It is important to build a relationship with families early in the student’s education. When talking about the student, emphasize what school services or specialized instruction might be able to help the student in academic and non academic areas. Eric Hartwig says, “The challenges of the child’s disability are the beginning of the conversation, not the end.”
Be certain to put student progess in context. Discussion should be explicit about the context that we are grading students in and explain how these grades relate to the context of grade level standards. The student’s report card compared to the IEP progress reports can provide some talking points for this.
Always correct misconceptions and move forward. If you think that parents came away from a meeting with an incorrect view of their child, take steps to correct that. Ask the parent how they felt the meeting went and ask what they took away from the meeting. Allow time to reconvene the meeting if necessary. Take a break or reschedule a follow up.
Take the time to read the crowd. Establishing and maintaining relationships with families through honest and open communication will allow all students to grow!
~ LRP Sped eConnections newsletter