You are in: North America Change location
"If parents and professionals could wear out their shoes by dancing the way Fialka, Feldman, and Mikus describe it in this book, the shoes would indeed be worth pressing against one’s heart. Through stories, the authors expertly choreograph the steps families, professionals, and the children must take to foster this essential relationship—like a waltz: one, two, three."
“This book serves as a vital resource and provides essential viewpoints for professionals. The text also reminds parents how valuable their input is to the process. In the spirit of collaboration, we highly recommend this book.”
“I found myself nodding in agreement with virtually all the points made in this book. The process is, indeed, a dance. Although one would think we have mastered dancing, each student, each family, each day brings forth a new dance. As partners and parents we need to tweak out that uniqueness in the child together.”
“Using understandable, jargon-free language, the authors help professionals and parents understand each others’ viewpoints. The text also provides practical tips and suggestions about how to work together collaboratively. I highly recommend this book for novice and veteran parents and professionals.”
“I will use this book as a key text in my courses that include the topics of collaborative teaching, home-school partnerships, and conflict mediation. What a great book for modeling for new teachers the realities of collaboration in the IEP process and the best practices that make the process a joyful dance rather than a difficult experience.”
“This book reminds teachers and professionals to include parents in the timeline of the special education process. The information that parents contribute and different perspective they provide can help us understand the whole child. As I finished this book, I developed a more open perspective to working with parents.”
“The authors of this book offer a welcomed, kind and needed message for both professionals and parents: slow the pace, stop and listen. The authors know we build each partnership one at a time. This is a message we desperately need to get into higher education and professional development communities.”
“The authors help readers understand that relationships are about human needs and feelings and that partnerships only develop to their potential when each party can both share and listen to content and facts as well as the needs and feelings of the other. This book is destined to be a classic. Give it to someone you care about; and read it yourself reflectively.”
“The authors never forget that it is all about the children/students with disabilities—so the adults just need to figure it out! They include many subtle examples of how inclusion can work throughout the book. An important take-away message is that becoming true partners takes time and is a process.”
“This book comes from the heart of an author who knows both sides. The content is relevant, immediately useful, and encourages us to think deeply about ourselves and how we can apply the information to make a difference—all evidence-based components of effective adult learning.”
“The approach of this book is fresh, current and multifaceted without being complicated. The authors have skillfully woven multiple and complex family and professional perspectives into a well-integrated whole that is thoughtful, clear, and explicit. The material is relevant, useful, and extraordinarily helpful to a wide variety of dance partners.”
“The authors have done the near impossible—they have described the process of partnership in a way that is both easily accessible and incredibly nuanced. They provide a developmental roadmap and the concrete tools we need to make partnerships work. In this book, I have finally found the resource I need.”
“The parent-professional relationship can be awkward, so using the metaphor of learning to dance together to benefit children is apt. With the resources to help children shrinking, it is more vital than ever for parents and professionals to forge strong partnerships. This perspective can really help—highly recommended.”
“This book offers important suggestions for finding a way to dance together, reminding us exactly why we are dancing—for the child. I strongly recommend this text to parents and professionals. The real-life examples will help all parties understand and empathize with each other, making it that much easier to dance together.”
“So often in special education, the people involved share the same goal, yet envision a different path to achieve that goal. The authors remind us that our ultimate goal is the same. They show us how, even in the most difficult situations, we can ‘dance’ together in successful collaboration.”
“Brilliantly written from the differing vantage points of both parents and professionals, this book shows how perceptions and assumptions can be falsely formed between ‘opponents.’ Use this knowledge to develop the strong partnerships necessary for parents and professionals to collaborate and support the needs of students!"
“This book’s valuable information and insights make it a ‘must read’ for everyone involved in the special education process. I will refer to this book frequently as it reminds me of the often unsaid feelings and concerns of parents. The authors provide numerous useful approaches so that all parties can collaborate and do what is best for the child.”
“In my 15 years of teaching, I have not come across a book that so eloquently describes the sensitive relationship between schools and parents as they navigate through the special education process. Using dancing as a metaphor for this delicate relationship, the authors provide an easy-to-read manual that perfectly compliments a college class or professional book study.”
“The authors waltz us through steps to develop effective parent-professional partnerships using dance as a metaphor. When practiced by all participants in the dance, the result is mutual understanding and respect: the core of collaborative relationships. Theirs is a fresh approach to a much-discussed subject—a delightful invitation to dance.”
“This is a wonderful reference book to help parent and professionals ‘dance the dance’ together and avoid any missteps. The authors help readers understand the underlying thoughts of both the parent and the professional when they meet to set up a program. This is a sure read for both parents and education professionals.”
