Special Education for Administrators
Module 3- Building Relationships and Developing People Securing Accountability
Norms of Operation
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Go slow to go fast
Listen and speak with an open mind
Take risks
Respect others and ourselves
Leave positions at the door
What we say here stays here
Begin, end, and transition on time
2
Module 3 Agenda:
Ontario will cultivate and continuously develop a high-quality teaching profession and strong
leadership at all levels of the system.
Achieving Excellence: A renewed vision for education in Ontario (2014)
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Norms of Operation
Building Relationships – Trust
PLC’s& Learning For All
OLF revisited
School Effectiveness Framework – Components 1 and 5
Assessment & Evaluation: Securing Accountability
Exceptionality Group Presentations
Shared Solutions
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Leading Mentally Healthy Schools
3
Building Relationships of Trust
The Case for Trust – Stephen Covey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=CciecbzzH-g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J4oxmqLsBY&feature=rel
ated
TRUST how do you create a culture of trust?
 Think of a time when you were successful in creating a
professional relationship of trust.
 How will a culture of trust support students with special
needs?
4
Professional Learning Communities
Supporting Learning for All
 In Professional Learning Communities there is a culture of
high expectations that supports the belief that all students
can learn, and the school responds in a timely fashion to
students who require intervention and support
 Learning for All K-12 (2013) notes that PLC’s have the
potential to close the achievement gap for students
5
The Learning Leader
Douglas Reeves
 “Do we know the names, the faces, and the stories of
students who are in danger of failure nine months from now?”
 “We know…the only relevant question is whether
we have the will to apply that knowledge to meet the
needs of our students.”
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The Reflective
Administrator
On –going
self analysis
Professional growth
targets for
improved
practice
Evidence based
Researched
Practices
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How can PLC’s support
students with special needs!
Key Questions for teaching/learning:
– What is it we want our students to learn?
– How will we know if each student has learned?
– How will we respond when students do not learn the
identified expectation/big idea etc.?
– How can we extend and enrich the learning for students
who have demonstrated proficiency? i.e., gifted
– How do we build in the regular, ongoing monitoring of
students with special needs?
8
Managing Change and
Building Relationships
“Inclusive and exclusive educational change: emotional responses
of teachers and implications for leadership” – Andy Hargreaves
“What, then, can we conclude about the
emotional dimensions of self-initiated change
and its distinctions from mandated change?”
When we have to implement mandated change
how can we have teachers “own” the change?
9
The
Leadership
Framework
1.
2.
3.
Inspire a shared vision of leadership in schools and boards
Promote a common language that fosters an understanding
of what leadership and what it means to be a leader
Identify the competencies and practices that describe effective
leadership and guide professional learning
10
RESEARCH SAYS….
And you have heard this before…
There are five Core Leadership Capacities that lead you to your
best practices:
 Setting goals
 Aligning resources
 Promoting collaborative learning cultures
 Using data
 Engaging in courageous conversations
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OLF with a Special Education lens…
Improving the Instructional Program
Review the OLF chart and keeping your SIP in mind
regarding special education :
• Highlight in GREEN those areas you do ALWAYS
• Highlight in YELLOW the areas you do SOMETIMES
• Highlight in PINK those areas you do RARELY
• Your goal is to turn the SOMETIMES into ALWAYS
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13
All of that along with “ALWAYS,
SOMETIMES, RARELY” for…
Personal Leadership Resources
 Cognitive:
 Problem-solving
 Knowledge about school and classroom
conditions with direct effects on student
learning
 Systems Thinking (NEW!)
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As well as…
 Social Resources: including the ability to…
 Perceive emotions
 Manage emotions
 Act in emotionally appropriate ways
 Psychological Resources:




