RTLB Meetings

If you are a long time reader you will know of a student I call 'Bob' who I had in my class last year, and have again this year.

Bob has an RTLB (Resource Teacher for Learning and Behaviour) who provides connection between agencies, family and school and extra support in school. This afternoon I had a meeting with his new RTLB and although I felt terribly underprepared during the meeting, I left feeling empowered.

At the beginning of the meeting, the RTLB asked me about his previous tests, documentation for the RTLB process and information about his interaction with outside agencies. About these, I knew absolutely nothing. They had documents from agencies that I had never seen, and knew things about his family members that I never knew (i.e. that there is a history of dyslexia) which have a significant impact on his learning. They asked me for this or that, things I didn't know what they were or didn't know I needed to have. I felt like a terrible teacher.

However, as the meeting progressed I realised I knew more about my student than those pieces of paper could tell me. I could testify to his HUUGE progress since last year and what he can/can't/won't do and the RTLB praised for me how far he has come, and how literally half of the things that he was referred for, are not concerns anymore.

The meeting finished with us making an action plan - setting dates for our next meeting, arranged when to do further testing and re-evaluation of Bob, arranging PD for his teacher aid to ensure all our goals are aligned and much more. It was such a positive outcome that I am excited to see the impact these changes will have.