I am in my second year of teacher and would like advise on how to run a successful IEP meeting. What things do you do to make parents and team members comfortable? How do you keep a meeting moving along and not waste time discussing someones garden?
Re: IEP Meetings
I take some type of clock that has an alarm because if you set a time to be finished chances are you will make that time, but if not, the meetings could go on forever. We have our computers with us and go through screen by screen. I like the idea of the laminated copy to show the parents, because sometimes you can’t get everybody around one computer. I teach high school so we take the diploma options charts to show parents what a graduate with each type is entitled to do after high school. We have learning communities and it is helpful to have brochures from each community. We have a wonderful vocational school (half day) so I have their brochure as well.
Re: IEP Meetings
A successful IEP meeting is very important to a student’s academic future and should be taken seriously by all members involved. A suggestion on planning a successful meeting is to make sure who needs to be on the team. Who does the family want to be there and what other school personnel should be there such as regular education teachers. It is a good idea to keep a checklist of issues and ideas you want to discuss and check them off as you go through the meeting. Use the checklist like an outline for the meeting. Another idea is to be flexible with the time for an IEP. Parents cannot always be there when you would like for them to so keep that in mind when planning a time. Before the meeting begins set the length of time you want the meeting to last and try not to go over. A timer is very helpful. Try to keep the purpose and goal of the IEP in mind and maybe that will help in keeping the meeting on track.
An agenda is very helpful. Get some chart paper and hang it from the wall, crossing off items as you go.
One of the other things I used to do is have a section of chart paper for each section of the IEP- what do we know about… How will we help… and How will we know we have succeeded?… Then we would fill in the sections as we go. It is helpful if you are not functioning as both the recorder and the facilitator- maybe someone else, like a classroom teacher- could record. When you are finished, you essentially have your IEP written- you just need to go and type it. A friend of mine uses her computer to this and projects it on the wall. Another teacher I know has laminated forms for people to look at while the team goes through the process. I like the chart paper because it feels as if everyone is writing the IEP and I can use color coding etc. to highlight the accommodations vs the direct services.
Robin