Denice Tucker, OTR
Manager, School-Based Therapy Services, Harris County
Dept. of Education
Have you ever been in an ARD meeting and the
parent brings an advocate or lawyer? How do you feel?
Nervous, anxious, scared? Very real emotions, but here are
some points to consider.
· Parents can invite anyone they choose to the ARD meeting
– you have no control over that. You can only control how you respond. Try to
remember the parents are doing what they believe is in the best interest of
their child.
· Make a practice of addressing ALL members of the ARD
committee when speaking. Lawyers and advocates may be intimidating, but they are
not voting members of the ARD committee. Advocates and lawyers are generally
paid by parents to seek solutions the parents desire, and they may use
adversarial methods that promote discord to do so.
· Prior to the ARD meeting, make sure you have thorough
knowledge of the student, collect progress data to share with the team, and take
some time to consider questions or concerns that may come up during the
discussion.
· Prior to the ARD meeting, it is a good idea to practice
articulating your role as a related service provider in the educational setting
and explaining your recommendations for service. Role play can help you prepare
for responses to concerns that may arise.
· When others disagree, don’t be afraid to reaffirm your
position if you feel the data supports your point of view. However, be open to
changing your mind if you hear relevant new information..
· Ask questions of the parents, advocate, or attorney
using language such as “Help me understand your concern,” or “What do you
envision I would be doing?” Listen carefully, and then craft your response,
respectfully explaining how you (and/or others) are or will address the
concerns.
· Limit your explanations and comments to the questions
asked -- be brief and to the point.
· Speak only when spoken to-don’t invite controversy by
saying something that doesn’t need to be said.
Take a deep
breath and relax when questions are directed to you, it’s not about you.
11/2/2015
