Unit 7: The First Day of School for a Child with Autism: A Guide to Success
AutismCOE realizes that the first day of kindergarten is a significant milestone for every child marked with the essence of new excitement and a slight feeling of unease. For a kid who is on the autism sheet not only the day will create unique challenges but it can also create or generate interesting situations. In this handbook, we intend to explore how to make the first day of school the best and brightest for children with autism, outlining actions and strategies for their parents, caretakers, and teachers to provide a hassle-free transition.
Talk About What the First Day of School Means
For a child, the first day at school is full of remembrances that mark the school years ahead. It is how the admission process starts and not the end of the journey but only the beginning of a new experience, new friends, and more knowledge. Most of them have a feeling of mixed excitement and fear because they face new environments by provide a place for growth and development. This is the day when students leave the cozy comfort of home and land in a learning environment that is structured and organized, so they unlearn dependence and show resilience. Parents are a part too, as they see their little kid all grown up, with aspirations and dreams for his/her future as well. The first day of school is where curiosity sprouts, where young minds expand their mental horizons, and where the thirst for learning is quenched for years to come.
Preparing your Child with Autism for the First Day of School
Practicing new routines for the first time like going to sleep early or waking up for breakfast on time, making new friends by coming to school for the first time, memorizing the name of the teachers and classmates and staying at school after the first day of school are all activities before schooling actually starts. Consequently, this work is to ensure that children will be properly socialized, well grounded, well built, confident and ready to start their educational life. Here’s an explanation of the key aspects involved in preparing for the first day of school:
👨⚕️ Visit the School
The first step to be taken is to visit the school before the official start date. This visit gives the child an opportunity to explore the school’s layout, classrooms, playground, and other facilities, for instance. Familiarizing with the school staff, teachers, classmates, and environment during this visit can have the desired effect of lessening anxiety and making the next day less scary.
👨⚕️ Creating a Visual Schedule
Visual schedules are pictures or symbols that outline the daily routines of an individual or activity. Visually it showcases how you will be doing your school routine, traffic during the morning, some class time, breaks, when you heading home, and so on. Visual schedules the one of the tools that help children to understand and beyond that to foresee what they are going to encounter.
👨⚕️ Social Stories About School
Social stories are short illustrative stories that describe social situations or events in straightforward and precise ways. They can be personalized to answer questions about the first day of classes on the second day of school, reporting what time it will start, who the student will meet, and how the student should behave. Social stories are especially necessary tools for kids who have the tendency to better grasp things when they are explained to them in simple terms.
👨⚕️ Talk With Your Child
Perhaps you will pay attention to the growing concern or the discontent of your child with the first day of school coming up. Take a few minutes to talk with your child and ask him/her, if they have any school-related questions or if there is something making him/her get scared or worried.
👨⚕️ Practicing Routines for School
The best keep to be well prepared at home is to rehearse school-related patterns. This involves him undertaking simple tasks like dressing independently, packing his backpack, following normal and daily routines catching up on his notes, and making sure his desk is organized. The children are taught these routines which provide them with discipline and skills that will be useful for them when they get to the classroom.
👨⚕️ Reinforcing Positive Behavior
Parents and caregivers can reward good behavior, by applauses, prizes, or temperance for instance, for obeying instructions, coping with tasks, or showcasing good social skills. Praising kids for demonstrating the desired behavior will make them reenact what they were rewarded with.
👨⚕️ Communication with Teachers
Maintaining communication, which is open-ended, and which is consistent, with teachers is a necessity. Parents need to communicate the information about their child’s strengths, weaknesses, and successful strategies expected used during the preparation with other families and friends. For this, the teacher is the connection between the school and the family, to ensure that the needs of the child are known and the needed support is provided.
