Effective Communication With Educators & Navigating Accommodations: Strategies for building collaborative relationships with teachers, counselors, and support staff.

When:
Tuesday 30 September 19:00-21:30

Where:
Zoom 

Cost:
75,00 euros per person

🏫 Effective Communication With
Educators & Navigating Accommodations

Audience: Parents of neurodivergent children (Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia) 

Format: Online
Duration: 2.5 hours

🌟 Workshop Objectives

• Help parents build trust-based, productive relationships with school staff
• Demystify educational accommodations, including IEPs and classroom supports
• Equip parents to confidently advocate for their child’s needs

⏱️ Workshop Flow

1.Welcome & Connection (15 min)

• Quick icebreaker: “One challenge, one hope”
• Setting the tone: safe, supportive, no judgment
• Overview of goals & session flow

2. Understanding the Educational Landscape (20 min)

• Roles of key school staff: teachers, counselors, SEN coordinators
• Common support frameworks (IEPs, informal accommodations)
• Policies and rights overview (tailored to Luxembourg or EU law)

3. Barriers to Effective Communication (15 min)

• Why misunderstandings happen
• Impact of stigma and assumptions
• How neurodiversity challenges traditional communication norms

4. Breakout Exercise: What’s Been Said (20 min)

• Real quotes parents have heard (e.g., “We don’t see the issue”)
• Group discussion: reframing difficult conversations
• What helps versus what harms

5. Strategies for Collaborative Communication (30 min)

• Building alliances instead of adversarial dynamics
• Using assertive, values-based language
• Templates for emails, meeting requests, and follow-ups
• Modeling clarity and emotional regulation during tense moments

6. Navigating Accommodations (30 min)

• Examples of classroom accommodations
• How to document unmet support
• Leveraging observations and reports to advocate effectively
• What to do when collaboration stalls

7. Break & Regroup (10 min)

• Optional reflection activity or journaling prompt

8. Action Planning & Role-Play (20 min)

• Practice effective phrasing in tough scenarios
• Setting goals for the next meeting with a teacher
• Sharing what’s worked for others

9. Q&A + Wrap-Up (10 min)

• Open discussion
• Additional resources (e.g., communication planners, advocacy templates)
• Encouragement + optional follow-up support