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Going back to school during or after cancer treatments is a big step for children and their families. Reestablishing normal routines and reconnecting with peers and teachers can help the child feel reassured that he or she is really getting better.
However, school reentry can be hard, too. Missed schoolwork, physical and cognitive changes, and the emotional and psychological adjustments to cancer can be very challenging. Classmates who do not understand cancer and cancer treatments may be insensitive to the returning child.
Creating a supportive peer environment in school is an essential
element of successful school reentry. Crusaders Against Cancer
is a comprehensive, multimedia school reentry presentation designed
to educate peers and help the child with cancer to make a smooth
transition back to the classroom.
Crusaders Against Cancer is
for children ages 7 to 11, in grades 3 to 6. The program aims
to:
- Increase knowledge about cancer among teachers,
other school personnel, and classmates;
- Promote positive attitudes about children with cancer;
and
- Foster peer acceptance of children with cancer.
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The Crusaders Against Cancer school reentry program includes
the Crusaders Against Cancer video,
the accompanying Facilitator's Guide, and the Back2Class Web site.
Crusaders Against Cancer Video
The Crusaders Against Cancer video is designed for use
with children ages 7 to 11, in grades 3 to 6. The video tells the
story of Tommy, a boy returning to school after cancer treatment,
and his friend, a fish called Cancer Crusader (CC for short). The
video portrays many concerns that children with cancer have about
returning to school, as well as realistic situations they and their
peers may face. Important, age-appropriate information about cancer
is provided, and typical concerns that young children often have
about cancer are also addressed. Length: 19 minutes.
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Facilitator's Guide
The Crusaders Against Cancer Facilitator's Guide contains
the following four types of activities designed to promote discussion
and increase learning in conjunction with the video:
- Stay-in-Touch Activities can be done with the child's classmates while the child with cancer is out of school for treatments.
- Pre-Viewing Activities are designed to prepare the class to view the Crusaders Against Cancer video before the child with cancer returns to school.
- Post-Viewing Activities can be done after the class has seen the video to emphasize the main points.
- Extensions are optional activities that focus on specific topics, such as teasing or anxiety about whether cancer is contagious.
Tips are included to help the facilitator—a teacher, parent, healthcare
provider, counselor, or school nurse—conduct the classroom
school reentry presentation. The guide also contains Fact Sheets
with background information on important topics, such as types of
childhood cancer, cancer treatments, and the impact of cancer on
school participation and attendance.
Back2Class Web site
The Web site, www.Back2Class.com,
provides a wealth of information about childhood cancer, school
reentry, and related issues for teachers, parents, and students.
Learn about the Crusaders Against Cancer school reentry
presentation, and discover how you can help make a child's
return to school smooth and successful.
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