Lack of Parent-Teacher Communication Regarding Children with Special Needs

Background

The Parent Association also commended the Education of All Handicapped Children of 1975. In 1990 the Parent Association re-enacted the Education of All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. These projects required guardians of children with special needs to determine whether the individualized education program (IEP) was in line with the principles of the state achievement for their young children. Families had to be involved in all areas of the arrangement of schooling for their youth. Therefore, in his sociocultural theory, Lev Vygotsky stressed the relationship between people and their physical and social environment. The social and cultural influences for his development and learning factors are plentiful. People are surrounded by family members and affected by the culture they live in. In their learning and development, children interact with their family members because their first teacher is family, and their first learning in the community is carried out. That is why through this interaction, children gain knowledge of the world (Dameh, 2015).

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With the rising popularity of inclusive education, particularly for special needs children and the limited population of special education teachers are available to teach the general education classroom. It is now becoming increasingly essential to educate teachers to work with students with disabilities comfortably. Parents should be educated on parent involvement to be knowledgeable about the schooling process of their children. The roots of poor co-parenting between parents and teachers lack proactive support from both parties. Some schools lack policies that promote parent involvement in school curriculums. Others have no available teacher and parent training programs to encourage cohesion (Koch, 2020). Every school calls for joint planning, policy development, and goal-setting meetings between them and parents to improve their welfare. However, some have irregular communication patterns that contribute to a delayed approach to issues that can effectively affect children. Also, regular evaluation of programs that enhance co-parenting and better learning is essential for better performance for children.

Lack of monitoring eventually grows to poor parenting for both parents and teachers. These factors serve as foundational causes of poor co-parenting of children with special needs. Some entities imagine that teaching to be a two-way association between teachers and students. Education does not only involve teacher-student interactions. There is a need for multidisciplinary collaboration among teachers, specialists, administrators, and parents. Parental collaboration can be exhibited in different ways, where some may be committed to daily communication while others never communicate. A child with a disability needs additional attention. Therefore, there is a need to collaborate with teachers and parents to navigate teaching and learning. For some countries, parent-teacher collaboration, participation, and interaction are apparent (Logsdon, 2021).

However, for others, it is a developing and novel concept. Token collaboration is the least amount, but it is not enough. The roles of teachers and parents towards children with special needs should be a shared responsibility and not a one-way task or responsibility. Emphasizes is that teachers should consider the parents’ views of educating a special needs child because they may be preoccupied with their teaching roles, including learning about philosophy, pedagogy, child development, and more encompassing in the preparation programs. However, parents of students with disabilities have fears, concerns, and expectations that are very often different and, sometimes, more pressing than those of typically developing students. Teachers should also consider parental experiences and include them in learning about the complexities of the unique education system (Spearman, 2018).

Why might involvement have a research problem?

Parent participation falls as students grow older, making it less in high schools than in primary schools. If parenting is so helpful, why is it not more widely used than it is now? There are several reasons for this lack of involvement from the parent and the school. One of the reasons is that the school system does not understand non-traditional families. The non-traditional family struggles to deal with numerous factors affecting each family member. This can influence the way a family can participate in the education of the student.

Another cause of lack of participation is an embarrassment. Parents may not speak English or may not be illiterate. If not impossible, this could make communication difficult. Memories of school failure of the parent are another source of embarrassment. The parent may not had wanted to go back to a place that only reminded him or her failures (Lynch, 2016).

The problem is that despite the emphasized effectiveness and importance of involvement in special education, there is a minimal parental support for children with special needs. The minimal child’s support from parents results from the point that most parents prefer school settings rather than direct engagement. Some parents view their children with special needs as a burden and, therefore, render them to the teacher for replaced care.

Research emphasizes the need to develop families’ partnerships by engaging in effective teacher-parent communication, asking for parent’s input in decisions about their children. The urge for co-parenting between parents and teachers towards children with special needs has not been fully satisfied (Logsdon, 2021). The acts of parents missing Parent’s Day has limited parents from engaging in school activities, and this has disempowered parents to address their needs. Additionally, there have been fewer efforts to enhance the parents’ awareness level through education, which has further decreased reassurance for their child’s education (Odongo, 2018). The creation of social awareness on disability matters has been neglected and needs instant revival. It would be good to put forward the need for advocacy to support children with disabilities and their families. The genesis of this research aims at resolving the negligence of duty among parents whose children have special needs.

