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Cooperative
Efforts with Families in Educating
Children with Visual ImpairmentsVerna Hart U.S.
Department of Education Kay Alicyn Ferrell The University of Northern Colorado Recent
research findings have substantiated what teachers of children with disabilities
have known for years based on clinical experiences -- direct involvement of
families in the education of their children results in significantly greater
gains for the child with or at risk for disabilities.
The Division on Visual Impairment (DVI) of the Council for Exceptional
Children affirms the need for the cooperative efforts of parents, children,
extended family members, and teachers. To
establish such partnerships, teachers must be committed to working with families
in arrangements where each party has distinct roles and responsibilities, and in
which both are willing to exert every effort to bring about an environment
conducive to optimal functioning of children with visual impairments. In
order to facilitate this partnership, teacher and families of children with
visual impairments should approach the relationship with the:
• Recognition
that parents are the most powerful influence in their children’s lives;
• Assumption
that parents know their children better than anyone else;
• Recognition
of the permanence of parenthood, its expectations, and its ongoing
responsibilities;
• Respect for
the right of parents to participate or not to participate in a child’s program
to varying degrees at different points in time;
• Recognition
that parents’ nonparticipation in the child’s program does not imply
noninvolvement with or disinterest in the child;
• Recognition of
the various roles parents play, including those of nurturer, teacher, advocate,
and case manager, and a realization that these roles cannot be assumed easily or
without preparation due to the structure and complexity of today's educational
laws;
• Empathy for
and outreach to all family members of children with visual impairments,
including organized efforts to bring all family members together to share
experiences and to learn from each other;
• Recognition
that the values and priorities of the family are primary in planning the
child’s program;
• Recognition
and appreciation of the needs of immediate and extended family members of the
child with visual impairments so that efforts can be made to balance the energy
and commitment of services to meet the needs of all family members;
• Recognition
that part of the teacher’s role is to facilitate parents in their role as
decision-makers;
• The need
for acceptance of the child as an individual and the right to dislike the
disability and/or its manifestations;
• Realization
that teachers and parents are not in competition for the love or attention of
children;
• Realization
that parents and teachers have the need to interact according to their own
personal styles, idiosyncrasies, and desires;
• Mutual
trust and cooperative effort;
• Mutual
recognition of each person’s individuality and expertise;
• Understanding
of the necessity for an open and honest relationship;
• Willingness to
communicate and honestly discuss situations, particularly when there is a
disagreement or a lack of understanding;
• Realization
that if differences of opinion occur, those differences should be directly
addressed first by the persons involved rather than with anyone else, and that
both parents and teachers have the option of pursuing their procedural rights;
• Reciprocity in
sharing information;
• Openness to
suggestions;
• Knowledge
about and utilization of all available services and resources;
• Ability
to make decisions based on the best information and advice currently available,
and reluctance to place blame for mistakes on any one party;
• Willingness to
reinforce each other’s instructional efforts for the sake of the child’s
learning continuity and achievement;
• Insight
into the needs of children with visual impairments without unrealistic
expectations or concerns;
• Awareness that
the best interests of the child always override all other considerations;
• Recognition
that a positive approach is important when working with children;
• Reciprocity of
family/child/teacher efforts to understand behavior and to implement a
consistent approach to promote behavior change;
• Awareness of
children’s strengths, and enjoyment of their progress;
• Ability
to help children with visual impairments develop and maintain self-esteem;
• Consideration
when making decisions that children with visual impairments will grow into
adults with visual impairments;
• Commitment to
educate the public about the characteristics and needs of children with visual
impairments so that similarities as well as differences in relation to peers
without disabilities may be understood;
• Concern
for child abuse and neglect (emotional, physical, and sexual) imposed at home or
in school, and an agreement to seek help from appropriate sources if needed;
• Commitment to
legislative action for advocacy of educational rights of children with visual
impairments. Position
For an educational program to be most effective, DVI believes the family/educator partnership is mutually cooperative and supportive and has impact beyond an individual’s work with any one child. This partnership stimulates and nurtures the growth and development of the child with a visual impairment and facilitates the child’s unique contribution to family and society at large. |