The "Power" of Communication

Never underestimate the "power" of your knowledge as a parent. No one knows your son or daughter in the way that you know him or her; most notably, your student's strengths and capacities for future accomplishments. As an experienced educator, I remember doctors telling my husband and myself about "all of the things that our daughter would NEVER be able to do". We chose to listen, but not to be defined by those limitations; rather, we chose to believe in the "possibilities" that every learning opportunity could provide to her and allow her to grow at her own pace with hopeful optimism.

We worked with her school team and held them to high standards of accountability. We communicated on an ongoing basis and encouraged them to do the same. As parents, we wanted to know everything that they knew about her school programming and we wanted to be involved participants. We had an advantage because of my professional background, but it shouldn't be necessary that every parent be an educator to know and understand his or her children's educational program. ALL parents have the right to have a full understanding of their children's educational services. Empower yourself by asking questions, expecting clear and meaningful answers, and ensure your child's progress by monitoring their rates of progress by reviewing their data.

Accountability is the strongest insurance your children can receive to protect his or her educational future. Inform your child's school team that you will be expecting ongoing progress updates and you'll use that information to effectively partner with them on behalf of your child's goal achievement.

Keep the conversation meaningful and ongoing, your active participation with the school team will yield positive results for your children.