To succeed in increasingly diverse classrooms, tomorrow's special educators need explicit training on working effectively with all families. Prepare the next generation of teachers with this accessible text, developed by two highly respected experts on cultural and linguistic diversity and inclusive education. Ideal for use as a supplementary textbook in a wide range of courses related to special education, this book gives educators a practical framework forcultural reciprocity—a process that helps professionals and families examine their own values, respect each other's differences, and collaborate skillfully to benefit children. Educators will learn how tostrengthen awarenessof their own cultural identities and rolesexplore how their values and beliefs might affect interactionswith familiessidestep stereotypesby treating each family and situation as uniqueensure successful IEP meetingsthrough effective cross-cultural communicationavoid "right versus wrong"assumptions about parenting styles and practicesunderstand how diverse families might viewkey special education goals—independence, individuality, and workcombine ideas from different value systemsto arrive at solutions that work for everyonechallenge the ways in which mainstream cultureshapes special education policies and practicesThe authors draw on their own experiences and research to describe applications of cultural reciprocity, including reader-friendly textboxes and memorable personal anecdotes. To give special educators a deeper, more nuanced understanding of cultural reciprocity, the text also includes three chapter-long case studies that further illustrate the process at work. Readers will learn from the challenges and successes of an African American researcher working with a group of teenage mothers; two teacher educators collaborating on the Special Educators Entering a Diverse Society (SEEDS) project; and an Asian Indian teacher educator leading a class of mostly Caucasian students. A key text for future special educators—and a valuable resource for inservice training—this book will help teachers build strong collaborative relationships with diverse families and ensure that all children receive the best possible education. | Cultural Reciprocity In Special Education by Maya Kalyanpur, Paperback | Indigo Chapters