As a school psychologist and mother of a child with chronic illness, I understand the intimidation of entering the IAB conference "bargaining" meeting. However, there are ways to add well-known cards to your advantage. continue reading......
First, be prepared. Keep accurate documentation and record the date and time of all occurrences. I am not exaggerating - everything. Every call, every progress report, and more. For the IEP team, there is nothing more daunting than the parents who are preparing to attend the meeting. Parents with their own plans are terrible for us, because if we look like idiots, or offend you? You must attend a meeting prepared for anything, almost as if you are recording a due process hearing. You never know, you may have to "go there."
Second, understand your rights. Before you attend any meeting, please request a copy of your state's Special Education Parental Rights [PRIZE] for your review. You can find a PRIZE for your state by entering a search on Google.
Third, know that you are an active participant, no one can force you or your child's program. For example, some schools will provide you with an IEP that they have designed before you arrive there. I hope that the meeting can be completed quickly. You only need to sign and leave. But it's like going to an Italian restaurant, everything on the menu is pasta. Your child is unique, and to truly develop a personalized plan, all involved should plan to spend at least an hour discussing the part of the program that affects the child's academic and social feelings.
Know what you want before you go there. Before you step into that room, remember a mission, understand your goals, and outline your strategy. For example, you need to set goals for your child. Make sure to break them down into the smallest components before asking them - you will be surprised to find out what your requirements are.
That is, goal: I want my child to be able to get and keep a job when they graduate.
Well, this is simple, isn't it? However, if you break it down, you will get:
I hope my child learns:
How to respect authority;
How to type;
How to fulfill the time commitment;
How to respect interaction with peers;
and many more.
Now, this doesn't look like what you are thinking about?
You may not get all of this, but you will get some - this is more specific than "finding a job", so your team needs to do more work. it is good.
Third, know that you will encounter obstacles. You will have to circumvent the red tape; you will meet some people whose goal is to keep the children from accepting services [yes, after years of education, you will think that we are all doing for the children. But our Some colleagues are actually opponents; when you file a separate document, you will hear all about "this is not how we operate"; you will certainly learn from the frustration tolerance.
If you are lucky, you will not have to deal with any of the above. But I doubt it.
Fourth, learn from negative aspects and appreciate positive factors. You will also learn some positive things, such as knowing when to give up. Through this I don't mean to get out of your plan, but to know when to compromise.
Fifth, be aware that your child is entitled to a personality. If you look at the assessment, they may all look the same. You don't want your child's IEP to be the same as everyone else, otherwise they will be ignored. Believe me this. I have seen 1000 IEPs and the school is rarely responsible for the child's failure. It is always "Johnny X" or "Johnny's Mom Y". Make sure your child's IEP describes what he hasn't done - not just what he has done.
"You just want us to solve what you did wrong."
Does this sentence irritate you? This is what most school staff think when you ask for fair treatment.
My advice? Listen to more questions than you speak and ask very specific questions - these questions deserve to be elaborated by your team. The most important thing is to stay respectful. No one likes bullies, nor does it blame others.
Oh, when you put the recorder on the conference table, I will smile generously......]
Orignal From: Browse the special education maze
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