Collaboration:Collaboration:

An Essential Component An Essential Component of Educationof Education

Information for this presentation were found in the following resources: Bursuck, Information for this presentation were found in the following resources: Bursuck, Friend, & Best (1999); Polloway & Patton (1999); Friend, & Best (1999); Polloway & Patton (1999); Rusch & Chadsey (1998)Rusch & Chadsey (1998) , , Hobbs & Westling (1998)Hobbs & Westling (1998)

Your Name, Title, and DateYour Name, Title, and Date

The Effective EducatorThe Effective Educator

• Establishes appropriate order the firstEstablishes appropriate order the first day/week of schoolday/week of school

• Affects and touches the lives of othersAffects and touches the lives of others

• Has positive expectations for student successHas positive expectations for student success

• Knows how to design lessons for studentKnows how to design lessons for student masterymastery

• Understands district's, schools', departments'Understands district's, schools', departments' or grade level curriculumor grade level curriculum

• Is flexible and adaptiveIs flexible and adaptive

• Teachers with proven research based practicesTeachers with proven research based practices

• Works collaboratively with othersWorks collaboratively with others

Collaborators

• General Educators• Special Educators• Parents, Guardians• Students• Specialists and Related Service Providers

School PsychologistsSocial WorkersTherapists (Speech, OT, PT…)Interpreters

• Paraprofessionals• Administrators• Community Agency Service Providers• Advocates• University Faculty• Teachers in Training• Others???

What is…What is…

Collaboration?Collaboration?

Collaboration CharacteristicsCollaboration Characteristics

- It is - It is voluntaryvoluntary and cannot be forced - and cannot be forced - personal choice/attitudepersonal choice/attitude

- It is based on - It is based on parityparity - all participants - all participants and contributions are valuedand contributions are valued

- It requires - It requires shared/mutual goalsshared/mutual goals - at least 1 - at least 1

- It includes - It includes shared responsibilityshared responsibility and and accountabilityaccountability - - for participation, key for participation, key decisions, anddecisions, and "+" and "-" results"+" and "-" results

- It is based on - It is based on shared resourcesshared resources - - they come in many packagesthey come in many packages

- It is - It is emergentemergent - it takes time, - it takes time, encouragement, and appreciation essential encouragement, and appreciation essential

ConflictConflict - is disagreement and opposition. - is disagreement and opposition.

- occurs when divergent ideas,- occurs when divergent ideas, interests, needs, and/or otherinterests, needs, and/or other internal or external demands internal or external demands

exist.exist.

- is essential.- is essential.

- should not be feared.- should not be feared.

Collaboration EncountersCollaboration Encounters

ConflictConflict involves…. involves….

Attacking a problem,Attacking a problem,

not a person.not a person.

ConsensusConsensus - general agreement. - general agreement.

Occurs when respectful Occurs when respectful consideration of divergent ideas and consideration of divergent ideas and needs to cooperatively reach aneeds to cooperatively reach asolution that all team members can solution that all team members can support …support …

Collaboration EncountersCollaboration Encounters(continued)(continued)

"Can you live with it?" "Can you live with it?" "Is this a win - win situation?""Is this a win - win situation?""Is the student coming first?""Is the student coming first?"

ConsensusConsensus does NOT involve does NOT involve

- compromise, or- compromise, or

- voting where majority rules- voting where majority rules

Stages of TeamingStages of Teaming

- Forming- Forming

- Storming- Storming

- Norming- Norming

- Performing- Performing

- Peak- out- Peak- out

Strategies for Team BuildingStrategies for Team Building

1. Have a purpose1. Have a purpose

2. Effectively communicate2. Effectively communicate

(verbally and non-verbally)(verbally and non-verbally)

