Assignment 1 and 2

Please look at both attachments for directions and No Plagiarism. The PowerPoint is for reading purposes.  

Assignment 1

Students will be required to research their state’s education law. This project will be divided between two modules of this course. Each part of this research project will include categories that must be researched and summarized in one page per category. 

Investigating Education Law in Your State: Michigan is my state

As mentioned in chapter 1, education is primarily a matter left to the states. To gain a thorough knowledge of special education law and education law, therefore, students should investigate their state’s laws, regulations, rules, and guidelines that implement the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, No Child Left Behind/Every Student Succeed Act, and other education-related matters. This information can be found on websites of state departments of education and state law and regulation sections in law libraries. Investigating laws in your state is an important way for students to gain a complete understanding of education law. 

 Research Categories: 
(Each category must be summarized in one page per category using APA format.)

· State requirements regarding the Individualized Education Programs.

· State guidelines for disciplining students with disabilities. 

Explain using APA format (include a title page, in-text citation from the IRIS module, and a reference page). You can find more guidance on using APA format in the 
APA Format folder. All assignments that are not in APA format will be subjected to point deductions.

Assignment 2

Instructions Your response should be between 375 – 500 words and Times New Roman 12 point font, include a cover page, and a reference page. The Cover page should include:

Reema is one of the best students in your 3rd-grade class. She is very polite, kind, and helpful to others. Recently, you have noticed that she is always tired and showing signs of carelessness. As a result, her 
performance in your class is suffering. You have not seen any signs of physical abuse on her body.

Last week, she was rude and did not follow your directions. You spoke to her alone. Few days later, she again repeated the behavior 
and did not complete her assignments. This time, you told her that you have to call her home. She started to cry and said, “Please do not call home, I will do anything you tell me to do. I will put the chairs back, I will pick up all supplies, and sweep the floor. Please, please do not call my parents.” As a new teacher, you have never experienced a student behaving in such a manner.

You met with the school counselor and found out that Reema’s dad is very sick and her family is going through hardship. She has two younger siblings and her mom is working two jobs to support the family. You would like to help Reema.

First, teacher-parent conferences are scheduled 10 days from today. Her parents have signed up to meet with you. What steps would you take in the next 10 days to monitor Reema’s behavior and why? How will you show her that you care and want to help her? What information will you provide to her parents (mom)? Please support your response from readings and videos (cite using APA format).

Working with Parents

Comprehensive Classroom Management: Creating Communities of Support and Solving Problems
Eleventh Edition
Vern Jones and Louse Jones

Developed by Karen Cole, Ph.D.
University of North Carolina Asheville

Family/caregiver support for students’ school experiences…

affects students’ academic success, their in-school behavior, their motivation, and the probability that they will finish high school.

can be encouraged by teachers who communicate respect for students families, their cultures, and their roles in the students’ education.

enhances student learning when teachers help parents in understanding school culture and supporting school expectations.

Parents, families, and caregivers…

will differ in their understandings of what it means to support students throughout the school experience.

will differ in the amounts of time and energy they have to devote to their students’ educational experiences.

may have different standards for behavior than those set forth by the school, and may need help understanding and supporting the school’s behavioral standards.

reflect myriad family structures and dynamics, all of which teachers need to understand and respect.

*

Teachers who cultivate relationships with students’ families often find that…

student attitudes are improved.

parent acknowledgment of the importance of school success significantly impacts students’ achievement.

when a student behavior change is called for, parental support can facilitate the success of interventions.

caregivers and family members can serve as valuable resources by providing assistance and expertise in the classroom.

Teacher Challenges in Establishing Effective Relationships

Parents can be emotionally demanding.

Interactions with parents take time.

Teachers can be intimidated by parents.

Parents may not hold teachers in high esteem and may be critical or demanding.

Sometimes language/communication barriers lead to awkwardness.

Teachers often contact parents to report problems or issues rather than positives/accomplishments.

In interactions with parents, teachers should…

maintain a high level of communication, finding efficient ways to keep in touch with parents.

provide a high ratio of positive to negative feedback.

listen carefully to concerns, requests, and criticism.

recognize that parents are the experts when it comes to their children.

be especially mindful of the nature and quality of family interactions across cultural and socioeconomic groups.

To create trust with parents and caregivers, teachers should…

remember that teachers often have more social capital than parents/family members.

be sensitive to the anxiety parents may have when facing a teacher who has evaluative knowledge about their child.

focus more on listening and less on telling.

ask parents their goals for their children.

learn more about the students by interacting with the parents.

Early teacher contact with parents/families should…

provide the opportunity for all parties to get to know one another.

be warm, inviting, respectful, and validating.

solicit information that will help the teacher engage with and support the student.

provide information that will help the parent/caregiver support the student’s school efforts.

be developed as a way to celebrate successes and prevent later issues.

Consider engaging parents through the use of…

introductory letters and/or phone calls.

home visits when appropriate.

social events at school (e.g., open house, ice cream social).

involving them in the classroom (e.g., tutoring, chaperoning, providing special lessons).

involving them outside the classroom (e.g., research, materials preparation).

Teachers must protect student privacy in all situations.

Relationships are stronger when teachers…

contact the parent directly with specific, personalized invitations to any event.

communicate in ways that convince parents that their participation is truly welcome and important.

give parents meaningful information about classroom expectations, curriculum, instructional activities, etc.

communications are made in the parents’ native language whenever possible.

commit to ongoing communication with family members.

Parent contacts and conferences…

are often an important factor in parental satisfaction with their student’s school experiences.

should be summarized/logged in a way that preserves pertinent details.

are more likely to be positive experiences if the teacher is well-prepared.

should be communicated about openly with students to maintain transparency and trust.

should provide parents with understandable data and examples of student work to the extent possible.

Topics for Parent Communications

Academic progress of the student

Grades
Quality of assignments
Regularity of attendance/assignment submission

Behavior in class/school

Successes and areas of focus
Social interactions

Student self-evaluations (if desirable)

Parent input/questions

Effective conferences…

take place in a comfortable setting.

when possible, seat participants next to one another rather than across from one another.

start with a sincere welcome and chat.

share positive statements about the student.

involve the student as appropriate.

address parental questions.

provide collaborative problem-solving as needed.

are summarized and followed up on.

When parents are highly emotional, critical, and/or confrontational…

ensure the conference takes place in a safe space where assistance is readily available.

greet them warmly.

utilize active listening as a way to diffuse strong emotion.

avoid appearing defensive or argumentative; remain calm.

ask parents what they would like to see happen.

set a time limit prior to the meeting if necessary.

When parents are highly emotional, critical, and/or confrontational (cont)…

ask if the student is aware of the problem.

be honest, clear, and objective.

emphasize data.

tell the parent what will be done in response to the problem.

If the parents are dissatisfied, schedule a follow-up conference involving school administrators or other personnel who may help resolve the situation

When working with parents of English Language Learners…

read and research the student’s native culture to develop an understanding of cultural influences.

avoid the tendency to shy away from interactions as a way of avoiding awkwardness.

provide for translation/interpretation and bilingual materials as often as possible.

engage with family members outside of the school.

recognize the differences in power between school personnel and individuals from the non-dominant culture.