Cathy wrote –
“Sorry, I have never blogged before, how do I post a question or comment for input?”
Don’t be sorry! You are not the only one who asked that question.
One purpose of the Wrightslaw Way is to help people develop creative solutions to their problems by getting advice and information from others. This advice comes from the comments you submit.
We encourage you to participate in the discussion. Your posts will actually appear in the comments section about articles on the blog. Anyone may comment.
Some visitors to Wrightslaw write about problems with their child’s school. Others write about their creative “win-win” solutions to school problems.
How the Blog Works…
Wrightslaw will post articles on different topics. Each new article begins a new “thread”.
If you are interested in a topic that has been posted, we encourage you to provide advice or suggestions, offer information, debate, or ask a question of your own. You do this by submitting a comment. To submit a comment:
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Participants on an interactive forum provide a wealth of information and experiences from different perspectives. This is essential to effective problem solving.
Creating a Healthy, Helpful Online Community
To solve problems, you need to have an open mind. Strong negative emotions have a negative impact on problem solving. Don’t allow yourself to get bogged down in anger, resentment, helplessness, and other negative emotions. Don’t waste your energy debating the unfairness of the situation.
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Thanks for participating in the Wrightslaw Way blog!
Pete and Pam Wright
Hi WT: I don’t recall using the term “watchdog” so you may have us confused with someone else. The term “watchdog” doesn’t have a negative connotation to me. We have two watchdogs. They protect us by letting us know when strangers come onto our property. I’m grateful for this. Watchdogs are not the same as attack dogs – they protect, but they aren’t “looking for a fight.”
We do advise parents that they represent their children’s interests – and they do. Eventually, the child will leave the public school system. If the child did not receive an appropriate education, will the teacher, principal, or special ed director come to his house to help him fill out a job application or balance his checkbook? Of course not. This is the parents’ responsibility.
In the end, parents and society are responsible for students with disabilities who cannot achieve a level of independence.
To learn about us and our philosophy, read some of the articles on the Wrightslaw site. Here is one that should help: “How to Solve Problems and Protect Parent-School Relationships”
https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/advo.probs.protect.htm
Check out the thread about Successful Advocacy by a Special Ed teacher: https://www.wrightslaw.com/blog/?p=29
Pam
Wrightslaw, I appreciate so much of what you do, but as a special education teacher (and parent), I work very hard to listen carefully to parent’s concerns and develop appropriate IEP’s and goals for the students I teach. When parents and school personnel work together as a team, everyone benefits–but when you suggest that parents act as “watchdogs”, you evoke an emotional response that suggests the parent should be looking for a fight. Granted, there are many teachers and adminstrators who could be much better educated about IEP’s, but there are also many of us who are constantly reading research, current legal rulings and reflecting on our own practice in an attempt to do what is right and appropriate for children. Please suggest that parents do their homework and become “educated advocates” for their children as PARTNERS in their child’s education.