What can parents and educators of gifted children do to help them build the connections that will allow them to thrive? In this article, the author suggests a few practical and simple things that parents and educators of gifted children might want to consider as they live and work with them day by day. He breaks those suggestions out into two…

A resolution meeting is a dispute resolution process that takes place after a parent files a due process complaint. Resolution meetings offer parents and school districts the opportunity to resolve issues before a due process hearing happens. This publication describes Resolution Meetings generally for Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities…

An effective and meaningful classroom for high-ability students is one in which teaching and learning is focused on meeting students' intellectual, academic, and psychosocial needs using specific strategies to impact their learning today as they prepare for tomorrow. As parents become more engaged with teachers, it also is important for them…

Getting to know one's child's teachers will help parents know where they are coming from and why they are teaching. It might also give parents insight into the relationship they have with their child or children. This article illustrates what the author means through a story. The author suggests that parents need talk to their child's teachers.…

Step-by-step, schools from the elementary through high school levels are making the transition to 21st-century learning. Some have crossed the threshold almost entirely. In today's progressive classrooms, yesterday's rows of quiet listeners have given way to small groups of active learners, thoroughly engaged in discussions and explorations. And…

A growing body of evidence suggests that family engagement matters for student success. Research shows that family engagement improves school readiness, student achievement, and social skills. Furthermore, an increasing number of innovative approaches to education leverage and connect the many settings and times in which children learn and grow to…

This study investigated interactions between pedagogical documentation--a formative assessment technique and instructional intervention designed to increase student learning by recording children's experiences--and kindergarten children, families and teachers in the UAE. The study sample comprised six teachers in six kindergarten classrooms, 141…

The school year can be an especially troublesome time for the 4.4 million U.S. children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as their inattentive, hyperactive, and impulsive behavior hampers their ability to do well and succeed in the classroom. In order to ensure children perform at their best level during the school…

Accepting the limitations of a child whose life was supposed to be imbued with endless possibilities requires parents to come to terms with expectations of themselves and the world around them. In this article, the author offers some helpful strategies for fostering acceptance and strengthening family relationships: (1) Remember that parenting is…

Many schools are beginning to use Response to Intervention (RTI) in the classroom, and educators have found that it has made a difference for many students. The purpose of RTI is to identify those children who are struggling in school and to ensure that each of those children receive just the right instruction or intervention to be successful.…

The paper reports on parent survey comments to raise awareness of teachers of children with disabilities and facilitate the parent-teacher collaborative experience. The Life Management Survey (LMS) was designed (Scorgie, Wilgosh, & McDonald, 1997) to corroborate nine themes (Scorgie, Wilgosh, & McDonald, 1996) identified through in-depth…

This paper presents some suggestions parents should consider when planning their child's Individualized Education Program (IEP). Suggestions are organized according to these sections: (1) Before the IEP team meeting; (2) At the IEP team meeting; and (3) After the IEP team meeting.

This compilation of materials and information serves as a step-by-step how-to guide to creating and building a parent cooperative preschool. After brief sections discussing where to begin and how cooperatives originated, contents explore basic considerations in planning, planning for community meetings, and the permanent organizational structure…

This exploratory study employed qualitative methodology to analyze interview data that emerged from face-to-face interviews with eight parents of four children with autism spectrum disorder. The study focused on the roles these parents played as they monitored their children's educational programs and interacted with school professionals. The…

Successful and meaningful transition services are the result of careful planning. This planning is driven by a young person's dreams, desires, and abilities. It builds a youth's participation in school, home and community living. Transition planning helps to prepare young people for their futures. It helps them to develop skills they need to go on…