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The Art Of Letter Writing
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Grandpa Chuck
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Dec 04, 2001 06:07 PST
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Highlights: This issue focuses on paper trails, letters,
anddocumentation; new article about parent advocacy; Fall schedule.
Learn aboutspecial education advocacy.
http://www.wrightslaw.com/subscribe.htm
Wrightslaw flyer: http://www.wrightslaw.com/flyers/wrightslaw.pdf
1. PARENT ADVOCACY: CREATING PAPER TRAILS
Good records are essential to effective advocacy. Make your requests in
writing. Write polite follow-up letters to document events, discussions,
and
meetings. Train yourself to write things down!
In this article, you learn how to use simple tools: logs, calendars, and
journals. You learn how to use a log to document phone calls and
meetings.
If you have a dispute with the school, your log and letters are
independent evidence that support your memory. Documents that support
your position will help you resolve disputes early.
Get this new article about effective parent advocacy at --
http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/articles/advo.create.trails.htm
For more great articles, cases, and other resources, please visit our
Parent
Advocacy page -
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/advo.index.htm
2. THE ART OF WRITING LETTERS
When parents fire off a letter to the school, they are usually in the
middle
of a crisis that involves their child. They feel helpless and anxious.
They
want to DO SOMETHING. They may be trying to right a wrong or protect
their child from harm.
In "The Art of Writing Letters, you will learn two approaches to letter
writing, the Blame Approach and the Story-Telling Approach. You will
learn
the differences between business letters and therapeutic letters - and
why
you should never send therapeutic letters to the school.
Before you send a strongly worded letter to the school, you should keep
several things in mind.
* After send a letter it is out of your hands forever. You can never
change it!
* Schools are bureaucracies. Your letter will be read by strangers.
* Your reader will not wade through a long letter in hopes that you
included
a valuable nugget of information.
* Your your letter is a personal statement about you and your situation.
What do you say about yourself when you write an angry, threatening, or
demanding letter?
Learn more about "The Art of Writing Letters" --
http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/articles/DRAFT_Letters.html
3. 12 RULES FOR WRITING GREAT LETTERS
You write letters to request information, request action, provide
information or describe an event, decline a request, and express
appreciation. You write letters to the school to express concerns and to
educate school personnel about your child's problems. You want your
letters
to make a good impression. Read "12 Rules for Writing Great Letters" and
learn how to write letters that accomplish your objectives.
http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/articles/12rules_letters.htm
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