Joyscape’s Back-To-School Tips
A warm summer has passed us by once again! Soon our children will be back to early morning alarms, rushing out the door, hurried hugs, and muffled goodbyes as they are greeted by new school teachers. With this time of year, the newness can be exciting, but many of our kids might also experience worry about the unknown. With a new teacher might come a new school, new hallways, a new bus route, new friends, new noises, or new foods. Joyscape is here to support your family this year as you make the transition from yellow sunshine to yellow buses. Below are some tips to help your family make the most of this transition:
New Environment: If the new school year brings a new building, classroom, or teacher, create a social story using photos from the school website to talk about everything and everyone they might see! If possible, take a tour or attend open houses to practice walking new routes and identifying who to ask for help.
Routines: Now might be the time to update and start practicing your visual schedule with new morning/nighttime routines. Teaching your child to prepare a backpack or lunch the night before will always help your morning go by more smoothly
Accommodations: Ask the teacher what accommodations are available or if you could bring some from home – sensory items, quiet areas, visual prompts, Joyscape 1:1 support, etc.
Transportation: If riding the bus, ask to meet the bus driver! Search for video models online of bus safety and what to expect. Practice personal information questions (home address, caregiver names/numbers). Create a safety information folder to keep in backpacks. If it’s a new dropoff routine, practice the route and the walk into the school.
Foods: Find a video social story online to help your learner navigate the lunch process – standing in line, ordering, picking up items, etc. Practice through role play at home! Add in toy foods to practice problem solving scenarios, language, and flexibility with food options.
Communication: Be sure to discuss any AAC methods with the teacher to ensure the necessary training and support are in place for your child’s requests. Occasionally, these devices require some cleaning and reorganization for efficient use. Add in any important faces or places and practice these with teachers and aides. If your child requires in-class support with receptive or expressive language skills, ask what accommodations can be made to support these needs.
Behavior Plans: Work with your school and Joyscape teams to find an effective and appropriate behavior plan that can be easily implemented by teachers.
Collaboration: If you utilize an IEP, continuously check in with IEP members and address any concerns ahead of time. Ask your school team if they are willing to collaborate with your Joyscape team to harmonize goals and ideas.
