Teamwork

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." Helen Keller

I love this quote.  I came across it during a webinar that I attended today and it so thoroughly sums up part of my personal advocacy philosophy.

When parents, educators, and advocates come together to work through a child's IEP, they are called, "The IEP Team."  Yet all too often, it becomes a situation of "us" against "them".

Our educational systems are facing serious crisis right now.  Test scores put enormous pressure on educators.  Budget cuts further reduce already limited funding.  Class sizes are increasing and hired teachers are decreasing.  As educators struggle to stretch precious resources, parents and advocates often fear that the scales are tipping against their children.

These strains are turning what should be collaborative settings into often combative ones.

Twice in the last several days, I have been told by educators that it is "scary" to have an advocate invited to an IEP.  This was concerning to me because if advocacy is done with the child in mind and with collaboration as the goal, having an advocate in the room should be seen as a benefit rather than a threat.

I'm not suggesting that every IEP meeting should start with hugs and end with bouquets of flowers.

However, I do believe that if all of the team members come together with an open mind and a willingness to collaborate, no one should leave the room with hard feelings or a sense of defeat.

One of the first things that I do when I meet with new educators is let them know that I am there for the child.  Likewise, when I take on a case I let the parents know that while I do acknowledge that they are experts on their own children, I may not always agree with what they perceive to be best.

The bottom line is this: if your focus as an advocate - whether it be for your own child or for another child - is on collaborating as a TEAM for the best interest of the CHILD, your priorities and goals will remain in tact, no matter how difficult the situation might be.

I cannot be responsible for the thoughts and actions of others, only for those of myself.  I cannot always ensure that everyone around the table will have the same "right" focus as I have.   But I can lead by example.  I can fight tirelessly for what I believe in, as long as my focus remains pure: collaborate as a team for what is in the best interest of the child.