Letter to the Teacher of a Special Needs Student

Back to school season can be an anxious time for any parent, but especially for those of us whose children have special needs due to learning disabilities, ADHD, autism or other conditions. There is a joy at seeing our kids go off on their own to have new adventures and learn new things, but our experiences have taught us there will be challenging moments. For many of us, we would like nothing more than to take that journey with our children so we can be there to lend a hand when they or their teachers need it.

Going to school with your child may not be an option, but you can send a part of yourself to the teacher, the integration aide or the resource team by writing a yearly introduction letter. For a new student, it helps to break the ice and to prepare school staff for dealing with the child's challenges in a positive manner. For a student returning to a familiar school and resource team, the letter serves as a summary of things that have changed over the summer vacation.

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Photo: Michael Connors

School Supplies: Tips for Students with ADD & ADHD

Attention deficit disorders (ADD and ADHD) are generally diagnosed using a checklist of symptoms. One of those symptoms is often losing materials necessary for a task - like school supplies or textbooks. While some people may think that hyperactivity is the most obvious sign that a child has ADHD, for our daughter the first sign that all was not well at school was definitely that she constantly lost or forgot things.

Kids who have attention deficit disorders don't like to forget things, and they like it even less when their disability gets them in trouble at home or school. As the adults responsible for helping them get a good education, it is up to parents and teachers to help kids with ADHD develop strategies to overcome their attention deficit, and to give them tools that will help guarantee their academic success.

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Credit: Alvimann (morguefile.com)