Back to school brings unique challenges for new Canadians

As students across the country return to school this week, some are likely dealing with the stresses of a new routine and meeting new people.

But for children who are new to Canada andmay have left war or conflicts in their home countries, that transition can be particularly difficult.

That's why the Association forNew Canadians (ANC) in St. John's, N.L. has special programs to help those students, their families and schools ease that transition.

"The ANC and the schools have been so welcoming and open, like the community here, which has made our transition work so well," said Tilk Chawan, who first moved to St. John'sas a refugee in 2011 and is now the the junior high and elementary school settlement worker with the ANC.

Fire drills could be scary

Newcomers to the country often face a long list of obstacles when it comes to starting school in Canada, especially those whose flight from war-torn areas may have kept them out of a classroom for a few years.

Those gaps in education could be coupled with traumaticexperiences, which is why the ANC works to prepare them for any unexpected situations in their new schools.

Maggie Peyton, the coordinator of the ANC's Settlement Workers in Schools program, says that means making and going over a checklist for each student.

"Fire drills could be particularly scary so we will talk the students through that. Maybe the sound of drums might mimic the sound of bombs, so we make sure we talk through those things with families with an interpreter if need be and schools are on board to do all those things with us," she told the St. John's Morning Show.

"Lining up is another thing that's not necessarilythat culturally relevant, but in our culture we love to line up and love our personal space. Not so much in every other culture."

Learning from each other

Peyton said the ANC guides teachers through each new student's needs, which includetheir need to be socially accepted among their peers.

Part of that involvesstarting school clubssuch as the Friends of United Nations Club, where others can learn about the new students' cultures.Peyton said it allows students to ask questions they may have that are not coming from a place of judgement.

"It's great for us to say we need to be accepting of other cultures but we need to embrace them," she said."Let's learn from them."