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Supporting Parents of Students with Special Needs
Leisa Morton-Standish, PhD
Director of Elementary Education
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na was in despair. Every week she would grit her teeth and open the online grading portal. Out of a half open eye she would hope for the best but inevitably there would be a string of missing assignments. Her daughter had tested into the gifted and talented category and yet her GPA was steadily sinking every week. Ana had tried everything she could think of: working alongside her daughter to complete assignments, only to find them at the bottom of her backpack days after the due date had passed; teaching her how to prioritize tasks; begging teachers for extensions to her daughter’s assignments; rushing back to school and pushing assignments under the teacher’s door; all to no avail. Talking to friends facing the same issues, Ana asked the pediatrician for a referral to a psychiatrist. After a complete battery of testing, they discovered her teenage daughter had ADHD. Now, it all made sense as the doctor described symptoms and how to best help her daughter going forward.
Confident in her new knowledge, Ana met with her daughter’s teachers. Some were understanding and outlined accommodations for her daughter’s documented ADHD. Others were dismissive and let Ana know that the expectations of the school were that she would be expected to keep up with the class and, by the way, how would she ever survive in college or, for that matter, in the workplace?
As teachers, it’s easy to see a child with a visible disability and to accommodate. We would not require a child with a mobility issue to run a mile; however, a child with a documented mental illness, learning disability, or delay, although not visible, is just as important.
Ana tried to explain that the doctor wasn’t suggesting that her daughter not show mastery or, indeed, exceed mastery of the standards expected of the course, but rather find ways that her child, and others in the class, could operate within reasonable expectations. For example, the child with a mobility issue would not be expected to run a mile but could be assigned a weightlifting regime. Her child could not turn in the barrage of math assignments each week, but she could complete a complex project using all the concepts required in that section of the math class to perfection. The key is to understand the students we are privileged to have in our care and accommodate for the diverse learning styles in our classrooms.
Some points to consider:
Be willing to work together to create accommodations
Take a personal interest in students
Working with parents
Find resources in the community
Teachers may provide a survey to parents and students at the beginning of each year to understand their needs, learning styles, and interests. Teachers can also tailor assignments and evidence of learning to meet the needs of students. Keep in mind the purpose of assessment – to provide reliable and valid measures of student’s growth, what they know and their mastery of the concepts you are teaching. Use different types of questions, exit tickets, performance tasks, project choices or choice boards, and create varied assessment formats. Flexibility ensures that all students can demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
Listening to students and getting to know their interests can provide a safe space for them to share and feel valued by a trusted adult. This can help with your classroom accommodations as well as finding them the professional assistance they may need.
Often teachers are the first to notice that students may need professional testing or intervention. Working with parents to identify the needs of their child(ren), through testing with the appropriate professional(s), will enable accommodation to be provided.
Your local community can provide valuable resources for students with additional needs.
Working with your local public school will be invaluable as they may provide a free battery of testing. Some systems provide services if needs are identified, some provide funding for private services, and some provide occupational therapy if that is needed.
Other doctors, therapists and allied health professionals may also be needed to meet student’s needs.
Workshops, support groups, and other resources may also be available in your community.
TOP
Fall ’24
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