School-Based Evaluation
When a child has emotional or behavioral difficulties at school, there are a number of resources available to pinpoint the nature of the problem and determine possible solutions. Sometimes private schools have limited resources, but may be able to enlist outside help or refer you to specialty centers the school can coordinate with.
Teacher Observation
Your most valuable asset for your child at school is, of course, his teacher. Teachers can observe your child's level of attention and focus, his interaction with his peers, motivation and issues in learning, general mood, and self-esteem. School psychologists may assist teachers by providing inventories or questionnaires for teachers to fill out, and by helping the teacher to work effectively with your child once issues have been identified.
Alert!
If you find your child has begun to cling more to you or refuse to go to school, ask yourself if you have just gone through a period of time in which you became closer to her. Examples include after a family vacation, summer break, or a brief illness. It is also common for a child to act this way following a stressful occurrence such as a death or a move.
Behavioral Specialists
Behavior specialists are trained to observe and evaluate children in the school setting, and to plan interventions when behavior problems are an issue. They may have various degrees, and usually serve your child's educational team by noting and categorizing the positive and negative behavior your child shows while in school. They will help you identify particular triggers to your child's emotional or behavioral difficulties in school, and recommend the best ways to reduce their impact on your child's social and learning experience.
Social Observation
Social observation is a specific intervention in which a behavioral specialist, social worker, or therapist watches your child as she interacts with others in the classroom. Specific inventories and measures are available to help the specialist identify patterns of interaction that help or hinder a child with anxiety navigate the social waters. The specialist will then provide recommendations for change, such as including your child in a friendship group or creating a buddy system to support her.
Learning Evaluations
School psychologists and social workers complete learning evaluations, with the assistance of other team members as necessary. They involve intelligence testing and academic testing, and may include health and speech evaluations and analysis of your child's learning style. Often, medical and mental health records are used to make a complete evaluation of your child's strengths, weaknesses, challenges, and needs in the school setting. The results are then presented to you and a plan is developed to address the findings.
