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A–Z Glossary

School accommodations

School accommodations are structured supports that reduce barriers to learning, such as written instructions, private feedback, breaks, or adjusted task demands.

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Concussions in children explained

Concussions in children explained

What is a concussion? A concussion is a functional brain injury, meaning that brain activity and communication can be temporarily disrupted even when there is no visible structural injury on a standard scan. It may follow a direct impact to the head, a forceful hit to the body, or a sudden acceleration-deceleration event such as […]

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Resetting a child’s routine after illness or a long school absence

Resetting a child’s routine after illness or a long school absence

Start with readiness, not the calendar The first question is whether the child is medically and functionally ready to resume education. A child may no longer have fever or vomiting but still be unable to sustain attention, walk between classrooms, manage personal care, or participate safely. Conversely, a child may be physically well but apprehensive […]

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Helping children prepare for an oral presentation

Helping children prepare for an oral presentation

Start by making the task predictable Before discussing performance, help the child understand exactly what the teacher is asking. Review the topic, time limit, audience, presentation format, permitted notes or slides, assessment criteria, and due date. A child may appear oppositional or avoidant when the real problem is uncertainty about what counts as a successful […]

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Managing anxiety before speaking in front of the class

Managing anxiety before speaking in front of the class

Understand what the child is experiencing Presentation anxiety is a situational form of nervousness that can occur when a child expects scrutiny, embarrassment, forgetting, or negative evaluation. The brain may interpret standing before a group as a threat, activating sympathetic arousal. This can produce a fast pulse, muscle tension, dry mouth, gastrointestinal discomfort, dizziness, sweating, […]

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School involvement parents explained

School involvement parents explained

What school involvement means School involvement is broader than helping with homework or attending parent-teacher conferences. Research commonly describes it as a combination of home-based and school-based behaviors. Home-based involvement may include establishing routines, discussing what a child is learning, reading together, encouraging curiosity, checking that the child has needed materials, and helping the child […]

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Preparing for a parent-teacher conference

Preparing for a parent-teacher conference

Start with the purpose of the meeting Before preparing a question list, decide what you most want to understand. You may be attending a routine conference, responding to a specific concern, or seeking support after a change in your child’s functioning. A clear purpose helps prevent the conversation from becoming a rapid review of grades […]

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Questions parents should ask during a parent-teacher conference

Questions parents should ask during a parent-teacher conference

Prepare for a focused, collaborative conversation Before the conference, review recent assignments, school communications, report cards, attendance information, and any notes your child has shared. Write down two or three priorities. These might include reading fluency, mathematics, organization, separation distress, frequent headaches before school, conflict with peers, or difficulty completing homework. Prioritizing helps you use […]

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Helping children participate in parent-teacher meetings

Helping children participate in parent-teacher meetings

Why children’s participation matters Adults often hold different parts of the same picture. A teacher may observe task completion, peer interactions, and classroom behavior. A parent or caregiver may notice sleep, mood, homework patterns, physical complaints, or changes in confidence. The child has direct knowledge of effort, worry, confusion, belonging, and what helps them persist. […]

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Helping children manage several teachers and different class expectations

Helping children manage several teachers and different class expectations

Why several teachers can feel overwhelming Changing teachers requires a child to repeatedly reset their expectations. One teacher may permit quiet questions during independent work, while another may expect students to raise a hand. One classroom may prioritize speed and completion; another may emphasize showing every step. Even when each approach is reasonable, the combined […]

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What to do when a child hides unfinished schoolwork

What to do when a child hides unfinished schoolwork

Begin with calm curiosity When you find an unfinished worksheet in a drawer, backpack, or under a bed, pause before confronting the child. A strong reaction can unintentionally confirm the child’s fear that disclosure will lead to humiliation, punishment, or an intense argument. Regulate your own response first, then choose a private moment for conversation. […]

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Typical school day and classroom environment children

Typical school day and classroom environment children

The rhythm of a typical school day A school day usually begins before formal instruction. Children arrive, store belongings, greet adults and peers, read posted instructions, choose morning work, or settle into a brief routine. This opening period may look simple, but it demands executive function: sequencing, inhibitory control, working memory, and emotional regulation. A […]

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Requesting a classroom change for a child

Requesting a classroom change for a child

When a classroom change may be reasonable A classroom change may be worth discussing when the current placement is substantially interfering with a child’s safety, education, participation, or psychological wellbeing. Examples can include persistent peer harassment, a serious conflict that has not improved despite school intervention, repeated exposure to a known trigger, or an environment […]

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Common myths about child problems

Common myths about child problems

Myth 1: Children are too young to have real mental health problems One of the most persistent myths is that childhood protects a child from mental health conditions. In reality, anxiety disorders, depressive symptoms, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, trauma-related symptoms, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism-related difficulties, eating concerns, and disruptive behavior disorders can all become apparent during childhood. The […]

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Perfectionism that leads to refusal or meltdowns

Perfectionism that leads to refusal or meltdowns

When perfectionism stops being helpful Many children want to get things right. A careful child may check homework, practice before a performance, or feel proud of neat work. Perfectionism becomes more problematic when the child’s sense of safety or worth depends on doing something flawlessly. At that point, a mistake is not just information; it […]

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