Fialka, J. M., Mikus, K. C., & Feldman, A. K. (2012). Parents and Professionals Partnering for Children with Disabilities: A Dance that Matters. Corwin, A SAGE Publications Company.
Over the course of my career as an educator, I have had many experiences working with parents. Many of my experiences have been very positive. Unfortunately more than a few have not been as I had hoped. As part of an assignment for a graduate class, I was tasked to read Parents and Professionals Partnering for Children with Disabilities: A Dance that Matters.
Reading through the first chapter, I was able to get a sense that the authors have many of the same experiences in dealing with parents that I have. It is clear from the onset of the book that the the book is designed to help foster a working relationship between teachers and parents. It does this by explaining the various roles of people at a meeting, and the function of each. It also uses a variety of case studies as demonstrations on how it is easy for people to get off on the wrong foot, and some ideas on how people can salvage a relationship that is heading the wrong way.
I was not surprised that some of what was discussed was covered in a different way than I had seen them before. For example, the book uses a three phase approach to the relationships. The approach seems very similar to the Tuckman's stages of group development that was introduced in the 1960's. The three phase are Phase 1: Colliding and Campaigning, Phase 2: Cooperating and Compromising, and Phase 3: Creative Partnering and Collaborating. Each one of these phases relates specifically to meetings held at a school setting as apposed to Tuckman's stages which I think are more of a generalized group dynamics.
What I think was the most interesting portion of chapter one, was the case studies as examples. While these case studies are used to highlight disagreements that team members might face in an Individual Education Program (IEP) meeting, it also shows me as a professional that I am not the only person who has had these same issues. More importantly, are how the case studies are used to show some techniques to help create a stronger sense of direction between team members.
Some of the key points I was able to take from the book are:
"Opinions on solutions, interventions, or next steps are fiercely held, and the ideas or approaches of the other may seem unfamiliar or contradictory... the behaviors seem negative and difficult such campaigning is actually a positive reflection of the partners' strength of commitment to the child or the program." (13)
"As trust emerges, so does a spirit of cooperation."(20)
"Teams never out grow their need to listen to each other." (33)
While there are number of other key points that are talked about, these are the ones that I took to heart. I think mainly because of my own interactions with parent in the past, and different ways I have tried to build relationships with them.
Lastly, I wanted to also comment on transition, which I found to not be specifically addressed by the authors, but is present in the case studies. When we as teachers receive a student on to our case load, it takes a great deal of time for us to learn about that student. Parents also have similar apprehensions about the change in the case manager and the new challenges their child is going to face in the very near future. I teach in a High School, and short of some time as a substitute teacher, my teaching experience is confined to the secondary education. At the high school, we deal with transition in a number of ways. Primarily we are looking at post secondary outcomes. While this is an important part of the IEP, it isn't always the whole part. I was able to see some of the positive aspects of having portions of the IEP meeting run by the student as described in the book as part of the section on Phase 3. I think having students part of the IEP meeting is an important part of teaching the child to be an advocate, and to help them understand the parts of the IEP and how they suppose to help. Specifically in this case study, a presentation was used to introduce a new student to the new IEP team and school. Upon further reflection of this, I think that we as educators should do more vertical integration between school with regard to transition.
So far, I really like the book and the way it is presents the information. I think that this book would have helped me a great deal more when I entered Special Education as a teacher because many of the topics discussed so far I suffered through learning. No doubt several parents that I worked with were suffering right a long with me.
Now for the Reflections:
(page 9) What can be done or said to ease the awkwardness, ambivalence, or initial uncertainty?
I think the first step is to start a relationship with parents that does not revolve around a high stress event such a discipline mater. I think it is important for teachers and parents to be able to meet each other on a level playing field. The classroom is a great place, but it provides the teacher with a lot of home field advantage. Perhaps, a neutral location would be a great place to start, and have the meeting be informal.
