Parent voice: Supporting families with special needs

Parent voice: Supporting families with special needs

Author: Ethical Schools September 17, 2020 Duration: 51:00

Ellen McHugh, long time activist and Public Advocate Williams’s appointee to the NYC Citywide Council on Special Education, delves into the challenges facing parents of students with special education needs. Ethical relationships among educators, parents, and the students themselves are crucial to these students’ success. Too often educators minimize the importance of parental input even though the law requires that they be equal partners in their children’s educational planning. Remote and hybrid learning has added new obstacles to and opportunities for partnerships between parents and educators.

Overview

00:00-00:43 Intros
00:43-02:25 Parent to Parent
02:25-04:08 Deficit model
04:08-06:18 Impact of deficit model on teaching
06:18-09:18 Looking at a child as a whole person
09:18-15:35 Respect for parents
15:35-19:43 Effects of the shift to remote learning
19:43-20:48 Program Adaptation Document (PAD)
20:48-23:26 Integrated Co-Teaching class
23:26-32:30 PAD, continued
32:30-33:55 Issues of support during pandemic
33:55-43:39 Relationships between NYC’s District 75 schools and district schools
43:39-49:26 Ethical relationships
49:26-51:00 Outro

Transcription

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

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Conversations about education often focus on test scores and curriculum, but there’s a deeper layer that truly shapes a student’s experience. Ethical Schools digs into that layer, exploring what it means to build a learning community grounded in integrity and care. Each week, hosts Amy and Jon sit down with educators and innovators who are actively reimagining schools. You’ll hear specific, grounded discussions about the practical work of creating environments where every student feels safe and respected. The dialogue frequently addresses how to support young people dealing with trauma, moving beyond theory to share actionable strategies that teachers are using right now. More than just problem-solving, this podcast highlights how to empower students themselves to become advocates and changemakers in their own communities. It’s a series that connects philosophy with daily practice, looking at the social and cultural structures within schools through a lens of ethics. For anyone invested in the future of education-whether you’re a teacher, administrator, or simply a concerned community member-this podcast offers a thoughtful and necessary perspective on the foundational values that make education meaningful.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 240

Ethical Schools
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