Special Education Saturday - Having Hard Conversations

I've been talking to lots of people lately about having hard conversations. Many difficult dialogs take place between families and school personnel.

Here are a few tips to keep challenging chats from becoming hostile or impossible:

• Be polite.
• Don't blame current staff members for mistakes made on other campuses. 
• Try not to act hostile--we are not your enemies.
• Don't make assumptions, expain your position calmly.
• Pick your battles. Every phone call is not a time for a laundry list of complaints.
• Be sure the person you contact is in a position to help you--contact teachers about grades, etc.
• Give them 24-48 hours to respond.
• Don't expect information over weekends and school breaks.
• Please understand that there are certain things that can't be done (ignoring crimes on campus, changing grades, etc.)
• If you have a serious problem, talk to an administrator. 

How do you make hard conversations easier?