Back To School: What You Can Do To Make Your Child’s Transition Into A New Classroom Successful

Transitioning into a new classroom with a new teacher is challenging for most children, but it is particularly challenging with children with special needs. The following is what you can do to make your child’s transition into a new classroom successful:

First, prior to school commencing, email your child’s teacher and introduce yourself and give the teacher a copy of your child’s IEP. Although the school will provide your child’s teacher with a copy of the IEP, you want to be sure the teacher has it prior to school commencing.

Second, ask for a meeting with your child’s teacher as soon as possible to discuss your child and your child’s IEP.

Third, at the meeting with your child’s teacher in September, you should discuss the following:

• Make sure the teacher understands your child’s IEP and how to implement it. A good IEP should be self-explanatory, but you want to be sure your child’s teacher took the time to read it and understands it.
• Make sure the teacher understands your child’s special needs. For example, if a FM system is in your child’s IEP, make sure the teacher has had the FM system training or is scheduled to receive it. Having a FM system is useless and can even be detrimental to your child if it is not used properly.
• Share your child’s learning obstacles with the teacher. Let the teacher know what strategies work and what strategies do not work. Ask for the teacher’s input as to new strategies as well.
• If your child has certain triggers that affect his or her ability to learn or socialize with his or her peers, let the teacher know. For example, if your child has trouble transitioning back to school work after lunch or gym and often acts out, let the teacher know.

Lastly, after meeting with your child’s teacher in September, keep the line of communication open. Contact the teacher regularly to ensure your child’s IEP is being properly implemented and to address any issues as they occur. It is not unusual for a teacher to try to deal with an issue and not notify you until the issue becomes problematic.