Brainstorming

Problem Solving

and

Heidi FordCurriculum Facilitator

Kirkwood School DistrictHough Center

Chad LentDiagnostic Effective Practice SpecialistSpecial School District of St. Louis County12110 Clayton RoadTown and Country, MO 63131Phone: 314-989-8533

Objectives

• To learn the philosophy behind the Problem-Solving Process.

• To learn the steps of the Problem-Solving Process.

• To learn skills which will help you implement the Problem-Solving Process.

• To learn brainstorming skills you can use during the Problem-Solving Process.

RTI Versus Problem Solving

RTI and Problem Solving are interchangeable words.

• RTI describes a larger systemic process and the specific process to solve problems.

• The Problem-Solving Process describes a larger systemic process and the specific process to solve problems.

RTI: In a Nut Shell

• RTI is a scientific problem-solving process/structure that helps educators solve academic and behavioral issues for all students.

Problem Solving: In a Nut Shell

• Problem Solving is a scientific process that helps educators solve academic and behavioral issues for all students by looking at how students responds to interventions or instruction.

RTI

• There are three basic concepts to RtI.1.Application of scientific, research-based

interventions/instruction in general education;

2.Measurement of a student’s response to these interventions; and

3.Use of the RtI data to inform instruction and instructional practices.

• Science, Science, Science

Why Should I Care About RTI?

Narrow View (Special Education)

• The Whole Legal Thing: 2004 IDEIA

• Changes to Missouri’s SLD criteria

• Nothing wrong with the discrepancy model other than it is not valid, not reliable, and it hurts kids. Dan Reshly– Discrepancy model: Where is the blame when a child does not

learn; internal issue or instructional issue?

Caring Yet?

Broader View (Every Education)• No Child Left Behind: Outcomes of all students.• Legal reasons – new education laws focused on

outcomes for ALL students– MAP testing, NCLB, AYP, etc.

• Decreasing the gap– Overrepresentation of minority students in

special education

Caring continued…

• Teaching from the Hip or Teaching using the scientific method. – Pharmaceuticals from the Hip? – I think so or I know so

• Special education’s inability to meet the needs of all struggling students

• This AIN’T going away!!!

If all you have is a hammer than everything

looks like a nail.

• Maslow

Unintended Consequence of the Current Model

Special Education

Sea of Ineligibility

General Education

Tilly 2003

Academic Systems Behavioral Systems

1-5% 1-5%

5-10% 5-10%

80-90% 80-90%

Intensive, Individual Interventions•Individual Students•Assessment-based•High Intensity

Intensive, Individual Interventions•Individual Students•Assessment-based•Intense, durable procedures

Targeted Group Interventions•Some students (at-risk)•High efficiency•Rapid response

Targeted Group Interventions•Some students (at-risk)•High efficiency•Rapid response

Universal Interventions•All students•Preventive, proactive

Universal Interventions•All settings, all students•Preventive, proactive

Designing School-Wide Systems for Student Success

Level IVIEP

Consideration

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INTENSITY OF PROBLEM

Level II Grade Level

Level IIIBuilding Level

ConsultationLevel I

Between Teachers“Team Friends”

Problem Solving Levels

Philosophy Changes

Old1. The purpose of Care

Teams is to assist with getting students in special education.

2. Child must fail before they get help in special education.

New

1. The purpose of Care Teams is to do everything they can to make sure the child remains in the classroom.

2. The child must not fail. The child must receive help at the level he or she needs prior to failing.

Philosophy Changes

1. If the child fails, it is the child’s fault: he has a disability.

2. The Art of Teaching.

3. There is enough data to show the kid is failing despite all the help and instruction: Resistance to Intervention

1. If the child fails, it is the school’s fault: they have not provided the appropriate supports.

2. The Science of Teaching.

3. The kid was successful because they were given X amount of support and X intervention: Response to Intervention.

Philosophy Changes

1. The current system is not designed to be successful for all students.

2. Interventions start with the Learner.

3. Reactive at the student level. Student is failing; then respond.

1. The RtI model provides a system that will be more successful for all students.

2. Interventions start with ICEL: Instruction, Curriculum, Environment, and finally Learner.

3. Proactive at the system level. Students are screened and found prior to failing.

Problem Solving&

Structures and Processes

Standing up for the “Grey Area” Kiddos!

& The other kids…

Identifying the Problem Three minutes of the Care Team process.

– Identify the concern to be targeted

• Describe the behavior or academic delay that will be targeted in detail. Include any

pertinent available DATA.

Defining Behavior and/or Achievement Problem

Three minutes of the Care Team process.

• The problem is the difference between what is occurring and what should be occurring. Based on DATA.

• Describe the level (frequency, duration, or intensity) at which the student is performing the targeted concern in comparison to the level which is typical or expected in the specific setting. Define the problem in measurable, quantifiable, observable, and specific terms.

• If you want to make the intervention stage easy then don’t forget the BECAUSE…

Defining Behavior and/or Achievement Problem

Samples• Lisa’s reading fluency is at 33 wpm and the average for the class is

75 wpm because she hasn’t had enough practice. (Intensity/Permanent Product)

• Bart is blurting out during carpet time on average 5 times per 10 minute observation while the class average is less than once because he is seeking peer attention. (Frequency/Event Recording)

• When given a math task, Homer, on average takes 4 minutes before beginning the task while the class average is 30 seconds. (Latency/ Event Recording)

• During class instruction Barney is “Off-Task,” as defined as…, 85% of time while a random peer was off task 35% of the time. (Intensity/Time Sampling)

Create a GoalFive minutes of the Care Team process.