3. Genuinely listen3. Genuinely listen

- attend to the other person- attend to the other person

without preoccupationwithout preoccupation

- be aware of the way things- be aware of the way things

are saidare said

- be aware of what is NOT - be aware of what is NOT

being saidbeing said

Step 1: Step 1: Defining the problem Defining the problem "What problems do we see "What problems do we see here?" List themhere?" List them

Step 2: Step 2: Identifying causesIdentifying causes (Look at academic, social, or(Look at academic, social, or behavioral factors-- contextualbehavioral factors-- contextual variables--antecedents and variables--antecedents and causal relationships)causal relationships)

Step 3: Step 3: Setting objectivesSetting objectives "What are our preferred "What are our preferred outcomes regarding theseoutcomes regarding these problems?" "How wouldproblems?" "How would we like this situation to look we like this situation to look a year from now?"a year from now?"

Step 4: Step 4: Identifying solution activitiesIdentifying solution activities

Step 5: Step 5: Monitoring successMonitoring success (What, when, why, how and who?)(What, when, why, how and who?)

Maximizing Successful Problem-Maximizing Successful Problem-SolvingSolving

- Problem identification and planning - Problem identification and planning should be carried out in the context of a should be carried out in the context of a structured team process.structured team process.

- Planning and solution activities should - Planning and solution activities should involve everyone affected by the involve everyone affected by the problem.problem.

- Problems should be dealt with in an - Problems should be dealt with in an ongoing manner.ongoing manner.

- Problems and solution activities - Problems and solution activities should be documented.should be documented.

- The planning and solution process - The planning and solution process should be flexible.should be flexible.

- Team members should reward - Team members should reward positive results and celebrate their positive results and celebrate their successes.successes.

Models of Co-TeachingModels of Co-Teaching

* Tips for working collaboratively with educators, * Tips for working collaboratively with educators, volunteers and anyone who interacts with youthvolunteers and anyone who interacts with youth

- One Teaching, One Assisting- One Teaching, One Assisting

- Station Teaching - (Centers)- Station Teaching - (Centers)

- Parallel Teaching - (Same content, - Parallel Teaching - (Same content, smaller groups)smaller groups)

- Alternative Teaching - (Larger - Alternative Teaching - (Larger group and smaller group)group and smaller group)

- Team Teaching- Team Teaching

Co-Teaching Pragmatics Co-Teaching Pragmatics

- Select approach to co-teaching- Select approach to co-teaching and co-planningand co-planning

* Who plans the curriculum?* Who plans the curriculum?

* Who adapts or develops * Who adapts or develops individualized curricula?individualized curricula?

* Who plans instructional * Who plans instructional procedures?procedures?

* Who adapts or develops * Who adapts or develops individualized instructional individualized instructional procedures?procedures?

Co-Teaching Pragmatics Co-Teaching Pragmatics (continued)(continued)

Evaluation PlanningEvaluation Planning

* Who evaluates student * Who evaluates student performance on a daily basis?performance on a daily basis?

* Who develops periodic * Who develops periodic assessment of student progress?assessment of student progress?

* Who evaluates success of * Who evaluates success of lessons, materials, and lessons, materials, and assignments?assignments?

* Who monitors IEP and * Who monitors IEP and other record keepingother record keeping (i.e., report card) for students?(i.e., report card) for students?

Co-Teaching Pragmatics (continued) Co-Teaching Pragmatics (continued)

Classroom and Behavior ManagementClassroom and Behavior Management

* How and when will team members* How and when will team members communicate?communicate?

* Who communicates with parents and * Who communicates with parents and administrators?administrators?

* Who is responsible for support and * Who is responsible for support and supervision of classroom assistants?supervision of classroom assistants?

* Who decides on disciplinary procedures?* Who decides on disciplinary procedures?

* Who carries out disciplinary procedures?* Who carries out disciplinary procedures?

* Will team members rotate responsibilities? * Will team members rotate responsibilities? If so, when and how?If so, when and how?

