As we enter into the new school year, many children are being welcomed back into the classroom with a schedule and in a setting they have not been a part of for some time. For our younger students, they are entering an environment they have never experienced, including in-person learning, a longer school day, different expectations socially, academically, and functionally; for some this is taxing, for others it is completely overwhelming. Educators and parents are also on the receiving end of this “new normal”, and with the start of the school year comes the renewed concerns about achievement, managing expectations at school and home, and the bigger question of “Where to begin?” on the road back to the classroom. Perhaps more than ever before, students, educators, and parents need practical strategies to best support the return to in-person learning this fall, and provide guidance on resuming the school day schedule, tackling academic demands, balancing education with social and emotional well-being, and organizational strategies.
Setting them up for success
It has been some time since we experienced a “typical” school day. The schedule that most children are resuming this year is a full 7 hours. As we haven’t seen this length of in-person learning for the past 18 months, most students are a bit rusty when it comes to the duration and demands of the school environment.
The phenomenon of students being “out of school shape” is one that many educators and parents are recognizing as a significant dilemma. The days of getting out of bed and hopping online are in the not-so-distant past and now our children are expected to attend a full school day in person, attending to lessons, instructions and social expectations, completing academic tasks which may be challenging, all the while maintaining a physiological state to keep all of these factors in check. And by the way, educators and parents need to acclimate to these significant changes too.
Our starting point should focus on ensuring that our children’s basic needs are being met. Setting a schedule for sleep and wake times, developing healthy sleep hygiene (including time away from screens), and a morning routine or schedule will be essential for children starting out on the right track toward success. Talking to children about what their body needs, how they are feeling in the morning, and sharing responsibility for how to start and end the day is beneficial to limiting the resistance to accommodating to new schedule changes and helping them transition back into school successfully. The National Sleep Foundation recommends the following number of sleep hours:
Preschool (3-5 years old): 10-13 hours
School-age (6-13 years old): 9-11 hours
Teen (14-17 years old): 8-10 hours
A pre-bedtime or post-wakeup checklist for what your child needs for the day, including materials, projects, and reminders about their schedule, may be helpful in staving off the panic of the morning, and assisting your child in developing organizational strategies for which they can be held accountable. Post school day, a discussion regarding upcoming events, project due dates or a journey to the center of the backpack together, may help refine the checklist further and provide guidance to your child on how to best manage their schedule. These checklists could be comprised of a written checklist on a white board, a visual schedule for tasks in the morning, a planner, or a calendar. For our younger students, reaching out to the teacher to see if there is a classroom newsletter, parent board or webpage in which you can view some of these expectations, and assignments or schedules may also help parents prepare their child for their day.
The H word
Just as we have discussed expectations about in-school norms and procedures with our children, communicating the expectations and setting the structure for completing academic tasks at home is just as important. While the thought of homework after a long day for both parent and child may fill parents with a sense of dread, providing structure to the time spent engaged in the activity is often helpful in facilitating the successful completion of these tasks. Outlining a time frame based on the child’s stamina, the tasks delineated for completion, and one’s household schedule will provide an “accomplishable” view versus an insurmountable task. If parents find that the homework period is too much of a struggle, or consists of a constant battle, consider using a few smaller period sessions interspersed with break periods. Teachers can review this with the child as well. Parents and educators should discuss how homework periods are going at home, and options for when and how homework can be completed (dictation versus handwritten for example) are key to navigating more troublesome homework battles. At the end of the day, overwhelming an already overtaxed child can be detrimental to their confidence, stamina, and the parent-child relationship.
Preventing Burn Out
The physical and mental demands of orienting back to the schedule, navigating social demands, and managing additional demands on one’s executive function, working memory, and retrieval may result in a heavily depleted state by the time the child arrives home. This can easily spillover to school the next day. While an educator and parent may be concerned with making sure that the homework is completed, a child’s top priority may be refueling and resting. Allowing the child a period of a time to “shut off” after school is essential. For some students with academic or behavioral challenges, they may have spent the last 7 hours holding it all inside, trying to keep themselves together; a period of release is essential. This time for the child may look different depending on their needs or even the day of the week. Having a conversation or observing their behavior after school will help the parent and child determine whether a half an hour outside engaged in more intense physical activity or a quiet hour in a space by themselves is more helpful in restoring their mental and physical state to an optimum level.
Other ways to combat the feeling of being overwhelmed, anxious, or fatigued may involve strategies such as setting an after school/evening schedule. Children may participate in afterschool programs, clubs, or sports. Having a schedule posted and actively discussed is helpful in identifying when activities and expectations may become overwhelming or nonpreferred for the child. Scheduling time for these discussions, to review any positive or negative emotions or feelings that may surface, as well as time for them to complete tasks to prepare them for the next day (e.g., packing their belongings, completing homework), ensures that communication is clear and everyone begins the next day feeling prepared.
Final Thoughts
Utilizing the aforementioned strategies not only benefits our school-aged children, but also the caregivers supporting them at school and home. Rebuilding our stamina for what was once considered “typical” is our newest challenge and should be entered into gradually. This will allow children, educators, and parents the opportunity and space to celebrate small successes and take it slow by managing all parties’ expectations for tackling the challenges that lie ahead.
To learn more, please contact our office at 732-873-1212, email bcoleman@BehaviorTherapyAssociates.com or complete the contact form on our website https://behaviortherapyassociates.com/contact-us/
Dr. Bianca Coleman, Ph.D., NCSP, BCBA-D, is a licensed psychologist in the state of New Jersey, Nationally Certified School Psychologist, and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the Doctoral level. Dr. Coleman completed her bachelor’s degree from Rowan University in Psychology with a specialization in Child Behavior. Then, she received her master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis at Penn State University. Dr. Coleman earned her Ph.D. in School Psychology from Temple University. Dr. Coleman has extensive experience working with individuals presenting with developmental disabilities, disruptive behaviors, feeding and sleep problems, social skills deficits, as well as attention and executive functioning concerns. She has expertise in using evidence-based treatments to work collaboratively with parents to teach them behavior management strategies and with schools to address classroom management and challenging behaviors. Dr. Coleman is skilled in conducting diagnostic evaluations, specifically of autism spectrum disorder, psychological, psychoeducational, and functional behavior assessments. She also provides assessment and consultation services to public and private schools regarding their programs for learners with autism spectrum disorders and behavior challenges. Dr. Coleman’s professional interests include applying Behavior Analytic strategies to functional based skills and behavioral concerns with individuals, families, schools, and organizations.
