Managing and Maintaining Important Relationships

Stakeholders are those with something at stake in the success of a special education student and program, which include parents, children, general education teachers and administrators.

Dealing with difficult parents is often part of being a special education teacher. Dealing with them successfully may call on skills such as reflective listening, maintaining objectivity, documenting interactions, finding allies, being proactive and disengaging from difficult interactions.

General education teachers are critical in today's environment focused on inclusion and Least Restrictive Environment. It means supporting the general ed classroom by modeling adaptations to assignments and tests. It means keeping in touch through emails. Explain BIPS (behavior improvement plans, IEPs and Specially Designed Instruction.

Special educators need to build collaborative relationships through parents. Here is advice on how to avoid pitfalls, create positive messages and reciprocal communication that helps and not hurts your relationship with parents as together you seek to support their children's special education success. Phone calls, emails and traveling folders are discussed here.

It is never easy to have to tell parents their child is struggling in school. These steps can make it easier for you to let parents know you are seeing some signs of a learning disability and help you explain what you and they can do to help.

You, Your Child,and "Special" Education is a book written to help parents wend their way through the labyrinth of challenges in the way of getting effective special education services for their children.