Teacher-parent partnership as a precondition for inclusion in education

Abstract

Inclusion in education implies openness and readiness of all social elements to provide every child with the best possible education either within a school environment or in a class which a child would attend at any rate. By approaching each child individually teachers should organise the activities for their students bearing in mind the onward changes of the entire personality of a child. Modern educational practice is based on humanist and constructivist standpoints - a child is in the centre of interest and it should build and construct its own knowledge on its own, while the exchange of information should go both from professionals and parents towards a child and vice versa. Global changes on a family level caused by a birth of a child with developmental disability represent the changes in a family identity as well as the changes in integration processes within the family. The role of a teacher is extremely significant in the process of the family adjustment as well as in the process of a continuous support which is necessary for all families with children with developmental disabilities throughout their lives. The basis of the relationship between a school and parents should be the perception of parents as partners - the interests, priorities and concerns of a family should be in the focus of both theory and practice in schools. The common problem of parents and teachers is the problem of allocating attention from children's limitations and difficulties to their potentials and possibilities, from academic achievements to social and affective outcomes and life skills development.

Keywords

• teacher
• parent
• inclusion
• partnership