Teachers can be great allies in keeping your child with cancer safe and successful in school, but you'll need to make sure they have all the knowledge they need to help. Use these suggestions to create a information packet to bring educators up to speed.
Five Things Teachers Need to Know
1. My child may tire easily or drift off. Please understand that this is a health issue and not a behavior issue.
2. My child may have some learning problems as a result of cancer treatment. Please let me know about any difficulties you see.
3. Exposure to chicken pox can be very dangerous to my child -- I can provide a letter for the school to send to families on our need to be informed.
4. It's okay to let my child's classmates know about his condition as long as it is done in an appropriate way. I'd be happy to help prepare a program.
5. Please keep the lines of communication open between our home and the school. My child needs all the adults in her life working together.
Teacher Fact Sheets on Specific Cancers
Source: St. Louis Children's Hospital
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
Acute Monocytic Leukemia (AML)
Ewing's Sarcoma/Primitive Neuroepithelial Tumor (PNET)
Other Print-Outs to Share with Teachers
Educational Late Effects
Source: Children's Brain Tumor Foundation
Children with Cancer: Effects and Educational Implications
Source: Pediatric Oncology Resource Center
Parents Comments on What to Include in an IEP
Source: Pediatric Oncology Resource Center
Some Basics for Returning to School
Source: St. Louis Children's Hospital
Education
Source: CLIC Sargent
