Response to Intervention (RTI) can be overwhelming: You may have to process your feelings, decide the best way to advocate for your child, and determine how to best approach educators and administrators. As a parent and educator, myself, I realize how much information is presented to you during the process. Therefore, I have developed these ABCs of RTI to help you as you navigate this journey.
1. Advocate. It is the best way to support your child. YOU are the best advocate for your child and know your child’s strengths and struggles, which can provide invaluable insights to the team.
2. Breathe, and recognize this may be a marathon, not a sprint, to discover the ways to best help your child succeed academically (in and out of the classroom).
3. Collaborate and be a team player. Ask questions like, “Can you help me better understand how to support my child at home?” and find out to whom you should communicate future questions. In addition, always bring your calendar to each meeting.
4. Design a binder in which to keep and organize all communications. Create and label tabs, such as the following: team meetings, teacher conferences, work samples, homework observations, and resources.
5. Expect to do research and know your district’s policy on RTI, which can be found on most district’s websites (search keywords: board policy). Explore your state’s department of education website and become familiar with RTI in your state. Please note that districts and states are in different phases of RTI implementation. For information beyond RTI, check out the information about Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) at https://sites.ed.gov/idea/about-idea/. Also, check out https://www.understood.organd be sure to bookmark https://dyslexiaida.org/.
2. Breathe, and recognize this may be a marathon, not a sprint, to discover the ways to best help your child succeed academically (in and out of the classroom).
3. Collaborate and be a team player. Ask questions like, “Can you help me better understand how to support my child at home?” and find out to whom you should communicate future questions. In addition, always bring your calendar to each meeting.
4. Design a binder in which to keep and organize all communications. Create and label tabs, such as the following: team meetings, teacher conferences, work samples, homework observations, and resources.
5. Expect to do research and know your district’s policy on RTI, which can be found on most district’s websites (search keywords: board policy). Explore your state’s department of education website and become familiar with RTI in your state. Please note that districts and states are in different phases of RTI implementation. For information beyond RTI, check out the information about Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) at https://sites.ed.gov/idea/about-idea/. Also, check out https://www.understood.organd be sure to bookmark https://dyslexiaida.org/.
