In this episode, we uncover one of the most overlooked secrets to meaningful student progress, the power of parent collaboration. Whether you’re a teacher, paraeducator, or speech-language pathologist, finding ways to communicate with parents can completely transform your impact in the classroom.

Join Cherie, Alicia and Jordan as they share real stories, practical tools, and mindset shifts that help educators turn potential conflict into powerful collaboration. Discover how parent insight can unlock new communication breakthroughs for non-speaking and minimally speaking students, improve behavior and motivation, and build lasting trust between home and school.

You’ll learn: ✅ How to turn parents into partners, not adversaries ✅ Simple systems to gather insight from families ✅ How understanding a child’s world at home can change everything at school

Whether you’re navigating IEP meetings, supporting students with AAC, or simply wanting more success and joy in your work — this conversation will remind you that parents aren’t just participants… they’re your most valuable resource.

00:00 The Importance of Parental Collaboration

05:45 Building Trust with Parents

11:40 Leveraging Parent Insights for Student Success

15:58 Creating Lasting Connections with Families

You can find us on IG @connectspeech to learn more!

If you are a parent of an early autistic communicator, check out our previous podcast Autism Communication Toolkit!

https://open.spotify.com/show/5GnH2v3qxwtQZqqxdlsXAI?si=812f5410411243e2