Family Engagement: Collaborating with Families of Students with Disabilities

Assessment

Take some time now to answer the following questions. Please note that the IRIS Center does not collect your Assessment responses. If this is a course assignment, you should turn them in to your professor using whatever method he or she requires. If you have trouble answering any of the questions, go back and review the Perspectives & Resources pages in this module.

1. As you have learned, the families of children with disabilities may experience many different emotions. Describe the range of emotions associated with being the parent of a child with a disability.
2. Identify and describe three additional roles that a parent of a child with a disability might undertake.
3. In your own words, briefly describe the six categories of parent involvement.
4. Reese is a young boy with cerebral palsy. His primary means of mobility is a manual wheelchair. Reese, his mom, and his two older siblings have temporarily relocated and are now living in the upstairs of his grandparents’ house. As a result of the move, Reese has transferred to M. T. Watkins Middle School during the second semester of the school year. Although his mom is generally very involved with her child’s education, there are currently many stressors in her life.
   1. Describe at least two of the stressors that Reese’s mom might be experiencing.
   2. Explain how you think each of these stressors might affect her time and involvement with the school.
5. Imagine that you are Reese’s new teacher.
   1. Describe three ideas for building a positive relationship with Reese’s family.
   2. Explain how you would make the family feel welcome in your school.