School Issues for Adopted Children

Where to Start for Information on School Issues and Adopted Children:

• Check out the following Creating a Family radio shows:
  • January 9, 2013: Helping Kids Who Struggle in School (Listen Now)
  • July 18, 2012: Oppositional Defiant Disorder (Listen Now)
  • February 15, 2012: Understanding Childhood Psychiatric Disorders (Listen Now)

  • February 8, 2012: Raising and Loving a Child with ADHD (Listen Now)

  • February 1, 2012: Preparing Children for the Adoption of a Sibling & Integrating Adopted and Biological Kids Post-Adoption (Listen Now)

  • October 5, 2011: Preparing Yourself and Your Children to Adopt an Older Child (Listen Now)
• Other Creating a Family Resources: 
  • Creating a Family Blog on Labeling Kids — How Much To Share and With Whom

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Books and Articles on School Issues for Adopted Children:

• Dear Teacher - Even a teacher sensitive to adoption may benefit from having words to say. Here is a sample letter to help you compose your own. by Kathy Urbina and Deb Luppino
  
• "Adoption in the Schools: A Lot to Learn," - this policy perspective brief by the Evan B. Donaldson Institute points out that, as adoption becomes increasingly normalized in the United States, more and more adoptive families are confronting challenges when their children attend school - and it offers recommendations for how educators can better meet those challenges.
  
• How Does SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) Affect Learning, by Carol Kranowitz
  
• Resources to Help Parents Advocate for Their Child in School - A great list of resources to help parents learn and understand how to advocate well for their children in school.
• School Assignments A Guide for Parents and Educators written by Christine Mitchell
  author and illustrator of Welcome Home, Forever Child: A Celebration of Children Adopted as Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Beyond.
  
• How to Get Help at School - When a child has learning problems, often the first step is an Individualized Educational Program. Here's what you need to know.
  
• What Your Child's Teacher Needs to Know By Lois Melina - Great article on sharing information with teachers while maintaining your child's privacy.
  
• Can We Talk? How to Explain Adoption at School – Even to Fifth Graders by Beth Roth - Great tips for explaining adoption to older elementary and middle school age students
• Great adoption and school resources from Adoptive Families magazine
  
• How I Explained Adoption to the First Grade - Using a favorite doll and a logic children can follow, one mother enlightens her daughter's curious class.
• "Friendships, Social Skills, and Adoption" put out by that wonderful group at The Center for Adoption Medicine at the University of Washington. This is a great fact sheet on social skill development and gives practical useful suggestions for how parents can help their children develop these skills.
• "Adoption in the Schools: A Lot to Learn" Promoting Equality and Fairness for all Children and Their Families prepared by: Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute
• The US Government provides a free Factsheet on "Adoption and School Issues" which covers how adoption impacts a youngster in school. They address if, when, how, and why to talk about adoption with school personnel. Also examined are specific educational problems that are common to adopted children and how to advocate for the educational and support services that they might need. Ways are suggested to help students, teachers, principals, and other school personnel to become more sensitive to adoption issues. http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/f_school/
• EMK Press has a nice resource page for adoption issues that may arise at school. http://www.emkpress.com/school.html
• An Educator's Guide to Adoption by the Institute for Adoption Information Great resource for educators or for adoptive parents to give to their child's teacher.  www.adoptioninformationinstitute.org/education.html
• S.A.F.E. at School Manual presents 5 proactive strategies to help teachers and counselors create a positive adoption environment in school. This wonderful booklet is provided by The Center for Adoption Support and Education and can be ordered at their website.
• "In the Children’s World at School" is a free fact sheet provided online by The Center for Adoption Support and Education.
• IEP ideas for children with Attachment Disorders www.attachmentdisorder.net/IEP.htm
• "Talking to Teachers About Adoption" by Kathryn Kaatz is a good introduction to the topic of how to address adoption with your child's school. http://www.adoptinfo.net/schoolarticle5.html
• Adoption and the Schools: Resources for Parents and Teachers by Lansing Wood & Nancy Ng.
• Education and the Adopted Child: What issues do parents face when their adopted children start school? A good very general overview and they quote a wonderful expert, if I do say so myself. :-)