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Georgia’s Graduation/ Dropout Prevention

ProjectBuilding Systems to Help Students with Disabilities

Graduate ~ Part II

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Coaching, Teaming Coaching, Teaming and Collaborationand Collaboration

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Have you ever been part of this team?Have you ever been part of this team?

• No agenda is prepared• Meeting starts late• No time schedule has been set for the meeting• No one is prepared• No facilitator is identified• No one agrees on anything• No action plan is developed• Everyone is off task• Negative tone throughout the meeting

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Establishing a Foundation for Establishing a Foundation for Collaboration and OperationCollaboration and Operation

• Necessary first step

• Without this many schools cannot sustain long-term change

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Collaboration = Effective PartnershipsCollaboration = Effective Partnerships

Embrace a true philosophy of partnership

• To partner implies a relationship between people in which each has equal status and a level of independence but also have implicit and formal obligations to each other

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Ingredients for Successful TeamsIngredients for Successful Teams

• Mutual trust and respect

• Shared goals and objectives

• Open communication

• Effective conflict resolution

• Equity of task distribution

• Consensus decision-making

• Ongoing problem-solving

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Critical QuestionsCritical Questions

• Critical questions that need to be addressed– Who should be included?– What guidelines will the team follow?– What contributions will each person make?– Who will perform which roles?– How do we resolve conflict?

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Anything Anything II can do, can do, WeWe can do can do betterbetter

• Team contribution

• Individual strengths

• Viewing all things objectively

• Productivity

• Reliability/Accuracy

• Consensus

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Teaming allows you to…Teaming allows you to…

• Look at old issues from a NEW perspective

• Explore the validity of “first impressions”

• Stimulate creativity

• Think outside-the-box

• Work “smarter not harder”

• Give and receive support from individuals with a common purpose

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Roles and ResponsibilitiesRoles and Responsibilities

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Identify Team Member RolesIdentify Team Member Roles

• Team leader - starts the meeting, reviews the purpose of the meeting, facilitates the meeting by keeping the team focused on each step

• Recorder - taking notes, transcribing the team’s responses on flip chart paper, transparency, etc

• Timekeeper- monitors the amount of time available keeps the team aware of time limits by giving “warnings” (i.e., “10 minutes left”)

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Activity 1~ Roles and ResponsibilitiesActivity 1~ Roles and Responsibilities

• Identify at least four additional team member roles and define their responsibilities. Think of the needs of your team. Be creative!

• Participants will be asked to report out. Please be prepared to share your rationale for each role identified.

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Additional Team Member RolesAdditional Team Member Roles• Data Specialist- is trained in entering and accessing data

from the data system

• Behavior Specialist- competent with behavioral principles and assists in analyzing data

• Administrator- actively encourages team efforts, provides planning time, feedback, and support initiatives

• Communications or Public Relations Representative – acts as the point person for communication between the team and staff

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COACHESCOACHES

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Coaches’ AttributesCoaches’ Attributes

• Active and involved team member• Main contact person for the school-based team• Have freedom to move across schools within their

region • Familiar with the processes, policies and procedures

of their schools that may directly impact their responsibilities

• Attend all trainings with their respective school-based teams

• Facilitate teams throughout the process (i.e., meetings, activities)

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Coaches’ Monthly ResponsibilitiesCoaches’ Monthly Responsibilities

• Attend and verify Team meetings• Attend monthly illuminate sessions• Verify that the Team has given status report to school

faculty at least monthly• Verify activities for action plan implemented• Verify accuracy of implementation of action plan• Verify effectiveness of action plan implementation

assessed – evaluate and modify (if needed)• Monitor data and make certain it is published at the

school level and beyond if required

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Facilitating Team MeetingsFacilitating Team Meetings

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Coaches as FacilitatorsCoaches as Facilitators

• The coaches support their team by assisting efforts, helping to ease and smooth the implementation process.

• The coaches are careful not to step into the role of the team leader.

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Facilitating vs. LeadingFacilitating vs. Leading

Facilitator Team Leader

Ensures the team meets regularly

Sets the dates for meetings

Offers tools to assist in record keeping, team evaluations, etc…

Checks accuracy of records, directs team in evaluation

Ensures equal distribution of roles and responsibilities

Assumes the role of leader

Ensures the team is using data for decision making

Refers the team to the data during team meetings

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Team Meets FrequentlyTeam Meets Frequently

• During initial planning, teams may need to meet more often

• Team should meet at least once a month to:– Analyze existing data– Problem-solve solutions to critical issues– Begin to outline actions for the development

of a plan

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Enhancing Meeting SuccessEnhancing Meeting Success

• Keep lines of communication open with school administrators

• Administrator identifies how to free staff time for participation on the Team

• Clearly schedule meeting dates and times

• Administrators remind staff of the significant impact and ultimate success

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Activity 2 ~ Administrator SupportActivity 2 ~ Administrator Support

• Securing administrator agreement for active participation and leadership in the implementation of the action plan is fundamental to its success.

