School Support
I'm your copilot in navigating the school system and getting the support you need to help your child succeed in the classroom!
Whether your child attends public or private school, whether they're in a childcare center or elementary school, most children fall into three behavioral categories at school:
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Their behavior is just as challenging at school as it is at home. Maybe you dread seeing the school's number pop up on your phone because you know she's sitting in the principal's office again. Or, maybe your little one has even been "asked to leave" a childcare program because of their behavior.
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Their behavior is great at school. Your kiddo's behavior might be making your life at home challenging because of tantrums and defiance but you always get glowing reports from the school staff. (This is always a great sign that we know they can hold it together in certain environments!)
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Their behavior is even more challenging at school than at home. You might feel like you're generally managing your kiddo's behavior at home but then they get to school and you get reports that they werent listening to the teacher, they hurt another child, or they just cant seem to get their classwork done.
How Can I help?
Children have trouble in school for a variety of reasons: separation anxiety, social anxiety, attention issues, sensory challenges that lead to over-stimulation, poor fit with the structure of the classroom, or lack of trust in their teacher. These early years in childcare, preschool, and early elementary school are critical times for setting the foundation for how your child will feel about school as well as how they will view themselves as students and learners. I can help get to the root of the problem and work closely with your child's school team to help them be more successful in school.
Classroom observation
Teachers have to divide their attention between many students which can make it very difficult for them to devote the time and attention that your child likely needs in order to fully understand their challenges in the classroom and to find the best strategies, interventions, and solutions. I can spend time in the classroom with all of my attention and care directed toward your child and share my findings with your child's teacher and other school staff.
Attending school meetings
If your child has behavioral challenges in school, you're probably used to attending extra meetings with their teacher, maybe the guidance counselor, the EC teacher, the principal, and the list goes on. What I have learned attending many such meetings is that is it the unfortunate reality that the folks in these meetings often put more weight toward questions, suggestions, and even resistance when it's coming from another professional instead of the parent. My experience working with staff of many different schools means that I know the questions to ask and how to encourage school systems to give your child the support that they require to be most successful.
Creating customized interventions
While teachers have expertise in creating interventions to help your child improve in literacy and math, many do not have the requisite knowledge to create and implement strategies to help your child focus their attention, sit nicely during circle time, keep their hands to themselves, complete school work, and make friends. Following observation of your child in the classroom environment or coordination with their classroom teacher, I can create detailed, customized interventions that can be written into your child's Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP), 504-B, or Individual Education Plan (IEP) ensuring that they get the very best support.
