This week I was connecting with a friend and former colleague, discussing the struggles within one of the local school districts. This is a large urban district that was struggling prior to the pandemic and now is barely keeping its head above water. And at what cost?

I can tell you that “giving” a student a 504 plan is a lot easier on a school than evaluating to see if a student actually qualifies for an IEP. The school doesn’t need to evaluate the student to see if they qualify.

We can’t assume we know what each one of our students encounters on a daily basis. For example, we know through statistics and observation that some students may not have access to food at home.

If you are concerned about their educational success, then push forward and do not settle for a “let’s wait and see” mentality. If you are not happy with the response you receive from the school, then seek out the services of an educational consultant or advocate, even if to ask questions and/or get another set of eyes on the situation.

In working with teachers and parents, the topic of ADD (attention deficit disorder) and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) comes up often, revolving around the belief that a student has ADD due to a child’s inability to focus in school. Some parents become worried because in their experience these conversations immediately turn to medicating their child.

Back to school 2021 is quickly approaching, bringing conflicting emotions for each one of us. Putting aside the unknown about whether or not our children will be in-person, hybrid, remote or even focusing on masked or unmasked, what do you want to see out of this year?

How do we prepare?

We’ve been asked to accept a tremendous amount of change over the last eighteen months. At first, many of us rolled with it, but it has worn thin on many with a general sentiment of anger. I tend to believe a lot of us have been asked to accept change when we think about school for our children.

We’re not meant to keep our emotions in check 100% of the time. We need to find some balance or outlet, understanding how to express our feelings appropriately in a safe environment. How do we monitor our own emotions while helping our children understand their own?

The focus for Kindergarten through about 3rd grade is on learning to read, before switching to reading to learn. Students who struggle to read and have reached 3rd grade begin to find ways to avoid reading.

Explain to me we are pushing so hard to get back to the schooling that so many complained about prior to the pandemic? Why are we afraid to admit something new may be working for some students?