Question:

I am a special day class teacher at the middle school level. Not only do many of my students have unrealistic goals but their parents do also, e.g., college bound child, honors vs appropriate curriculum focus, etc. I would like to know if you have suggestions that encourage parent involvement in their child's career exploration, self-awareness, and decision making that will create understanding lead to more realistic post-secondary options.

Answer:

• Attend IEP/ITP meetings where the discussion focuses on identifying their child's disability and its impact on post-secondary activities; career/academic learning; how career development opens doors to many opportunities; setting realistic goals with realistic expectations
  
  
• Complete various surveys (personal values, learning styles, decision making surveys, career interest) and compare to the surveys completed by their child
  
  
• Participate in transition fairs or transition weekends involving parents/students in career planning
  
  
• Prepare a mini presentation in the classroom to share with students the type of job they have and the skills required to perform it
  
  
• Explore web sites that offer parent training opportunities related to Transition, parent advocacy and other issues (see site below)
  
  
• Observe their child in his or her own person centered planning activities, e.g., sharing information on disability awareness, role play, video taping mock IEP/ITP meetings
  
  
• Identify current community and agency resources, who manages them, and how they are managed
  
  
• Give input; they [parents] won't know if they don't ask
  
  

In conclusion, remember, the more parents see that teachers care about and genuinely want what is best for their child, the more involved they become in the person centered planning process.