Describe the range of emotions associated with being the parent of a child with special needs. Select two emotional states and describe how you as a teacher would you work with a parent experiencing these emotions.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The parent of a child with special needs can experience any of these emotions:
Denial, anxiety, fear, depression, guilt, anger.
I would like to focus specifically on denial and fear. I have seen through my experiences parents who are in denial that their child has some sort of special needs. If I were the teacher of a student who was in this position, I would be extremely careful and thoughtful in what I would tell the parents. I am not a doctor, so I do not feel that it is my job to break the news to the parents that their child has some kind of disability. IT is my job to do the best that I can with the student in the time that I have them. I would make sure that I have the parents try to do what they can at home with their student if he/she seems to be struggling in certain areas. I would ask those who are veteran teachers and have been put in this kind of situation before.
If I were the teacher of a parent who was experiencing a lot of fear for their child who has some sort of disability, I would be very supportive and positive in all the things I would say to them about their child. I wouldn’t want to focus on how their student has to do things differently-though I would mention it because it can be very beneficial for their knowledge if it was working well for their child. I would be sure to show the parents how their child is progressing throughout the school year and show them some of their best work. I would assure them that their child is making great strides in my classroom and ask them what they hope their child reaches this school year and maybe even ask them things they would like their child to improve on with the time I have with them.