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When Special and General Educators Collaborate, Everybody Wins!

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When Special and General Educators Collaborate, Everybody Wins!

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How can we improve collaboration between general and special education teachers? What are the benefits to this work? What are the key components of implementation?

These are timely questions as districts like mine seek to push special education students into core instruction with more frequency. Some educators are hesitant to dive into this model, but solid support and intentional steps make the process easier.

I was often frustrated as a special education teacher when I was expected to use parallel curriculum to teach students who had learning disabilities. I felt as though I didn't have permission to think like a general educator, even though I knew my students would benefit. At the time, our district mandated that special education teachers use separate curriculum, which excluded us from general education professional development (PD) opportunities. This situation left me feeling isolated and disconnected from general education standards and instruction.

That all changed when our district adopted the Common Core State Standards nearly a decade ago. I remember the sinking feeling in my stomach when a 5th grade student whom I had successfully taught to read (i.e., decode) sat in tears during the Smarter Balanced Assessment exam as he struggled to compose a written response to a prompt. His despair propelled me into action: I felt compelled from that day forward to give my special education students access to the same writing instruction as their peers.

Our district is in the early stages of inclusion, with leaders working to provide special education teachers access to PD tied to general education standards. Because I will move into an elementary principal role next school year, I have a newfound responsibility to support staff to use their talents in ways that honor all our learners. I recognize that traditional models of specially designed instruction have not helped our students with learning disabilities gain skills at the same rates as their peers.

We must create time for special educators and general educators to get to know each other's strengths and dispel the mysteries that lie behind their separate doors. Each discipline has strategies and practices that improve student learning.

Based on my experiences with colleagues, I see the following list as imperative to foster collaboration:

Trust: Building relational trust between teachers who share a physical classroom or responsibility for student learning is the first ingredient to a successful collaborative partnership. Our district uses the Dufour model of PLC work . Special educators are part of grade-level teams to share data and challenges. This approach creates safe space for staff to learn about each other beyond the classroom.

Vision: Any strong initiative needs a well-articulated vision that is clearly communicated to the school and community. Our district mission is "Developing Washington's Most Sought-After Graduates." Each school has its own vision statement related to this work.

Commitment to Staff Development: Inclusive schools are most successful when leaders show visible commitment to growing the skills of staff responsible for inclusive implementation. Leaders in our district spent time analyzing special education achievement data to determine the move toward inclusion. Next steps include identifying the PD both special and general education teachers need in order to ensure a sustainable inclusion model and hone teachers' skills over time. Ongoing collaboration between staff and leaders is also essential. As a new building leader, I plan to spend time in classrooms to determine which teachers need support and which teachers deserve recognition for their inclusion accomplishments.

Common Language: A common language is an essential component during implementation. When I taught in a resource room, the required math curriculum had strategies to solve story problems that were disconnected from the classroom instruction. My students grew minimally on grade-level benchmark assessments. Our schools are identifying essential standards and pre-teaching vocabulary in order to ensure all staff use the same language and terms about student achievement.

Routines: The general and special education teachers who work together must create classroom routines as one. Special educators are adept in understanding how routine prepares the brain to learn and reduces behavior concerns. General education teachers understand how to teach routines to larger groups of students to maximize instructional time. Put the two together, and you have a teaching powerhouse. Special educators and general educators should spend time together discussing student needs and their unique strategies for building upon student strengths and successes.

Learning Targets: General education teachers are masters at identifying learning targets that prepare students to advance and experts at differentiating instruction. On the other hand, special educators can identify how to break those targets into their component parts, provide necessary accommodations, and focus on student progress toward individualized goals and objectives. Our grade-level teams identify essential standards that we want all students to learn, then work together to provide the necessary scaffolds.

Remediation: Students with identified disabilities need dedicated time and specially designed instruction to close specific skills gaps. As they work, connect back to general education instruction with mnemonics, graphic organizers, and visual supports.

Technology: Though general education teachers often have many technology resources, special education teachers bring experience in assistive programs, devices, and tools. An important component of this work is normalizing the use of technology for all students, who should have access to individual devices to support communication and instruction access. For example, I have taught students to use text-to-speech and speech-to-text software on Chromebooks. When general education students take note of unfamiliar technology, explain the ways it helps other learners connect with the information.

