PATH Project Region 6 Coordinator 936.581.2045 Email Gail Wright PATH Project Region 6 Coordinator 936.581.2045 Email gwrightpath@gmail.com Website www.prntexas.org * This slide is to be displayed until the workshop begins. Introduce yourself, identify PRN and your project,

How Parents and Teachers Can Work Together For effective collaboration COLLABORATION TAKES TIME... • To build trust • To understand roles and responsibilities • To invite and answer questions • To present information necessary for decision making . *

Good Collaboration is promoted by the following events. Remembering that you have a common purpose (your child) Letting everyone have a voice Communicating openly with respect Assuming good intentions Valuing the team and members Trusting the process Practicing effective listening skills 9/18/2018 Partners Resource Network

COLLABORATION HAS TO BE BASED ON RESPECT THAT IS DEMONSTRATED... • By holding meetings at mutually convenient times and places • By insuring that everyone has the same information • By incorporating differing viewpoints • By giving validity to differing viewpoints • No one has all the answers all the time 9/18/2018 Partners Resource Network

COLLABORATION Continued Refer to your child by name during the meeting. Make sure you understand who, what, where, when and why. Keep notes and refer to them if necessary. Be polite. Say thank you when appropriate. Manners can go a long way. 9/18/2018 Partners Resource Network

COLLABORATION TECHNIQUES Focus on the problem, not the people. Be open to new ideas. Ask clarifying questions if you need more information. Find common ground Sometimes it’s okay to decide that an issue cannot be solved Pick solutions that both sides agree upon. Verbally agree to the next steps. 9/18/2018 Partners Resource Network

PARENT TIPS for a SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATIVRE IEP: Be prepared at the IEP meeting.! Ask for more time if needed Ask questions! Don’t feel embarrassed to ask for more clarification. You should be able to comfortably explain what happened at the IEP to someone who wasn’t there. Try to keep your emotions at home. If you feel yourself getting emotional, ask for a quick break. Remember, anger is an emotion! 9/18/2018 Partners Resource Network

Partners Resource Network Don’t Agree If you do not agree with the evaluation conducted by your school district, contact the Director of Special Education and request an Independent Education Evaluation (IEE). The district is required to pay for this at no cost to you. 9/18/2018 Partners Resource Network

Partners Resource Network REMEMBER...90% of conflicts are resolved with IEP collaboration strategies or mediation. Help yourselves to the pamphlets I brought on Mediation. 9/18/2018 Partners Resource Network

Partners Resource Network Additional Websites: wrightslaw.com - Wrightslaw, an excellent Special Education Website tea.state.tx.us – Texas Education Agency (TEA) partnerstx.org – Partners Resource Network 9/18/2018 Partners Resource Network

For More Information Contact: Partners Resource Network 1090 Longfellow Dr. Beaumont, TX 77706 Toll Free TX Parents Only: 1.800.866.4726 Phone: 409.898.4684 FAX: 409.898.4869 Email: partnersresource@sbcglobal.net Website: partnerstx.org *Thank you, Thank you, you have been a wonderful audience. (Say whatever you normally say to end the workshop.) *Good time to mention other workshops that are available/scheduled and hand out newsletters. The contents of this training module were developed under a grant from the US Department of Education, H328M120025 (PEN), H328M120026 (TEAM), & H328M120027 (PATH). However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government 9/18/2018 Partners Resource Network