Best Back to School Strategies for Your Neurodivergent Students
Each year provides both anxieties and excitement for neurodivergent students and their parents.
Of course with the current COVID-19 status, there are even more unique challenges to deal with, and preparing for the new school year is key to ensuring the success of your neurodivergent child.
Our tips below spell out how one can apply a tried and tested approach towards back to school worries, which includes all of the new and unique challenges that kids and their families are faced with.
But First,
What Is Neurodivergence?
Neurodivergence describes any condition that affects the way the brain works. This can include conditions such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia.
Our Top Tips To Managing Neurodivergent Teens
Help Them Feel Familiar About Their Surroundings;
Now, the first few days in a new class and with a new teacher could be pretty overwhelming for the child, due to the amount of information they are likely to receive, and therefore, it would be wise to accomplish some of the learning tasks ahead of time, so the first few days can be manageable.
Start by visiting the school ahead of the school day with the teen and take a tour of the class. Let them see the layout of the campus, and ideally, it would be best to do this when there are a few students around.
Pay close attention to the class seating arrangements, and also consider adding preferential seating for your child’s 504 or IEP in order to help them limit their distractions.
Talk to the student about how the specific seating impacts their learning abilities and check in even after the school starts so you can see if there have been any changes.
Identify The Team
Meet the teachers ahead of time, and use a simple introduction to guide your conversation. Write a few things down and leave them for the teacher to reference.
As a few questions so you can get to know the teacher better, and remember not to judge a book by its cover.
A teacher that presents without much training or experience can still become a great asset at finding what works with your child, and also one with formal knowledge is still able to apply what they know towards helping with your child’s unique needs.
Now, as with any new relationship, effectiveness in communication is going to be key. Always remember that the neurodivergent student can misunderstand and misinterpret communications, and being able to check in by yourself, or having the information double checked is vital.
Set The Stage
Be sure to remove all obstacles in order to ensure smooth mornings and relaxed afternoons. You can achieve this by creating functional spaces that will work with the child.
A good example would be; if the student tends to drop things easily as they walk through the door, it would be best to use that spot to set up an organizational container.
You could clear the trays and containers that are corral but do not hide items. Use labels to show where items should go and then post a reference with photos of what the space is supposed to look like when it is used properly.
You should also consider using visual schedules so you can post tasks and lists that should be completed. A checklist reminder at the frog door will help in gathering all of the items before leaving for the day.
Ensure that this process is responsive to the needs of the students in order to help them learn, not only on how their brains work but also how they can plan and adapt.
Putting Everything Together
It is important to note that following these steps do not necessarily guarantee a cure but it makes life a little easy for both the parent, teacher and neurodivergent teen.
Perhaps, the most important step would be to talk with the teen early and as often as possible about being part of a team.
Let them understand how to solve problems along them and how the journey towards building systems is going to work. Also, don’t forget to accept them as they are.