On the first day of school, it is very significant that parents feel calm, positive, and supportive. Since every child has a different temperament, it’s normal to feel a tiny bit terrified or even shy when it comes to a new environment, however, their fears can be overcome by thorough preparation and parental support. Parents and caregivers are among the key stakeholders who help/ aid children in a smooth and successful transition to school so that they become the ones who think positively and are productive.
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How to Support a Child with Autism at School
“The collaboration between parents, teachers, and the school staff is a key element in the holistic school approach towards supporting a child with autism.”
Developing an effective support cadre for a community is based on good strong communication between all the stakeholders. Parents ought to cooperate sincerely with educators and disclose their child’s characteristics, including the strengths as well as the difficulties, and anything of note that has changed in their behavior and demand. Regular exchanges via meetings, emails, or phone calls can be required for this information sharing so that everyone involved in the learning process is knowledged and on the same route about the child’s development.
“Designing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is critical for children on the autism spectrum – the beginning of a beneficial support process”
This IEP is a custom design route that elaborates on the individual child’s educational objectives and spells out the accommodations, modifications, and support services that will be used in arriving at these objectives. It is the result of the established work between the parents, teachers, special education people, and other relatives in the school. The IEP functions as a key element that makes it possible to shape the learning journey for the specific personality of each child and enable continuous access to the tools and techniques that result in his/ her success as a student and as a social person.
“Daily routine is also a key element that needs to be maintained as a part of the supported school environment for children with autism.”
People diagnosed with this disorder tend to feel secure only within the framework of predictability. Disruptions in the stability of their patterns can be disturbing. Parents and teachers can share the responsibilities of daily task-plotting as they take the child’s needs and preferences into account. Regularity in class, transitions, and break times will help a child to get rid of anxiety and create a sense of safety which makes them more relaxed and hence they can easily participate in learning and social communication.
5 Things to Inform the School About Your Child
Here are some additional things to consider sharing with your child’s school to provide a comprehensive understanding of your child
1. Academic Challenges: Discuss a background concerning your child’s education, putting forward old schools he/she attended, any special programs he/she participated in, and how your kid is academically strong as well as where he/she can work. Explain to them what support they will need whether it is a special way of learning or assistance in the educational process.
2. Behavioral Challenges: Voice out your child’s special behavior issues including any behavioral challenges. Discuss the environmental factors that may be associated with the observed behaviors, as well as any triggers or patterns that may exist. Incorporate the strategies that have proven effective in dealing with these behaviors. Be flexible enough to work on getting behavior support interventions with the school if won’t work alone.
3. Important Health Information and Special Needs: Inform the person of any health aspects that concern your baby and include special needs (if exist). This is necessary. This involves specifying the subjects of allergies, medical conditions, or any particular needs students may have like an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Such programs could alert staff members of those needs so they may be able to provide such students with adequate support or services.
4. Preferred Learning Style: Describe the style of learning that reminds your kid of an aural, visual, or kinesthetic learner. Bring up issues or actions that have positively impacted their academic learning process and achievements.
5. Child’s Strengths: Highlight your child’s best sides, jokes, and those in which she or he is good in. Pointing your child in the right direction is the key component in cultivating their interest in school and increasing their confidence and motivation.
About AutismCOE (Autism Center of Excellence)
Autism Center of Excellence, located in North Carolina and Virginia, provides a wide range of services to children aged 2 to 14. Our services are available at home and in center-based environments, making it convenient for families.
In North Carolina, we serve Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Apex, Garner, Wake Forest, Cary, and Fayetteville. Meanwhile, in Virginia, we extend our services to Richmond, Midlothian, Chester, Henrico, Tuckahoe, Lynchburg, Petersburg, North Chesterfield, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, Charlottesville, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach.
AutismCOE services include:
ABA Therapy
The Autism Center of Excellence provides Applied Behavior Analysis therapy programs to help children diagnosed with autism. Through personalized intervention, AutismCOE tailors an ABA Therapy plan that adheres to the child’s unique needs, letting them have a smooth and independent journey toward success.
