ABSTRACT
Connecting with families and earning trust is key to success in special education practice. This chapter encourages special education teachers to tap into parent involvement as a rich resource to support their work with students. Making the most of parent relationships and keeping things positive can prevent potential difficulties and reduce stress for special education teachers. The chapter includes specific strategies to engage with parents in a way that breathes life into families and makes a positive difference. Special educators can use this chapter to reflect on how they might craft invitational questions to evoke open lines of communication. They can develop a plan to best connect with each individual family to improve relationships and better meet student needs. They can help bring everyone together (teachers, families, and students) through shared commitments focused on the same goal: student learning. As special educators learn to engage in relationships with families in a stress-free, mutually supportive manner, they will decrease stress and improve potential longevity in their positions.