• Be specific and clear. Use the stranger test, if a stranger read your definition/goal would he/she understand it and would you get the same data if you both were observing at the same time.

• State goal in positive manner not negative.• State what the individual is going to do not what

they are going to stop doing. • Goal should focus on the replacement behavior.• This is typically more difficult with behaviors.

Create a Goal

Samples• Lisa’s will increase her reading fluency to 70 wpm

within the next 12 weeks. • Bart will raise his hand 4 times for every 5 times he

wants to say something during carpet time. • When given a math task, Homer, will begin the task

within 30 seconds.• During class instruction Barney will increase his “On-

Task” behaviors, as defined as…, to 75 % of time.

Create Interventions5-10 minutes of the Care Team process.

• Interventions can focus on several areas…– ICEL

• Instruction• Curriculum• Environment• Learner

– Interventions should focus on the goal and the because.

Interventions???

• Interventions are activities specifically designed to resolve problems. They involve the teaching of a skill or a strategy. Interventions require a careful analysis of the problem, a written plan (with progress monitoring built in), and should follow all the steps of the problem solving process. Interventions are not places (i.e. special education, work with the reading teacher).

• For example, a student knows three letter sounds, while the class average is 15 letter sounds. The student will spend 15 minutes daily working with a tutor using a discrete trail method. The daily progress will be charted by the student and tutor and reviewed weekly by the classroom teacher.

Accommodations???• Accommodations should be used sparingly and in connection

with an intervention. Accommodations are provisions made to help a student access and demonstrate learning. They mostly deal with how a student does a task, rather than what the task is. Accommodations do not change instructional level or content. They provide students with equal access to learning and equal opportunity to demonstrate knowledge. Accommodations remove barriers without providing advantage.

• For example, a student with significant difficulty reading might not be able to do well on a science test because he can’t read the items. An appropriate accommodation would be to read the science test to him, to give him the opportunity to show what he knows about science regardless of reading ability. Being read out loud does not alter the content of the science test.

Modifications???

• Modifications should be made only when a student has been identified as having a disability and the IEP team has decided it is necessary. Modifications limit a student’s access to the curriculum. Modifications are changes in what a student is expected to learn (i.e. content) and/or demonstrate (i.e. instructional level).

• For example, a kindergarten student with low ability is in the general education classroom. Although the student is learning some of the same concepts at the other students, she is not expected to master all of the concepts. She will work on assignments and take tests that have been modified to reflect the concepts she is expected to learn.

However beautiful the strategy, you should

occasionally look at the results.

Churchill

– Is there only one correct way to collect data?

• There are many ways to collect data and all can be fine.

• Two teachers can collect two different types of data in two different ways and come up with the same conclusion.

Data Collection

Collecting the Data

• Collect a baseline. Determine how much data do you need to get an accurate picture of the behavior. (2-3 days or a week)

• Begin intervention and continue to collect data.

• GRAPH, GRAPH, GRAPH Chart data, look for trends, is the behavior improving, getting worse, or staying the same.

• Monitor and Revise

How is Problem-Solving different from what we’ve

always done?• It gives us a step-by-step

process to follow.• There is an application of

scientific, research-based interventions/instruction in general education.

• We use data to determine which students need help and to determine whether what we are doing is effective.

Reschly Research: Problem Solving Current

PracticesEssential Practices Not Found• Adequate behavioral definitions 85%

• Data Prior to interventions 90%

• Written Plan for Interventions 85%

• Progress Monitored/Changes Made 95%

• Compare pre to post measures 90%

Tools

• Agenda

• Brainstorming

• Documentation

THE AGENDA

Building Level Team• Purpose

– To make meeting time efficient and productive. (Problem Admirer’s Beware)

– Keep the team focused.– Allows everyone an opportunity to share.– Prevent the teacher from feeling attacked/defensive.– Keep the meeting positive.

Brainstorming Tools

Building or Grade Level Teams

• Purpose– Allows everyone a chance to talk.– Keeps the meeting focused and positive.– Generates lots of ideas.– Prevents distracters and disruptors from side-

tracking the meeting.

Some Brainstorming Techniques

Old School • Talk it out.• Work it out.

Round-Robin • Everyone takes a

turn.• Say your idea (15

seconds).• Have a recorder.

Some Brainstorming Techniques

Post-it Notes• No members talk.• Everyone gets a

small stack of Post-It notes.

• Everyone writes 2-3 ideas down.

• Organize Ideas.

MAP-Chalk Talk

• Use the Visual Map process.

• No Members talk.

• Everyone writes.

Documentation

Building and Grade Level

• Purpose– To document the plan.– To inform others of the plan.– To document what the team members need to

do.– To help ensure fidelity of the plan.

Documentation

Document...• The Plan

– What is going to be done.– Who is going to do it.– When are they going to do it.– Where are they going to do

it; setting. – How are they going to do it;

the program.– How often will it be done.

• The Data– Who will collect– How often– When– Where– What type of data– How will it be collected

• The Follow-up date and Review Process