Optimism
Self-efficacy
Resilience
Pro-activity (NEW)
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So now you have a
goal for Module 3
Focused, ongoing learning that is
job embedded and “in context.”
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School Effectiveness Framework
…Components 1 and 5
 a support for school improvement and student success!
Goal
Indicators Where we Where
are now? do we
want to
be?
What
student
work/ev
idence
will tell
us we
are
there?
What do
Who
Who is
we have to can
monitordo
help us? ing?
differently?
What?
When?
How?
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
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SEF and Assessment (Component 1)
and
SEF and Pathways (Component 5)
• Select one goal ongoing in your school
related to special education and then
• Highlight one key goal and one key indicator
for your school. Work across the chart in
relation to students with special needs
• Think, pair, share your insights
• How can this support your work with
your staff at your school?
19
Goal Setting for
School Effectiveness Framework
Complete the School Effectiveness Framework
– Components 1 & 5
Open in Adobe Acrobat Reader to edit fields
20
School Effectiveness Framework
In large group or partners…..
 What are current practices in your school regarding
assessment for students with special needs and what
technical and adaptive changes need to occur?
 What actions will you take?
 How will you secure accountability?
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SEF Component 1 Assessment
for, as and of Learning
The primary purpose of assessment and
evaluation is to improve student learning.
Taken from Growing Success, page 6
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Leadership and Student Learning –
Professional Learning Communities
for Special Education Goal Setting
Key to student learning is how a school leader brings staff into
a learning community that has a focus on student work.
Discuss the following quotes from: Building and Connecting –
Learning Communities Katz, Earl, Jaafar, 2009 (Corwin)
 “One of the most powerful ways to ensure that any (learning team) stays
focused – whether within or across schools – is by making sure that it is
anchored by actual student work.” p. 76
 “Having actual student work is at the center of the collaborative
inquiry exercise. It creates the opportunity for evidence-driven,
focused professional learning conversations.” p. 76
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Professional Learning Community
Teacher engagement in the change process
– why is descriptive feedback so important for
students who have special needs?
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Assessment for Learning: Feedback
•Identify what is done well
(encouraging)
General
(“need more
practice”)
•Connect to learning goals and
success criteria
Specific,
Focused
•Provides both oral and written
•Describes what needs
improvement and how to get
there
•Involves follow up
http://www.edugains.ca/resourcesAER/VideoLibrary/index.html?
movieID=20
How can effective feedback make a difference for students with
special education needs and how will you ensure this happens
in your school (accountability)?
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Assessment Cycle for Learning
BIG IDEA
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Area of Focus for Feedback
Feedback Strategies
•Timing - when/how often
•Amount – points that relate to major learning goals
•Mode – oral , written, visual demo
•Audience – individual versus group
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Clear Target - Analogy of archery - If students are beginners at archery, they cannot be
expected to hit the bull’s eye the first time. It is fine if they miss the target as long as they
understand what they need to do in order to improve. With ongoing practice and
feedback, students can gradually witness their own improvement
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Edugains – Effective Feedback
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Collaborative Scoring of Student
Work – an Ethical Issue!
Watch the video
In groups of four share your thoughts on what Reeves
says and why it is especially important for students
with special needs
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Think-Pair-Share
 Assessment & Evaluation Symposium Keynote:
Dr. Douglas Reeves (Excerpt)
Toxic Grading Practices
 In groups of four share your thoughts on what
Reeves says and why it is especially important for
students with special needs
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Authentic Learning
 Effective learning tasks lead to deep thinking
 Investigation is of real interest
 Students are active in designing the problems and the methods of
investigation
 Students engage with disciplined inquiry (student sees self in own
world related to the task)
 Tasks connects to the world outside the class
 Involves substantive conversation
 http://www.curriculum.org/secretariat/framework/programs2.shtml
Length 3:17 Grade 4-6
 Tangible product presented to a real audience Freedom Writers
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Critical Issues in Equity and Inclusive
Education: The Need for Action
http://www.principals.ca/stream/equity/part3/part3stream.ht
ml
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Where are you on the continuum?