Capitalize on Family Partnerships: As a special educator, I often taught the same students for multiple years and was able to develop deep connections with families that my general education colleagues-who had students for only one school year-were not always able to accomplish. We maximize opportunities for all students with increased partnerships and trust with families. Capitalize on those relationships in any classroom by sitting down as a team with parents and showing a vested interest from both general and special education lenses. Too often, special education focuses on deficits, pointing out to parents what their children cannot do. When we partner with general educators, the conversation shifts to what children can learn to do.

When a collaborative teaching model between special education and general education works, the benefits for our students are endless. We must act with intention and focus in order to capitalize on the skills of general and special educators. Our kids deserve nothing less.

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When Special and General Educators Collaborate, Everybody Wins

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How can we improve collaboration between general and special education teachers? What are the benefits to this work? What are the key components of implementation? These are timely questions as districts like mine seek to push special education students into core instruction with more frequency.

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The Far Reaching Benefits of Co-Teaching for ELLs

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Although there are so many advantageous reasons to co-teach ELL students, the best reason may benefit students indirectly.

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Impossible. That was my first thought when I saw the class roster. In one of my ninth grade English classes, 13 of my 27 students had IEPs. Additionally, about one-third of the students had failed the class the previous year. I dreaded the first day of school. But then something wonderful happened: The principal assigned me a co-teacher, a special education expert to serve as another set of hands (and eyes and ears!) during this class every day. I was thrilled.

My co-teacher Sandie was a joy to collaborate with, but our relationship was by no means perfect, especially at the beginning. We often struggled to find planning time. Sometimes we disagreed about how to best help a particular student. However, we nurtured the co-teaching relationship and, in time, found a rhythm that worked for us-and for the students we served.

In the years since I co-taught with Sandie and other teachers, I've coached and consulted with dozens of successful and not-so-successful teams. Co-teaching, when done well, offers benefits for both students and teachers. When not done well, it can be confusing or downright frustrating for all involved. If you are or will be part of a co-teaching partnership, this post will show you some ways to make your partnership work beautifully.

What is Co-Teaching?

In a co-teaching relationship, also known as a "push-in" arrangement, a general education teacher partners with a specialist who may be certified in teaching English Language Learners (ELLs), students with learning disabilities, or some other special population. A co-teaching team works in the general ed classroom; for the majority of the time, students with special needs are not pulled out to receive services in another location.

For instance, a middle school social studies teacher may have an ELL teacher co-teaching with him during one class period because five students in that class are newcomers to the United States and speak only Arabic fluently. A high school teacher may have one or two sections of biology to which many students with IEPs for reading are channeled; a co-teacher who specializes in reading disabilities co-teaches in these classes. A 4th grade teacher may have two students with 504 plans and another three who have specific learning disabilities in her class; she works alongside a special education teacher daily during lessons in the four core academic subject areas.

For more background, download this Brief History of Co-Teaching.

Co-Teaching Structures

General education teachers working with specialists in a "push-in" model often work in one of the following structures described by Friend and Cook (1996):

One teach, one observe: One teacher delivers instruction while the other observes student learning. Usually the observer collects data on student understanding so that the co-teaching team can better plan future instruction. Sometimes, specific students are watched closely so that the teachers can determine new strategies to use with them.

One teach, one assist: One teacher takes the lead in providing instruction while the other moves around the classroom, assisting struggling students. This help is not limited to students with special needs; the assisting professional is there to serve whomever needs support.

Parallel teaching: The class is divided in two groups and the same material is presented simultaneously by both teachers. The teachers plan the two groups deliberately to maximize the success of all students; this is not simply a "pull-out" or intervention group sitting in the same room.

Station teaching: Both teachers are actively involved in instruction as students are divided into groups and rotate from one station to the next. There may be stations where students work independently or with a paraprofessional in addition to the two stations the co-teachers facilitate.

Alternative teaching: One teacher takes a small group of students and provides them more intensive or specialized instruction that is different than what the large group receives from the other teacher.

Team teaching: Both teachers teach the content at the same time in tandem or "tag team" fashion.

It is important to note that both teachers have equal status and equal responsibility in all six of these arrangements. In the co-teaching relationships that work best, at no time is one teacher seen as subordinate to the other. Both professionals are credentialed professionals, although each may have his or her specific areas of expertise.

How to Make the Most of a Co-Teaching Partnership

Researchers and practitioners have tons of advice about how to co-teach effectively, and as a person who has been "in the trenches" with several different co-teachers, so do I. The advice below sums up the most common recommendations.

