Help Your Child Have An Amazing School Year
Not everyone approaches the start to a new school year with optimism and hope. If your child struggles academically it can be a very stressful time for the whole family. There are a few things you can do to help your child have an amazing year and to alleviate the dread you all may be feeling. Communicating directly and early with your child's new teacher is the best way to get things going in the right direction from the beginning. If your child has learning disabilities this is even more important. It is a great idea to make a few copies of your child's IEP or 504 plan and put them in the teacher's mailbox before the start of school. Including a friendly note always sets a happy tone and establishes that you and the teacher are on the same team! In the note it is helpful to cover the following:
Introduce you and your child to the new teacher- briefly go into your child's interests and favorite subjects
Identify your child's learning issues and learning disability diagnoses
Describe what the learning issue will look like to the teacher in the classroom and what to look out for when the child is struggling
Show how each IEP goal and accommodation are directly linked to the learning disability
Express your willingness to do your part to make the year successful for the teacher and your child
Most importantly, end the note with a request for an in-person meeting within the first three weeks of school so that you can discuss your child, the teacher's expectations, and develop a plan for communication
Clearly defining the learning issues and providing the teacher with their own copy of the IEP or 504 helps the teacher understand your child before they ever enter the classroom. It also shows them that you are an involved participant in your child's academic journey, as well as a knowledgable resource for the teacher. Never forget that you are the #1 subject area expert on your child! You can and should be as involved as possible at the beginning of the school year.This early effort will make all the difference for your child and for their teacher....and as a parent, it will put your heart at ease because you did your best to set them both up for success. I wish you every blessing as we start this school year....renewed, full of hope, and looking forward to progress and success!
Blessings to you and yours,
Suzanne