A Set of Principles for Successful Parent Advocacy – Principle Three – Be a Partner
This is the third and final principle in this series on parenting advocacy. Part of this comes from my last 25 years in education and part from interviews with parents I’ve met through work, conferences, parent meetings, day care centers, and my children’s school. I have had the honor of meeting some wonderful parent advocates and our principle this time is one that I have watched these people practice more than ever.
Principle Three: Be a Contributor to the Process.
What is a taxpayer?
A contributor is someone who adds to the efforts of others towards a common goal. I see parents who expect all the effort to come from a school team to meet educational goals and criticize them if they don’t meet them. If a parent contributes to the process, they are doing a lot of things. Here are some examples I have seen through the actions of successful parent advocates:
- Volunteer to spend time in the classroom as an aide once a week.
- Attend team meetings and be available to be aware of decisions being made at the school.
- Seeking grants and foundation funds to obtain necessary classroom equipment and software to support curriculum modifications for your child.
- Seek ways to contribute to exploring answers to treatment issues and special needs rather than criticizing decisions that have been made without your input.
- Demand excellence but be willing to share ideas, time and some personal expense if possible to achieve it.
- Realize that they, as parents, are experts in their child’s needs and behaviors at home, but also respect the fact that needs and behaviors may be different at school and that staff and specialists may have reports different that are still accurate.
The wonderful thing about advocating in this way is that, through their efforts, these parents have earned the right to participate in their schools’ processes. They have a right to participate in the process anyway, whether they know it or not, but the school might begrudgingly allow it due to poor interpersonal relationships. Done well, relationships at school can flourish so that parents are seen as a positive influence in the process and their opinions are respected.
Think about these questions:
How do you think you are perceived by the staff at your child’s school?
Are you an antagonist and questioner when it comes to what happens at school for your child’s services?
What could you do to improve the situation?
What actions of successful advocates listed above do well?
In what areas could you improve?
Now I know there are some of you who are saying, “Yes, this could be true, but you don’t know what I went through. I have to deal with a principal who doesn’t get it when it comes to IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). ) and the rights of children with disabilities and special needs”.
You might say, “The staff at my child’s school always get defensive when I approach them and I can’t get through to them.” It could also be someone who says, “I’ve been dealing with incompetence for the entire school run of my son’s life. I’ve been patient, but I’m about to get to the point where all I know how to do is use the word.” S”. .sue.”
I am not a lawyer and I am not going to start giving legal advice. I realize that there are situations where being nice is not enough. Still… I encourage you to take a deep breath and review the above principles. Compare them to your relationship with your school. See where you do well and where you could do better. Putting a little effort into these principles can go a long way toward generating positive results that will be a win-win situation.
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