While some students can’t wait for a new school year to start and be with their friends again, some others are absolutely terrified at the thought of going back to school at the end of the summer break. For some autistic students, for example, or kids who struggle with anxiety, going back to school is a painful experience that can lead to excessive worrying, loss of sleep or appetite, tantrums, and more.
School refusal is more often than not the result of their excessive worrying!
By identifying the reasons behind and addressing the kids worries, adults can help them have smooth transitions back to school. Some of the most common reasons for school refusal after a long break are:
Disruption of routines– Summer break is always a time when the strict school and class rules are forgotten, and the kids settle into the more relaxed routines and atmosphere of their own homes. No alarms clocks, no early breakfasts, no morning rush. No sitting in class, no sustained work, no assignments, no tests, no stress. But when back-to-school time rolls around, all of these come back into the picture, creating a stressful change for ASD kids. New schedules and routines are confusing, worrying, and upsetting! Students with ASD have a need for “sameness”, meaning they like predictable situations, people, routines, activities, and settings. Going back to school is an enormous disruption in they summer routines. It is also a transition from a preferred setting with preferred activities to a non-preferred setting with, obviously, non-preferred activities, and that creates resistance and adversity.
Lack of social skills– The thought of having to deal with a new teacher or figuring out new classmates can be frightening for some students whose social skills are less intuitive. They often have the desire to interact with others, but lack the social skills and necessary cues to do so successfully. Returning to school to the possibility of having a new adult in the classroom, who doesn’t know them and their likes and dislikes, along with having to try to make new friends, can be an overwhelming experience for students with ASD and can lead to refusal to return to school after the summer break.
Difficulty coping with the unknown and unpredictable situations of a school day: Some students who struggle with sensory integration challenges worry about returning to an environment where they have little to no control over aspects like noise, lights, smells, overcrowded areas, during class time, assemblies, drills, or the everyday cafeteria. They also worry more than other students about the unstructured time of transitioning from one activity to another, as well as about the academic aspects of a school day, like understanding what to do and how to do it, participating in class, working in small groups, presenting in front of an audience, etc. The daunting task of figuring out what to do in new situations can increase anxiety and contribute to school refusal.
Poor executive functioning skills– Organization, prioritizing, sequence processing, time management, paying attention, inhibiting certain inappropriate responses, and self- regulating their emotions are functions that don’t come easy to some students, and especially to individuals with ASD. Transitioning to an environment where these skills are in high demand can pose difficulties for students who lack them, and increase the chance of negative behaviors, refusal to cooperate, and, as a result, school avoidance.
Emotional struggles– Many students have difficulty regulating their emotions during demanding transition times like returning to school after the summer break and maintaining a calm state. They may also be coping with other strong emotions they feel, but cannot verbalize or understand, emotions associated with separation anxiety, fear of the unknown, etc. During back-to-school transition time, some students may experience severe negative emotional episodes that could manifest in various ways, from being unable to process logical information and listen to adults who offer them calming suggestions, to verbal and physical aggression, running away, and/or tantrums and meltdowns.
BACK TO SCHOOL TRANSITION STRATEGIES
Returning to school can cause unwanted behaviors so careful preparation on the teachers side will help the students cope with this change in their routines. Before students are ready to access learning, they need to feel calm, safe, and self-confident. Teachers can help reduce back-to-school anxiety and minimize negative behaviors by implementing a series of transition strategies before, during, and/or after school hours. Transition strategies are techniques used to support students when disruptions in routines occur or are likely to occur. These techniques include, but are not limited to:
*Managing the class environment: Teachers are encouraged to prepare clearly defined spaces and have assigned seats, as well as clearly marked exits and learning areas in the classroom. They should also be prepared to dim the lights, have a supply of noise reduction headphones, and a sensory area in case students become overstimulated and need to regain composure. A break area is also highly recommended especially when students find themselves in averse situations and resist transitions. A visually enhanced environment with visual rules and procedures, visual schedules, visual timers, count-down cards, and transition cards is helpful in creating a smooth transition time and reducing negative behaviors.
*Adjusting the start of the day: Meeting students and parents in the hallway, as well as having special greetings, may ease an anxious student into the classroom. Class tours are recommended prior to the first day of school, during “Meet The Teacher Night”, but if not possible, class tours are necessary first thing in the morning on the first day of school. During that time, the teacher should point out all areas pertaining directly to the student, such as where to hang his/her clothes and backpack, where his/her assigned seat is, as well as the established locations for finished work or work in progress. This will help students with poor executive functioning skills make adjustments with organization, time management, and prioritizing. Teachers should consider fun morning choice and free play options for the first day of school to help students experience success and have fun once they made it into the classroom. Displayed memorabilia from the previous year (if applicable) tap into students need for “sameness” and will make for an easier transition. If students struggle considerably on the first few days of school, they should have opportunities to discuss their feelings, either with the teacher or by being offered counseling support. Check-in visuals work great for students who need visual support.
*Using social stories: Transition strategies can be verbal, visual and/or both. For students who struggle with auditory processing disorder and other sensory processing deficits, presenting the information visually, in the form of social stories, has a greater impact. Summer Break Is Over! is a social story that identifies and expresses some of the most common back-to-school worries, as well as offers alternate behaviors that students can follow for a smooth transition back into the school setting.
*Communicating with parents and caretakers: Teachers can agree upon transition objects and set rules for their usage in class, send copies of rules, procedures, schedule, and other important information at home, suggest visual supports for home, offer copies of transition social stories to be read in the morning, before leaving for school, etc. Of course what works for one student doesn’t necessarily work for others, so customizing the approach is always a must and it’s best done by collaborating with and considering the valuable input of the student’s family.
Having an understanding of the reasons behind the students reluctance to return to school can help adults craft and deliver solid plans for school reintegration and alleviate some of the students stress associated with school attendance.
Find the Summer Break Is Over! social story here!
