Collaboration: An Essential Component of Education

1. Collaboration: An Essential Component of Education Your Name, Title, and Date Information for this presentation were found in the following resources: Bursuck, Friend, & Best (1999); Polloway & Patton (1999); Rusch & Chadsey (1998) , Hobbs & Westling (1998)

2. The Effective Educator • Establishes appropriate order the first • day/week of school • Affects and touches the lives of others • Has positive expectations for student success • Knows how to design lessons for student • mastery • Understands district's, schools', departments' • or grade level curriculum • Is flexible and adaptive • Teachers with proven research based practices • Works collaboratively with others

3. Collaborators • General Educators • Special Educators • Parents, Guardians • Students • Specialists and Related Service Providers • School Psychologists • Social Workers • Therapists (Speech, OT, PT…) • Interpreters • Paraprofessionals • Administrators • Community Agency Service Providers • Advocates • University Faculty • Teachers in Training • Others???

4. What is… Collaboration?

5. Collaboration Characteristics - It is voluntary and cannot be forced - personal choice/attitude - It is based on parity - all participants and contributions are valued - It requires shared/mutual goals - at least 1 - It includes shared responsibility and accountability - for participation, key decisions, and"+" and "-" results - It is based on shared resources - they come in many packages - It is emergent - it takes time, encouragement, and appreciation essential

6. Collaboration Encounters Conflict - is disagreement and opposition. - occurs when divergent ideas, interests, needs, and/or other internal or external demands exist. - is essential. - should not be feared.

7. Conflict involves…. Attacking a problem, not a person.

8. Collaboration Encounters (continued) Consensus - general agreement. Occurs when respectful consideration of divergent ideas and needs to cooperatively reach a solution that all team members can support … "Can you live with it?" "Is this a win - win situation?" "Is the student coming first?"

9. Consensus does NOT involve - compromise, or - voting where majority rules

10. Stages of Teaming - Forming - Storming - Norming - Performing - Peak- out

11. Strategies for Team Building 1. Have a purpose 2. Effectively communicate (verbally and non-verbally) 3. Genuinely listen - attend to the other person without preoccupation - be aware of the way things are said - be aware of what is NOT being said

12. Step 1: Defining the problem "What problems do we see here?" List them Step 2: Identifying causes (Look at academic, social, or behavioral factors-- contextual variables--antecedents and causal relationships) Step 3: Setting objectives "What are our preferred outcomes regarding these problems?" "How would we like this situation to look a year from now?" Step 4: Identifying solution activities Step 5: Monitoring success (What, when, why, how and who?)

13. Maximizing Successful Problem-Solving - Problem identification and planning should be carried out in the context of a structured team process. - Planning and solution activities should involve everyone affected by the problem. - Problems should be dealt with in an ongoing manner. - Problems and solution activities should be documented. - The planning and solution process should be flexible. - Team members should reward positive results and celebrate their successes.

14. Models of Co-Teaching * Tips for working collaboratively with educators, volunteers and anyone who interacts with youth - One Teaching, One Assisting - Station Teaching - (Centers) - Parallel Teaching - (Same content, smaller groups) - Alternative Teaching - (Larger group and smaller group) - Team Teaching

15. Co-Teaching Pragmatics - Select approach to co-teaching and co-planning * Who plans the curriculum? * Who adapts or develops individualized curricula? * Who plans instructional procedures? * Who adapts or develops individualized instructional procedures?

16. Co-Teaching Pragmatics (continued) Evaluation Planning * Who evaluates student performance on a daily basis? * Who develops periodic assessment of student progress? * Who evaluates success of lessons, materials, and assignments? * Who monitors IEP and other record keeping (i.e., report card) for students?

17. Co-Teaching Pragmatics (continued) Classroom and Behavior Management * How and when will team members communicate? * Who communicates with parents and administrators? * Who is responsible for support and supervision of classroom assistants? * Who decides on disciplinary procedures? * Who carries out disciplinary procedures? * Will team members rotate responsibilities? If so, when and how?

18. Working with a Specialist or Consultant 1. Do your homework 2. Demonstrate your concern with documentation 3. Participate actively 4. Carry out the consultant's suggestions carefully and systematically 5. Contact the consultant if problems occur

19. Establishing Positive Relationships with Students 1) Create open, professionally appropriate dialogue with students  2) Systematically build better relationships  3) Communicate high expectations

20. Creating Opportunities for Discussions - Schedule regular individual meeting times with students - Eat lunch with students - Arrange interviews   - Attend student functions/activities   - Send notes to students   - Use a suggestion box   - Other ideas?

21. We need to: 1) Collect data about how we interact with students in our classes 2) Analyze the data to see if we are primarily supportive or critical 3) Determine whether we are responding differently (more or less) to some students 4) Attempt to alter our patterns of interactions so that we communicate high expectations for all

22. Professional Behaviors that Support Family Involvement ·        Accept families unconditionally ·        Develop collaborative relationships ·        Listen empathetically ·        Share resources and information ·        Actively and reliably respond to families ·        Highlight family expertise ·        Be available ·        Meet with families in friendly locations ·        Use personal stories for common ground

23. Gather General Information ·        Where were they born? ·        What are their thoughts about school? ·        What are the dreams and hopes for the child(ren) in the family? ·        What are the past school experiences of the child? ·        Where do they live currently and with who? ·        What are the role expectations for family members?

24. Reflecting on Cultural Differences • · What in the lives of these families is • the most difficult to accept, • understand, and justify? • · What are the most important child- • rearing values demonstrated by • these families? • · What do you find in these values to • be in conflict with your own values? • What do you know about their • culture's view on the meaning of • disability?

25. Working with Paraprofessionals • Make a place for them - desk, storage… • Explain your classroom rules/expectations, • routines…confidentiality policies • Explain to children that they are to respect • everyone • Encourage paraprofessionals to support all • students… • Provide clear directions, model and examples… • Establish a systematic way to communicate - • weekly meetings, notebook… • Resolve conflicts privately • Encourage input - but be mindful that you are • the one accountable…

26. commitment success COLLABORATION risks essential Information for this presentation were found in the following resources: Bursuck, Friend, & Best (1999); Polloway & Patton (1999); Rusch & Chadsey (1998); Hobbs & Westling (1998)