As per a report by UNICEF, nearly 240 million children world wide have some or the other disabilities and need proper attention. It is impossible to identify disabilities like reading disorders easily. Parents might feel their child is unwilling to study and trying to avoid it altogether. Don’t make the mistake of forcing your child to pay for assignment. Instead, ask what is wrong.
In this comprehensive blog, I will take you through some important aspects of special education and how parents and teachers must come together to make it a success.
Special education learning is a process taken care of by a specialised team of experts who call themselves the Individual Education Program team. The experts follow the right steps to ensure your child gets the right education and is prepared to face the world. But can parents be relieved and let go of the worries about their child’s education once IEP takes over? No, they can’t, and they should not.
Parents and teachers must take equal responsibility in grooming a child that needs special attention. Here’s how parents and teachers must come forward to make the special education process better:
Understanding the importance of the IEP team
The IEP team plays a pivotal role in the special education process. However, some parents have concerns if the IEP team members have the necessary qualifications to help their children get the proper education. Don’t leave your child with the IEP team without knowing them. Parents must take the initiative to interact with and understand the special education process.
The IEP team also needs input from parents to make the process better. You cannot deny that no one will ever know your child better than you. So, instead of leaving your child with IEP, interact with them and understand if the process will be the best for you.
Parents can provide critical inputs
As mentioned earlier, parents know their children the best. So, when you interact with their teachers, you can explain what your child needs and how things can be better if a particular process is followed. The special education process is lengthy and can go wrong if the teacher is unaware of the child’s problems.
Being a parent, you must step forward and help the teacher follow the right process. It is essential to understand that special education is restricted to a certain section and must be taken seriously. Hence, share all you know about your child to make the process smooth and effective.
Sharing the strengths and weaknesses
Children with a need for special education are not weak. They might need special attention, but they also have things that can make them stand out of the crowd. So, instead of getting upset, share your child’s strengths and weaknesses to help the teachers. It will help them understand the child and move forward with the process.
The IEP team needs the right inputs and active involvement of parents to make the process better. The special education process is incomplete without the active involvement of both parents and teachers. Understand what’s at stake and step forward to make the process effective for your child.
Right insight on transitions
Once a child starts their academic career, they will have to go through various transitions. It is important to be by their side and help them adapt. You have to understand that children cannot accept changes fast and need someone to help them overcome the challenges. Having parents by their side will give them a morale boost and help the teachers understand the child better.
You must hold your child’s hand at every step and ensure that they get through the process without hurdles. Teachers and parents depend on each other to help children get the right education. Understand this and provide inputs when your child moves through different academic phases.
Maintaining strong communication with teachers
Parents want their children to grow and succeed in life. You have to keep track of your child’s progress and understand how your child is performing. The IEP team has the right set of people to guide your child. They can identify the child’s disability and help them get through them. Keeping a strong
communication with the team will help you understand the same and allow you to know your child better.
Parents are often not aware of the actual disability. They tend to ignore them. But if you have taken the first step, ensure to follow the next steps for a bright future. The IEP team and parents can make things better. Your child’s career is at stake. So, don’t leave any stones unturned and help IEP provide the best education to your ward.
To end with,
It is not necessary to be disappointed if your child has some disability. All are not the same. Presently, the governments have stepped forward in helping children with special needs get the best education and be at par with others. Please remember that your disappointment might affect the child, and things could worsen. Take a step, get your child admitted to a special education institution and secure their future. Be active and always interact with the team for a better and more effective process.
