Teacher Responsibilities

Teacher Responsibilities

Teachers Should:

•Stay informed about Anxiety Disorders and Symptoms
•Talk to their students to help determine if a particular behavior has another explanation

Resource:A great resource for helping teachers sort out whether a particular behavior is developmentally, situational, or culturally appropriate is The Hinks-Dellcrest Center for Mental Health Information website The ABCs of Mental Health at http://www.brocku.ca/teacherresource/ABC/index.php

What Should Teacher’s do if they Suspect a Problem?
•Keep good records of difficult times/tasks/circumstances, as well as what workd and what didn’t seem to work
•Contact the child’s parents
•BUT do not diagnose or use the language of diagnosis
•Meet either formally or informally with principal, school psych, school social worker. If there are no school psychologists or social workers at your school you can contact the mental health worker for your board
•These meeting may result in testing to rule out LD’s, therapy sessions at school or outside of school, medical referrals for child
•May result in a formal IPP
•May result in less formal classroom accommodations

Resource:
Although it is designed for an American context the online guidebook IEP and Inclusion Tips for Parents and Teachers contains chapters on “Preparing for IEP Meetings,” “Tracking Progress,” “Forming Effective Partnerships Between Families and Schools,” and “Handling Disagreements” all provide useful tips for Canadian teachers participating in IPP planning teams.