626 Module 9 Discussion Board
Please post one thread and respond to two of your classmates:
How do you think teachers are best able to support families as they go through obtaining IFSP’s and IEP’s?
What do you think most families expect from teachers as they go through this process?
(Post one answer to the question and at least two responses to your classmates. Over the course of a session, candidates participate in the discussion on at least 3 different days. All required posts are posted before the end of the session. Please check the syllabus and rubric for details on discussion board expectations.)
Please use only these resources:
Early Intervention Steps: A Parent’s Basic Guide to the Early Intervention Program. (November, 2002). New York State Department of Health. https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/0532.pdfLinks to an external site.
Logsdon, A. (2022). The Important Role of Parents in Special Education. Verywell Family. https://www.verywellfamily.com/parental-importance-special-education-2162701Links to an external site.
Principles of Effective Family Engagement. (n.d.). NAEYC. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/family-engagement/principlesLinks to an external site.
Ray, J., Pewitt-Kinder, J., & George, S. (2009). Partnering with Families of Children with Special Needs. Young Children, 64(5), 16–22. https://louisville.edu/education/kyautismtraining/past-events/files/webinars/2012/Families%20of%20Children%20with%20Special%20Needs.pdfLinks to an external site.
Stober, R. (2023, April 17). What Is An IEP Progress Report?. SpedTrack. https://spedtrack.com/iep-progress-report-exampleLinks to an external site.
- Classmate B.G. I need feedback and answer questions, please 1.5 pages
- How do you think teachers are best able to support families as they go through obtaining IFSP’s and IEP’s?
Teachers can support families in obtaining Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) through various means. Firstly, open and transparent communication is essential. Maintaining clear communication channels helps teachers understand the families’ needs and concerns while keeping them informed about the process. Teachers can engage in information sharing. By providing families with comprehensive explanations of the IFSP and IEP processes, including their rights, responsibilities, and available resources, teachers empower families to make informed decisions for their child’s education. Teachers can best support families with collaboration; it is crucial for teachers to help families through IFSP and IEPs. Teachers should actively collaborate with families, treating them as equal partners in planning and decision-making. By considering their input and preferences, teachers can create more effective and personalized plans for the child’s education. Besides communicating and collaborating, they should demonstrate empathy and understanding is essential throughout this process. Acknowledging the challenges families may face and offering support accordingly fosters a supportive and nurturing environment for the child’s growth. Furthermore, teachers can act as advocates for the child’s needs. Ensuring that the IFSP or IEP addresses the child’s unique strengths and challenges guarantees that their educational requirements are appropriately met. In addition, regular updates are vital. Keeping families informed about their child’s progress and involving them in periodic reviews allows for ongoing assessment and adjustments to the plan as needed. Teachers can also support families by providing information about additional resources, support groups, or specialized services that may benefit the child’s development. Lastly, continuous professional development is crucial for teachers. Ensuring that teachers are well-informed about the IFSP and IEP process through ongoing training helps them stay up-to-date with best practices and strategies to support families and their children better. It is normal for teachers to feel overwhelmed when a child with special needs is in our care. However, it is our obligation to learn about the IFSP/IEP process for us to better support families in the decisions they will have to make regarding their child’s development and education (Ray et al., 2009), which is why we need to stay up to date with the best practices and support strategies. By adopting these approaches, teachers can play a crucial role in supporting families, fostering a collaborative environment, and ensuring that IFSPs and IEPs effectively cater to the unique needs of children with special requirements.
- What do you think most families expect from teachers as they go through this process?
When families embark on the process of obtaining IFSPs and IEPs for their children, they often have specific expectations from their child’s teachers. These expectations encompass various aspects of support and collaboration to ensure the best possible educational experience for the child. Firstly, families expect teachers to possess expertise and knowledge regarding the IFSP and IEP process, special education laws, and the available educational supports to benefit their child. Secondly, effective communication and responsiveness are highly valued by families. They seek teachers who maintain open lines of communication, promptly address their questions and concerns, and keep them informed about their child’s progress. Families appreciate a collaborative and inclusive approach from teachers. They want to be seen as essential partners in their child’s education, with their input and involvement actively considered during the development of the IFSP or IEP. An individualized approach is crucial for families, as they desire teachers who recognize and appreciate their child’s unique strengths, challenges, and learning styles. Creating personalized plans to support the child’s development is highly valued. In addition to academic support, families expect teachers to offer emotional support and empathy. They understand families’ emotional challenges during this process and value teachers who can provide understanding and comfort when needed. Clear goals and progress monitoring are essential for families. They appreciate teachers who set specific and achievable educational plans for their children and regularly communicate their progress toward those objectives. Moreover, families look to teachers for guidance in accessing additional resources, support services, and community networks that can aid their child’s development and overall well-being. Lastly, families want teachers who strongly advocate for their child’s needs. Ensuring that the IFSP or IEP adequately addresses their educational requirements and advocates for their rights is paramount to families. By meeting these expectations, teachers can build a strong and supportive partnership with families, leading to better outcomes in the child’s education and overall well-being. Collaboration and understanding between families and teachers lay the foundation for a successful educational journey for the child.
