Search |
Setting Up Your MaP TeamSetting up your team involves a number of steps with each person on the team:
If you are concerned about how to do this, and would like assistance we suggest you meet with Wendy Horton at the CDN. 1. EducationWhen a member of your child's team is working with your child, they will observe at least some of your child's struggle. In response to this, they will form their own beliefs about the reasons for what they see. For example, if that person is the class teacher, and the problem is that your child is struggling to write at the expected level of legibility, spelling, language or just the amount of writing, the teacher will form their own 'explanation' for what they see. This explanation could be:
Arising from the explanation that they give themselves, the teacher will then adapt their expectations. If they think your child is lazy, for example, they may use criticism, or some other behavioural strategy to motivate your child. If they think it is your fault, you may feel accused. If they feel that your child actually has a problem with writing, they may decrease their expectations to a more realistic level, and provide more support. What people believe becomes the basis for what they expect, and how they manage your child's special needs. For this reason, the first step is to educate the members of the team so that what they believe is in line with what you believe. To achieve this we recommend you give the team member (in this case, the teacher) a copy of your child's individual summary to read, then meet with that person soon after (e.g. the next day, or next week) to discuss what is in the summary. Try to talk about what is going on, the reasons for this, and how it impacts on your child's day to day life. Make this a discussion separate from the discussion of what to do. Make sure they understand your child the same way that you do.
2. IssuesWhen talking to the team member, ask them what they see as the key issues for your child. They may have a different perspective to you. For example, you may be worried about your child's reading levels. The teacher may be more worried about your child's anxiety, and fear around taking academic risks. In general, team members will be more motivated and more likely to be successful working on the goals that they see as being the more important, rather than the issues you feel are the most important. Share your issues with each team member, but try to get a sense of what they are keen to help with. If they want to work on building your child's confidence, let them. You may have to find somebody else to help with literacy. If this is successful, you will have developed agreement with that person on what they believe are the important issues for them to work on, as part of your child's team.
3. GoalsMost people, once they have identified the issues to work on, jump straight into strategy. Strategy is the HOW part of the picture - how to help, what to do. We strongly recommend you put the brakes on the HOW discussion, and discuss goals first. The goal discussion may go something like this: "So you feel that my child's caution and avoidance in the classroom is the most important area to work on. If we are successful, what will that look like? By the end of the year, how will we know that my child has become less anxious, more brave as a learner?" In response to such a question, hopefully the teacher can be specific, with examples such as your child attempting new work in maths, making the effort to produce more written work, or having the courage to ask questions in class. Once you have a picture of the desirable future, include it with your goals. After steps 2 and 3, hopefully you have a clear picture for this individual team member of the issues they would like to work on, and the goals they would like to work towards. Now it is time to include them as a team member.
4. Member of the TeamThis might be a good time to show them the MaP Folder. Explain that you are trying to put together a more structured process where everybody who is helping your child works together. Show them who else is involved, and what they are doing. Ask them if they would mind being part of the flow of communication not just about the issues they are working on, but also about some of the other issues. See how they respond to the idea of a more formalised process that defines the team and structures the journey. If they agree to be a member of the team, you may wish to give them a small folder with copies of key documents from your MaP Folder.
5. How the Team Works TogetherIf individuals are open to the idea of being part of your child's team, ask them how they would like to communicate. The cornerstone of partnership is face-to-face meetings. How to plan, run and utilise these is something we examine in the Advanced MaP section. Discuss how often would that person like to meet with you face to face? If it is your child's teacher, ask how often you can meet for at least 1/2 hour, and go through your child's issues systematically. We recommend at least once, and preferably twice, a school term. After your have decided on the regularity of meetings, ask how communication can best occur between meetings. Is it best to send emails? Under what circumstances should you or they telephone? Can you use a home-school communication book? (NOTE, these books should ONLY be used to communicate positive information, not negative information). Next StepsBy now, you have a MaP Folder with documents to help you turn your wishes and dreams into plans and processes. You have talked to the key members of your child's team, helped them understand your child in the same way that you do, found out what they care about, set goals around these areas, asked them to join your team and explored the best ways to communicate. The next step is to put your plan into action.
( categories: )
|