By Margaret KewVice-Principal

Care, Treatment, Custody and Correction Programs

Halton District School Board

Located in a secure custody, detention and treatment facility in Ontario with 50 beds.

Other facilities/probation officers identify youth who seem to be exhibiting the need for treatment of mental health issues

An application is made

A treatment team assesses the youth. If the placement is appropriate, they transfer to Syl Apps.

Youth can be on detention awaiting court, custody, serving sentences and secure treatment through the Ontario Review Board—demonstrated a risk to themselves or others.

We determine “fitness”, have “make fit” orders and also treat youth who are deemed “not criminally responsible”.

Ages range from 12-25 years.

Most youth stay for at least 3 months some staying for years.

Developmental delaysFASDADHDODDCDExplosive Personality DisorderSchizophreniaPTSD

AspergersTourette’sPsychosisHallucinationsParanoiaHypervigilanceSubstance Abuse IssuesAbuse

Winner of the 2010 Ontario Children’s Mental Health Contest

http://www.kinark.on.ca/news/ChangeTheView.aspx

Many are crown wards, have been in care since they were little, have suffered severe abuse and have various attachment disorders . . .

So, where do we begin to program educationally for these youth?

“Treatment Trumps Education”

Loraine Fedurco Principal, CTCC Halton

Our Guidance teacher attends intake meetings with our partner agency to discuss new students who may be coming to the school.

This information includes background of the student, the reason for placement and key concerns.

This information is shared by the Guidance Teacher to the rest of our school staff at Student Learning Sessions.

Make time for teachers to work together to meet the needs of complex youth.

SYL APPS SCHOOL TIMETABLE (BY TEACHER) 2010 - 2011

SEMESTER I   

TEACHER PERIOD 1 PERIOD 2 STUDENT LUNCH PERIOD 3 PERIOD 4

 9:10 - 10:10

10:10 - 11:10

Learning Sessions

11:50-12:50 12:50 - 1:50 1:50 - 2:50

      11:10-11:50      

  H.I.P.P.E / LIFE SKILLS     PHYS ED PREP / COVER

 Rm. 145 - Ex.2223

Gym - Ex. 2515    

Gym - Ex. 2406 Gym - Ex. 2515

  PHYS. ED.PREP / COVER     SCIENCE PHYS. ED.

 Gym - Ex.

2406Gym - Ex.

2515    Rm. 132 - Ex.

2221 Gym - Ex. 2515

  BUSINESS MATH     PREP / COVER MATH

Teachers attend Plans of Care

Clinical Allows for social

workers to share information and problem-solve

Allows psychiatrist to inservice teachers about mental illness

Allows for Health and Safety Training

Teacher Development

Educational Prime teachers can share

student profiles Allows for teacher

training about Special Education Needs

Allows for team planning in Literacy, Numeracy, Safety and Well-Being using the Teacher Learning Critical Pathway

James H. Stronge and Jennifer L. Hindman have created a protocol for teacher selection in The Teacher Quality Index.

Few Principals have received training in how to interview and select excellent teachers.

They outline key components of a screening process and in-depth interview.

Douglas Reeves, in Transforming Professional Development into Student Results, explains that schools exhibit three to five times the achievement gains when 90% of the teachers on staff implement research-based initiatives compared to schools where only 10% of staff implemented the changes. P.37

“The most immediate results for student achievement happen when the most effective teachers are provided to the students with the greatest needs”

Reeves 46

Verbal abilityContent knowledgeEducation courseworkTeacher certificationTeaching experience

P 12, 13

Caring Motivated Fair Respectful Reflecting Dedicated Sense of humour Good relationship with students and

colleagues. They know the student!

Safe Orderly Productive Routine Procedures Expectations Positive climate

Overtly teach students their roles in class

Clear explanations Respect Fairness P. 13

“It doesn’t matter miss, we are in a jail”.

What would your response be?

This is a school. You cannot learn when you are looking over

your shoulder waiting for someone to jump you.

You will be too anxious. When you are anxious you cannot

remember what you have been taught. This must be a safe place so everyone can

focus on learning.

Student is removed from school Meets with clinical team members as

appropriate: nurse, social worker, child and youth worker, psychiatrist, psychologist

Engages in DBT skills Makes repairs Clinical team contacts school Updated Management Plan Student meets with administration of school

Teachers know the provincial curriculum and standards

They engage in long-range and short-range unit planning

They have intended learning outcomes for each student in each class.