(page 11) "If I remember only one thing from my reading about the parent-professional partnership and the dance metaphor, it is:" that the expectations of each partner is going to vary based on experience. Teachers who have been teaching a while will view things differently than a new teacher. The same is true for parents. Parents are the product of their initial experience with teachers.
(Page 12)"What can professionals and parents do and say to acknowledge and ease some of the awkwardness of these initial meetings?"
Check the ego at the door. I think of late we have parents who are very much helicopters and feel to be a good parent they have to fight for the child no matter what. I also think that teachers tend to place themselves as the expert with regard to learning. I think the best way to combat this is to acknowledge it is the Child we are wanting to be successful, and the conversation should start with what are we wanting to accomplish. What are the goals for the child.
(Page 14)" Think about a time in your own personal life when you felt strongly about a situation. Describe the circumstance. What did you want to have happen? What was the underlying that desire -- what values, dreams, past history, and expectations? What did you want the other person to understand about your perspective?"
In my personal life, dealing with my mother as her care taker was one area where I felt very strong about the situation. I was challenged with the role of being her care-taker and advocate. Unfortunately, my mother, suffered from powdered-butt syndrome, and did not listen to anything I said. My goal was to get her the best medical care, and work with her to overcome her challenges. Unfortunately, because of the way our system of health care is setup. It was difficult to advocate for my mothers best interests because of her situation. I wanted the Doctors to understand her medical needs. I think that in my particular case, I was able to find some medical professionals who let me speak, and took what I said under advisement. At first, they did not act upon my request, but over the course of some time, they eventually realized that my information was more valuable to them, and they later supported me.
(Page 17) "Describe three feelings that the parents are experiencing and three feelings that the professionals are experience. Identity some of the interests and values influencing or shaping the two different opinions about where Josie should be next year- from both the parent's and the professionals;s perspective. "
I think in the case study, that the parents and professionals are experiencing some of the same emotions.
Fear, anxiety, uncertainty. What I think the underlying issue here, is that the parents in this case, want their child to receive the same opportunities as all other children. This is shown directly when the father says that keeping his daughter in another class is segregation. There experience with education is limited at this point to their own experiences and that of the older children. They also are showing that they have had a good relationship with another teacher and feel that that relationship has been successful for them in the past. I think in this case, that I would have asked the parents if we could have another meeting and invite both teachers to the meeting, to see what we can come up with.
(Page 19) "Now that you've reviewed the list of possible next dance steps take 10 minutes and write a dialogue - a conversation between the parent and the school psychologist. Free write what each might say. "
(SP) What are areas of need that you see for you child?
(P) I want my child to be successful in school and learn like the other children.
(SP) Tell me how do you measure success?
(P) Good grades.
(SP) When you say "learn like other children?" what do you mean by that?
(P) I want my child to not be separated out from the other kids. I want her to have the same experiences our other kids have had.
(SP) How would you like the school and teachers to achive this goal?
(P) I do not know.
(SP) PE Class with other students?
(P) Yes
(SP) Same lunch period as other students?
(P) Yes
(SP) Same curriculum as the other students?
(P) Yes
(SP) What accommodations do you think would best benefit your child?
After this question, now we are not talking about what needs to be done, we have moved to what the parents are willing to do. That makes it easier for the professional to make suggestions and give the parents some say on what is going on.
(page 20) "If I remember on one thing from my reading about the phase of "Colliding and Campaigning": it is:" That parents and educators are both advocates for the child.
(Page 26) "If I remember only one thing from my reading avout Cooperating and Compromising, it is:" Parents and teachers working together, make life a lot easier on both.
(page 33) "If I remember only one thing from my reading about Creative Partnering and Collaborating it is:" Teams never outgrow the need to listen to one another.
One last note, I wanted to include a link to some great transition information, and IEP help.
Dr. Amber McConnell works at the University of Oklahoma. She has published a IEP script to help educators and parents integrate student participation in IEP's. Here is a link to that.
http://ambermcconnellphd.com/iep-script/
