When The School Teacher Is Just NOT Listening!

At school, your child may feel starved of success, thirsty for a friend or some sort of social interaction. The environment feels harsh and unsafe. No oasis in sight?

You have more options than you realise. So what steps can we take?

1. Talk with your child's teacher.

Don't email. Don't use some sort of school messaging app. Go and have a chat with them. In fact, take them a coffee or hot chocolate when you chat. Remember to express appreciation for a few things, even if they are small.

2. Help the teacher understand what it feels like for your child.

Your child is hit by the fluorescent lights. The background noises sound as loud to them as a rock concert, and they feel so, so socially stuck. Most teachers have no idea what your child is experiencing, even the experienced teachers. How could they because they were never trained to help your child. Help them see what it feels like with Autism.

3. Go to the Principal or the Deputy.

If the teacher is still unreceptive, take it to the principal or the deputy principal. Do not waste your time with middle-management because in schools they just don't have the authority or the tools to get results for you. If the office admin team try to stop you from booking an appointment, tell them, "I have a confidential child safety matter to discuss" and you'll have an appointment within a day.

4. The principal or the deputy needs facts, not emotion.

Give them examples of things that are hurting your child and asked them to put some solutions in place. Be super-specific about dates locations and people involved. Let them know that you are happy to support the school in any way you can, and that you are looking for solutions not empathy. Don't look for validation - look for a commitment to specific steps to help your child.

5. Four weeks later, book in a follow-up appointment with the principal or deputy.

Again, tell the office admin people that there is a confidential, high-level safety issue that only the principal/deputy can solve. The more of the time that you take up with the principal or the deputy, the more likely they are to get you a result, because they have all the tools and all the authority to create results. Also because they actually are busy people and they don't want to be is being their time discussing things with you. They would rather just fix things.

6. Be willing to consider other schools

Generally the most accommodating schools are going to be a small Catholic school or a small Christian school or some sort of school that only has about 150 kids.

7. Be willing to consider the possibility that the school is doing more than you realise.

We all feel like the school is not doing enough. But sometimes a school is doing more than we initially think they are and it's worth being open to hearing that.

😊 Have fun,

Michael Clark

0481614517

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Hi Parents - This week we're creating and attending our very own yummy food festival! 😊

Have you ever been to one? Well, the one we're going to make is going to have restaurants, barbecues, food factories and food parties. Imagine all of your favourite foods in one place!

Social skill of the week: Asking “open-ended questions” to find out others’ opinions - these are questions that invite people to answer with a long answer, not just a yes or no.

These kinds of questions help keep the conversation going and give the person you're speaking to a chance to share more interesting things that can help you learn something new. 

The best time to have conversations with others is over a delicious meal. It's going to be a great time!

Here’s your link - where to go:

Tomorrow, the link for Minecraft will be the same as in previous weeks here: https://zoom.us/s/5068624878

Extra Sessions/Double-sessions

If your child wants a catch-up session tomorrow or a double session - just let us know. Either text or email us your child's name, what state you live in and what time you'd like to book them in for. 

We can offer spots at 3.30/4.30/5.30 NSW/VIC/QLD/TAS time

That's 3pm/4/5pm in SA)

Here are a few jokes for you.

a pig gets hot in a dessert it shouts, "I'm bacon out here."

A type of sand that is never late is quicksand.

Camels usually have deserts after a full meal.

If you are going to a desert, make sure your pack has a thirst-aid kit.

😊 Have fun,

Michael Clark

0481614517