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Parent-Teacher Collaboration: From the Eyes of a Mother

parent and teacher working together with student

This blog post is written by Vidya, a mom of a teenage boy with autism. She received an Autism Graduate certificate and started the blog, www.autismfamilystory.com. Continue reading to learn about the importance of school-home collaboration from the perspective of a mother to a child with a disability. 

One of the most important considerations in special education classrooms is parent-teacher collaboration; it is critical for student's success. Collaboration has many benefits as both the parties are working towards the common goal of improving the student's lives and preparing them for the future. This means both the parents and teachers act as one team to help the students.

We are on the same team

One of the most important thing teachers must know is that parents are experts on their children as they tend to spend maximum time with them. It is very critical that if there are any problems the teachers are facing in the classroom in terms of behaviors, or any kind of skill regression, parents are one of the first people the teachers need to get in touch with. They will be in a better position to let them know if there are any changes going on in the child’s life or maybe they are experiencing any sleep or health-related issues. This will help both the parties to brainstorm and come up with a possible solution to help the students.

It helps with skill generalization

Special education classrooms have children performing on all different levels. Many of the students require intensive support for learning and require staff who understand how to program for skill generalization. Skill generalization is very important for kids to make maximum gains and maintain the skills for a long time. Parents can play an important part in this. It is very essential the teachers keep parents updated on the kind of skills their kids are working on in the classroom. The teachers can share some ideas the parents can use at home to work on the same skills in a different environment with different materials.

Shool to Home Skill Generalization

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Parents like to get feedback 

Some students on the spectrum are non-vocal and are unable to tell their parents about their school day. It is important that there is some kind of communication that is daily facilitated between school and home. Getting feedback about their kids is important for parents especially when their kids are non-vocal. They often get told the things that their kids are not able to do. Most parents will appreciate a quick phone call from the teachers to tell them something positive their child did. This might not seem significant to the school staff, but it will mean a lot to the parents.

It helps with effective conflict management

There will be times when teachers and parents might not agree on things. Having a positive relationship with the parents will help both in solving the disputes amicably. This is very critical for the student's success.It is very important that both parents and teachers work together with a common goal of student success. In today’s world technology has made it so much easier for being in touch. This will help in student success which is ultimately the common goal for both parties." 

To learn more about Vidya and her son's journey, visit www.autismfamilystory.com or Instagram @autismfamilystory.

Interested in more behavior support resources like this one? Access them all in The Behavior Institute. Here you will find training videos, implementation checklists, data sheets, materials, templates, and more to assist you and your team in the positive behavior-change process.