Deck 3: Collaborating With Families

Question 1

The key operational element of family-professional partnerships is _____.

A)ongoing two-way communication
B)flexible scheduling of conferences
C)appreciation of cultural differences
D)recognition of parental expertise regarding their children

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following statements has the least support from the literature on culturally diverse families?

A)They may view school officials as part of their extended family.
B)They may view a disability as a blessing or a punishment from God.
C)They may fear that school authorities will report their undocumented status.
D)They may have negative educational experiences that are reinforced by negative contact from school.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Mrs. Lucas is preparing for an annual review of Mia's IEP. The team has recommended that Mia receive services in the resource room rather than a self-contained classroom. Mia's current teacher has informed Mrs. Lucas that her parents expect Mia to receive lots of individual attention in class. Mrs. Lucas is expecting Mia's parents to be angry about the decision and she has prepared herself to stand firm and defend the team's decision. Which barrier to effective communication is being displayed by Mrs. Lucas?

A)She is keeping professional distance.
B)She is treating Mia's parents like adversaries.
C)She is treating Mia's parents like they need counseling.
D)She is treating Mia's parents like vulnerable clients rather than equal partners.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Principles for effective communication between parents and educators include all of the following except _____.

A)passive listening
B)staying focused
C)effective questioning
D)accepting parents' statements

Question 5

Mr. Santori has just attended an IEP meeting with Carl's parents. Mr. Santori explained all of the services that Carl was receiving and discussed the progress that Carl has made in reading. Mr. Santori suggested that Carl may be able to focus better if he had medication for his hyperactivity. Other members of the IEP team agree, but Carl's parents do not want to put him on medication. Mr. Santori tells them that being resistant to suggestions will not help Carl. How has Mr. Santori's response hindered communication?

A)He is labeling Carl's parents.
B)He is keeping professional distance.
C)He is disrespecting Carl's parents as less intelligent.
D)He is blaming Carl's parents for their son's disability.

Question 6

Which of the following statements about parent involvement and special education is true?

A)Parent involvement is an essential element of special education.
B)Parent involvement is generally discouraged by special educators.
C)Parents spend an exorbitant amount of time communicating with special educators.
D)Parents generally perceive special educators as experts and are hesitant to become involved in educational decisions.

Question 7

Effective home-school partnerships are characterized by _____.

A)administrative support
B)pursuit of individual goals
C)a climate of mutual respect and trust
D)recognition of professional expertise

Question 8

Common feelings of siblings of children with disabilities include all of the following except _____.

A)feelings of being left out
B)uneasiness about the reaction of friends
C)concerns about the cause of the disability
D)fear that they will be rejected by their sibling with disabilities

Question 9

Which of the following represents an accurate distinction between arguing and dialoguing?

A)The arguer yells; the dialoguer is calm.
B)The arguer tries to persuade; the dialoguer stands firm.
C)The arguer tries to convince; the dialoguer wants to discover.
D)The arguer wants to win the argument; the dialoguer strives for harmony.

Question 10

Which of the following is the least powerful argument for family involvement in special education?

A)Family members can teach students new skills.
B)Family members need to feel that they are important.
C)Family members must live with the outcomes of decisions made by IEP teams.
D)Educational outcomes are more likely to be significant if family members are involved.

Question 11

All of the following are reasons that teachers and parents must maintain partnership except _____.

A)they are required to under IDEA
B)there is an increased likelihood of targeting meaningful IEP goals
C)parent groups require collaboration for membership
D)there is access to expanded resources and services

Question 12

Which of the following statements about the special education system and culturally/linguistically diverse families is true?

A)They may embrace special education as a source of help.
B)They may view educational jargon as a model of good English.
C)They may expect the same level of services that are available in their country.
D)They may view professionals as experts and be hesitant to express their opinions.

Question 13

Which of the following professional behaviors can be a roadblock to communication?

A)Negotiating IEP goals
B)Reflecting on communication
C)Explaining steps to help children
D)Treating parents as if needing counseling

Question 14

Which of the following strategies would be least effective in increasing the involvement of families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds?

A)Conducting meetings in family friendly settings
B)Scheduling meetings during the teacher's planning time
C)Asking native-speaking staff members to initially contact the family
D)Identifying key decision makers in the family and deferring to them

Question 15

The first parent group to advocate for children with disabilities was the _____.

A)Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps
B)National Association for Retarded Citizens (now called the ARC)
C)National Society for Crippled Children
D)United Cerebral Palsy Association

Question 16

The short-term care of a family member with disabilities to provide relief for parents from caretaking duties is known as _____.

