PARENT INPUT FORM

Washington State has a Parent Input Form that request the parents provide information on the student’s strengths, student’s interests and parental concerns prior to the IEP meeting.  In addition to being an information tool, The Parent Input Form encourages parents to reflect prior to the meeting and shows value for their opinion. In addition to using for IEPs, I plan to send the form to all of my parents at the beginning of the school year and anytime I have an addition to my roster. Please copy the spreadsheet and use the Parent Input Form to start Dialogue.

Efficiency, Effectiveness and DIALOGUE

I have just finished reviewing and editing seventy-five assessments on my website.  When I first started creating Google Doc Assessments, I was seeking efficiency by simply converting the "paper and pencil" model to online and using formulas to calculate scores.  Using the Google Doc assessments has definitely made the collection and reporting of data more efficient.  Effectiveness has improved as the assessments I have collected have increased the amount of factors considered and often lead to both areas of weaknesses and strengths that probably would not have been discovered.  Most importantly DIALOGUE has been created often leading to collaboration.  Semantics matter.  DIALOGUE versus negotiation.  Collaboration versus cooperation.  The google Doc Assessments has not saved me time but it has made my time more productive.  The purpose of assessment is not to simply report data.  The data should serve as a spark for DIALOGUE among all stakeholders, most importantly the student and parent(s).  Once started, DIALOGUE is easy to continue and leads to positive relationships and self determination for both students and parents.  I have been thinking about the importance of parent modeling of self determination.  If the parent is not involved in their child's education, how can we expect the student to have a high level of self determination?  Facilitate parent modeling of self determination during the creation of the IEP by having the parents choose which assessments to complete and sharing the data prior to the meeting.  When possible have the student complete the same or similar assessment and compare the results. If you have copied assessments in the past,  please consider copying the updated versions.  There is a way to make the formula rows copy automatically but it is complicated and I feel it is easier to simply copy as they are entered.  The website has videos that show how to copy assessments and copy formula rows.  Go to the website and and create some DIALOGUE and please send me assessments you would like to have converted.