day one. After that, include any accommodations, IEP information or goals, 504 plans and anything else that you believe would be helpful. This sets the standard for open communication from the beginning. Ending your introduction by including a line telling the teachers that they can contact you with any questions or concerns conveys that you are here to help and are ready to be involved.  I find that sending this information is often helpful since teacher often get multiple IEPs and 504s at the start of the school year and it can be helpful to have that personalized introduction to help teachers identify more with your child.

 

 

Talking with your child about school and teachers before the year begins and routinely through the first couple months can aid in their success.  Schools have many resources for children aside from just teachers, and often kids are unaware that they exist. Whether it is a school counselor, a case manager, or another staff member, having someone else in the school get to know your child can be very beneficial to them. Seek these resources out together so that you are both aware of all your options and all that is available to you. Many schools will allow you to do a tour of the school and meet some of the staff before the first day. Also, if your child is familiar with what services the school offers they can better ask for support when they need it. Encourage them to advocate for themselves and speak up to ask for the help that they need!  Otherwise, if these skills are beyond their current level you can discuss with teachers and write into their documents about ways to notice when they might be struggling and how teachers and administrators can be providing prompts and support as needed.

 

Also, it is important to keep in mind that at any time throughout the year you may request an extra meeting to discuss IEPs or 504 plans–you are not required to wait until the annual meeting. It can be helpful to be proactive if you are not sure your child’s plan is serving their needs.  Advocates are often a huge resource for families for when they are having difficulty getting services established for their child or they are unsure if the services are really meeting all of their child’s needs to access curriculum.

 

 

 ADDitude magazine has compiled a list of quotes from parents’ past experiences with more helpful tips to give your child the best educational experience possible!