What's Your IEP Meeting Personality Type?

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Quiz Questions

1.
The night before an annual IEP meeting I am ...
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- A.
  Frantically searching my email for the draft I think the teacher sent me a week ago.
- B.
  Reviewing progress reports, the data I took, and my notes on the draft of the IEP that I requested.
- C.
  Icing the homemade cookies I made for the school staff.
- D.
  Taking to 5 or 6 friends that have children on IEPs.
2.
My IEP binder...
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- A.
  Is color-coded and chronological; includes research I've gathered from outside experts and my own research; and has a Table of Contents.
- B.
  Includes everything the school has given me in case the teacher asks me for something.
- C.
  Is not really a binder but rather a huge bin of every single document they've ever given me, including homework, journals, a date of every missed therapy session, and my notes about certain school staff.
- D.
  IEP binder? Who has those? What do people keep in those? I am lucky if I can find my child, much less prior IEPs!
3.
When the school psychologist goes over an evaluation, ...
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- A.
  I listen intently and sit quietly, even if I disagree, because he's clearly the expert on the matter.
- B.
  I know I'm asking for an IEE before he even opens his mouth, because I don't trust that guy as far as I can throw him.
- C.
  I have no idea what he's saying. He speaks a foreign language. I just nod and smile and pretend like he's talking about someone else's kid.
- D.
  I ask the questions that I've made on his draft report after speaking with my child's private therapists and tutors.
4.
If I disagree with someone on the school staff says during the IEP meeting, I ...
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- A.
  I start slapping down the piles and piles of papers I have, but they never listen, so I have to follow up with several emails.
- B.
  Obviously say something, but I never feel like they understand my feelings.
- C.
  Provide everyone with a highlighted outline of the research I've done to support my conflicting opinion.
- D.
  I change my mind, because they know special education way better than I do.
5.
If the school doesn't send me a draft of the IEP before the meeting, I...
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- A.
  Who has time to review an IEP before a meeting? Don't they also have baseball pants to wash and dogs to walk?
- B.
  Ask the teacher for it about two weeks in advance and again about a week before the meeting.
- C.
  Figure I'll get it at the meeting and just try to follow along as best as possible during the meeting.
- D.
  Cancel the meeting.
6.
The morning of the IEP meeting, I ...
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- A.
  Am doing what I always do... finding lunchboxes, blow drying the jeans I forgot to take out of the dryer, and breaking up fights.
- B.
  Running out to get the teachers coffee.
- C.
  Exercising and eating a healthy breakfast so that I'm at my peak mentally and emotionally.
- D.
  Still researching all of the problems with the curriculum the school has suggested.

Quiz Outcomes

1.
Frazzled Frances
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Oh, Frances! We've all been there. The lunches, laundry, and equipment management make for a full time job. Then, there's your paid job AND all of the car pooling! By the time you get through dinner, you're way too tired to check backpacks. Life goes super duper fast for you. You're really good in the moment and have done your job long enough that it doesn't take too much preparation any more. You try this approach with IEP meetings, but you sometimes feel as though the school team doesn't actually listen to the input you give. You probably want to stop your feet and said, "Listen to me!!!" Your IEP Strengths: You're passionate and can think of your feet! You spend your entire life trying to catch up, so you've got practice in "fight or flight." When the team springs something unexpected on you, you can answer articulately and quickly. You aren't likely to get intimidated by school staff. The Other Team Members May View You As: All bark and no bite... You're so busy that you don't have the time to combine your objective data and the facts with your subjective "gut feelings." This is not effective advocacy.Pitfalls of your IEP Personality Type: Your advocacy needs objectivity to be impactful. Without regular communication, the school staff may not see you as an effective collaborator. You're such an efficient and effective "accomplisher" at home and at work that your inability to connect with the school team is even more frustrating for you. Suggestions for your IEP Personality Type: Set a goal to get organized. You aren't likely to keep up with paperwork on a day-to-day basis, so schedule a half day two times per year. During the year, throw documents into a basket when you get them. When your two half days come up on the calendar, grab your basket, a computer, a hole punch, and a binder (or a scanner), and set out to organize everything. You'll need this objective data and information to back up your subjective, "feely" advocacy. You may try to communicate a bit more often, too - at least quarterly. This will bring more bang to your advocacy buck!
2.
Organized Olive
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Hi, Olive! Great work so far! You take your role as the CEO of your child's special education process very seriously! You have embraced this role and totally rock it out. You have all of the information, organize it in a way that's meaningful for you and easy to access. You communicate with the school team, help at school, and know the ins and outs of your child's day as well as the teachers. This will help you in future meetings. You try to approach the IEP meetings with authority and enthusiasm, but you feel like the school staff is frustrated by you. The trick will be for you to find the sweet spot of "How much is too much?" The other IEP team members may view you as: Micromanaging. You're so organized and communicative, and yes, you're doing everything right. But there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Effective advocacy involves just-right communication, including the frequency and volume of communication. Your IEP Strengths: You're almost certainly well liked by the members of the school team. They undoubtedly love the special touches that you add to meetings and to your child's education. They appreciate that you follow all of the rules and know exactly what they're talking about. Your desire to do things correctly keeps you organized and informed. Suggestions for your IEP Type: You have all of the tools to be a super great, effective advocate for your child. We just need to work on gaining the confidence to speak up when you have something to add. You may want to try to take progress data at home. You'll undoubtedly get data that's different from the data at school's, and that may open some clues about your child's development. You may also start taking notes of your own about the data and other information that comes home from school. You'll start to see patterns in your notes. Consider documenting the patterns in an email that you send before the IEP meeting, along with proposed changes, solutions, strategies, etc. By communicating your thoughts in advance, you diffuse any of the conflict that makes you uncomfortable.
3.
Courteous Carol
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Hi, Carol! I'm so happy we're friends! Your cookies are amazing, and if it weren't for you, the PTO would flop! You are everybody's friend, and you make the school staff, in particular, so happy. They get to do just as they please. The problem with this is, if we're honest, that you don't always feel like you have an impact on your child's special education. Sure, the school staff is comprised of experts, but why do they never ask you for input? You certainly don't feel comfortable sharing input independently. When would you even do that? The sweet spot in your advocacy will be learning a few skills to provide your valuable input in a way that makes you comofrtable and is true to your personality. You're on the right path wtih your collaborative nature! The Other IEP Team Members May View You As: A formality. IDEA requires that parents are a part of the IEP team, but if parents simply agree to everything that the school staff recommends or mandates, the school team is likely to "railroad" the parent. Effective advocacy involves facing conflict with grace and objectivity. We'll work on getting you the confidence to communicate in your comfort zone. Your IEP Strengths: You're almost certainly well liked by the members of the school team. They undoubtedly love the special touches that you add to meetings and to your child's education. They appreciate that you follow all of the rules and know exactly what they're talking about. Your desire to do things correctly keeps you organized and informed. Suggestions for your IEP Type: You have all of the tools to be a super great, effective advocate for your child. We just need to work on gaining the confidence to speak up when you have something to add. You may want to try to take progress data at home. You'll undoubtedly get data that's different from the data at school's, and that may open some clues about your child's development. You may also start taking notes of your own about the data and other information that comes home from school. You'll start to see patterns in your notes. Consider documenitng the patterns in an email that you send before the IEP meeting, along with proposed changes, solutions, strategies, etc. By communicating your thoughts in advance, you diffuse any of the conflict that makes you uncomfortable.
4.
Hesitant Hannah
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Hi, Hannah! I like your binder! You've done a great job at record keeping and research. Man, do you have connections. You've likely had your own experiences or heard enough "war stories" that you are always ready for battle. Plus, your natural personality may be doubting and assertive. You know your child, you know everything about your child's profile, and you spend day and night making sure that you address all of your child's needs. You aren't afraid to speak your mind and almost dare someone to cross you. These are critical skills in a meeting, but you may feel like the school team doesn't appreciate your input, no matter how many documents you have to back it up. The Other IEP Team Members May View You As: Contrary. Sure, you are hesitant about the majority of the people on the school team, and you probably have earned the right to that skepticism, but those emotions are worn right on your sleeve. This may intimidate the school team, leaving them unwilling to give you even an inch in meetings. Your IEP Strengths: You sure do have all of the information right at your fingertips. If someone asserts something that is less than truthful, you not only have the documentation, but you can access it during the meeting, and you likely have an article to back you up, too! What's more - you aren't afraid to use all of that information to speak your mind. Suggestions for Your IEP Type: Your kind of record keeping and involvement should be a goal for all parents, but learning how to communicate what you have in an effective way should be a goal. What you think may be cautiousness and due diligence comes off as doubting and a lack of trust. Remember: you are on a team, and in order to work toward solutions most effectively teams must collaborate. Look inward to the source of your hesitance and see if you can resolve that. Do you need to communicate about a bad experience? Do you need to show your cards a little in order to be assured that the school team isn't always out to get you? You goal should be to channel humility with cautious optimism.