As anthropologist Margaret Mead so eloquently noted, Never doubt that a small group of

thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, its the only thing that ever has.
Collaboration in special education is vital to the success of a school, its teachers, and most
importantly, its students. Fostering a community in which the insights and input ofinsight from a
wide array of people from a diverse set of circumstances and perspectives are not simply
tolerated, but encouraged is the single most important way to improve our schools and ensure
success for every student. We must embrace our differences and seek out our commonalities.
Collaboration is enhanced by the uniqueness of perspective and experience that each person
brings to the table. No single adult or child in or outside of the school house has all of the
answers, but all of us have some of the answersand together, our collective wisdom can
change the world one student at a time.
Special educators sole vision and guiding purpose is to ensure that all children receive the
support they need to reach their fullest academic and human potential, and this is neither a parttime nor one-person job. Forging meaningful relationships among all adults responsible for a
childs success creates a sturdy foundation on which to build and to achieve that childs fullest
potential. Special education teachers need to partner with parentsour childrens first teachers
to gain insight into the lives our students live when they exit our building. Special educators
need to form collegial bonds with general education teachers and paraeducators to ensure that
both pedagogy and practice are consonant with our students unique and educational needs. We
must work closely with school psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists and other
professionals to make certain that each childs services are both aligned and effective. And we

must forge meaningful bonds with administrators to glean both information and support that
ensures our practice is aligned with district, state, and federal policies and mandates.
These.important relationships require a degree of empathy and meaningful communication
that can only be attained through mindfulness of our own perspectives, beliefs, and biases
conjoined with genuine appreciation and respect for the perspectives and beliefs of others. We
must listen to understand, not listen to respond. We must remain fully present in our
conversations to truly hear what is saidand we must strive to also discern what is embedded in
silence. We must provide thoughtful, solicited, direct, well-timed, and culturally-sensitive
feedback, and we must also be willing to accept it in kind from others.
Collaboration may not always be easy, but it is always necessary. Special educators can
and must find creative ways to allay parents potential fears about sharing information and
insight that they might mistakenly assume is somehow not valuable, assuage general educators
sense of having their educational territory encroached upon, and practice artful diplomacy with
administrators to open their eyes and minds to new or better ways of meeting our students
needs. Additionally, issues of power and culture must be delicately navigated to ensure that
parents, teachers, support professionals and administrators feel respected rather than threatened
and that their opinions and insight are both welcomed and valued.
Parents come to us with their own unique set of beliefs and assumptions about school and
teachers. Parents have reacted to my efforts to collaborate in varied ways. Comments like,
Why are you calling me? School only calls me when my son is acting up.what did he do
NOW? or The last time I came in for an IEP meeting, all they wanted was for me to sign some
paperswhy do I need to come in for an hour-long meeting? were once the norm. Now, they

are the exception. Behold the power of collaboration. I once offered to shake the hand of a
mother at the start of an IEP meeting. She recoiled and explained that shaking my hand was
against her culture. By the end of the meeting, she hugged me. To this day, I can neither
define nor explain her sense of culture, but I can and do find comfort in knowing that the way in
which the meeting was conducted and my unwavering drive to include her in both the meeting
and the document was transformational.
Collaboration is more than a single process, or a style, it is a spirit that assumes the best
in all and the best from all. Savvy special educators realize that success, like learning, does not
occur in a vacuum. When we seek, honor, and share wisdom and experience from all of the
adults in a students life, and we all benefit from the experience. Working together with a sense
of urgency, unity, and parity, school professionals and families can create a community of
support for our students and foster a culture of synergistic partnership in which the sum truly is
greater than its parts. When teachers share their expertise and resources, teachers win. When
teachers partner with therapists and administrators, students win. When special educators form a
meaningful and productive bond with family members, schools win. When a culture of
collaboration is fostered and nurtured, we all win.