Chapter 3 Collaborating with Parents and Families in a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Society William L. Heward Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education, 8e Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved. 3-1

Support for Parent and Family Involvement Parents and the family: Are the child’s best advocates Are the child’s first teachers Are with the child everyday throughout his/her educational career Have the greatest vested interest in their children and are usually the most knowledgeable about their needs Have to live with the results of educational decisions William L. Heward Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education, 8e Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

Three Factors Responsible for an Increased Emphasis on Parent and Family Involvement Parents want to be involved in their child’s education Parents were an important catalyst of PL 94-142 Educational effectiveness is enhanced when parents and families are involved Repeated research and practice demonstrates the benefits The law requires collaboration Each reauthorization of IDEA has strengthened and extended parent and family participation William L. Heward Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education, 8e Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

Benefits of Family Involvement Increased likelihood of targeting meaningful IEP goals Greater consistency and support in the child’s two most important environments Increased opportunities for learning and development Greater access to expanded resources William L. Heward Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education, 8e Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

Understanding Families of Children with Disabilities Adjustment process includes feelings of: Shock, denial, and disbelief Anger, guilt, depression, shame, and overprotectiveness Acceptance, appreciation, and pride Educators should refrain from expecting parents to exhibit any kind of typical reaction William L. Heward Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education, 8e Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

The Many Roles of the Exceptional Parent Caregiver - Additional needs of an exceptional child can cause stress Provider - Additional needs often create a financial burden Teacher - Exceptional children often need more teaching to acquire skills Counselor - Must often help their child cope with the disability Parent of Siblings Without Disabilities - Meet the needs of their other children too Behavior Support Specialist - Some have to become skilled behavior managers Marriage Partner - Having a child with disabilities can put stress on a marriage Information Specialist/Trainer for Significant Others - Must train others Advocate - Advocate for effective educational services and opportunities William L. Heward Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education, 8e Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

Principles of Effective Communication Accept parents’ statements Respect parents’ point of view Listen actively Respond to the parents with interest and animation Question effectively Speak plainly and use open ended questions Encourage Describe and show their child’s improving performance Stay focused The purpose is the child’s educational program and progress [Source: From C. L. Wilson, 1995] William L. Heward Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education, 8e Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

Identifying and Breaking Down Barriers to Parent-Teacher Partnerships Effective partnerships are characterized by family members and professionals jointly pursuing shared goals Respect cultural differences Don’t make faulty assumptions; parents are allies not adversaries Regular two-way communication with parents is the key Conferences, notes home, telephone calls, and home/school contracts Preparation is the key to effective parent-teacher conferences Establish specific objectives Obtain and review the student’s grades Select examples of the student’s work Prepare an agenda for the meeting William L. Heward Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education, 8e Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

Other Forms of Parent Involvement Parents as Teachers Use tutoring to practice and extend skills already learned in school Parent Education and Support Groups Parents and professionals can plan parent education groups Parent to Parent Groups Parent to Parent programs help parents become allies for one another Parents as Research Partners Involving parents in research increases the social validity of research William L. Heward Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education, 8e Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

Current Issues and Future Trends Professionals who work with parents should value family needs and support families Effective change for the child cannot be achieved without helping the entire family Assume that all families have strengths they can build on and use to accomplish their own goals William L. Heward Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education, 8e Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.