The “Rebuild and Recover: Reducing Separation Anxiety – Teacher’s Planning Pack” is a comprehensive resource designed to support teachers in helping pupils manage separation anxiety, particularly in the context of returning to school after lockdowns or extended absences. This 4-page document offers practical strategies and insights for educators to address the challenges faced by children experiencing anxiety about leaving their parents or carers and returning to school.
Summary:
- Understanding and Preparing for Anxiety: The document acknowledges the increased anxiety some children may face upon returning to school, especially separation anxiety. It serves as a guide for teachers to support these pupils effectively.
- Whole Class Measures and Communication: It emphasizes the importance of informing parents and children about changes in the school environment and routine. Suggestions include sending out learning timetables in advance, sharing videos of the school’s new setup, and explaining health and safety measures.
- Routine and Transition: The pack suggests maintaining familiar routines while acknowledging the unusual nature of the return to school. It advises incorporating transition activities and wellbeing-focused exercises, like mindfulness activities or storytelling sessions, to ease anxiety.
- Managing Expectations and Coping Strategies: Teachers are guided to reset school behaviour expectations and introduce coping strategies like mindful colouring and relaxation techniques. The pack also includes suggestions for supporting parents and carers of anxious children.
- Identifying and Supporting Individual Needs: It provides tools for helping children articulate their feelings, like using an anxiety thermometer or emotion wheel. For children needing extra support, the document suggests creating individual plans, considering the child’s history, underlying concerns, and specific triggers of anxiety.
- Practical Tips for Reducing Separation Anxiety: The pack offers various ideas, such as varying start times, brief goodbyes, assigning key adults for support, and allowing children to bring familiar items to school. These measures can be tailored to each child’s needs and gradually reduced as their anxiety diminishes.
This resource is a valuable tool for educators seeking to create a supportive and understanding environment for children dealing with separation anxiety. It provides a blend of general classroom strategies and individualised approaches to ensure the wellbeing of all students during challenging transitions.
FREE PDF DOWNLOAD OF REDUCING SEPARATION ANXIETY – TEACHER RESOURCE
