Building a Collaborative Team: How Teachers and Parents Can Work Together After an Evaluation

When a child completes a psychoeducational evaluation, the results provide a roadmap for understanding their learning needs and strengths. But these results are only as effective as the team working together to implement them. This team—comprised of teachers, parents, and other support staff—plays a crucial role in helping the child thrive academically, emotionally, and socially.

Here’s a guide on how teachers and parents can build a strong, collaborative partnership to make the most of evaluation results.

Why Collaboration Matters

Collaboration between teachers and parents brings together different perspectives and insights. Teachers see a child in a structured school environment, observing academic strengths, social interactions, and classroom behavior. Parents, on the other hand, know their child’s personality, routines, and learning style in a more relaxed setting. By combining these insights, we create a more complete picture and develop effective strategies tailored to the child’s needs.

1. Start with an Open Conversation

After an evaluation, the first step is to have an open, honest conversation about the results. This is best done in a team meeting that includes the child’s parents, teachers, and the psychologist or evaluator who conducted the assessment.

• Share Key Findings: Ask the evaluator to walk everyone through the main points of the evaluation, clarifying any terms or scores. Discuss the child’s cognitive, academic, and social-emotional strengths and areas for support.

• Establish Common Goals: Identify shared goals, such as improving reading skills, enhancing focus, or building self-confidence. This gives everyone a clear vision of what success will look like.

2. Create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan

For children who qualify for special education services, an IEP or 504 Plan can formalize the support they’ll receive. This plan is developed collaboratively, detailing accommodations (like extended time on tests) and modifications (such as alternative assignments) to meet the child’s unique needs.

• Focus on Practical Accommodations: Look for accommodations that support the child’s specific challenges. For example, if a child struggles with processing speed, consider giving them extra time on assignments.

• Outline Specific Goals and Progress Monitoring: Make sure the plan includes measurable goals. For instance, if the child has difficulty with reading comprehension, a goal might be to improve comprehension scores by a certain percentage over the school year.

3. Maintain Regular Communication

Ongoing communication between parents and teachers is essential for monitoring progress and adjusting strategies as needed. Here are some ways to keep the conversation going:

• Schedule Regular Check-Ins: Set up regular meetings to discuss progress. This could be a monthly email update or a quarterly meeting, depending on the child’s needs.

• Use Communication Tools: Consider using a shared online document or app where both parents and teachers can log observations, questions, and updates. Tools like Google Docs or Seesaw make it easy to stay connected.

• Celebrate Successes: Take time to recognize the child’s achievements, no matter how small. Acknowledging growth fosters motivation and confidence.

4. Implement Classroom Strategies That Support Learning Differences

Teachers can adapt classroom practices to meet the needs identified in the evaluation. Here are some classroom strategies that support common learning differences:

• For Attention Challenges (e.g., ADHD): Use flexible seating, allow movement breaks, and provide clear, concise instructions.

• For Reading Challenges (e.g., Dyslexia): Incorporate audio books, use phonics-based programs, and offer visual supports like graphic organizers.

• For Executive Functioning Challenges: Use visual schedules, break down assignments into smaller steps, and teach time management skills with reminders and checklists.

Parents can support these strategies at home by mirroring them in a way that makes sense within the family routine.

5. Encourage Self-Advocacy and Independence

As children grow, it’s essential to teach them to understand and advocate for their needs. This is a gradual process, but it’s empowering for kids to be part of their support plan. Here’s how to encourage self-advocacy:

• Teach Your Child About Their Learning Style: Help your child understand their strengths and challenges. Explain, for instance, that needing extra time doesn’t mean they’re “slow”—it simply helps them show their best work.

• Model Self-Advocacy Skills: Encourage your child to express their needs politely and confidently. For example, they might tell their teacher, “I need a few extra minutes to finish this test.”

• Celebrate Problem-Solving Skills: Praise your child for finding solutions, like using a checklist to stay organized or taking a movement break when they feel restless.

6. Adapt as Your Child Grows

A child’s needs evolve over time, and the support strategies that work one year may need tweaking the next. As your child matures, keep an open line of communication with their teachers, and be ready to adapt.

• Review Plans Annually: At the end of each school year, review your child’s IEP or 504 Plan with the team to assess what’s working and what may need to change.

• Adjust Goals and Strategies: As children develop new skills and independence, adjust their goals to support continued growth and progress.

Helpful Resources for Collaborative Support

For more information on effective parent-teacher collaboration, consider these online resources:

• Understood.org: Resources on learning and attention issues, with advice on building strong school-home partnerships. Understood

• Wrightslaw: Detailed information on special education law, including rights and advocacy tips. Wrightslaw

• National Association of School Psychologists (NASP): Information on evaluations, IEPs, and collaboration. NASP

Recommended Books for Parents and Teachers

• Beyond Behaviors by Mona Delahooke: A compassionate guide to understanding children’s behavior through a strengths-based lens.

• The Art of Advocacy by Charmaine Thaner: A guide for parents on navigating special education and advocating for their child’s needs.

• Collaborating with Parents for Student Success by Lynne M. Scott: Tips and strategies for effective parent-teacher partnerships.

• The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson: Insights into child brain development, with strategies for supporting emotional and behavioral growth.

Final Thoughts

Building a collaborative team after an evaluation requires time, patience, and a shared commitment to the child’s success. By fostering open communication, encouraging self-advocacy, and remaining adaptable, parents and teachers can create a supportive environment that helps children reach their full potential.

Note: This blog post was thoughtfully crafted with the help of AI tools and fine-tuned by me, Dr. Burger, at the Student Evaluation Center, to ensure it meets your needs as a parent. While it’s full of insights, it’s always a good idea to reach out for personalized advice if you have specific concerns.