Halftime!?! GPS’s Tips to Ace the Rest of the School Year!
Happy New Year!!! With the first half of the school year in the books, and at the start of a new calendar year, we’ve officially reached “halftime.”
For many students and school staff, Winter Break is like a cold drink of water for someone lost in the desert. It’s often an opportunity to rest & recharge for the second half. Many parents also enjoy a week or so of not having to keep tabs on homework, grades, projects, etc. But as the break draws to a close, the “Sunday-Scaries” often sink-in…
While parents may also be looking forward to their learner(s) heading back to school, and getting some additional peace & quiet, for many, this is quickly supplanted by the old familiar fears and stresses about their learner’s education. Oftentimes, the realization of where their learner needs to be at the end of the year, vs. where they are currently performing, exacerbates the worries & frustration.
So, in the spirit of playoff football (Go Ravens!), I’ll be giving a halftime speech over the next few weeks, so that you can develop a gameplan to successfully tackle the rest of the year! Whether your learner came into the halfway point up by 28, or down by 28 (or anywhere in between), these tips will be useful.
Reflection Time:
Set aside 15 – 30 minutes by yourself to consider (Write your thoughts down!) the following questions:
What went well?
How can the team reproduce that in the coming months?
Where do you see opportunities to build momentum/improve strengths?
How can you express this with school staff in a genuine, authentic, & meaningful way?
What went wrong? How can the team avoid that again?
What can: a) You; b) Your Learner; c) Their Educators & School Staff do differently?
How can you express this with school staff in a respectful, kind, direct, & solution-focused manner?
Is it time to bring more members onto your learner’s team (e.g., ABA Therapist, Advocate, Consultant, Counselor, Outside OT/PT/SLP, Pediatrician, Psychiatrist, Psychologist, School Staff, Social Worker, Tutor, etc.) ?
Do you have a clear idea of how your learner is performing (e.g., academically across all classes/subjects, socially, behaviorally, emotionally, etc.)?
Is your understanding of their performance based on Subjective or Objective data?
If your understanding isn’t clear and/or is solely based on subjective information, how will you get more of an objective and measurable description of their performance?
Do you have a clear understanding of the school’s end-of-year expectations for your learner?
If not, how can you get that information? Syllabi? School Handbook? Parent-Teacher Conference? Email? Researching District’s curriculum and graduation standards?
Is the expected performance realistic based on your learner’s individual learning style and current functioning?
What does the school team think?
What do outside providers think?
Have you requested a Section-504 or IEP Meeting to discuss these concerns, & determine what resources/interventions would be useful, and/or whether your learner would qualify for accommodations and/or services through a 504 Plan or IEP ?
If you didn’t jot anything down, go back and do it! If writing isn’t your preferred learning style, no worries! Make an audio/video recording, voice-to-text, etc. You know yourself best, so do what you know works! In our next post, we’ll challenge you to use this information to develop a detailed plan of action for the rest of the school year.
If you realized you need some additional information or input to answer those questions, take action ASAP! That way, you can avoid your learner heading back onto the field without a clear plan for their success.
Want more tips? Read through our blog about transitioning back to school!
Best,
Evan Gallena, Ed.S., NCSP
Founder & Lead-Consultant: GPS Education Consulting L.L.C.
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Together, as one… Navigating the path to school success!