• Administrative Support refers to initial attempts to promote awareness and support from new administrators, as well as on-going attempts to promote active participation on the team, support for the team’s plans, positive communication with the entire school, and consistency throughout the year from experienced administrators.

• Please list four strategies you will employ that may be helpful in securing and maintaining administrator support.

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Team Meeting Agenda/Minutes Date: _____ Time: ______ to _______ Location: ______________________

Facilitator: ______________________ Timekeeper: ___________________

Recorder: ______________________ Snackmaster: ___________________

Participants: ____________________________________________________________

Next Meeting date, time and location: ________________________________________

Next Facilitator: _______________________ Next Snackmaster: ________________

Items Data Review/ Info to date Review progress on Action Plan Persons and Responsibilities for next Action

Plan Activities Follow Up Items from previous meeting Additional Items

Action/ Results

Applause & Assess Successes: Critical issues:

Next Steps/ To Do List:

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Action Planning & Action Planning & ImplementationImplementation

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Critical ElementsCritical Elements

• Establish a team/collaboration • Faculty buy-in• Identify/Establish a data-based decision-making

system • Implement action plan• Monitor, evaluate, and modify

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Activity 3 ~ Faculty Buy-InActivity 3 ~ Faculty Buy-In

• Obtaining faculty participation is not an easy task, if only for lack of time and other priorities, however; Faculty Buy-In is vital for the successful implementation of the action plan.

• Faculty Buy-In refers to the level of commitment and agreement from at least eighty percent of the school’s total faculty and staff for active support and participation in the development, implementation, and on-going evolvement of the action plan. The development and implementation of effective strategies and programs that prove to be successful when seeking commitment and agreement from faculty and staff is not a simple task, but is well worth the effort and is essential to the overall success of the action plan.

• Please list four strategies you will employ that may be helpful in securing faculty buy-in.

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Using your Action PlanUsing your Action Plan

• Keeps a record of what has been completed

• Keeps a record of what needs to be addressed

• Critical Elements guide your process

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Monthly MeetingsMonthly Meetings

• Pull data and determine areas needing intervention

• Decide on ways to decrease problem areas

• Decide next steps

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Activity 4 ~ InterventionsActivity 4 ~ Interventions

• As you work with teams, you will always utilize the data to guide you in the decision making process.

• Please review the Strategy Attribute Worksheets. Assume that your teams’ data reflects the need to implement strategies within these 4 areas (i.e., one area for each school in your region, for up to four schools).

• Record on the worksheet the potential goal; identify a strategy utilizing “some effective strategies” listed; list specific actions you would take as the coach to facilitate team action and next steps; how would progress be measured, and identify possible barriers.

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FourFour BIGBIG BarriersBarriers

• Staff Buy in

• Administrative Buy in

• Time

• Philosophical Differences

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Activity 5 ~ Philosophical DifferencesActivity 5 ~ Philosophical Differences

• Philosophical Differences refer to differences in peoples’ beliefs and values. Differing philosophies can affect buy-in, overall support, the extent and integrity to which staff use techniques, implement interventions, and overall school climate. Therefore, it is important that philosophical differences that may exist among faculty and staff, and especially among team members be addressed.

• Please list four strategies you would employ to effectively identify and address and philosophical differences among school personnel [“if the need was ever presented”] and team members. List two strategies you would utilize to address the need of school personnel and two strategies for team members.

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Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

• Coaches are not always and necessarily team leaders, but you do however, LEAD the way as you support your team.

• Coaches are facilitators and your role is multifaceted. • Teaming allows everyone to work “smarter and not

harder”.• Administrator support is key to the success of the team

and to the overall implementation of the action plan.• Faculty and staff buy-in is KEY! But philosophical

differences must be addressed!• Data are our most power weapon and data-based

decision making must be embraced by all stakeholders.

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Thank You!Thank You!

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Contact InformationContact Information

Sandra Covington Smith, Ph.D.Sandra Covington Smith, Ph.D.sandras@clemson.edu

NDPC-SDNDPC-SDClemson University Clemson University

209 Martin Street209 Martin StreetClemson, SC 29631Clemson, SC 29631

Phone 864.656.1817Phone 864.656.1817Fax 864.656.0136Fax 864.656.0136