Getting the Parents Involved!

If you're told that you will be teaching a student with autism for the year, there are many different things that you should consider planning and looking at ahead of time. First, having a meeting with the student' parents is a great way to get to know about the student because their parents definitely know the child best! A parent will be able to advocate for their child's interest, tell you what works well with them, what stresses their child out and what their goals are for their child (3). Parental participation will definitely help you when planning programs that will meet the needs of their child!

Parents are able to provide valuable information about many key aspects that affect how a student participates at school, such as (Chart from 3, 19):

• Developmental history
  
• Health issues
  
• The range of professionals who are or have
  been involved with the student and the
  services provided
  
• Their child’s likes, dislikes, special interests,
  and sensory sensitivities
  
• Effective positive reinforcers and motivators
  Teachers should secure appropriate consents from parents regarding personal information about students. 
•  How the student has learned skills at home
•  Behaviour and communication strategies that have been successful at home and in other environments
• Student performance across settings and over different periods of time
• Perspectives on the student’s personality.