Chapter Seven: ​Parents: The Gold Standard

Chapter Seven emphasizes the importance of collaborating with parents/family members because
if anything, they can be used as educational resources to better teach and meet the needs of their
children. There were lots of important ideas throughout this chapter that are beneficial for any
future and current educator to consider.

One thing that I had not thought about previously is how inclusion (or the lack thereof) can affect
a student’s family. Because of a change within the school, Trevor and his mom were both
included in the community outside of the school. Also, a quote that really stuck out to me was
when Elizabeth said to the general education teacher, “‘All I ask is that you believe in him; this
will take you far in educating him.’” I think this is a strong reminder to educators that even just
believing in a student can go a long way. It will give teachers motivation and determination that
is so necessary in the world of education. Finally, this chapter also brings to light how parent
collaboration had a positive impact on Trevor’s education.

Something I heard recently was that “people always assume the worst.” Tonya’s and David’s
story reminded me of this idea. Because educators had not been willing to work with David’s
mother more effectively previously, they assumed the worst - that she was not interested in
meeting with them and they would not be able to get her to participate in a meeting for David.
This is where the importance of parent collaboration comes in - simply talking to Tonya and
working with her in a productive way is the key takeaway from this story. Parents know their
students best. They can help us help their children. Making an effort to create positive
relationships with family members might be close to or just as important as creating positive
relationships with students. And it is so important to remember that parents are doing the best
they can.

One last reminder and takeaway I got from this chapter, specifically from Brian and Brenda’s
story was: “Many of the traditionalist professionals she’s dealt with have dug in their heels,
closing their ears, minds, and hearts to what she has to say.” Closed-mindedness blocks the
pathway for growth, which as educators and people in general, we should always strive to learn
and do/be better! Especially if it is for the good of our students. We should encourage ourselves
as well as the people around us to be open-minded.