A Letter Home from the Special Education Teacher

Dear (parent(s)/guardian),

I am (calling/emailing/sending a messenger owl) home in order to inform you about your (child’s/student’s/teen’s) recent behavior problem. Please understand that I simply want to communicate the situation and I am not contacting you to (tattle on him/blame you/get you to punish him at home). I would greatly appreciate if you would listen and then we could share ideas about (what could have triggered the behavior/ideas to minimize antecedents in the future/how school and home can support each other in reducing difficult behavior).

Sometimes, I may need to contact you in order to tell you about a behavior that you might find (confusing/disgusting/embarrassing/uncharacteristic). School environment is (somewhat/very/EXTREMELY) different from the home environment and comes with (fluorescent lights/busy schedules/high school girls/people with high standards who occasionally say no). Therefore, behavior at school may be (somewhat/very/EXTREMELY) different than behavior at home.

If I tell you about your student being (aggressive/obsessive/a nudist), please do not begin to make excuses for him. Regardless of the reason, the bottom line is that (he/she) (threw an apple at the superintendent/walked down the hallway in his birthday suit/tried repeatedly to hit me when I wouldn’t give him a starburst). We need to work together to prevent the behavior from recurring rather than having a discussion about how (he/she) was (confused/tired/wearing new pants) and therefore absolved of responsibility.

No, no, no… No need to apologize! Let me clarify and tell you something very important: I adore your (son/daughter). I know better than to take the misbehavior personally. Even when (he/she) (sneezes on my face/defecates all over the bathroom floor and then ‘fingerpaints’/drinks my fountain diet coke on those days when I REALLY need one), I still respect and enjoy spending time with (him/her).

Never forget that we are on the same team. I am here to support you and push you and nag you to get the best for your child. We are both on Team (Insert Your Student’s Name Here) and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Please don’t hesitate to call or email me if you have any questions or concerns,

Courtney

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