Getting prepared for that BIG meeting

 

If you are like most parents, when the annual IEP meeting rolls around you feel an increase of emotions. The anxiety, the defensiveness, the frustrations. Feelings that only an IEP parent can truly understand as what can be a grueling and adversarial process  sometimes. The key to staying calm and successful is being overly organized and knowing how to present your concerns and requests. I know, easier said than done when it comes to our children.  A great tool to bring to an IEP meeting is your Pre-Meeting Worksheet. A Pre-Meeting Worksheet is an organized way to help stick to the facts of the meeting and leave the emotions at the door. Within this document you will write things such as

·        Purpose of the meeting

·        Who will be attending?

·        What do you want for your child?

·        What are they proposing for your child?

·        What actions do you want them to take for your child?

·        How motivated are they to support your child’s needs.

·        What will prevent them from providing what your child needs?

·        Identify your concerns, problems that are not resolved.

·        Your child’s current test scores compared to past scores.

·        Propose a solution.

Just to name some ideas! The whole point is to start to organize your thoughts and concerns in a very concise  manner before you even step into that meeting so when you do feel the overwhelming rush of emotions you are better equipped to handle them and still remember what you need to convey to the team. IEP meetings take a lot of focus, being overly prepared is a solid way to become a stronger advocate for your child against a system that sometimes plays by their own rules. Always remember its better to bring someone with you too, either a family member, friend or advocate. An extra set of ears makes sure that information doesn't get lost in the emotions.

 

Comments

Sue said…
Great ideas for keeping to the point. Keeps sidetracking to a minimum and makes sure you get the most out of the meeting!!!!
May 5, 2023 at 1:02 PM
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