Evidence of the problem in Sumter

In Sumter, various barriers to education deter parental involvement, including feelings of intimidation by populations of parents, school meetings are being held at times inappropriate for parental involvement, and parents lack transportation to attend school events (Spearman, 2018). Combining these barriers can create an unequal partnership between parents and their children’s schools, and this disparity involvement is more pronounced in rural areas.

Many parents of children with disabilities are unable to access vital services for their children due to stigma, poverty and a lack of useful knowledge of the existence of resources and services. For example, a report compiled by the South Carolina Education Department in 2018 indicated that parents and families are actively involved in their child’s or children’s education, especially those with special needs; despite their background, these children performed poorly in school. This can be the opposite for students whose parents are actively involved in their child’s education. Some parents usually have a low feeling of ownership, therefore displaying a minimal sense of support. Some teachers can get overwhelmed with the high number of children in classrooms, and these children with special needs do not receive the same kind of attention they deserve.

Evidence of the problem from the literature

Parents do not engage fully in the planning process of their child’s education. The effect of engaging parents in special education programs highlights that parents can be present in their child’s or child’s IEP meetings but are not participating in their planning objectives, evaluation, and intervention conditions. However, it is critical to assume collective responsibility. In a survey conducted in Minnesota, 71% of the parents were generally active, but only 14% provided specific opinions (Koch, 2020). Parents were concerned that little to none of their concerns were considered in the Plan for Independent Family Service- which caused their voices to be undervalued. Primarily, a small population of families involved in school matters is satisfied with school-based services. Sometimes, the lack of involvement may be blamed on a teachers’ view about parents’ involvement. For instance, when educators believe that the traditional family roles are applied, South Korean fathers’ participation in their child’s school is highly regarded that the country considered parental school-participation leave.

Teachers ould learn from parents and vice-versa to ensure an excellent home-school balance for special needs children. Some teachers have been inconsiderate of the parents’ affairs regarding their children (Sukys et al., 2015). Teachers should consider parents’ feelings because this will give them a different viewpoint. This approves by insisting that “teachers also need to know about parents, their practices with children at home, their ways of following up with their child’s learning, and conduct, etc.” Also, parents love their children despite their disability and would not want to dwell on their challenges. Furthermore, parents viewed their children as regular children, and teachers’ actions and words should be robust and practical tools.

Lack of Parent-Teacher Communication Regarding Children with Special Needs

Benefits of addressing the problem

Many things can be done to enhance parental involvement in a secondary school, but the success of each program is directly linked to the principal’s support and encouragement. ‘Principles contribute to the mutual understanding of parents and other educators. “The ultimate responsibility for harmonizing the school with the home lies with the principal.” With the school more aware of the circumstances of non-traditional families, there can be better communications. The school can allow parents to take care of parenting and teaching responsibilities (Spearman, 2018).

Active parental support is linked to better educational outcomes in educating children with or without disabilities in inclusive education programs. According to research, family support is associated with higher examination scores, positive school attitudes, academic perseverance, lower suspension or dropout cases, and improved academic performance. Inclusion forms the right path for the education of any disabled child, and additionally, it shows that this highly talked about the inclusive environment is complex to put together. Parents do matter in the inclusive framework because, as vital partners, they contribute much to the community, and schools. Educators’ work does matter as parent leaders, parent mentors, models of commitments to excellence in education, and they matter every day as they influence to support their children’s academic achievement.

Parents’ involvement can also be based on factors affecting student achievement. This explains the factors affecting student achievement, including the external and internal factors. In this context, external factors such as home environment, family understanding, economic condition, cultural background, family interrelationship, and teacher-student connection are what parents need to comprehend to promote a child’s learning achievement. This understanding is vital for parents to know the factors influencing learning involvement for them to get involved in finding what derails and promotes education. This will provide the support necessary for the best learning achievement and motivation.

Lack of Parent-Teacher Communication Regarding Children with Special Needs

Problem statement

Schools need to understand that parents do not necessarily disregard their responsibilities because they do not have to participate. They just do not have the time, resources, and expertise to help. Often at school, parents don’t feel welcome. It is essential and unappreciated on what they may have to offer. Furthermore, parents may not believe that they know the school is interested in learning. This is particularly true if the parent does not receive much education. The parent may also not be interested in school or their child’s education (Sukys et al., 2015). This is when the parent is excluded

