Somewhere between the opening day of school and an undetermined moment in late September and October, many students requiring support services, like an IEP or 504 Plan, lose that shiny perspective of the new school year. Then, you start to see the wheels slowly fall off the wagon. For most, it’s a gradual – slippery slope process. You may already know the signs when your kids are not into school anymore: Struggling to get up early on school days, wanting to stay home, feeling sick with no specific symptoms, missing assignments or homework, and complaining that school is “boring”. However, for some, it presents itself with a crash or a train wreck like set of circumstances. I say this for I have seen many kids, great kids, try their very best to hold it together during the opening days of school and right before our eyes, their efforts cannot hold the balance between the square peg and the round hole; which is the experience many special needs kids find themselves in when it comes down to it. Simply, we are asking our kids to “fit in” as the learning process takes on very rigid definitions of learning and behavioral expectations. When good instructional practices are employed, we call this “differentiation” and everyone’s needs are met. Then again, this is not always the way the learning process works for many kids. In fact, with the pressures of Common Core Curriculum, Teacher Evaluation Systems, and scripted learning found within today’s text books, the process of learning may be way too restrictive for many of our kids. As a result, those who are holding it together with every ounce of energy, may begin to show signs of fatigue and burn-out as early as late September and October. Here are a couple of signs to look for:
Anxiety: Increased worry about school and related activities including loss of sleep, frustration in other areas of his/her life requiring patience and self control, or conversations featuring avoidance such as not wanting to go to school or signs of unknown illness and aches.
Behavior: Increased attention related activities at school including distractibility, recess time conflicts, or general avoidance related to classroom performance are a few of the typical “flight or fight” responses some kids begin to demonstrate when the honeymoon is over.
If this resonates for you as you look at your son or daughter, begin conversations with your child’s teacher(s) and explore ways you can work in partnership. My working definition of this process is best described as follows: behavior is communication. Our kids are telling us something about how they feel as their actions and behaviors shift when the honeymoon begins to wane. If the conversation requires more support, there is always a team process at each school specifically designed for you and your child.
Autumn can be a wonderful time of the year and the Back to School experience can also be a part of this as well. However, the beginning of the new school year doesn’t always work out for some of our children if there is a disconnect within the school experience and Autumn begins to look more like a personal “fall”; when one descends from hope and possibility to frustration and worry. In these situations, when you see the early signs as described, talk to your child’s teacher immediately. If you are needing additional support, give us a call at Special Education Advocacy (206) 914 0975. For us, every season is “Fall”: We are here for parents all year round!