Often, a parent doesn't know what's really happening at school. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. If you have not seen what's going on daily at school, here is a starting point. As a provider, families often hire me, to observe their child at school. I write a report of what I see. This gives the parents a view of what is going well and what is nor. Sometimes, the greatest difficulty is convincing a school to allow an outside provider to observe. A parent can do the observation. There are challenges with a parent going into his child's classroom. The child may have lots of reactions to having a parent there. A parent may be able to "be a fly on the wall" at recess, lunch and other areas outside the classroom. If the school does not allow an outside provider, a parent can always observe. Educational law allows parents to observe their child.
As a starting place, a parent needs a "picture" of a normal day at school from an observer who is on his/her team. An observation by a school employee is not the same many times. The parent needs someone fully aligned with the needs of the child and family. Honestly, not everyone will agree with this perspective but I have found it as an important step in advocating for the child's needs.
It's hard to realize what a child needs until there's a "picture" of the school experience.
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