Most of the schools with or without special needs children consider parents’ involvement in the parenting process as a critical undertaking. However, multiple issues contribute to the poor shared parenting between parents and teachers of children with special needs. Unfortunately, many meetings are never designed to be parent-friendly. Some of the barriers include the insufficiency of time during the Parents’ Day for individuals to interact, and it has nothing to contribute towards the planning of meetings. The highlights that some parents do not comprehend the planning processes and services offered by a school system; therefore, they never know how to get involved meaningfully. In some instances, parents’ and teachers’ differences arise due to language and cultural differences, which may cause miscommunication and misunderstandings. These situations make the parents feel less welcomed at a school’s meeting. These, among other many factors, contribute to the prolonged distance between parents and teachers. The lack of appropriate collaboration between two parties fosters poor parenting towards children in need of special care. The surrounding becomes unsuitable for a child or children’s success in their academics (Bariroh, 2018).

Parents that are entirely involved in their children’s school support at any level have chances to understand more about their child or children’s how they study and how to enhance their success in academics. Further, parents can share their knowledge and information with teachers to better understand strategies suitable for specific special needs children or an individual child. Also, the information exchange offers a more holistic image for children and offers knowledge and services that can meet the entire family’s needs. This study aims to create a holistic understanding and encourage shared responsibility between parents and teachers towards children with special needs. It can also promote parents with a comprehension of complete option arrays and accessibility in the school and community (Shourbagi, 2017).

This understanding will promote a more supportive environment for children and confident parenting among parents. Further, the study focuses on enhancing a school’s outlook and teachers from a parent’s perspective. More parents need to view the schooling environment positively for the complete success of their child or children. Moreover, parents will be able and willing to communicate, discuss, compromise, and mediate any conflict in school. Besides, a teachers’ morale can be enhanced as a close association between parents and teachers as this can promote higher ratings.

Purpose of study

Parental involvement is beneficial, and it is obvious. It can benefit a student in question when teachers, the school, the parents, the community, and other children in the family are involved. The school system should do everything possible to encourage parents to participate. This also applies to a school director. He or she is the school’s motor, and it is his or her direction that leads teachers towards stressing the importance of parental participation (Bariroh, 2018).

This study aims to create a holistic understanding and encourage shared responsibility between parents and teachers towards children with special needs. It can also promote parents with comprehension complete option arrays available and accessibility in the school and community. This understanding will enable a more supportive environment for children and confident parenting among parents. Further, the study focuses on enhancing a school’s outlook and teachers from a parent’s perspective. More parents need to view the schooling environment positively for the complete success of their child or children. Moreover, parents will be able and willing to communicate, discuss, compromise, and mediate any conflict in school. Besides, a teachers’ morale can be enhanced as a close association between parents and teachers as this can promote higher ratings (Bariroh, 2018).

A student is the key person. Everything the parent does is to improve the student. Effectual are ways of helping children, families and schools work together in order to enable students to make their best efforts should be emphasized.

Lack of Parent-Teacher Communication Regarding Children with Special Needs

References

Bariroh, S. (2018). The influence of parents’ involvement on children with special needs’ motivation and learning achievement. International Education Studies, 11(4), 96-114.

Dameh, B. A. (2015). The impact of parent involvement practices in special education programs. Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership, 2-114. https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/edad_etds/11/.

Koch, K. A. (2020). The parent’s voice cannot be undervalued: Pre-service teachers’ observations after listening to the experiences of parents of students with disabilities. Societies, 1-22.

Logsdon, A. (2021). The critical role of parents in special education. https://www.verywellfamily.com/parental-importance-special-education-2162701

Lynch, M. (2016). The power of parents: A primer on parental involvement. The Edvocate. https://www.theedadvocate.org/power-parents-primer-parental-invollvement/

Odongo, G. (2018). Barriers to parental/family participation in the education of a child with disabilities in Kenya. International Journal of Special Education, 33 (1), 21-33.

Shourbagi, S. E. (2017). Parental involvement in inclusive classrooms for students with learning disabilities at Omani schools as perceived by teachers. Department of Psychology, Journal Psychol Cognition, 2 (2),133-137. http://doi.org/10.35841/psychology-cognition.2.2.133-137.

Spearman, M.M. (2018). Parent involvement report. State of South Carolina Department of Education. https://www.scstatehouse.gov/reports/DeptofEducation/Parent%20Involvement%20Report%202018%20FINAL.pdf.

Sukys, S., Dumciene, A., & Lapeniene, D. (2015). Parental involvement in inclusive education of children with special educational needs. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal 43(2), 327-338. http://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2015.43.2

Lack of Parent-Teacher Communication Regarding Children with Special Needs