Question:
- Have you ever written an IFSP? What are components that you make sure are included?
- How do you identify key differences between an IFSP and an IEP?
- I’m a classroom Para being moved to an ICT classroom or a Special Education classroom in September. What advice would you give to help me prepare to work more with Students of Special needs?
References:
Advocates for Children of New York | Guides & Resources. (n.d.). https://www.advocatesforchildren.org/get_help/guides_and_resourcesLinks to an external site.
Early Intervention Steps: A Parent’s Basic Guide to the Early Intervention Program. (November, 2002). New York State Department of Health. https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/0532.pdfLinks to an external site.
Principles of Effective Family Engagement. (n.d.). NAEYC. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/family-engagement/principlesLinks to an external site.
Ray, J., Pewitt-Kinder, J., & George, S. (2009). Partnering with Families of Children with Special Needs. Young Children, 64(5), 16–22. https://louisville.edu/education/kyautismtraining/past-events/files/webinars/2012/Families%20of%20Children%20with%20Special%20Needs.pdfLinks to an external site.
2.Classmate: B.A.I need feedback and answer questions, please 1.5 pages.
How do you think teachers are best able to support families as they go through obtaining IFSP’s and IEP’s?
~ As the process for IFSP’s and IEP’s can be lengthy and stressful on families, it is important to effectively communicate with families about the entire process. When teachers are developing these plans for students, the families’ input is necessary to make the most optimal accommodations for the student. Ray et al. (2009) suggests to begin the year off with meetings to introduce yourself to the parents and then have steady and continuous communication throughout the remainder of the year. This is necessary because the teacher can ask the parent any questions regarding their child and vice versa in relation to the IEP, IFSP, or the child’s behavior.
Communication with families is a crucial strategy for relying information and collaborating with for the benefit of the child. The IEP and IFSP processes are something that needs to have full consent from the parents, and their input will help deliver the most optimal accommodations and modifications for the child to succeed. According the NAEYC article, Principles of Effective Family Engagement, in order to be effective, families and parents need to have a reciprocal relationship where they share resources and information with one another. By having two-way communication, parents and teachers can do just that by supplying what they have observed with the child and deciding as a collective unit if that is something that needs to be included in the IEP or IFSP.
Teachers can continue to support families during this process by asking questions. According to Ray et al. (2009), one of the key requirements of teachers in this process is creating objectives and goals for the student and recording their objectives. Goals are something that the child is striving to achieve by a certain benchmark date that is always included in these types of plans. By asking the family questions, the teacher is able to gain a larger insight on what the child is capable of and what they struggle with that can be included in the IEP or IFSP. This supports the family by delivering them the information that is needed for the child to be successful through the implementation of these plans. When the parents have this information, they are able to support the child at home with similar resources and strategies that are used in school to achieve the students’ goals. This, paired with two-way communication, can allow for a trial-and-error process of what strategies best support the child in different environments.
One final way teachers can support families during this process is by showing compassion for the situation. According to Ray et al. (2009), many parents can go through four phases when the information that their child has special needs is delivered to them. Those stages include finding reasons their child is displaying a certain behavior rather than understanding the impact of them struggling. Teachers need to be supportive and compassionate to assure the parent that there is nothing wrong with their child, they just need additional supports, and that is alright.
- What do you think most families expect from teachers as they go through this process?
~ Going through the IEP and/or IFSP process can be a difficult time for some parents, and they just expect clear and concise communication from the child’s teachers. As discussed above, this type of communication is essential for parents as they may not have experienced this process before and are learning what their child is going through along with the child. Teachers need to understand that a parent that may be coming off as rude due to their tone of voice is just a concerned parent who wants the best for their child. They do not understand the process and really need to lean on the teacher for their support.
As the IFSP and IEP processes require more than just the teacher and the families, but rather a team of qualified individuals to support the student, the parent may expect frequent meetings to discuss the progress of the child. According to Ray et al. (2009), teachers and service providers facilitate the education during the day and get to know how the students interact with specific resources or strategies. This relates to communication as you discuss the child’s progress and what works for them and what does not, but is also includes the input of the child’s service providers. Service providers, including speech pathologists, physical therapists, and more have information on the child that gets relayed to the teacher, but they have first-hand observance of the child in this environment. Collaboration between the teacher, service providers, and family is something the family may expect.
Questions:
- Have you ever been part of an IEP meeting? What was the experience like?
- What are the similarities and differences between the IEP and IFSP processes?
- How do you know when to implement an IEP or an IFSP?
References:
Ray, J., Pewitt-Kinder, J., & George, S. (2009). Partnering with Families of Children with Special Needs. Young Children, 64(5), 16–22. https://louisville.edu/education/kyautismtraining/past-events/files/webinars/2012/Families%20of%20Children%20with%20Special%20Needs.pdfLinks to an external site.Links to an external site.
Principles of Effective Family Engagement. (n.d.). NAEYC. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/family-engagement/principlesLinks to an external site.Links to an external site.