1. Respect each other.

Not surprisingly, mutual respect is critical to the co-teaching relationship. You'll have to share ideas openly and do much of your work facing students together, so respecting each other is paramount. Sometimes you'll disagree, and that's to be expected. As co-teacher and ELL specialist Melissa Eddington says, it's fine to disagree with someone's ideas, but don't make the disagreement about the person.

Teachers in co-teaching situations that don't work well often report feeling disrespected. Amy* is an ELL specialist paired with a middle school social studies teacher. When they collaborate, Amy feels her suggestions for tweaking whole-class lessons are not taken seriously by her partner. "She respects me as a professional," Amy says of her co-teacher, "but I think because I'm not experienced in her content, she doesn't see my input as valuable."

Susan*, who is licensed in both secondary science and learning disabilities, works with two physical science teachers and one biology teacher. The physical science teachers welcome her ideas and eagerly adjust their lessons based on her suggestions. They are seeing a steady increase of students mastering the required standards in the classes Susan supports. The biology teacher, however, dismisses many of Susan's ideas and accuses her of "dumbing down" his content. Susan feels disrespected and finds it hard to even be in the room with the biology teacher because he constantly positions himself as "the expert" and places her in a subordinate role.

Words and gestures speak volumes. Take care to show respect for your partner in all you do.

2. Clearly define roles and responsibilities.

Co-teaching works better when the partners agree on who does what, when. Clearly defined roles and responsibilities prevent either partner from feeling the other has overstepped a boundary or shirked responsibilities.

Natalie Marston (2002-2015), an elementary special ed teacher, recommends co-teachers reach agreement on scheduling, classroom procedures and behaviors, classwork and homework policies, grading, and school/home communication together so they present a united front at all times.

Obviously this type of planning requires a great deal of time, ideally before school starts. If extended time is not available prior to the beginning of the school year, then the co-teaching team should expect to put in extra hours before and after school in the first few weeks so things get off to a good start.

My co-teacher Sandie and I did not have advance warning of our assignment. We found out about it on the first teacher workday, leaving us only a few days before the students arrived. For weeks, we both felt like we were playing "catch up and keep up," but found that having lunch together (and some happy hours together) helped us stay in sync.

3. Be flexible.

Innovation is difficult. That's why so many teachers find themselves falling back on comfortable (and even tired) activities and strategies. Co-teaching allows you to gain another person's perspective on how instruction might be improved, how students might be best assessed, what resources to use, and so much more. Sometimes this means one person has to put aside his or her favorite tried-and-true strategy and try something different.

When Susan suggested a tactile, quiz-like method for reviewing the periodic table to her physical science co-teaching partners, they were skeptical about the time and materials it might require. They initially felt it would be more efficient to simply give additional notes to their students and then pair students to quiz each other. However, they agreed to try the review Susan's way. The students loved the activity, and almost every student with special needs passed the chapter test two days later. All three teachers were thrilled and committed to using the activity in future years.

4. Plan together.

The co-teaching relationship brings together two people with wonderfully rich expertise and experiences. Special educators are typically skilled in individualizing curriculum and instruction based on children's needs (Dettmer et al., 2005; Volonino & Zigmond, 2007). General educators, on the other hand, tend to have broad knowledge of the curriculum, standards, and desired outcomes for the larger group. Therefore, when general educators plan lessons, they tend to aim for the masses (Dettmer et al., 2005). Both perspectives are important, and co-teaching teams need ample planning time to work through how to best utilize each one.

Lack of planning time can lead to territorialism. Without time to plan for a good balance of content and individualization, a general ed teacher may become protective of his subject matter, or a specialist may become protective of his students. Emma*, a high school special ed teacher partnered with two geometry teachers, has experienced this. One teacher often asks Emma to pull aside the five or six students with specific disabilities within his class and work only with them. He sometimes says to her, "You worry about your kids. I'll worry about geometry." The principal is now providing an additional hour of planning time for Emma and this teacher. An assistant principal who oversees the math department facilitates the meetings so Emma feels supported and the geometry teacher has another content-area expert to hash things out with.

Keep in mind that planning must include both instruction and assessment. Considering many students with special needs have legal accommodations for assessment (like being provided translation, extended time, or oral reading), it's best to include both partners fully in designing quizzes, tests, papers, and other high-stakes assessment tasks.

