Social story topics
Social story: A different teacher today
A relief teacher changes the voice, the pace, the small routines and sometimes the rules, all without warning. For autistic and neurodivergent students the usual teacher is the anchor of the day, and a stranger at the front can make even a familiar lesson feel unsafe.
This story explains that teachers are sometimes away, that the room, the friends and the timetable stay the same, and who the student can go to if they need help. Keep a printed copy in the relief folder so it can be read first thing on the morning it happens.
A sample story
A Different Teacher Today
- 1Today a different teacher is in my class.
- 2The different teacher does not know me yet.
- 3The different teacher wants the class to feel safe today.
- 4I can raise my hand to ask the different teacher for help.
- 5The different teacher is in my class, and I feel calm.
A sample made with HandsOnTop. Yours is written for your student.
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Tips for using it
- Leave the story in the relief teacher folder with a note to read it first.
- Name a second adult the student knows, such as a learning-support teacher.
- Keep as much of the day the same as possible, especially the start.
Common questions
Can I write it before I know who the teacher will be?
Yes. The story can say "a different teacher" and describe what stays the same. If you know the name in advance, add it; a known name is calmer than a mystery.
Should the relief teacher read it to the student?
Ideally a familiar adult reads it, but a relief teacher reading it is far better than no one. The point is that the student hears the plan before the day gets going.
How far ahead should we read it?
If you know you will be away, the afternoon before. On a surprise day, first thing, before the first lesson begins.