Parents preparing for a new school year, introducing their neurodiverse child to the teacher for the first time

When neurodiverse children start a new school or change classes, there's one topic parents discuss most often.

as soon as,
"Should I talk to the teacher first about my child? And if so, how should I do it?"
This is a concern.

A new semester, a new school, new teachers, new friends… It's understandable to be anxious about leaving your familiar surroundings and moving to a new place. Especially for neurodiverse children, how well a teacher understands them can make a huge difference in their adjustment.

I didn't realize this when I was working in Korea, but after coming to the United States and working, I realized that many parents, regardless of race or culture, share the same concerns.

So today, I'd like to share with you how to write your child's "About Me Profile" and what information to include to help parents everywhere help their children adapt well to new environments.

I'm also sharing a template I created to give to parents (I used this template and sent it to my child's school yesterday!). It's available in both Korean and English, and you can download it for free from the link below.

I'll also share some resources from various other sites I've found, so if you'd like more templates, check out the links below!

Download the free Everbloom Path template here.

You don't have to use a specific template.

A simple letter, such as "My child..." , will suffice. The key is to convey the necessary, core information that will help the teacher understand your child more quickly and help them adapt quickly.

Things teachers should know in advance

Some good items for parents to include when filling out their forms:

- Basic information : name, age, and other titles if any (in the US, for example, there are cases where Korean/English names are mixed and names are often shortened)

- Strengths and likes : What you do well in learning and playing, favorite activities/toys, interests

- Learning Style : Preference for visual, auditory, and tactile learning, concentration in 1:1 situations vs. group activities

- Sensory characteristics : comforting, challenging stimuli

- Areas requiring assistance : academic tasks, life skills, emotional and behavioral regulation

- Dislikes : Situations that are uncomfortable or must be avoided

- How to help when you're upset or angry

- Communication methods : language, gestures, PECS, sign language, etc.

- Social and emotional characteristics : ways of expressing intimacy, peer relationships

Of course, you don't have to write all of this down..!!

Since each child's development, expression method, and learning level are all different, and the ages of the children of the parents reading this article are likely to be different, please select and fill in only the information necessary for your child.

Templates you can use

There are also various resources available online. The content varies slightly, so I recommend checking them out!

Reframing Autism – About Me (Customisable Template)
👉 Go to
Easy to write with lots of detailed examples including pictures, adjectives, learning styles, and classroom challenges.

Living on the Spectrum – Student Profile Template
👉 Go to
Simple one-page structure, allowing you to quickly convey your child's interests and learning preferences.

The Fairy Printsess – Special Needs About Me Pages
👉 Go to
A color PDF documenting diagnosis, enjoyable activities, sensory characteristics, and support strategies. Suitable for printing and laminating.

BPI (Behavioral Perspective Inc) – All About Me Sheet
👉 Go to
A simple, responsive sheet lets you quickly organize your strengths, needs, and classroom strategies.

As I've said many times, your About Me profile doesn't have to be long or flashy.

I hope the new teacher will discover my child's strengths and help them develop those strengths. And if there's anything they need support for, I'll let them know in advance so they can receive the appropriate assistance. Ultimately, I think the reason I'm writing this is to help my child feel less anxious and more secure in their new environment.

I sincerely hope that all children starting the new semester will have a slightly warmer and smoother start :)

 

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