Parents Can be the Key

As a parent, you are your child’s first teacher.  You are their voice too!  And when it comes to advocating for your child there is nothing you won’t do.  When you attend your child’s ARD meeting, you represent your child’s future and interests.  This meeting is a negotiation.  The biggest pitfall I see happening is parents not fully understanding their child’s disability and relying on other people to ensure their child is receiving a Free Appropriate Public Education.  You must understand your child’s disability in order to advocate for your child.  This does not mean you have to become a doctor or lawyer in the process of learning about the disability.  It does mean you are your child’s voice, so learn the facts about how to best help your child.  Do not expect the school and the staff to know everything there is about your child’s disability.  You may be the only ARD committee member coming to the table with the knowledge of the disability.  You will have spent countless hours with your child over the school personnel.  That makes you an expert on your child and you should advocate as such.  Next, you will never know if you will be able to get something for your child if you do not ask.  So always start by asking for what you want for your child.  Make sure you have goals in mind for not just the present, but where you want to see your child in the future as well.  As early as Kindergarten, you should be planning what the transition for your child to exit High School will look like, then work backwards to make sure you have secured every bridge along the way. 

As in any negotiation, you may not always get everything you want.  Prioritize and remember to keep calm.  As a voice for your child, you have to remain calm, cool, and collected to get the best results.  You are still dealing with other humans, and we all have opinions and emotions.  Send follow up emails that high light the minutes of the meeting while thanking the school personnel for their time and diligence in helping your child.  This serves two ends – a thank you and a paper trail.  Keep your message short, factual and non-emotional.  Always keep copies of your documentation.   Advocating for your child is an important job and you are the expert on knowing your child! 

You are your child’s voice and best teacher!

The Ramage Law Group has authoritative solutions for special needs children!

Am I Communicating Effectively?

Have you ever felt like you were saying everything and getting nowhere? Do you sometimes get overwhelmed with acronyms and school speech? Or have you ever felt like you were backed into a corner?  Communicating effectively with school professionals is very important.  You are your child’s voice!  Your opinions are important.  You do not have to agree with everything the school suggests with regard to your child.  But how do you communicate your wishes in a way that continues to foster and promote a good working relationship with the school personnel?

Start with understanding how the school prefers to communicate with parents.  Does the school have a website, newsletter, online portal, or phone message system?  That is a good indication that the method for distributing information is the same way the school prefers to receive communication.  Having a paper trail is always important.  Document and keep everything.  I would suggest a binder and electronic folders for emails to stay organized.  If you have a spoken conversation, or meeting simply jot down and date the notes of what was discussed, etc. and keep that too.  Email communication is quick and easy, but keep in mind that the message may be misinterpreted.  It’s always a good measure to follow up with face to face communication to make sure everyone involved is on the same page.

Knowing who to communicate with is also key.  Get to know the job roles of the school staff.  Introduce yourself and find out who to speak to regarding specific issues.  Stay in touch with the staff and personnel.  Although this may seem obvious, it is important that you have established a home and school open door of communication.  If your child has had a rough morning, send a quick note to let the teacher know.  Sometimes, being prepared for a potential problem can help extinguish it quickly and give your child the best opportunity to turn her day around. Always stay constructive.  You do not have to agree with the approach the school takes, but try and work from the assumption that the school is trying to support your child.  Share information you feel comfortable with sharing.  Give feedback when you think things are going well.  Everyone needs a little encouragement from time to time.  Offer ideas of what you do to help support your child at home that could benefit the school personnel as well.  You know how to extinguish a melt down quickly, explain what works at home.  Be an active presence at school.  It’s ok if you are a working parent and cannot be at the school all the time, but try and be present at school events, etc.


What do you do when communication goes wrong?

When emotions run hot, it can be difficult to communicate your child’s needs to the school staff, but finding ways to have a good working relationship between home and school is important and one of the best ways to make sure your child gets the most from school.  Start with giving yourself some time to respond.  A cooling off period may be necessary so you do not speak with emotion but come from a place of fact and reason.  Request a conference or meeting to speak with the school personnel about the issue.  Try to not escalate an issue prematurely.  Always start speaking with the direct person and see what kind of resolution you and that staff member come to before taking it up the ranks.  Schools should include parents in the planning and reviewing of their child’s needs.  Fostering a good relationship between home and school support is necessary.  Finally, do not lose focus on what you are doing.  At the end of the day, no matter what has taken place, you are the voice of your child.  You are a parent who loves your child and wants your child to be given the best opportunity at a fulfilling life. This road may be filled with bumps and detours but make sure it is filled with love and smiles along the way too.  Breathe, and remind yourself what you are advocating for—your child! 

The better you are able to effectively communicate about your child, the greater the chances you will leave ARD meetings with peace and knowledge of all parties working toward helping your child. 
 

You are your child’s voice and best teacher!

The Ramage Law Group has authoritative solutions for special needs children!