How to Advocate for Your Child

Parents and teachers should be partners in working to inspire learning and growth in children. Continuous communication between parents and teachers is essential for this partnership to work. This toolkit provides advice on how parents can effectively communicate with teachers about behavioral and emotional challenges, academics, and other concerns.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Tips for Successful Parent-Teacher Conferences at Your Child's School:  Helpful advice for your next parent-teacher conference. 

Conversation Starters to Use with Your Child's Teachers:  This website includes a collection of articles with conversation starters to use when addressing issues with your child's teachers.

Parent-Teacher Conferences: Tips for Teachers:  How teachers can successfully communicate with parents during conferences.

New Teachers: How to Talk to Parents:  How new and young teachers can effectively respond to the statement, "You don't have any children, do you?" 

Special Education

The Laws that Protect Your Child with Special Needs:   information on laws that protect students with disabilities. 

How to get your Child an Individualized Education Program (IEP): Fact sheet to guide parents on what is an IEP and what goes into one.

Navigating the IEP Process: Tips for helping your child get an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). 

Working & Communicating with Parents of Special Education Students:  Lessons for teachers about how to sensitively communicate with parents about special education.

Website

National Association for the Education of Young Children: This website provides resources and information for teachers, parents, and other professionals related to educating young kids. 

 

Fact Sheets

Tips for Talking with Parents about Developmental Concerns: This pdf contains top tips for talking with parents about concerns for a child's development.

Sharing Concerns - If you suspect a developmental delay or autism, speak up! A fact sheet with information about how to address developmental delays in children.

Guide

Addressing parents' concerns and complaints effectively: policy and guides: This guide goes through how to address parents' complaints effectively in a school setting. 

 

In this TED Talk, Azul Terronez talks about the quality that makes a good teacher great. This TED Talk is a great resource for professionals to reflect on how they can do their best. 

Approaching your child's teacher can be a stressful but necessary step in getting your child's needs meet. Remember that you and your child's teacher are a essential partners in your child's education. 

This video discusses how to handle roadblocks when advocating for your child. 

Electronic Resources

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Tips for Successful Parent-Teacher Conferences at Your Child's School:  Helpful advice for your next parent-teacher conference. 

Conversation Starters to Use with Your Child's Teachers:  This website includes a collection of articles with conversation starters to use when addressing issues with your child's teachers.

Parent-Teacher Conferences: Tips for Teachers:  How teachers can successfully communicate with parents during conferences.

New Teachers: How to Talk to Parents:  How new and young teachers can effectively respond to the statement, "You don't have any children, do you?" 

Special Education

The Laws that Protect Your Child with Special Needs:   information on laws that protect students with disabilities. 

How to get your Child an Individualized Education Program (IEP): Fact sheet to guide parents on what is an IEP and what goes into one.

Navigating the IEP Process: Tips for helping your child get an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). 

Working & Communicating with Parents of Special Education Students:  Lessons for teachers about how to sensitively communicate with parents about special education.

Website

National Association for the Education of Young Children: This website provides resources and information for teachers, parents, and other professionals related to educating young kids. 

 

Fact Sheets

Tips for Talking with Parents about Developmental Concerns: This pdf contains top tips for talking with parents about concerns for a child's development.

Sharing Concerns - If you suspect a developmental delay or autism, speak up! A fact sheet with information about how to address developmental delays in children.

Guide

Addressing parents' concerns and complaints effectively: policy and guides: This guide goes through how to address parents' complaints effectively in a school setting. 

 

In this TED Talk, Azul Terronez talks about the quality that makes a good teacher great. This TED Talk is a great resource for professionals to reflect on how they can do their best. 

Approaching your child's teacher can be a stressful but necessary step in getting your child's needs meet. Remember that you and your child's teacher are a essential partners in your child's education. 

This video discusses how to handle roadblocks when advocating for your child.