When talking about the functioning of a child with special educational needs, the teacher must show special tact and delicacy so as not to cause pain to the parents. He should try to speak in a factual and brief manner about the observed irregularities or disturbing facts and phenomena, avoiding their evaluation, generalization and the use of pejorative expressions.
EMPHASIZING THE CHILD’S STRENGTHS
In contacts with the parents of a child with special educational needs, the teacher cannot limit himself to problem situations or focus only on the child’s deficits or dysfunctions. He should also pay attention to his achievements, successes, progress and strengths. Parents must feel that the teacher does not look at their child through the prism of the diagnosed disorders, but simply sees him as a human being and sees, above all.
Advantages and strengths
A very good opportunity to emphasize the strengths and achievements of a student with special educational needs is to invite his parents to participate in the classes and present his works and products to them.
INCLUDING PARENTS IN SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
An extremely important aspect of the cooperation between teachers and the student’s home is the involvement of his family in various activities of the school. Both children with special educational needs and their parents should take an active part in the life of the institution: initiate, plan and organize school events and celebrations with teachers.
RECOGNIZING PARENT COMMITMENT
The teacher must recognize and appreciate the help, cooperation and involvement of parents of students with special educational needs in the life and work of the school. For this purpose, he may use thanks expressed orally at the parents’ meeting or in writing, in the form of a letter or a diploma.
PARENTS AS SCHOOL ALLIES
Proper cooperation of teachers and parents of students with special educational needs positively influences the effectiveness of their education. Parents who understand and accept the goals set by teachers, approve the methods they use, feel treated as partners, are more willing to cooperate with the school, engage in its activities and, above all, support it in everyday work with the child and his thing.
Author: Elżbieta Wika- Special Pedagogy – portal for teachers
- The text is based on the following materials:
Kosmalowa: About helping and cooperation. Teachers and other specialists for parents of children with special needs. Lipińska-Lokś: Support for parents of children with disabilities in the school environment.
Rafał-Łuniewska: Supporting a child with special educational needs
Wołosiuk, S. Sobczuk, M. Ruszkowska: Cooperation of therapists with parents of children with special educational needs