 How have you utilized relationships to create an effective PLC in your
school related to special education and/or inclusive classrooms?
 How do you provide individualized support for teachers based on their
needs to build capacity around special education/inclusive classrooms?
 Disciplined entrepreneurship and collective self efficacy in special
education: How do staff/students demonstrate that they truly believe
they can make a difference, grow and enhance their learning?
 How do you monitor the PLC’s and TLCP’s in a timely manner with
effective feedback and accountability?
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School Effectiveness Framework
Let’s revisit the questions:
 What are current practices in your school regarding
assessment for students with special needs and what
technical and adaptive changes need to occur?
 What actions will you take?
 How will you secure accountability?
35
Exceptionality Group Presentations
36
Shared Solutions In
Special Education
Principles of Conflict Resolution
Power Bases
The Anger Cycle
Shared Solutions Case Studies
Principled Negotiation
ADR and Mediation
Restorative Justice
Aboriginal Cultural Competency
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Are you an active listener?
“Listening … requires not only open eyes and ears, but open hearts and
minds. We do not really see through our eyes or hear through our ears, but
through our beliefs … It is not easy, but it is the only way to learn what it
might feel like to be someone else and the only way to start the dialogue.”
– Lisa Delpit
“Listening is probably the most cost effective element of a conflict
management system.” – Mary Rowe
“Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” – Stephen Covey, Habit 5
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
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Principles of Conflict Resolution
Principle-Based
Power-Based
Look for solution
Not for blame
Focus on the problem
person
Not on the
Take a non-adversarial approach
Not an adversarial one
Use dialogue
debate
Not
Focus on interests
Not on position
Try for a win/win solution
Not a win/lose one
Focus on change
Conflict resolution is a long process
Not on control
Not a quick fix
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Conflict Triangle
Framework for analyzing a conflict
 Past history
 Values, meanings
 Relationships
 Emotions
 Behaviours
•How people communicate
issues and feelings
• Structures, system,
procedures, patterns
• Norms about how to
behave in a conflict
• Decision making
• Roles, jobs
 Abilities
 Personalities
• Facts
• Interests, needs
• Consequences of events
Perceptions
Positions
Issues
Solutions
Consequences of possible outcome
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Power Bases…
• Think – Pair –Share:
• Can you identify where your power lies,
from where it comes?
• Reflect on how you should exercise your power,
when, for what purpose and under what conditions?
• Reflect on how you should share your power, when,
for what purpose and under what conditions?
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Strategies for Responding to Anger
1.
Listen carefully with full attention
2.
Assess point on anger cycle
3.
Acknowledge feelings
4.
Check for understanding
5.
Remain calm
6.
Begin problem solving when anger is diffused
7.
Try to stay in the present,
“What can we do about what is happening now?”
Leave
Short Term
Long Term
Stay
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Phases of the Anger Cycle
1.
2.
3.
4.
Physiological Arousal
5.
Base Line
Quality of Judgment
1. This is the event which triggers the rest of the cycle.
The extent to which a person feels provoked enough to explode is
related to both internal and external factors (stimuli from the environment).
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Phases of the Anger Cycle
1.
2.
3.
4.
Physiological Arousal
5.
Base Line
Quality of Judgment
2.
•
•
•
•
Escalation Phase: During the phase the body’s physiological arousal
systems prepare for a crisis. The body prepares to attack or defend.
Physiological cues include:
Muscle tension
Increased respiration
Increased heart rate
Increase in voice volume and pitch
44
Phases of the Anger Cycle
1.
2.
3.
4.
Physiological Arousal
5.
Base Line
Quality of Judgment
3.
Crisis Phase:
This phase begins as the body reaches the fight or flight point.
Since the body is at maximum stress, the person must aggress or
withdraw. Judgment is very poor at this point and rational discussion
is useless. Short, simple and non-provocative comments are best.
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Phases of the Anger Cycle
1.
2.
3.
4.
Physiological Arousal
5.
Base Line
Quality of Judgment
4.
Recovery Phase:
The crisis has passed, but the body must still recover from its high level of
arousal. Provocative communication at this point may cause another crisis.
Allow space during this phase if possible.
46
Phases of the Anger Cycle
1.
2.
3.
4.
Physiological Arousal
5.
Base Line
Quality of Judgment
5.
Post-Crisis :
The body and judgment have now returned to normal. Physiological signs
are normal or depressed or self-destructive during this stage.
This is an important time for discussion and problem solving.
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Shared Solutions – Case Studies

