A new script for working with parents

Michael Wischnowski, Saint John Fisher College
Marie Cianca, St. John Fisher College

©2012, Wischnowski Michael and Cianca Marie. JOurnal compilation ©(2012)PDK International. Original publication is available at http://www.kappanmagazine.org/content/93/6/34.abstract Used by permission

This version is pre-publication.

The final version is published as Wischnowski Michael and Cianca Marie (2012), "A new script for working with parents" Phi Delta Kappan (Advanced online publication)

Abstract

Parent/teacher relationships are fraught with potential for perilous misunderstandings amid what often are construed as conflicting interests. Perhaps that is nowhere more true than in parent/teacher relationships regarding children with disabilities. The authors report on a program at St. John Fisher College where teams of preservice teachers collaborate with parents of children with learning disabilities in an effort to give them experience in and an appreciation for collaborating with parents and negotiating the social services network.