How much time is ideal? One study found that co-teachers desired, on average, 15 minutes to an hour each day for planning (Dieker & Murawski, 2003). This figure corresponds to what worked for my co-teacher and me, and it also confirms what I hear from many co-teachers in the field. Strive to find that time any way you can.

5. Don't take yourself too seriously.

Innovation requires failure. Many times, teachers feel they've failed somehow during instruction, and in reality, the students haven't even noticed. We are often our own worst critics. Revisiting or correcting something later in the day (or the next day) doesn't mean you failed earlier. It means you've learned something since. This is the kind of ongoing learning we want to model for our students.

And, as in most situations in life, a little bit of humor goes a long way. Laugh with your co-teacher. Allow students to see both of you laughing with each other and with them when something is surprising, silly, or just doesn't go the way you planned. In the words of Jennifer Wolf who co-teaches with Melissa Eddington, "Take the work seriously, but don't take yourself too seriously."

Eddington adds, "You gotta laugh at each other! Our job is hard, and if you're not laughing and making light of some things, then it's just not going to be a good place to be."

6. Communicate, communicate, communicate.

Planning time is one thing; constant communication is another. Not only should co-teachers frequently plan for what standards will be covered, how material will be taught, and how students will be assessed, they should also regularly communicate in less formal ways.

Co-teaching teams have different methods to create and sustain that communication:

Eddington and Wolf use the Voxer app throughout the school day and on their drives home to send messages back and forth. Voxer works like a walkie-talkie and allows back-and-forth conversation in real time when two people are not physically close to each other. Melissa says, "We're constantly communicating. We're talking about specific students. We're looking at assessments to see what areas are lacking...different things we want to bring to the classroom, things we don't want to do..."

Some other teams I've worked with use texting and emails throughout each day to share updates. Voxer, texts, and emails can all work well, especially if one teacher has urgent information or an urgent question about a particular student.

Teams can use Google Docs or other shared documents to keep track of lesson planning and to share feedback with each other on how lessons went. Collaborative documents can also be used to provide each other with information about targeted students.

In addition to ongoing communication, Ariel Sacks (2014) reminds us to periodically check in with our co-teacher about how we are doing in general. She recommends asking your partner the following:

Are there management items we should clarify, such as when are students allowed to go to the bathroom?

Are we sharing airtime well?

Are we dividing grading in an equitable way?

Would different teaching formats better utilize the two of us in the classroom?

Finally, co-teachers need to present a united front when dealing with parents. Some partners go as far as to create a shared email address from which all communication flows. This may or may not be practical in your situation. At the very least, important parent communication about a student's progress should be drafted by both parties.

For more in-depth information about communicating and collaborating with your co-teacher, see Communicating and Collaborating in Co-Taught Classrooms (Conderman et al., 2009).

7. Seek administrative support.

Sometimes, teachers have been scheduled to co-teach by administrators but didn't have much advance notice. This is what happened with Sandie and me. We were able to find snippets of time during the school day to use for planning and checking in with each other, but we had no common planning period. If you and your partner don't have a common planning time when you can frequently collaborate, ask for it. Go to your principal with a couple of proposals about how this can work without too much disruption to the rest of the schedule.

Sometimes co-teachers may not understand fully why they are being asked to team. If this is the case, ask for a meeting with the principal and any others responsible for the assignment. Ask them why they thought the two of you would be a good fit and what they hope you will accomplish with students.

If you're already in a co-teaching partnership that's not working well, and you've tried to address this with your partner, turn to a trusted administrator next for advice. If you and your co-teacher have not recently been observed, ask the administrator to come sit in on part of a lesson. Tell him or her what you'd like feedback on or what feels like it's not working well. Debrief with the administrator, ideally with your co-teaching partner. When an observer offers data and feedback to both of you, it may feel different for your partner than when you share things from your perspective. (This co-teaching observation form can help.)

