It is that time of year again when summer is ending and your child with autism is preparing to go back to school. The transition back to school can be challenging for parents and children with autism, especially if your child has been home since Extended School Year has ended. These tips could be helpful in preparing your child for the transition back to school.
1. Establish a routine
At this point in the summer it would be good to start preparing your child to wake up at a scheduled time, eat breakfast, brush his/her teeth, get dressed, etc. Sometimes routines become more relaxed during the summer, therefore, it will be good to take the next couple of weeks and practice doing those morning routines consistently daily, so your child is accustomed to doing them again for school.
2. Create a social story
It would be useful to develop a social story for your child about going back to school. The story should establish the behavioral expectations in the morning of getting ready for school, transitioning to the bus, getting into the school building, and going to the classroom. Try to include real pictures of the school, classroom, bus stop, etc. to create familiarity for your child. Read the social story to your child daily and multiple times a day to help prepare him/her for the transition.
3. Arrange a meeting with the school and a tour
If you have not already done so, it might be worth arranging a meeting with the school (especially if it is a new school) to understand the expectations and what will be needed to support your child for a successful start to the school year. Also, if you can arrange a time to take your child on a tour of the school and identify where the classroom is located that your child will be that year could be useful so your child can gain a sense of where he/she will be going.
4. Develop a calendar
To prepare your child of when school will be starting back up, it might be helpful to develop a calendar with a countdown so your child will know when school will begin. You can have your child check off each day on the calendar so they are aware of the date he/she will be going back to school.
5. Have a schedule.
It could be helpful for you to create a picture schedule (or you can use words or a combination of both) to structure out your morning and afternoon routines for your child when getting ready for school and for when he/she comes home. For example, your morning schedule might be something like: 1. Wake Up, 2. Eat breakfast, 3. Brush teeth, 4. Wash face., 5. Get dressed, 6. Pack lunch, 7. Get backpack, 8. Go to bus. Another example would be for when your child gets home from school, which might be: 1. Unpack backpack, 2. Unpack lunchbox, 3. Have snack, 4. Do homework. These are all examples and should be customized to your own child, daily routines, and your child’s functioning level.
These are just a few tips for parents to help get the school year off to a good start and certainly is not an exhaustive list of strategies! Remember to work closely with your Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) from schools or if your child is receiving in home services through an agency for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Working collaboratively to structure appropriate routines and develop a transition plan back to school that is right for you and your child is paramount. Best of luck to the start of a new school year!
Brian Conners, Ed.S, BCBA is a New Jersey Department of Education certified school psychologist and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. He is the owner of Brian Conners, BCBA, LLCwhere he provides behavioral consultation services to schools and public speaking for organizations. He originally developed the graduate program in Applied Behavior Analysis at Seton Hall University. He has worked within various sectors as a behavior analyst and consultant including public and private schools, psychiatric hospitals, and community agencies. He also was the former owner and Chief Executive Officer of a nationally recognized Behavioral Health Center of Excellence for four years in private practice. He specializes in providing behavioral treatment to clients with severe developmental disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders, and psychiatric conditions. His clinical areas of expertise include behavioral crisis intervention, behavioral assessment, and providing treatment and interventions for clients with the severe problem behaviors of physical aggression and self-injury. He has presented at state and national conferences and has published articles and book chapters in school psychology and special education on behavior management strategies, behavioral crisis intervention, and restraint and seclusion practices in schools.