They have a variety of instructional strategies and resources

P. 14

NAME OF STUDENT: COURSE: UNIT:

DATE:

LESSON:RESOURCES:BlackboardCD/TapeDictionaryFlashcardsHandoutsLaptop Print MaterialTextbookVCR/DVD/TVWorkbookOtherActivate Prior Knowledge

text to self (schema)

Predicting

personal experience to text

look at title

first thoughts

Visualizing

use of words to create mental pictures

Questioning

constant questions pertaining to text

Read Stop Think Talk

Determines meaning

Making Inferences

use information to determine meaning of text

Summarizing:

retell the sequence of what is said in the text-

put meaning into personal words

Synthesizing

put together information

points of view

LEARNING SKILLS:ResponsibilityIndependent WorkInitiativeOrganizationCollaborationSelf-Regulation

OVERALL & SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS FROM CURRICULUM DOCUMENTS:

EQUIPMENT Needed:

STRATEGIES (circle):Aural ActivitiesBrainstormingComputersCooperative LearningDemonstrationField TripDrillGroup WorkGuest SpeakerIndependent ActivitiesJournalModelingOral PresentationPeer EditingProjectQuestioningReading AloudReinforcementResearchVideoWritten ExercisesHandoutOther

DAILY LESSON PLAN: ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION (How do you assess for learning and how do you assess for learning) ATTACH:AnecdotalAssessment - GroupAssessment – PeerAssessment – SelfAud/VidRecordingBrainstormingChecklistComputersDiscussionHomework CheckInterviewJournal EntryObservationOral PresentationParticipationProjectQuestioningQuestionnaireRubricTestQuizOther

MANAGEMENT PLAN FOCUS:C.P.S. TRIGGERS: “What’s up” conversations…

IDENTIFIED:INTERESTS:STRENGTHS:NEEDS:

IEP ACCOMMODATIONS/Modifications for Students:

LEARNING STYLES:VisualAuditoryKinestheticTactile

I have included a sample education plan. Teachers must meet the accommodation needs of students.

Teaching Kids with Mental Health and Learning Disorders in the Regular Classroom by Myles L. Cooley, PH. D.

Includes: Anxiety Disorders Mood Disorders Communication Disorders Learning Disabilities ADHD Disruptive Behaviour Disorders Asperger’s Syndrome Tic Disorders Eating Disorders Self-Injury

Background info Behaviours and symptoms to look for Classroom Strategies and Interventions Personal reflections from a student Professional treatments

We are using the Teacher Learning Critical Pathway:

Students are assessed for learning They are assessed as they are learning The teachers assess the students of their

learning. --Ann Davies

What do you want the student to learn?

How will they learn it?

What do you do when they do not learn it?

How do you adjust your teaching and instructional strategies to meet the student’s needs?

Tied to assessment, teachers do consensus marking during the Teacher Learning Session

As Reeves discusses, ”areas of ambiguity that lead to the uncomfortable experience of professionals with graduate degrees failing to understand a teacher’s intent on the assessment”. P 69

This leads to a revision and clarity of instruction and an editing of assessment criteria.

Student Profiles—knowing our learners Rationale for Syl Apps School to prepare for a: Focus in the management of behaviour in the school and

safety Questions for follow-up including what works in the

classroom, teaching strategies Timeline: On Thursday and Friday, September 9th and 10th Prime Teachers will prepare Student Profiles for their

Prime Students using information that is available: Safety Management Plans:

◦ Green Files that include monthly reports of achievement, pre-admission summaries, plans of care

◦ IEPs—Individual Education Plans◦ OSR—Ontario Student Records including reports from

Juniour Kindergarten, assessments

Educational Components:◦DRA Scores—Diagnostic Reading

Assessments◦Numeracy First Steps Diagnostics◦Psych Ed Recommendations for Education◦Credit Counselling Summaries◦Report Cards

B. Prime Teachers will have about 8 minutes to present their students from September 13th-17th during Student Learning Sessions to the rest of staff.