It's important not to go to other teachers with your concerns. Respect the collegial relationship you have with your co-teacher and don't do anything that might undermine it. And it should go without saying that you don't want students to perceive any problems within the co-teaching relationship. Be cognizant of your demeanor, tone, and body language. Students are quite perceptive and can easily spot trouble. They are also experts at "good cop/bad cop." Don't let students play you and your partner against each other. If your colleagues or students give you any evidence that they know the co-teaching arrangement is ineffective, head straight for that trusted administrator to support you. ♦

*These names have been changed.
References:
Conderman, G., Johnston-Rodriguez, S., & Hartman, P. (2009). Communicating and collaborating in co-taught classrooms. Teaching Exceptional Children Plus,5(5). Retrieved January 26, 2017, from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ967751.pdf

Dettmer, P., Thurston, L., Knackendoffel, A., & Dyck, N. (2009). Collaboration, consultation, and teamwork (6th ed.). Columbus, OH: Pearson.

Dieker, Lisa A., Murawski, W. M. (2003). "Co-teaching at the Secondary Level: Unique Issues, Current Trends, and Suggestions for Success." The High School Journal, 86(4). Retrieved January 26, 2017, from http://search.proquest.com/docview/220220652/13494E2D48D1DB506F0/8

Friend, M. & Cook, L. (1996). Interactions: Collaboration skills for school professionals. White Plains, NY: Longman.

Marston, N. (2002-2015). Six steps to successful co-teaching: Helping special and regular education teachers work together. National Education Association. Retrieved January 26, 2017 from http://www.nea.org/tools/6-steps-to-successful-co-teaching.html

Sacks, A. (2014, October 15). Blog post. Eight tips for making the most of co-teaching. Retrieved January 26, 2017, from http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2014/10/15/ctq_sacks_coteaching.html

Volonino, V. & Zigmond, N. (2007). Promoting research-based practices through inclusion. Theory into Practice, 46(4), 291-300.

Learn More

Angela Peery is the author of The Co-Teacher's Playbook, which will be available in September 2019.

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When done well, co-teaching offers benefits for both students and teachers. When not done well, it can be confusing or downright frustrating for all involved.

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Table of Contents

This chapter will focus on the High Leverage Practices (HLPs) in Special Education (1-3), related to Collaboration and communication.

HLP 1: Collaborate with professionals to increase student success.

HLP 2: Organize and facilitate effective meetings with professionals and families.

HLP 3: Collaborate with families to support student learning and secure needed services

Voices from the Field

Adapted from McLeskey, J., Barringer, M-D., Billingsley, B., Brownell, M., Jackson, D., Kennedy, M., Lewis, T., Maheady, L., Rodriguez, J., Scheeler, M. C., Winn, J., & Ziegler, D. (2017, January). High-leverage practices in special education. Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children & CEEDAR Center. (Permission is granted to reproduce and adapt any portion of this publication with acknowledgement)

Collaboration allows for varied expertise and perspectives about a student to be shared among those responsible for the student's learning and well-being. This collective expertise provides collaborators with a more comprehensive understanding of each student's needs, which can be used to more effectively plan and implement instruction and services. Teachers use respectful and effective communication skills as they collaborate with others, considering the background, socioeconomic status, culture, and language of the families and the professionals with whom they work.

Collaborative activities should be focused on (a) designing each student's instructional program to meet clearly specified outcomes and (b) collecting data and monitoring progress toward
these outcomes. Effective and purposeful collaboration should enlist support from district and school leaders, who can foster a collective commitment to collaboration, provide professional learning experiences to increase team members' collaborative skills, and create schedules that support different forms of ongoing collaboration (e.g., individualized education program [IEP] teams, co-teachers, teachers-families, teachers-paraprofessionals).

Collaboration is broadly recommended in special education for accomplishing a wide range of goals, including determining eligibility for services, delivering instruction, ensuring support through paraprofessionals, and resolving student and programmatic issues (see Burns, Vanderwood, & Ruby, 2005). However, collaboration is ethereal in that it is never an end in itself, instead operating as a culture or a means through which any goal can be reached. Collaboration often is indirectly fostered among members of a school work group by arranging time for participants to meet face-to-face, guiding them through the development of positive professional relationships, establishing explicit and implicit procedures for working together, and teaching them about school programs that rely on collaborative interactions (e.g., teams, co-teaching). Collaboration is not explicitly mandated in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act IDEA), nor is it generally part of formal policies related to educating students with disabilities, but the requirements of the law and established school practices strongly infer that it is through collaboration that the effective education of students with disabilities is achieved.

