[Template Included] The 'Child's Instruction Manual (Support File)' to Hand to Teachers at the Start of the New School Year

"I hope this year's homeroom teacher is someone who understands developmental disabilities..."
"Do I have to explain everything from scratch again... even though they finally understood last year..."

As April approaches,
that feeling of a heavy pit in your stomach.

It is the season of what we call the "teacher lottery."

In my previous notes,
I have told you many times:
"If you want to request accommodations from a teacher,
the golden rule is to provide it in a 'document,' not verbally."

And,
"I will create and publish that template"
is what I also promised.

......Thank you for waiting.

Today, I am releasing that template.

Having known the inside of schools as a former teacher,
fighting this anxiety every year as the father of a child with developmental differences,
and having received consultations from hundreds of parents
as a manager of a welfare facility.

I have packed all of that into this,
the "Child's Instruction Manual (Individual Support File)."

Simply download the Word file,
rewrite it with your child's name and characteristics,
and it is ready to be handed to the teacher as is.

I have also included a filled-out example (PDF), so
for those who are thinking, "I don't know what to write..."
please rest assured.

Why it should be a "document" and not "verbal"

Before I give you the template,
let me confirm one important thing.

"My child is sensitive to loud noises, so please make accommodations."

Suppose you convey this verbally on the day of the opening ceremony.
How will the teacher react?

As I wrote in a previous article,
teachers are human too.

If a request is made suddenly and verbally,
their defensive instincts kick in,
and the risk of them replying with
"We cannot provide special treatment"
or "Let's wait and see" skyrockets.

Furthermore, teachers who have over 30 students
will highly likely forget what they heard verbally.
They don't mean any harm.
They physically cannot remember everything.

However,
when you hand it over as a "document," the teacher's perception changes.

This is because their brain recognizes it not as a "complaint"
but as "information sharing to guide this child safely."

Furthermore, if it is a document,
it can be circulated to the grade head and the school nurse,
allowing the entire school to share information about your child.

On days when the homeroom teacher is suddenly absent,
can a substitute teacher look at that file
and know how to respond?

This is a matter that directly relates to your child's safety.

The '3 Design Philosophies' incorporated into this instruction manual

When creating the template,
what I focused on most was
whether the teacher can read it and act immediately.

I designed it not as a long letter filled with a parent's feelings,
but as a 'strategy guide' for the teacher.

1. First, start by writing about 'this child's good points'

The very first section of the template is
for 'your child's interests and strengths'.

Please do not skip this.

I understand the urge to
hurry and communicate what they are struggling with.
But if a teacher is suddenly handed a list of problems,
how do you think they will feel?

'This child must be a troublemaker.'
'This parent might be a complainer.'

They will become defensive.

On the other hand,
'They are very knowledgeable about train names'
'They are kind to younger children'

When these 'good points' are written first,
a feeling of 'I want to know more about this child'
sprouts within the teacher.

And a parent who can write about their child's 'good points'
appears to the teacher as
'a partner who sees their child calmly and is easy to talk to.'

This is a golden rule of parent-teacher conferences
written in educational textbooks.
Praising a child is also a way of acknowledging the parent's child-rearing.
Teachers understand this instinctively.

2. Write 'characteristics' and 'specific countermeasures' as a set

'They are not good at school lunch.'

Even if only this is written,
the teacher will not know what to do.

When it is written out this clearly, the teacher can act without hesitation.

Instead of just dumping the responsibility on them by saying 'please be considerate,'
you are providing the answer by saying 'this is how it works best.'

This is the essence of an instruction manual that makes the school your ally.

3. Clearly state 'NG responses' during a panic

This might be the most important part.

When they have a tantrum or panic,
not only should you write 'this is how they calm down,'
but you must also write 'doing this will make it worse.'

For example,
'Scolding them loudly during a panic will make the panic even more intense.'
'Asking them 'Why?' to demand a reason will cause them to freeze up and become unable to move.'

What teachers fear most is
that a response they thought was for the best will backfire,
making the situation worse.

Therefore,
just by having 'where the landmines are' written down,
the teacher can feel secure enough to take action.

Writing down NG responses
is not to criticize the teacher.
It is to free the teacher from the 'fear of failure.'

[Free Download] Support File & Example Entries

Thank you for waiting. Please download from below.

In the 'Example Entries,'
I have pre-filled common traits of neurodivergent kids
and examples of how to respond during a panic.

By using this as a reference,
you can complete your support file
simply by rewriting the text in the 'Template (Word)'
to match your child.