The Why and How of Building Relationships with Parents

Ep 58: The Why and How of Building Relationships with Parents

If you aren't building strong relationships with the parents of your students...you need to begin to make an intentional effort to do so and today's episode of the Sped Prep Academy Podcast will tell you why and how you should go about it.

This episode includes a story about how a typical IEP meeting with a parent became a very emotional and memorable experience for both the parent and myself.

The story that I share made me realize just how much of an impact we, as special educators, can actually make in the lives of our kiddos when we build strong relationships with their parents.

And once you've built that relationship, those parents will always see you as someone they could depend on...someone who helped their child succeed.

Look...I know how hard it is being a special educator. I get it. You sometimes have many, many students on your caseload and you are just wanting to get through this meeting so that you can move on with your day. In the midst of juggling paperwork, lesson planning, managing behaviors and of course actually teaching...sometimes we can easily forget the group that can provide us with significant support as teachers and case managers---parents and families.

Here are a few tips I discuss in more detail within the episode:

1. Smile
2. Communicate often
3. Ask questions
4. Help them understand

This Parent Handbook can be found in my TPT store. It guides parents through the special education process and gives them information in layman's terms. Also included are forms that help parents be an active participant in their child's IEP meetings.

Included in the handbook:

✅Parent rights are explained

✅The Special Education Process is explained

✅Personal Directory

✅Child Find Information

✅Evaluations

✅Placement

✅Least Restrictive Environment

✅IEP

✅Program

✅Services

✅Supports

✅Frequently Asked Questions

✅Resources

This FREEBIE will help you explain percentiles to parents by providing a visual to help pinpoint exactly where the student falls when compared to their peers.

Mentioned in the Show...

Sped Prep Academy. com/quiz