Page 21 - Shared Solutions: A Guide to Preventing and Resolving Conflicts Regarding Programs and Services for Students with Special Education Needs 2007

What Educators Can Do: Educators can contribute to a positive school climate by maintaining regular and positive communication with parents and by keeping the best interests of students with special education needs in mind at all times, remembering that each student has different learning strengths and needs and a unique style of learning.
Effective Communication: The Key to
Building Positive Relationships
Effective communication is the key to building relationships of mutual trust and cooperation. Although educators and parents share the same goal – to provide the best possible educational opportunity for the student – each views the stu- dent’s educational needs from a different perspective. Effective communication can help each party to understand and acknowledge the perspective and contri- butions of the other.
THE PARENTS’ PERSPECTIVE
It is important for all those involved in the education of students with special education needs to consider the pressures that can arise for families in adapting to the needs of their child. For some parents, the acknowledgement and recogni- tion of their child’s special needs can be very traumatic, and it takes time for them to adapt to the feelings they are experiencing. These feelings can include denial, anxiety, and fear. Sometimes it can be difficult for parents to match the desires they have for their child’s future with their child’s special education needs.
Understanding the experiences that parents may go through with their children as they enter and progress in school can be invaluable in enabling educators to help the students and their parents make the most of their experiences.
THE EDUCATOR’S PERSPECTIVE
Ontario’s classrooms have changed to adapt to new technologies, new cultures, and students with a variety of needs and interests. Some students who have spe- cial needs require the intervention of a number of professionals and para-profes- sionals, and this can create a challenge for the delivery of a special education program by the classroom teacher.
It is important for parents to understand that educators must balance many interests in today’s classrooms and must use their professional judgement daily to ensure that all students across Ontario receive an appropriate education.
Preventing Conflicts
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