IEP QuickTips: Reframing Weaknesses as Strengths and Needs - Brookes Blog
IEP QuickTips: Reframing Weaknesses as Strengths and Needs
July 16, 2015
Today’s tips are for: All members of IEP teams for students in grades K-12
The challenge: Starting the process of figuring out how to support a student’s learning
When you sit down with an IEP team to start the planning process, it can be tempting to start with what a student can’t do: She can’t read yet. He can’t follow the teacher’s directions. But as Mary Falvey points out in her book Believe in My Child with Special Needs!, taking a problem-focused approach defeats your goal of high expectations and creative problem-solving. Falvey notes,
“Statements that focus on the student’s weakness often result in IEPs of low or no expectations. Collaborative [IEP] teams must make a commitment to solve problems rather than admire them, reinvent them, or conclude that there are no solutions.”
It’s true–getting “stuck” on a student’s challenges can make it tough to move forward with an effective IEP that meets his or her needs. Give this a try instead: flip those immobilizing “weakness statements” into specific strengths and needs statements that point the way toward solutions.
This graphic gives you 5 great examples of what that sounds like (just give it a click to see it full size):
What do you think? Do you consciously try to flip weakness statements into strengths and needs statements during IEP meetings? What are some other ways to avoid getting stuck on what a student can’t do yet?
EXPLORE THE BOOK
Check out Mary Falvey’s book, a great resource to share with parents, especially. It’ll help them:
- understand their child’s legal rights
- pursue an inclusive education for their child, from preschool to high school and beyond
- collaborate with educators on their child’s IEP
- promote their child’s access to the general curriculum
- support their child as he or she develops friendships
- and more