A)day care
B)respite care
C)family support
D)parent-to-parent support

Question 17

Which of the following is an example of an open-ended question?

A)Does Melvin like school?
B)What did Katy name her dog?
C)Will Jason walk or ride the bus to school?
D)What does Jasmine like to do on the weekend?

Question 18

According to research, initial reactions of parents who learn that their child has a disability are generally _____.

A)feelings of shock, denial and disbelief
B)alternating feelings of anger, guilt and depression
C)feelings of shame, rejection of the child, and overprotectiveness
D)feelings of love and appreciation for the positive aspects of family life

Question 19

The steps in the RERUN approach to conflict resolution described by Gonzales-Mena (2006)are _____.

A)respect, explain, reason, unify, nurture
B)respect, evaluate, reason, unify, nurture
C)reflect, emulate, reason, understand, negotiate
D)respect, explain, reason, understand, negotiate

Question 20

Mark is a student with autism. Mrs. Tozzi, a fifth grade teacher, is having a conference with his parents. She begins by welcoming them. She asks his parents if he is experiencing problems with his homework and invites them to explain how autism is likely to affect his academic and social skills. Finally, she asks them if Mark is having any other challenges that she may not be aware of. Was Mrs. Tozzi engaging in effective questioning?

A)Yes; she asked open-ended questions.
B)Yes; she valued the input of his parents.
C)No; she focused mainly on problems and deficits.
D)No; she did not allow them to keep family information private.

Question 21

Which of the following is an assumption of the mirror model for parent involvement?

A)Parent education groups cause parents to feel guilty.
B)Not all parents need everything that professionals offer.
C)Professionals are eager to provide workshops to assist parents.
D)Professionals are more qualified to assist children than parents.

Question 22

Contrast dialoguing and arguing as forms of conflict resolution.

Question 23

Teachers who implement home-school contracts _____.

A)deliver a reward for improvements in student behavior at home
B)depend on parents to deliver rewards for progress in the classroom
C)depend on students to report progress in the classroom to their parents
D)deliver a reward for improvements in academic skills practiced at home

Question 24

Which statement about parents of children with disabilities as research partners is most accurate?

A)Parents are often too busy to participate in research.
B)Parents are seldom educated enough to participate in research.
C)Parents are often able to observe and measure performance and identify meaningful outcomes.
D)Parents are seldom objective enough to observe and measure performance and identify meaningful outcomes.

Question 25

All of the following are features of two-way home-school reporting forms except _____.

A)they may include information about behavior
B)they include spaces for students to write short notes
C)they include spaces for teachers to write short notes
D)they include information about homework assignments

Question 26

According to the mirror model for parent involvement, most parents are likely to participate in _____.

A)IEP planning
B)PTA meetings
C)parent support groups
D)workshops

Question 27

In the year 2000, what percentage of children with disabilities lived below the federal poverty line?

A)28%
B)38%
C)48%
D)68%

Question 28

Which of the following statements about telephone calls to parents is true?

A)Telephone calls should not occur after 8:00 PM.
B)Telephone calls should be reserved for serious problems.
C)Regular telephone calls can be effective in maintaining parent involvement.
D)Regular telephone calls are a nuisance and should be limited to no more than 4 per year.

Question 29

Mrs. Rodriquez thinks that Byron, a student with a physical disability, should have surgery so that he can use special equipment that will allow him to stand for several minutes each day. Byron's mother, Mrs. Williams, will not consent to the surgery because it is very risky and will not enable him to be able to walk. Therefore, she feels it is not worth it. Mrs. Rodriquez respects the decision that Byron's mother has made. She is demonstrating _____.

A)cultural competence
B)cultural divergence
C)cultural objectivity
D)cultural reciprocity

Question 30

Which of the following is not one of the 10 guidelines for communicating with parents and families?

A)Don't use jargon.
B)Be realistically optimistic
C)Don't take "No" for an answer.
D)Don't be afraid to say, "I don't know."

Question 31

Explain the five principles of effective communication and give an example of each.

Question 32

Mrs. Wolfe, a second grade teacher, wants Anthony's mother to feel comfortable during their parent-teacher conference. To build rapport with her, Mrs. Wolfe should _____.

A)ask her if she likes the cooler weather
B)tell her that a Cub Scout troop is being started after school for second grade boys
C)tell her that Anthony may fail math if he does not receive tutoring
D)ask her to sit in Anthony's chair and look over papers in his daily work folder