Social Skills Strategies for Parents and Teachers (continued)

• Work with the child one on one to teach him/her coping skills. This can be used as a group project as well by role-playing. Use case situations where both students continue to make sarcastic remarks (verbal ping-pong). The role-play where one of the two students successfully deter the remarks. Also see parent section.

Social Problem: Dealing with social norms

Parent Strategies

Social norms are those things most of us take for granted such as:

• doing chores daily without being told;
• eating with silverware, not his hands;
• drinking from a cup, not the carton;
• cleaning up the toothpaste from the bathroom sink before he leaves; and
• asking permission before leaving with friends.

Before confronting their child for not following norms or for inappropriate behavior, a parent needs to be sure the child understands the difference between acceptable behavior and unacceptable behavior. If a child drinks out of the carton, make sure he understands that it is not appropriate—and why. Let the child know how germs are spread before correcting him for not cleaning up the sink. Make sure adults and siblings in the family are role models for appropriate behavior.

Many social norms can be handled through leading by example and talking to the child about the reasons for choosing “appropriate behavior” vs. “inappropriate behavior.”

Teacher Strategies

Social norms are those things most of us take for granted such as:

• picking up a soda can from the floor and putting it in the garbage;
• olding the door open for the person behind him;
• saying the ABCs, not burping them;
• knocking on the closed bathroom door instead of bursting in; and
• raising his hand to ask permission, not just getting up in the middle of class to get a drink.

Some of these norms can we worked on at the first of the year, and then refreshers given throughout the year. For some children, it may be a daily battle. Patience must be taken with these students. Realize that consistency is the key. Teachers may wish to enlist the assistance of the parent or older sibling to help model the desired behavior at home.

Social Problem: Interfacing with teacher

Parent Strategies

• As a new school year approaches, parents need to start talking with their child, as well as the child’s teachers and any others that might have an educational interest in their son or daughter. What type of teacher is best for him? If able, try to select a teacher that can meet all the child’s needs.
• When parents have meetings with the new teacher, they need to try to keep things positive.
• Share the great things the child can do, and put a positive spin on his limitations. For example: “When my child reads a book, he has trouble with reading comprehension, but he is a whiz at recalling details, if he can watch or listen to it.”

Teacher Strategies

• Observe and assess the INDIVIDUAL child. What are his abilities for understanding the process, for physically completing the process or activity, and his interest in the process or project?
• Give approval and praise on a regular basis.
• Encourage children to pursue activities that build on their own skill, interests and abilities. This will increase motivation and self-esteem.
• Help the child learn from his mistakes, rather than get frustrated or upset. Help the child to turn statements like, “I can’t do anything right” into those with a positive theme such as “I can do lots of things right, I just had a hard time with this project.”

Social Problem: Independent thinking

Parent Strategies