Running IEP meetings can be intimidating for even the most experienced teachers. When you’re a new teacher about to enter your first meeting though, it is even more overwhelming.
That’s when the advice of veteran teachers is needed and appreciated. Running an IEP meeting does not have to be a scary endeavor – especially if you follow the suggestions of those who have been doing the work long before you.
It does not matter if the rest of the IEP is going to be challenging and present news that the parents do not particularly want to hear, always start the meeting by saying something positive about the child.
An IEP meeting presents a lot of information and it can be emotionally taxing for families. End the meeting with a positive about the child, whether it be a short story or an example of his accomplishments, and parents will perk right up.
While parents are legally part of the IEP team, it’s always nice and appreciated to thank them for coming and for their support. It helps to create an “us” situation versus a situation where there are multiple sides.
You may be nervous, but smile! A friendly face goes a long way to helping set the tone and quell the fears of families.
Here is a short snippet from one of the trainings inside of TII membership about surviving IEP season:
If you’re looking for more specifics on IEP like general education collaboration and functional behavior assessments – you’re in the right place!
You can join The Intentional IEP to gain access to over 150+ different IEP related trainings, and access to our IEP Goal Bank. Click the image above to join!
If possible, send home notes and make a call home to let families know what to expect during the meeting. Opening those lines of communication before the family even steps foot in the school building helps a lot to set the tone.
While it is important to communicate with your parents, not only is it important to make sure the communication is productive, but it is also important to document that communication. Get access to these successful communication resources by joining The Intentional IEP here or clicking the image above.
You may know everyone at the table and the parents may have heard names before, but chances are that they have not put all of the faces to the names yet. Take the time to introduce everyone – including yourself and the parents!
Until you develop a flow and know exactly what you want to touch on and how you want your IEP meetings to go, read the IEP word for word. It’s better to give too much information rather than skip sections and not give enough.
There should be a very clear agenda, organized papers, and a plan for the IEP meeting. You want to portray yourself as the confident, organized person that you are – even if it is your first IEP meeting!
Need help getting organized for your IEP meetings? The IEP Toolkit can help! It has everything you need to plan and run an organized IEP meeting. Check it out HERE!
Take the time during the meeting to ask parents about their concerns, observations, and goals for their students. Truly listen and validate hearing what they have said. Be sure to document everything that is said and discussed in the meeting.
There are a lot of acronyms in special education and they can get overwhelming and confusing for parents and even your general ed teachers. Instead of speaking in educational jargon and tossing acronyms around with abandon, explain everything clearly so that everyone in the room knows what you are talking about.
It may sound silly, but practicing the IEP meeting and what you will be saying out loud can help a lot. A private run-through of everything that you are covering can help you identify areas where you need to beef up explanations or places that you can speed through.
Running an IEP meeting for the first time is intimidating, but by following the advice above, you will ace it in no time. Remember, you can do this!
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