The two most common school structures presumed to rely on collaboration are co-teaching and team s. Co-teaching, research generally has found strong support among teachers, but mixed results for students (Murawski & Swanson, 2001; Scruggs, Mastropieri, & McDuffie, 2007). The most recent examination of the co-teaching research literature, an analysis of six co-teaching and inclusion research syntheses, concluded that when general educators and special educators work closely to coordinate the delivery of curriculum and have resources such as time to plan, small positive effects on student academic outcomes are achieved (Solis, Vaughn, Swanson, & McCulley, 2012). A related study supported this conclusion, finding that elementary-age students with disabilities in co-taught classes made significant educational progress while those in separate special education classroom settings did not, the gap between the two groups widening across time (Tremblay, 2013).

Special education teachers typically organize, schedule, and lead a variety of meetings, including annual IEP meetings as well as ongoing collaborative meetings essential to instructional planning and progress monitoring. IEP meetings involve both parents and professionals (e.g., general education teachers, fellow special education teachers, reading specialists, curriculum specialists, principals, other administrators, outside consultants), as well as students with disabilities. IDEA requires that parents be given opportunities for full participation in the development of the IEP. The way in which the IEP meeting is organized and facilitated should ensure that the family is an equal partner in the development of an appropriate education for the child.

Special education teachers need to facilitate meetings so they run smoothly, involve others as equal participants, and accomplish the goals of the meeting. These tasks require communicating effectively with others, being able discuss aspects of the individual child's program (e.g., explain the rationale behind behavior intervention plans, describe effective practices), and facilitating consensus among all involved. The partnership principles of equality, choice, voice, reciprocity, praxis, and reflection aid in the development of effective communication skills (Knight, 2007). Using these principles requires specific skills, which may be developed with diligent practice. It may be helpful to solicit feedback from a mentor or colleague as well as team members to improve one's communication and facilitation skills.

The Council for Exceptional Children's special education Code of Ethics (2015) includes the following principles relating to organizing and facilitating effective meetings:

Practicing collegially with others who are providing services to individuals with exceptionalities.

Developing relationships with families based on mutual respect and actively involving families and individuals with exceptionalities in educational decision making. (p. 7)

Collaboration-when teachers work together to diagnose what they need to do, plan and teach interventions, and evaluate their effectiveness-has shown a strong effect size of 0.93 on student achievement (DuFour, 2007; Hattie, 2008).

Meeting agendas should be planned in a way that invites the sharing of multiple perspectives, involves active listening, and encourages consensus building, while maintaining efficiency. Agendas for formal meetings should be developed and shared in advance; the meeting should be scheduled for an appropriate amount of time given meeting goals and participants invited with sufficient advance notice.

Meetings will be more productive if there is trust among participants. Teachers should consider taking steps before meetings to build relationships with professionals and families on an ongoing basis (Billingsley, Brownell, Israel, & Kamman, 2013). At the start of the school year, effective special educators communicate with families via phone, e-mail, or notes home with positive messages about individual children and their accomplishments.

As special educators are primary communicators in the school regarding students with disabilities, they also should serve as models of respectful communication by using person-first language.

In order to promote collaboration between special education teachers and general education teachers and service providers there should be a plan put into place about how often they are communicating with one another about the identified students. If no plan is put into place it can be easy for communication and collaboration to get swept underneath the rug and the student can easily fall behind. During this planned communication time, the team can discuss what has worked and what hasn't worked for the student and what their goals and vision for that student and whether or not they are being met. Christina Shaughnessy

The importance of collaborating with families to promote participation in educational decision making has been identified as one of the key principles of IDEA (H. R. Turnbull, Stowe, & Huerta, 2007). IDEA provides for specific rights that enable parents to participate as equal members of the IEP team and to be involved in evaluation, placement, and special education and related service decisions. For families to take on such roles and responsibilities, collaboration between professionals and families is necessary. Using effective partnership strategies has been identified as a necessary element of building collaborative relationships.

Family-professional partnerships have been defined as a relationship in which families (not just parents) and professionals agree to build on each other's expertise and resources, as appropriate, for the purpose of making and implementing decisions that will directly benefit students and indirectly benefit other family members and professionals. (A. P. Turnbull, Turnbill, Erwin, Soodak, & Shogren, 2015, p. 161)

Seven principles of effective partnerships have been identified in the literature (see A. P. Turnbull et al., 2015):

Communication: Teachers and families communicate openly and honestly in a medium that is comfortable for the family.

Professional competence: Teachers are highly qualified in the area in which they work, continue to learn and grow, and have and communicate high expectations for students and families.

