Parent
Meetings
MAPS
(McGill Action Planning System)
Terri Vandercook and Jennifer York
Technique: Group meetings to chart solutions to student issues
and behaviors
MAPS provides a common vision and road map for all team members, which
enables them to be supportive and effective in better integration of learners
with disabilities or behavior issues and provision of best instruction.
Members of the team meet to dream and plan the best educational strategies
for the student. The team sits in a half circle with a facilitator at
the open end. Ideas generated are recorded on a piece of chart paper which
serves as a communication devise and a final record of the meeting. The
meeting process strives for: 1) integration, 2) individualization, 3)
teamwork and collaboration, 4) flexibility.
Questions addressed during the teaming are:
- What is
the student's history
- What is
your dream for the individual?
- What is
your nightmare?
- Who is
this student?
- What are
the student's strengths, gifts and abilities?
- What are
the student's needs?
- What would
the student's ideal day at school look like and what must be done to
make it happen?
Strengths
Provides
a common language about the youngster
Focuses team meetings in a positive direction
Rebounds
May take
two sessions
Parents may not show
Others in school may not be willing to individualize and integrate
From
McGill Action Planning System (1995) Forest, Snow & Lusthaus, in press.
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