Student Learning Profile Student:

School History Management Plan ConcernsTriggersAntecedents

Family History

IEPAreas of StrengthAreas of NeedIdentifications

Outside Agencies,

Teaching Strategies that work Assessments Diagnosis

Dinosaurs Diagnostic Task (Counting Only) Instructions

Purpose To find out how students count and help

identify a student's developmental level for number sense (see chart below for this continuum).

.

If a student is struggling you might say "is there another way you can figure out how many?"

Please look at the sheets I have included.

On a six week cycle, through Student Learning Sessions and Teacher Training, 6 of our students have moved up a full phase.

Administering the Diagnostic (Script)1)Sit with a student individually and show them dinosaurs or sandwiches as per your preference.

2) Ask: "How many dinosaurs are there on the page". Watch carefully how the student counts the dinosaurs (e.g., do they count by ones, count by 2's, by 5's or 7's, multiply 5x7 etc.) and record your observations and the student's thinking. Alternatively, students could record their thinking themselves. Do not teach, coach, make suggestions or confirm/deny what they say in any way. Feel free to draw out student thinking (for example if they simply say "35" or some other number) by asking:

- How did you do that?- How do you know it's that many?- Can you show me how you did that?

Students also receive diagnostic reading assessments then teachers work in the Student Learning Sessions to implement reading strategies in the classroom.

Learning Skills are reported on the report card

N S G E

I seldom accept responsibility for my behaviour (e.g. pay little attention to classroom or school rules)

In some situations I take responsibility for my behaviour (e.g. know classroom and school rules and somewhat follow them)

I take responsibility for my behaviour (e.g. know classroom and school rules and follow them appropriately i.e. Tribes agreements)

I fully take responsibility for my behaviour (e.g. know classroom and school rules and follow them to the extent that others are encouraged by my example)

I rarely apologize when I make a mistake

Occasionally I will apologize if I recognize that I have made a mistake

I apologize when I make mistakes

I readily apologize when I make mistakes

I rarely consider the consequences when I make a decision

Consequences may affect some decisions that I make

I think about consequences when I make decisions

I carefully consider the consequences of my decisions and the effect they may have on others as well as myself

I seldom complete and hand in homework and assignments on time

I sometimes complete and hand in homework and assignments on time

I usually complete and hand in homework and assignments on time

I consistently complete and hand in homework and assignments on time

I would also recommend materials such as The Best of Building Assets Together by Jolene L. Roehlkepartain and materials from

www.search-institute.org

We have noticed two types of students who can benefit from Alternative Curriculum:

◦ Students who are under the 2% who are identified as “Life Skills”

◦ Students who have been so transient or neglected that they need overt teaching of learning skills.

We have found that many students have not received accurate educational assessments

They have been sitting in the wrong classes or skipping classes in the regular stream.

If we can understand their gaps, we can program appropriately for them and they will enjoy school more.

Our teachers were trained in using:

The Carolina Curriculum—Developmentally Infant, Toddler and Pre-Schooler

A Functional Assessment and Curriculum

Teachers needed an assessment that was clear and a curriculum that was sequential and would move students forward in their education.

Personal-Social e.g. interpersonal skills, self-help

Cognition e.g. matching and sorting

Cognition/Communication e.g. expressive language

Fine Motor e.g. tools

Gross Motor e.g. balance

http://www.thea4ideaplace.com/

Self-Care, Motor Skills, Household Management, and Living Skills

Functional Academics—Functional Literacy and Numeracy

We have noticed that our students are quite different that youth in regular alternative curriculum programming in the community schools.

They are “street-wise” and associate with peers who are more cognitively able.

Yet, they might be weaker that students who “traditionally” are in life skills programs.

They do not identify with students in those programs yet obviously need the alternative curriculum.

Our students are integrated.

In one English class there may be 6 students.

One may be taking Alternative Curriculum, another college bound programs and another university bound programs.

Students of all ages are together.

Functional Literacy, Nonverbal and Oral Communication Skills and Literacy Preparation is integrated into English Classes

Functional Numeracy is integrated into Mathematics Classes

Self-Care is covered by agency nurses Motor Skills and Leisure-Time Skills are

integrated into Physical Education Classes Living Skills and Household Management is

integrated into Family Studies

Competitive Job-Finding skills, Interpersonal Skills are integrated into careers courses

Developed in response to risk of injury/harm to the student and others

Not a plan created to remediate behaviour Created in consultation with the ‘CORE

TEAM’ at school level

Please see handout sample.