Full Description
Cultivate effective partnerships between parents and professionals through honest, respectful and skillful communication
The authors draw upon the metaphor of "dance" to better understand the complexities and possibilities of forming partnerships between educators, administrators, early childhood providers, therapists, support staff, other professionals, and parents of children with disabilities. This revised edition of Do You Hear What I Hear? Parents and Professionals Working Together for Children With Special Needs is rich with stories, examples, and practical insights. This book, written from both the parent's and the professional's points of view, provides a developmental approach to understanding and forging positive adult relationships, while also providing concrete ways to advocate for children. The authors' years of experience as successful consultants, trainers, and educators lends this helpful resource a deep sense of realism and compassion. They remind the reader of how essential the parent-professional partnership is—and why it IS a dance that matters.
Key features include:
Practical insights and evidence-based approaches to forming partnerships
Easy-to-read, non-technical language that speaks to both the heart and the mind
Sample letters and other forms of communication shared between professionals and parents
Stories and examples of real-world conversations between parents and professionals
Effective ways to handle difficult situations
Rich with humor and heart, this highly readable book offers helpful steps for self reflection, personnel preparation, and parent-professional training. Educators and parents will find expert guidance for listening to each other's music, trying out each other's dance steps, and working toward a new dance that includes contributions from all—with the ultimate reward of seeing children achieve their highest potential.
Contents
Foreword by Ann P. Turnbull
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Introduction
1. The Dance Toward Partnership: Using the Dance Metaphor to Understand Parent-Professional Partnerships
How the Dance Begins
Phases of the Partnership Dance
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2. Listening to the Hidden Lyrics: Tuning in to Your Partner
The Story of Sam
The Story of Rachel
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3. The Dance Manual: Essential Steps to Keep on Dancing
For Parents: Essential Steps
For Professionals: Essential Steps
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4. When the Dance Is Complicated
A Complicated Dance: When Parents Appear Angry
A Few Other Points to Consider When Parents Seem to be Uninvolved or Are Absent
Concluding Thoughts: We Are All People First
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5. Enhancing the Dance: Partnership Notes
Practical Suggestions for Professionals
Partnership Notes
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A Dance That Matters
Resources for Families and Professionals
References and Selected Readings
