Family as Faculty Parents: Influence on Teachers' Beliefs About Family Partnerships

Abstract

The authors describe how the participation of Family as Faculty parents in case-based instruction influenced 16 beliefs of 89 special education teacher candidates about the value of partnering with parents. The parents, who all had children with disabilities, participated in a simulated individualized education program meeting that was embedded in a teacher-preparation course to bring authenticity to the experience. Results indicated that using parents as co-instructors strengthened 3 family-friendly beliefs and reduced 4 beliefs that do not support family partnerships. Implications included the importance of educators' directly involving parents in preparing teacher candidates to collaborate positively with families.