Children in school, while acquiring new knowledge, develop their character, their capacity for reflection and interaction with other people. In society, the school functions as a socializing space whose objective is to provide equal opportunities for all students.
In order for all of these functions to be carried out successfully it is important that parents are involved and committed to their children’s education to help them achieve success in school. For children with special educational needs (SEN) to be able to adapt effectively to the classroom as well, it is important that parents and teachers work together.
Seven steps for a child with SEN to be integrated into the classroom
- Identify the difficulties that the child has in his / her school performance or behavior and that are affecting his / her personal development. Talk to their teacher about the matter and evaluate if there is any cause within the family that may be harming their behavior.
- Request a professional diagnosis. Ask that your son / daughter be evaluated and submit the report to the directors of the institution so that they establish the appropriate support mechanisms so that they receive the necessary help in the classroom.
- Track school support. The diagnosis must be delivered to the teachers, who must make the necessary adaptations to collaborate with the learning process.
- Promotes the child’s self-esteem . Children with SEN must understand that they are able to solve various tasks efficiently and that they have the potential to overcome learning situations like other students.
- Help children regain self-confidence . Try to motivate them to strive for goals, even when this involves greater efforts than those of their peers. Remind them that they have the capacity to do so.
- Seek their socialization within the classroom . The interaction with their parents and with the rest of the adults is important for the child with SEN because it is the space where they are recognized as an individual and as a member of a group. In the classroom he learns to share, to win and also to lose.
- Motivate your child to make an effort and commit to their studies, always respecting their times and possibilities .
Another form of integration: peaceful parenting
Although peaceful parenting is good for all children, for children with special educational needs it is especially important and relevant. These are two of the most important keys in this type of parenting:
- Train instead of punish. Most “experts” give advice around the rewards and / or punishments that are necessary for a good education. However, the truth is that we all deserve dignity and respect in our growth and development, rather than punishment and threats when we do not behave as expected of us. Children with special needs have a different experience of the world than we do and when they act out of fear, for example, they deserve a lot of love and not punishment. Of course we may have to set limits, but we can certainly set them with love. Love is also more effective in getting children to cooperate, because we ALL have the instinct to “follow” only those we see closest to our own heart, rebelling when we try to be controlled. Why should it be any different in children?
- It helps to connect and regulate your own emotions. In the case of children with special needs, working on this is even more important, as they tend to be more sensitive than other children.
Peaceful parenting, therefore, can also be the key for children with special needs to be able to integrate effectively and positively in the classroom, as it will serve to prevent them from seeing their school environment (including classmates and teachers) as a threat and may feel like what they are, students like the rest in full equality.
Thank you FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO BE A BETTER TEACHER AND DEVELOP THE SKILLS OF OUR STUDENTS WITH SEN