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?

As an education student, a common sentiment was you would learn more on the job than you would in a college lecture hall. But what about the things you learn in neither? It goes back to the saying you don’t know what you don’t know, but what if this means students suffer in the process.

One of these topics is dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia.

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.

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?

Anxiety that begins to interfere with everyday functioning can happen to our children as well. For example, children may consistently blurt out in class or constantly talk. More often than not, the adults misread this behavior. This could lead to the belief that the student is a behavior problem, is being disrespectful, lacks focus, or more seriously showing signs of A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Disorder) or A.D.H.D. (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

Even the students who are very attentive and respond promptly with every request may be responding this way as a learned response from trauma. You may be very pleased with these types of students but you may not be aware of the anxiety or fear they are harboring based on a traumatic experience in their life. This child could be conditioned to make the adults around them happy because they may live with an alcoholic parent who becomes verbally and/or physically aggressive when they don’t comply.

Have you sat in a parent-teacher conference and became lost as to what was being shared with you? It’s ok if you do not understand. School is not the same as it was when we attended. You may want to know more about your child’s continued struggles with reading or math, or your child’s inability to focus after lunch.

Why does self-care come easily for some while others struggle in allowing themselves the time? When the concept of self-care is mentioned, many dismiss it out of hand as a buzzword or fad.

How people define inclusion is broad, but ultimately many describe it in terms of exclusion, so the challenge is to not focus on what it doesn’t mean, but what does it truly means to be inclusive.

One way to help family and friends understand SPD is to try to use connections based on their own personal experiences. Begin to think about what your reaction is when you smell freshly brewed coffee or when someone vomits. Our brain sends a response that causes us to react. When I smell freshly brewed coffee it sends a signal to my brain which makes me want coffee.

I’m here to help and offer a variety of support options. Whether you need a sounding board to share your experiences or assistance in communicating with school, I work with you to develop an individualized plan for you and your child. The initial consultation is always free, so don’t be afraid to take that leap!

When a student continues to struggle with things like day-to-day readiness in the form of understanding their assignment notebook or assignments and homework within google classroom, have we assessed or reviewed why this keeps occurring?

Parenting our children is one of the hardest “roles” I have ever had the honor to encounter. Having worked most of my career within schools, my experience had always been from the educator’s perspective. However, once we had children, I would join the other side of the table as a parent.