Working with Parents of Special Needs Kids
Start School Year by Creating Valuable Parent Teacher Relationships
Jul 30, 2009
Parents possess the most important knowledge and information about the incoming students that a teacher is about to welcome into her classroom. Without this foundation, a new student with disabilities is in danger of not having his or her special needs met. Teachers and parents should work as partners in the education of all students, but especially those kids who have added educational and emotional needs.
First Steps in Supporting Parents of Special Needs Children
Sometimes the simplest gestures will go a long way in welcoming new parents and students with disabilities into the classroom. Memorizing parents’ names, inviting parents in to help volunteer during special activities, projects, and party days, and developing good listening skills (with appropriate body language, reflection, and question reframing) are all very important first steps in supporting parents of special needs children. Here are a few more tips:
- Develop weekly newsletters to communicate what will be happening (and what is currently happening) in the class.
- Share all positive achievements of the child with parents. A phone call to “brag” about the child’s progress will be greatly appreciated.
- Arrange a social gathering for parents so that they can get to know one another.
- Let parents of special needs children know when unusual changes in the schedule are expected.
- Encourage parents to establish play dates with children their special needs child is friendly with.
- During meetings and phone calls, encourage parents to tell you stories about their child. This will help parents to feel comfortable and will make it easier if/when you need to have more difficult conversations with them about behavior or academic struggles.
- Regularly communicate by sending notes home to parents and have them inform you with written notes if a day may be particularly challenging.
Developing Empathy for Families and Students With Disabilities
Empathy will require a teacher to place herself in the parents’ shoes and try to understand what it might be like to raise a child with special needs. This includes understanding how a new mother and father might have felt like when they first found out that their child would not be the “perfect” one they were hoping for.
Depending on how old the student is and at what point the parents are in learning about the child’s disability, they could be experiencing many different feelings: anger, guilt, shock, fear, depression, and denial are common first emotions. Understand also, that parents who seem argumentative, rigid, or “difficult” may simply be trying to obtain the best possible education and outcome for their child.
Learning About a Child’s Disability
Becoming educated about a child’s disability has many benefits. It will not only show affection and caring about the student, it will help develop an understanding of the behaviors and difficulties a special needs child may exhibit in the classroom. Additionally, the extra effort will help a teacher have more informed conversations with parents. Ultimately, educating oneself about various special needs will enhance a teacher’s ability to teach to all students and improve the classroom’s inclusive setting.
Providing a welcoming environment for the child with special needs, attempting to understand what the family of that child may be going through, and learning about the particular illness or disability that the child may be suffering from will be the first steps in building a meaningful partnership with parents and will increase the student’s chance for success in the classroom.
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