Overview
To support a hopeful transition, a site visit to their new school helps prepare the learner, their family, and the new school staff to get to know each other. It is a helpful strategy to begin to address learner needs in advance of attending regularly.
This experiential learning resource includes a pre- and post-set of key points and guiding questions to accompany a site visit to the learner’s new school. This activity provides the learner with a supportive introduction to their new environment, reducing potential concerns while also creating excitement about new opportunities.
While this activity is intended to support Tier 3 learners, this template could be adapted for any learners entering a new school environment.
View the Visit My New School link to the activity:
Visit my new school (Word Doc)
Objectives
Objective 1: To support the learner to reflect upon their questions and needs as they transition to a new school.
Objective 2: To introduce the school staff to the learner by providing some initial insight to learner preferences and concerns.
Objective 3: To introduce the learner’s family to the new school.
Objective 4: To provide an experiential career connected learning opportunity to support learner agency towards a hopeful transition.
Instructions
Resource Educator:
Before the Visit:
- Review the activity questions with the learner to complete their answers to the 3 main points on the document (questions, concerns, preferences). Depending on their level of independence, you may choose to share the questions with the family.
- Discuss and reflect upon the pre-visit answers with the learner.
After the Visit:
- As soon as possible after the visit, have the learner provide answers to the 5 questions on page 2. Depending on level of independence, you may choose to seek family input.
- Discuss and reflect upon the post-visit responses with the learner.
- Identify any gaps or additional information that might assist with the transition.
- Determine a plan for next steps.
Key Highlights
- Addresses possible questions and concerns of the learner while encouraging learner voice and agency to express their needs to prepare for a hopeful transition.
- Allows the learner to share their feelings with school staff prior to attending the new school.