A New School Year Means a New Teacher

Teachers are one of the most consistent adults in your child’s life during the school year, and a short, clear conversation at the start of the year sets the tone for how well that partnership works. A few minutes of preparation now can mean a much smoother year for your child. Here’s how to approach that conversation:

START BEFORE THE FIRST DAY

Reaching out during the first week of school, rather than waiting for a rough moment to prompt the conversation. This sets a collaborative tone. A brief email introducing your child and their therapy needs gives the teacher time to prepare before they’re managing a full classroom.

Consider including:

• The types of therapy your child receives (Speech, OT, PT, feeding, ABA) and how often
• Any accommodations already in place through an IEP or 504 plan
• One or two specific, actionable strategies that help in a classroom setting
• Your preferred way to stay in touch (email, a shared notebook, a quick call)

KEEP THINGS PRACTICAL, NOT CLINICAL

Teachers manage many students and limited time, so the most useful information is specific and classroom-ready — not a full clinical history. Instead of describing a diagnosis in detail, translate it into what the teacher can actually do.

For example:

• Rather than explaining sensory processing differences, note that a wobble cushion or short movement break helps your child stay regulated during long seated activities.
• Rather than listing every speech goal, flag that your child benefits from extra processing time after a question, or that the class can model full sentences without correcting them directly.

Ask your outpatient therapist if they have a one-page classroom summary they can send — many therapists are glad to translate goals into teacher-friendly language on your behalf.

LOOP IN YOUR THERAPY TEAM EARLY

If your child’s school and outpatient providers have permission to communicate directly, that connection is often more valuable than anything relayed secondhand. A short release-of-information form on file lets the teacher and therapist coordinate directly on strategies, without you having to translate between the two.

ENCOURAGE AN OPEN DIALOGUE WITH YOUR TEACHER

Many teachers want to support a child well but worry about asking the wrong question or overstepping. Explicitly inviting questions — “please reach out anytime something comes up, I’d rather know early” — lowers that barrier and tends to lead to more, not fewer, small check-ins that catch issues before they grow.