Transition for Students in Outreach
Tanya Cobb — October 30, 2024
Transition support looks different for each of our students in Outreach. Some students may be transitioning to a new class at the same school. For others, a bigger transition is happening as they move on to Intermediate or High School.
The way we as Outreach teachers support our students as they transition is tailored to the needs of the student and the school.
For students who are remaining at the same school but moving to a new class and/or have a new teacher, we might help to create social stories or accompany the student on visits to their new space. We can also be involved in transition handover meetings with staff, or help to deliver professional development around how to meet the needs of the students.
For students who are transitioning to a new school, we can help to create an All About Me document that they can share with their new school. This is done in conjunction with the student so that they can share some information about themselves, things that they like doing, things that they don't like, their strengths, their worries and any questions that they may have. We might also accompany them on transition visits to the new school, along with staff from their current school. We can support with creating social stories by taking photos of them on their iPad so that they can refer to them when back at school or at home. If parents give us permission, we can meet with the new school staff alongside their current school staff to share some of the work that we have been doing with them in our Outreach sessions.
Transitions can be a time of great anxiety for our students, but we work hard to make this process as smooth and worry free as we possibly can.
