The Re:Set Guide To Topics

an image of author Anchel Krishna and her daughter Syona who has cerebral palsy against an illustrated background of colours.

The Re:Set Guide

7 Ways You Can Speak to Your Child About Disabilities

By Anchel KrishnaMarch 4, 2021

As parents, our job is to raise the next generation of people to be kind, successful,...

An illustration of a girl sitting at a table looking frustrated and being surrounded by books and papers.

Ask the Experts

Starting Early and Staying Ahead of Stress: How To Beat Test Anxiety and Ace the SATs

By Sherina PoyyailFebruary 19, 2021

An expert shares tips on how students can navigate test anxiety to smoothen their journey as...

An illustration focussed on showing a student preparing for her SATs, with the image of the student in the middle, surrounded by images of a notebook, and a calculator and a timetable.

Education

The Re:Set Guide to Getting That Elusive 1600 on the SATs

By The Re:Set TeamFebruary 15, 2021

The key is to focus on practicing and studying smart to avoid silly mistakes.

Illustration of a young person standing in front of a path with books and laptop and a graduation cap at the end.

The Re:Set Guide

The Re:Set Guide to Nailing Your College Applications

By Sherina PoyyailFebruary 2, 2021

Take the stress out of college applications and use our organizer to navigate the process smoothly.

An image of a person lying with a book on their face and another person on a zoom call with 2 others.

The Re:Set Guide

The Re:Set Guide: How Schools Can Support Teacher Wellness During COVID-19

By Sherina PoyyailFebruary 1, 2021

Reconnecting with colleagues and implementing stronger work-life boundaries can help teachers facing high levels of stress.

An illustrations of students involved in different extracurricular activities such as sports and dance

Ask the Experts

Applying to College? Here’s What You Need to Know About Including Extracurriculars Activities

By Sherina PoyyailJanuary 21, 2021

Reflecting on your extracurriculars before writing your college applications can help you showcase the impact you've...

an image of a mum with her hand on her son's head

Ask the Experts

Mind Your Language: How Words Can Impact Your Child

By Diksha LaunganiOctober 26, 2020

Children, in their innocence and purity, mirror a lot of the language portrayed by parents, teachers,...

an image of one child on laptop and another playing

The Re:Set Guide

The Re:Set Guide to Keeping Your Child Busy This Summer

By Diksha LaunganiJuly 2, 2020

Entering the summer period marks a transition phase, which provides a good opportunity to reflect on...

‘Back-to-school:’ A phrase usually associated with equal measures of excitement, dread, planning and last-minute scurrying. This year, a little more dread and uncertainty than usual; understandably so, with what seems to be the tail-end of a pandemic and so many questions with no right answer. Let’s face it — during distance learning, learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their carers have struggled. Loss of multi-sensory learning, fewer opportunities for repetition and generalization, and the novelty of connecting with learners through a screen, have thrown a curveball for many. There are concerns regarding regression of skills, behavioural and attention issues and overall well-being. Fast forward to the new academic year, the dilemma of distance versus blended versus face-to-face learning is one that each unit will have to consider and choose for themselves. As families prepare for the upcoming academic year, here are some tips that will hopefully make the transition back-to-school, in whichever way, easier for everyone: Focus on transition planning for your child. In simple terms, consider the possible areas where your child will most likely need additional support to achieve a smooth transition to school whether that’s academic, social or emotional. Refrain from listing everything that could possibly go wrong! Think of the ways in which you could prepare for any initial teething problems such as anxiety over first-day separation, sitting for lessons for more than a few minutes or being shy in front of peers,. Preparation is your best ally at this point. It might be a good bet to check-in with the SEN/Inclusion team at school first — ideally, most schools will have some mechanisms in place to support the transition of learners’ with SEND. If not, do not hesitate to read up and consider the value of transitional objects such as a preferred, soft item that your child could take to school during the initial days, as a source of comfort and security and incorporate play including role-play, building a Lego classroom, drawing what school/class may look like during the socially-distanced era during the transition. It’s a good time to discuss and share information with your child, in accessible forms. This could take the form of a discussion, a visual calendar where you count down days till school re-opens — children often love rip-off calendars! or simple steps of getting back into school routines or even a social story. Teach self-care skills. Many learners with SEND struggle with daily living skills, especially related to personal hygiene, which could be adding to your worries. Teach and reinforce skills such as hand-washing, social distancing, wearing masks independently as much as possible — use modelling, videos, visual checklists, dress-up dolls, timed tasks frequently especially during the early stages of teaching. Positive association with an activity will ensure retention and motivation. The power of relationships during transition is absolute gold! Do not get disheartened with a lack of resources or time to plan for the back-to-school transition. Maintaining a sense of safety, security, trust and belonging is the most powerful intervention for your child. Emotion talk-time, hugs (which secrete oxytocin: the happy hormone), familiar faces, a key person at school — these are all easy, cost-effective and evidence-based techniques. A secure relationship acts as a safety net for a child. Note: Your child may seek additional physical affection at home to compensate for its lack thereof at school. Be mindful of the overlap between both yours and your child’s worries. Ensure that you have the time and space to address both of these. Do not assume that your child will have a difficult time — hold out hope that your nurture and support networks will contribute to a smooth transition. Reach out to other parents where you possibly can. Consult a professional if you are feeling too overwhelmed or if your child is struggling in their back-to-school journey. The fact that you have reached the end of this article, taking the time to click on the link and read this piece says a lot about your concern and connection for your child. It is completely OK to not know the ‘right’ thing to do. Have faith in yourself, your child and the school. Aim to focus on just one tip from the above as a starter and remember what they say about the journey of a million miles! Dr. Diksha Laungani is a Dubai-based Educational Psychologist at The Psychology Center at the Carbone Clinic and a Training Specialist at Sunshine Learning Difficulties Center. She is passionate about promoting pupils’ self-determination and supporting parent/educator wellbeing and development through consultation and training.

Inclusion

How to Cope With Back-To-School Worries for Your Child With Special Needs

By Diksha LaunganiAugust 21, 2020

Be mindful of the overlap between both yours and your child’s worries.

The Re:Set Guide

7 Ways You Can Speak to Your Child About Disabilities

Ask the Experts

Starting Early and Staying Ahead of Stress: How To Beat Test Anxiety and Ace the SATs

Education

The Re:Set Guide to Getting That Elusive 1600 on the SATs

The Re:Set Guide

The Re:Set Guide to Nailing Your College Applications

The Re:Set Guide

The Re:Set Guide: How Schools Can Support Teacher Wellness During COVID-19

Ask the Experts

Applying to College? Here’s What You Need to Know About Including Extracurriculars Activities

Ask the Experts

Mind Your Language: How Words Can Impact Your Child

The Re:Set Guide

The Re:Set Guide to Keeping Your Child Busy This Summer

Inclusion

How to Cope With Back-To-School Worries for Your Child With Special Needs

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