A preschool teacher shares her perspective on a transition of child with disabilities into her classroom (running time: 1 min. 11 sec.).
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Melanie A:
I’ve been thinking a lot about the transition process with Tamiya. We have a set of standard transition procedures in place that have worked in the past with other children, but those children weren’t as medically fragile as Tamiya. And when I called Tamiya’s mother yesterday to talk about our transition procedures and to arrange for Tamiya to come for a classroom visit, I could hear the hesitation in her voice. She talked about Tamiya being quiet in large groups and easier to get to know when she is in a familiar place like home. So maybe we should think about changing some of those procedures for her.
I have been on a few home visits before when I worked for another program and I thought they went well. I know we don’t typically make home visits, but I’m willing to do anything that would make Tamiya feel comfortable and at home in her new classroom. I’ll need the support of my supervisor, Judy, and of course the support of the rest of the team to get behind these efforts as well. Most importantly, I’ll need the commitment of Tamiya’s family and more time to learn how to best prepare for the transition from them. They have a lot to teach me.