Autism Early Intervention Program
Autism Center of Excellence provides an Autism Early Intervention Program to make sure that children with ASD are provided with all the possible means to reach their potential during the most important, critical periods of their lives. This program focuses on getting early, intensive, and purposeful interventions to children for better outcomes and independent living.
Autism School Readiness Program
The AutismCOE has a specially designed Autism School Readiness Program to train children with autism in making their transition into the school environment successful. The program seeks to arm the child with the necessary skills to succeed in main areas such as academics, interpersonal relationships, and emotional intelligence.
Speech Therapy
At AutismCOE, speech therapists help children develop better communication skills. Evidence-based Speech Therapy programs target the one-on-one needs of every kid.
Specialized Parent Training
The Specialized Parent Training Program of the Autism Center of Excellence aims to make the parents understand the knowledge and skills essential to support their child in overall improvement and development. Using the theories of individual counseling and scientifically proven techniques, we help parents create an atmosphere where their children feel safe and calm, satisfying their desires.
Center-Based ABA Therapy
AutismCOE also provides advanced Center-Based ABA Therapy to children who have been diagnosed with ASD. The program structure is based on designed and individual activities that connect supportive and interactive settings to be implemented most effectively.
In-Home ABA Therapy
In-home ABA Therapy Services provided by AutismCOE are tailored to the needs of children with autism, who are more likely to be successful in their homes. The program is designed and modified in such a way that it is going to achieve certain goals in the development or restoration of behavior in a comfortable and home-based environment.
Frequently Asked Questions & Answer
What Does It Mean to Be Kindergarten Ready for Your Autistic Child?
A child’s readiness for formal education should be determined by looking for a balance in ability level. Certain talents will be age-appropriate, while others won’t even come close. You want a balance between the talents you still need to improve on and those you already possess. Nobody likes to take on a task at which they have little chance of success. Do not forget that play is education. Before setting actual educational goals, therapy goals might need to be met.
Why Is the First Day of School Important for Children with Autism?
The first school day for children with autism is a pivotal event because it will be the start of their school career and it provides them with the chance to settle in and be around peers comfortably.
What Role Does Open Communication Play in Preparing a Child with Autism for School?
Open communication, this way, enables the parents to know about their children’s troubles and worries about school, thus they feel more confident and relaxed.
What is an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and Why is It Important for Children with Autism?
Individualized Education Program lays down the environment for the children by serving as a map, listing their educational goals, and supporting services. It is fundamentally important to personalize what is being taught to children with autism according to their specific needs.
How Do You Calm an Autistic Child at School?
To soothe a child with autism at a school, it is necessary to understand the causes and arrange a gentle environment. Fit in the provision of sensory breaks, provide visual supports, and educate them on calming techniques. Stick to a routine, give directions in advance, and reward the child with appreciation. Develop collaboration with special education professionals, create peer support groups, and keep parents engaged through the sharing of insights and updates. Tailor each strategy to the child’s particular requirement and ensure his/her participation.
Conclusion
The first day at school for a child with autism can be equated to a successful and positive experience as well but it can be an unpleasant experience if there is no proper planning, open communication, and a supportive environment. You can equip your child before he/she starts school and can work together with school staff so that your child will confidently and effortlessly maneuver through this step. Always remember that every child is born different, and as such, you might have to only follow these tips as single suggestions for your child whilst also adapting them to meet their own needs and wishes. Patience and affection are essential when all this is about your child with autism entering a school and embarking on a journey that will likely end with a successful educational experience.
Please Note: The content of this blog is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized guidance tailored to your specific situation.
Bhavika Bhasin (Author)
Bhavika Bhasin is the Research and Marketing officer at AutismCOE. She works with children and adults with ASD. Her clinical research includes evaluating various available autism screening and diagnosis methods and their efficacy. She is currently developing a novel screening exam that is indicated to be more accurate than the existing available exams. She is also writes articles papers for various publications.