Working with a Specialist or ConsultantWorking with a Specialist or Consultant

1. Do your homework1. Do your homework

2. Demonstrate your 2. Demonstrate your concern with documentationconcern with documentation

3. Participate actively3. Participate actively

4. Carry out the consultant's 4. Carry out the consultant's suggestions carefully suggestions carefully and systematicallyand systematically

5. Contact the consultant 5. Contact the consultant if problems occurif problems occur

Establishing Positive Relationships Establishing Positive Relationships with Studentswith Students

    1) Create open, professionally 1) Create open, professionally appropriate dialogue with appropriate dialogue with studentsstudents    2) Systematically build better2) Systematically build better relationshipsrelationships    3) Communicate high 3) Communicate high expectationsexpectations

Creating Opportunities for Creating Opportunities for DiscussionsDiscussions

   - Schedule regular individual - Schedule regular individual meeting times with studentsmeeting times with students

- Eat lunch with students- Eat lunch with students

- - Arrange interviewsArrange interviews

    - Attend student - Attend student functions/activitiesfunctions/activities

    - Send notes to students- Send notes to students

    - Use a suggestion box- Use a suggestion box

    - Other ideas?- Other ideas?

We need to:We need to:   1) Collect data about how we 1) Collect data about how we interact with students in our interact with students in our classesclasses   2) Analyze the data to see if we2) Analyze the data to see if we are primarily supportive or are primarily supportive or criticalcritical   3) Determine whether we are3) Determine whether we are responding differently (more responding differently (more or less) to some studentsor less) to some students   4) Attempt to alter our patterns of4) Attempt to alter our patterns of interactions so that we interactions so that we communicate high expectationscommunicate high expectations for allfor all

Professional Behaviors that Professional Behaviors that Support Family InvolvementSupport Family Involvement

                  Accept families unconditionallyAccept families unconditionally                  Develop collaborative Develop collaborative relationshipsrelationships                  Listen empatheticallyListen empathetically                  Share resources and informationShare resources and information                  Actively and reliably respond to Actively and reliably respond to familiesfamilies                  Highlight family expertiseHighlight family expertise                  Be availableBe available                  Meet with families in friendly Meet with families in friendly locationslocations                  Use personal stories for common Use personal stories for common groundground

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

  Reflecting on Cultural DifferencesReflecting on Cultural Differences

   What in the lives of these families is What in the lives of these families is the most difficult to accept, the most difficult to accept, understand, and justify?understand, and justify?    What are the most important child-What are the most important child- rearing values demonstrated by rearing values demonstrated by these families?these families?    What do you find in these values to What do you find in these values to be in conflict with your own values?be in conflict with your own values?

• What do you know about their What do you know about their culture's view on the meaning of culture's view on the meaning of disability?disability?

Working with Paraprofessionals

o Make a place for them - desk, storage…Make a place for them - desk, storage…

o Explain your classroom rules/expectations, Explain your classroom rules/expectations, routines…confidentiality policiesroutines…confidentiality policies

o Explain to children that they are to respect Explain to children that they are to respect everyoneeveryone

o Encourage paraprofessionals to support all Encourage paraprofessionals to support all students…students…

o Provide clear directions, model and examples…Provide clear directions, model and examples…

o Establish a systematic way to communicate - Establish a systematic way to communicate - weekly meetings, notebook…weekly meetings, notebook…

o Resolve conflicts privatelyResolve conflicts privately

o Encourage input - but be mindful that you areEncourage input - but be mindful that you are the one accountable…the one accountable…

COLLABORATIONCOLLABORATION

commitmentcommitment

risksrisks

essentialessential

successsuccess

Information for this presentation were found in the following resources: Bursuck, Friend, & Information for this presentation were found in the following resources: Bursuck, Friend, &

Best (1999); Polloway & Patton (1999); Best (1999); Polloway & Patton (1999); Rusch & Chadsey (1998); Hobbs & Westling (1998Rusch & Chadsey (1998); Hobbs & Westling (1998))