 Exceptional
Education: Getting Parents Involved
IEP Exercises
Content:
Exercise 1: Instructional Objectives
Which of the following do you think are good statements of instructional objectives?
Remember, an objective should be a specific behavior which you can see and judge for
yourself if your child can do. Check the box in front of the good objectives.
- 1. Mary will unbutton two large buttons on her coat, without assistance, on four out of
five days.
- 2. Susan will stay with her group during a ten minute lesson time with no more than
one reminder from the teacher, on four out of five days.
- 3. Michael will stop fighting and using bad words, most of the time.
- 4. Robert will know his math, 80 percent of the time.
- 5. Donna will improve her reading skills by at least six months as measured by the
University Inventory of Reading Skills.
Reaction Questions:
1. What is the difference between a well written and poorly written objective?
2. Why is it important to be able to judge if your child can do a specific behavior?
3. Why are objectives so important to my child's future?
4. How can I use these objectives to evaluate if my child is making progress?
Answer Key: Exercise 1 The good objectives are 1, 2, and 5.
Exercise 2: Parent Input into the IEP
How well have these following parents understood their rights and responsibilities in the
IEP development, writing, and review for their children. Check the box in front of the
parents' statement which shows understanding for the requirements of the IEP and the
importance of it to their child's education.
- 1. I had a dentist appointment on the day the school wanted to meet with me about
my child's IEP, so I didn't go to the IEP meeting. It wasn't that important, anyway.
- 2. Karen's first IEP conference was in September. Then she had leg surgery in
January. Now she needs physical therapy, although I didn't ask for physical therapy
in the beginning of the school year, I'm going to call and ask for a new IEP meeting
right away, to request physical therapy.
- 3. I wanted to think about my child's IEP alone so I brought it home from the
conference and looked it over. After I decided that it looked like the best program for
my son, I made another appointment to sign it with the principal and teacher.
- 4. My child's teacher said, in the meeting, that Chuck couldn't button his shirt. I know,
however, that he buttons up at home most of the time. I said this, and now the
teacher says we'll work on a harder skill instead.
- 5. My child's been in a special education class since September. It is now the end of
October, but I haven't participated in an IEP conference yet. I'm not worried about it;
I think the school always knows best.
Reaction Questions:
1. Why is it important for me to attend all meetings about my child at school?
2. Why is it important to know the laws governing my child's IEP?
3. Why is it important to take my time in deciding if I approve of my child's
IEP?
4. Why are my observations concerning my child at home and in the community
important to the development of my child's IEP?
5. Why is it foolhardy to blindly place your child's welfare into the hands of
professionals?
Answer key: Exercise 2 The educated responsible and assertively advocating parents are 2, 3, and 4.
Exercise 3: Productive Communication at the IEP Meeting
Productive communication at an IEP meeting focuses on the child's needs.
Non-productive communication causes anger, defensiveness or withdrawal and the
child's needs are often ignored, disregarded or discarded. Read each of the following
five statements concerning the IEP process and respond with a productive child focus
response to the speaker.
1. Parent: "I do not understand why I am always being called into school about Robbie?
Can't you write his IEP without me, just this once?''
New Response:
2. Teacher: ''During the staffing on your child, the speech therapist, occupational
therapists and I identified these goals and objectives. You can read this IEP we worked
out, then
New Response:
3. Teacher: "I find that objective unrealistic for your child. I've observed him and I know
he can't do that.''
New Response:
4. Special education administrator: ''All right, we have defined goals and objectives as
well as present levels of functioning. I have taken notes on everything. I'll finish the IEP
and send a copy to you in the mail.''
New Response:
5. Teacher: ''We have four IEP meetings scheduled this morning. Another child's
parents will be here in 30 minutes. I'm sure we can finish well within that time.''
New Response:
Reaction Questions:
1. How easy is it to think of something productive to say when you are feeling resentful,
angry or defensive with the other person?
2. How important is it for a parent to maintain composure, calmness, and rationality in
the IEP process?
3. How often do you think teachers have parents like the one above, tell them they don't
want to get involved in their child's IEP development? How does that make the
teachers' feel about parents?
4. How important is it for parents to be informed about their children's behaviors at
home, in the community and school as well as being informed about the legal rights the
child has in the IEP process? Is this too much to ask of parents?
Exercise 4: Problem Solving
Read each of these case studies and then decide what can be done in each case.
1. At the IEP meeting, the Special Education Director said that inclusion opportunities
for Mike Smith would be arranged ''once the school year gets underway.'' It is now
Thanksgiving and Mike's full school day is taking place in the self-contained classroom
for children who have mental handicaps. Mike's teacher says she has no authority.
What can the Smiths do?
2. Bobby Boswell is in a new classroom in a new school. He seems very happy to go to
school each day, but because of his language problems, he can't tell his parents about
it. Mr. and Mrs. Boswell want to learn more about Bobby's school day. What actions
might they take?
3. Mrs. Hughes is concerned that her daughter Lisa does not have enough motor
activity included in her classroom schedule. Although she is pleased with the teacher's
instruction for Lisa in the other learning areas, she would like Lisa to have more daily
experiences to help her achieve her motor development goals. How might Mrs. Hughes
address this concern?
4. John Smith's IEP includes speech therapy three times a week. John has been in
school two months now. Mrs. Smith hasn't heard from the speech therapist and John
has not mentioned going to therapy. What steps could Mrs. Smith take to check up on
John's speech therapy program?
| 
Coping.org:
Tools for Coping
with Life's
Stressors
Coping.org
is a Public Service of James J. Messina, Ph.D. & Constance M. Messina, Ph.D.,
Email: