ABSTRACT
Meetings to discuss the progress or behavior of a student as well as the development of an individualized educational program (IEP) are often a challenging time for parents, teachers, and the student. These meetings may involve discussion of a variety of both positive and negative topics; however, they are often stressful for participants. This is true even for teachers who understand the educational system, but have a child within the “system.” The high stress levels are often a direct result of the meetings’ becoming focused on problems and activities that the child does wrong, especially when behavior and academic effort are discussed. Understandably, when a meeting does turn negative or problem focused, the parent and student often leave frustrated and may develop negative feelings toward the school, teachers, and staff members.