Respect. Teachers treat families with dignity, honor cultural diversity, and affirm strengths.

Commitment: Teachers are available, consistent, and go above and beyond what is expected of them.

Equality; Teachers recognize the strengths of every member of a team, share power with families, and focus on working together with families.

Advocacy: Teachers focus on getting to the best solution for the student in partnership with the family.

Trust: Teachers are reliable and act in the best interest of the student, sharing their vision and actions with the family.

In implementing these principles, it is essential to honor and respect cultural diversity and differing communication styles and preferences.

Voices from the Field
Collaborating and Communicating with Families
There are many things about a student's family a special educator should be aware of in order to build a strong family friendly relationship. First, the cultural background is important to getting to know the basics of the family dynamics. Understanding culture can help the special educator better connect with the family. Culture can determine not just the languages spoken in the home, but most importantly how the family may view and deal with the disability. Second, understanding the family home and financial situation is very important. This is key to understanding basic stressors the family may be facing and allow the special educator and IEP team can prepare for meetings and important conversations. They may have a hard time having meetings at "normal" times due to work. They may sound on edge due to stress. If the special educator is aware of the family struggle, he or she can better prepare themselves to give the family resources and help by lending a sympathetic ear. Special educators need to build trust, and being sympathetic and understanding, providing resources to help while focusing on the child's goals, will go a long way with the family. This can be as simple as providing the family with resources or even giving them meeting times outside of the normal "business hours" if they are working multiple or odd jobs. Simply caring can go a long way with a family who is already under stress. Finally, once you have got to know the family, earned their trust and showed them you care, a special educator should encourage them to "meaningfully participate" in their child's education and IEP process. More often them not, families are lost and often believe the specialist is right and may not express concerns or ideas. Giving encouragement may mean helping them understand jargon or simply giving them extra time to ask questions. When someone feels included, they are more likely to be engaged. Deanna Hanley

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Collaborating effectively with families is vital to student success. Many first-year teachers report not feeling prepared to work with families and feel like they don't have the time or resources to do so (Sears et al., 2021, p. 201). Teaching Exceptional Children recommends starting the school year with a fresh perspective and building positive relationships with families that lead to trust and respect. Several of the readings this week have included the extreme importance of the parent/family's role in education and showed how the special educator can provide resources to parents, helping them advocate for their child and be empowered. One of my favorite pieces of advice from this week was: "Instead of advice, offer information from several different sources (e.g., one or two books and a couple of verified websites) and empower the parent to be confident in making their own decisions about their child, while still providing them with needed support" (Koch, 2017). It's important to help parents/families learn to advocate for the child because they are going to be the ones there pre K-12 and beyond, while a teacher may only work with them one school year. Rachel Stoudt

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For some of my students, I send home a daily home-school communication log, which tells the parents what services the student had, what specials the student had, what they ate for lunch, what the best part of the day was, and what the hardest part of the day was. It tells the parents whether the student had a "not great", "OK", "great", or "excellent" day. Some of my families reinforce great and excellent days at home by providing praise or a special reward. Anonymous

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One of the first things I can do as a special educator is start building the relationship early in the year. Before school starts, reaching out to parents and letting them know that I am the case manager and that I am looking forward to working with them would be helpful in setting the stage for open communication. I also like the idea of talking to parents about their child outside of school, his/her likes and dislikes, interests, and any other information they think is important. It's good to let families know that we are interested in getting to know their student as a whole person. I think families feel more comfortable when they feel we really know their child.

Part of knowing a student is being able to identify his/her strengths and to not dwell only on the disability or gaps in achievement. In addition, reaching out to parents early in the year lets parents know that the educator is available to talk to if questions arise. In addition, if a parent does reach out with questions, replying promptly lets them know that you take their concerns seriously. Maintaining confidentiality is also important in building and maintaining trust. Jessica Warning

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Communication is integral to student success. Special educators (wearing their many hats) need to keep communication open, respectful, and timely with the IEP team. Parents especially need to know that we have their backs. Through our reading and some of our classmates' posts, we know that parents can feel exceptionally vulnerable throughout the special education process. Consistent, patient and kind communication is key. Heather Roberson

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When I worked at a daycare, there was a lot of communication with parents. One of the teachers had an app where she could update the parents with a picture of their child and how their day has been. The parents loved it. I think meetings should always be in person, but a quick email/message is beneficial. Morgan Chase