In a group of four reflect on the case studies
of Paul, Jovan, Ziyaad, and Brigitte

Share verbally a conflict concerning a student
with special needs and describe from Shared
Solutions the specific strategies that you used
to resolve the conflict effectively

Describe what you learned from Shared Solutions
and what you will be able to apply to your work
with students with special needs and their
families
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Perspective
 The most recent IPRC occurred on March 8, 2011. The decision
was Behaviour exceptionality and the placement was Special
Education class, Intensive Support Program/Behaviour. The
parents were in attendance and the statement of decision is
signed by a parent with the indication that they agreed to both
the exceptionality and the placement.
 Mother’s recent comments about wanting a regular class
placement are in opposition to the decision, which she
participated in, on March 8. The deadline for appealing the
IPRC decision has passed.
 What will you do following Shared Solutions?
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Communication Techniques
Paraphrasing
This technique is used to restate in your own words the issues and
concerns of the other person – reflect first the feeling and then the
content. It helps that person know that she or he has been heard, helps to
clarify the problems, and helps the Principal focus on the issues that must
be resolved within the mediation.
“ You sound frustrated that…”
“ Let me see if I understand what you are saying. “
“ You felt…when…”
“ What I hear you saying is…”
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Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
 Processes and techniques that act as a means for
disagreeing parties to come to an agreement short
of litigation
 Conflict resolution is a major goal of all the ADR
processes
 If a process leads to resolution, it is a dispute
resolution process
51
Negotiation
A dialogue between two or more people or parties,
intended to reach an understanding, resolve point of
difference, or gain advantage in outcome of dialogue,
to produce an agreement upon courses of action.
(Shared Solutions Problem Solving)
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Resolution Meeting Process Considerations
Preparation
– Flexible scheduling, location, seating, refreshments
– Clarifying participation, purpose, setting a collaborative tone
– Reviewing student’s records
Convening
– Agree on agenda, clarity in purpose, confidentiality, ground rules, breaks
– Remove distractions, communicate effectively, manage time
– Fully examine issues, ensuring equity in participation
– If dynamics are at issue do something different
(e.g. change representation, rethink offer/demand, etc.)
Implementation
– Clear agreement components (e.g., SMART – specific, measurable,
attainable, realistic, time-accountable)
53
Principled Negotiation
1.
Separate people from problem

Focus on communication with people, not to people

What are the interests, motives?

Remember that the other party has feelings, too

Are you paying enough attention?

Watch you ego

Focus on relationships

What is most important to the party?
What do they want? Why?

What is most obvious? Now look behind it
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Principled Negotiation
2.
Focus Attention on Interests, NOT Positions

Different positions – different interests

Acknowledge emotion

Watch for resistance. Pause to give the person a chance to object to reframe.

Don’t smooth over conflict rather let it be expressed to define the issues
and get the message across.
Most powerful interests are:
Human needs… security, economic well-being and sense of belonging, recognition and control
over one’s life. Interests should be openly discussed and acknowledged as part of the problem
Reframing
Reframing a position focus to an interest focus. Be sure your reframe contains the key element of
the original message.
“I’m not budging. Either my son stays in Mr. Smith’s math class, or I involve my school trustees in
this. He’s on an IEP and he has endured enough poor math teachers without another lost year.”
Reframe to delete the specific demand and focus on the underlying interests:
Competent math teaching for the parent’s son.
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Principled Negotiation
3.
Invent Alternate Options for Mutual Gain
THINK:
1.
Mutual gain NOT win-lose
2.
Shared interests NOT ONLY our interest
3.
Seeking common ground instead of settling interests
on basis of will
Use brainstorming to separate inventing from deciding
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Principled Negotiation
4.
Base Outcomes on Objective Standards and Criteria

Use standards to move towards a principled position

Assess objective criteria

Any precedent moral standards?

