Fall 2021 has finally arrived, and students are back to in-person learning 5 days a week. It seems to go without saying that certain adjustments will be needed after over an entire school year of virtual and hybrid learning. Here are some tips that could be helpful to keep in mind as you and your student transition back to full in-person learning.
Communicate to your student what the daily schedule will look like. Because of so many changes that have been occurring over these past couple of years, your student may not even know what to expect. Communicate to your student what the daily schedule looks like now, and what returning to school in-person entails.
Don’t forget your morning routine! Don’t forget your student’s morning routine which may help them get back into the swing of things – getting ready, eating breakfast, and traveling to school.
Share your most updated contact information with your student’s teacher. Be sure to share your most updated contact information so that your student’s teacher(s) knows where to reach you, especially to give you the most up-to-date information and news about both the classroom and the school.
Ask how your student is processing and feeling. Change and transitioning could be difficult for adults let alone for children and teenagers. Ask your student how they are processing their current events and how they are feeling at school and at home. As your students share how they are feeling about going back to school, share about some of those changes with your student’s teacher, so that you and your student’s teacher can partner in supporting them.
Be flexible and gracious to yourself and your student. We know that the transition may require readjusting to routines, adjusting to consistently keeping up with safety protocols, and many other transitions. Remember that it’s okay if it takes time and you and your student need to take time to ease back into in-person learning.
It will take a village of caregivers and school staff to partner together to help our students transition as seamlessly as possible back into in-person learning! Remember that as we hit the ground running, it’s okay if it takes time to readjust! Let’s take the time we need together.
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