[School Refusal/Reluctance] New School Year: Communication Sheet with School
The start of a new school term or the change of a school year is a time that can make parents feel a bit restless, isn't it?
Especially if you feel anxious about communicating with the school, you might have thoughts like,
"What should I tell the teacher?"
"How much should I share?"
"What if I can't explain it well?"
I think it's natural to feel that way.
This time, a colleague of mine has created a very thoughtful sheet!
I shared it at our parents' group, and I'm sharing it here as well✨
You can download it from this page👇
There is a sheet to help you organize what you want to tell the new homeroom teacher, and another to write down your preferences for communicating with the school.
・The child's personality
・Strengths and interests
・Weaknesses and difficulties
・Current mental and physical state
・Matters regarding school attendance and learning
・How the child and parent would like to be supported
These are designed to help you organize your thoughts as you write.
Furthermore, the school communication preference sheet includes:
・How you would like to handle absence notifications
・Preferences regarding home visits and distribution of handouts
・Concerns about attendance status and academic evaluation
・Consultations regarding school lunch fees and material costs
It covers areas that can easily become a burden when communicating with the school.
These things are truly important, but when it comes time to actually talk to the teacher, your mind might go blank, or you might not be able to convey everything in the moment, right?
That's why I thought having something you can write down and organize in advance might make you feel a little more at ease.
I believe this kind of information is also helpful for school teachers.
Some parents might hesitate, wondering, "Is it okay to say this?" but I believe that sharing your wishes and situation is beneficial for the child, the parent, and the school.
Communicating with the school can inevitably be nerve-wracking and burdensome. However, I feel that even just being able to express "I would like it to be this way" or "This is difficult" little by little can make a difference.
Of course, you don't have to fill out everything!
It's not something you have to complete entirely; using only the parts that are helpful is perfectly fine.
Rather than just for telling the school about your child, such a sheet might also be useful for organizing your own thoughts as a parent✨
I hope this reaches those who need it.
I am grateful to my colleague for putting this into this format.