Professional standards
Process
1.
Each issue is a joint search for objective criteria
2.
Reason and be open to reason as to appropriateness and
application
3.
Always ask for reasons for standards
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Mediation
• Form of alternative dispute resolution
• A way of resolving disputes between two or more parties.
• A neutral third party, the mediator, who is not directly
involved assists the parties to negotiate their own settlement
(Shared Solutions - facilitator)
• The Three Little Pigs Go To Mediation
http://www.va.gov/orm/Mediation/VA_fable.html
• Role play
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Resolution Meeting & Mediation:
Components of Durable Agreements
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Clarify the issues and available options to resolve them
Identify what participants will do, not what they won’t do
Be specific: names, places, dates, times, amounts, actions
Use impartial, non-judgmental language that is future oriented
Avoid reference to past problems or blame
Avoid contingencies (e.g., "The school will do xyz if the parents do abc”).
Each discrete activity should stand on its own
Create conditions to monitor implementation of the agreement
and modify together if needed
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Restorative Justice
 Focuses on the needs of victims and offenders, instead of punishing
the offender
 Victims take an active role in the process, while offenders are encouraged
to take responsibility for their actions, "to repair the harm they've done—
by apologizing, returning stolen money, or community service"
 Based on a theory of justice that considers crime and wrongdoing to an
offense against an individual or community rather than the state
 Restorative justice that fosters dialogue between victim and offender
shows the highest rates of victim satisfaction and offender accountability
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqaqrDnhzDw&feature=related
Restorative Justice Introduction
 How does restorative justice support students with special needs?
60
Aboriginal Cultural Competency Trauma Informed Approaches
“Education can enhance survival of First Nations
people only if it contributes to identity
development through learning our languages,
our cultural traditions, and our spiritual beliefs”
(Longboat, 1087, p 39-40)
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Aboriginal Cultural Competency Trauma Informed Approaches
Aboriginal young people with histories of trauma are at risk for:
• Depression with 3 to 5 times more prevalence
• Suicide attempts at a rate of 12 times great than their peers
without abuse/neglect histories
• Alcohol and drug addition at a rate 18 to 21 times more
frequency than their peers
62
Aboriginal Cultural Competency Trauma Informed Approaches
Aboriginal Historic Trauma-informed schools:
• Trauma is a “normal response to an abnormal situation”
(i.e., healthy survival responses to a painful life)
• Shift from “what’s wrong with the parent/student”
to “what’s happened”
• Healing happens in healthy communities and healthy
safe relationships
63
Aboriginal Cultural Competency Trauma Informed Approaches
Trauma disrupts students’ ability to:
• Learn
• Process verbal information
• Use of language to communicate
• Develop literacy skills
• Develop social/emotional skills
• Self-regulate
64
Aboriginal Cultural Competency Trauma Informed Approaches
Think – pair – share: www.ofifc.org
What opportunities do administrators have to address the needs of Aboriginal
children/youth and families?
What needs exist to support students with special needs who also require
“trauma informed” treatment from elders in their communities?
Resources: Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centers
65
Module 3 – Post Assignment
Reflection/Learning Log – OPC Website/SpecEd Access:
Identify three key areas of learning from Module 3 and
outline how you have implemented the content or
strategies in your daily practice and how each
demonstrates the connections to the personal
goal(s) you identified in the OLF and the SEF
components for this module.
66
Module 3 – Post Assignment
Complete the Exceptionality Post Assignment that
you began in class and be prepared to share using
multiple intelligences two changes that you made
at your school or work environment during
Module 4, reflecting on the impact that you see,
hear and feel as a result of your actions.
67
Module 3 – Post Assignment
Complete the Self Assessment Rubric
for this module and return it electronically
to the instructor.
68
Module 4 – Pre Assignment
1. Complete the OPC online Legal Issues Workshop…
Human Rights
2. Research ONE article on communication and building
relationships within our schools and be prepared to
make connections to special education programs and
students.
69