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Something our school does that I really like is a back to school BBQ, where everyone in the school is invited and serves as a sort of informal meet and greet a few days before school starts (we didn't have it this year because of covid but normally when we do, each grade level of teachers and staff wear a certain color shirt and have a table with balloons or something eye catching. Parents and students are told ahead of time what color to look for, and students and their families can go over and meet the teacher in a nice informal way, eat some food, chat, etc. Special ed and support staff are there too to meet families. Its such a great way to begin that relationship! Caitlin Dubisz

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There are many key points that special educators need to be aware of when they interact with the parents of their students with disabilities. "First and foremost, remember to be kind, listen to (not just hear) what parents have to say, and don't judge them or their decisions" (Koch 2017). Parents trust us with their children and their child's education, and we need to respect the decisions that they make in regards to their child. Making parents feel welcome and valued is important to building a positive relationship with them. Pointing out their child's strengths and accomplishments versus only focusing on the things their child needs to improve upon is an important aspect of building that positive relationship. Another key point to be aware of is the fact that parents may not always know all of the things that educators do about the special education process. They may need clarification of definitions and laws and we need to convey those things in a way that is easy for them to understand. Making sure that parents understand the processes involved with their child's education, will ensure that parents can make informed decisions pertaining to their child. Michelle Shaw

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When I was a classroom teacher the first week of school I called all my parents and let them know how glad I was to have their child in my class. I always seemed to have a lot of involved parents when it came to class activities, etc., since I started doing that! I am always recommending articles and books and webinars to parents and try to follow up as the behavior interventionist when a student is having a rough patch so we can talk about it. Being able to call parents and help them advocate for their child's needs is so important to their success. Jacquelin Godin

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Educators should also consider the fact that these families are forced to take on multiple roles because of their child's disability. They have to be a parent to that child and possibly other children, a medical expert for their child, an ethical and legal advocate for their child, and know all the laws about inclusion and disability rights that relate to their child, in order to meet their child's needs. To help build the positive relationship with families, educators can "accommodate their schedules, listen and respond to their concerns, help them learn to navigate the education and social service systems, and assist them with finding support networks" (IRIS Center). Caitlin Dubisz

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I feel communication logs are an important tool to help educators and families have an open communication pathway where they can communicate daily with each other on how the child is at home and school. This not only informs the educator of anything that might have happened at home but it also allows the family to feel more connected and involved in their child's daily school life. We need to remember that we only see these children for 7 hours out of a day, for the rest of the day they are at home or out in the community so we rely on open communication to inform us of anything that happens during that time that could impede their learning. Nicole Coonrod

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One of the most challenging and important steps to encourage parent involvement is to educate families on how they can help their child with learning when they are not at school. This might look like sharing homework strategies and giving suggestions for setting up a productive study space. Along this same line, it might be helpful to have a communication plan, which is meant to help families and special educators more effectively communicate with each other. The plan gives structure to communication and might include scheduled times to talk that are convenient for the family's schedule, assigned activities, and goals. While this is a suggestion for remote learning, it might be useful to do all of the time. Rebecca Foss
References
The IRIS Center. (2008, 2020). Family Engagement: Collaborating with Families of Students with Disabilities. Retrieved from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/fam/

Koch, K. (2017, Apr 4). IEP: Students benefit when we collaborate. Edutopia. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/improving-collaboration-iep-table-katherine-koch

Sears, J. A., Peters, B. L., Beidler, A. M. S., & Murawski, W. W. (2021). Using relationships to advocate with, for, and to families. Teaching Exceptional Children, 53(3), 194-204

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The Roles and Responsibilities of the Special Educator

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Table of Contents This chapter will focus on the High Leverage Practices (HLPs) in Special Education (1-3), related to Collaboration and communication. HLP 1: Collaborate with professionals to increase student success. HLP 2: Organize and facilitate effective meetings with professionals and families.

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The Benefits of Co-Teaching for Students with Special Needs

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The Benefits of Co-Teaching for Students with Special Needs

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The Benefits of Co-Teaching for Students with Special Needs - Friendship Circle - Special Needs Blog

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We all know that a student with special needs has the right to a free and appropriate public education. This is mandated under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA 2004)....

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Collaboration of Special Education and General Education Teachers-Video

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Collaboration of Special Education and General Education Teachers-Video

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Collaboration of Special Education and General Education Teachers