Special Education for Administrators
Module 2 – Improving The Instructional Program
Module 2 Agenda:
Day One:
Day Two:
•
•
•
•
• IEPs and Instructional
Focus Activity
Norms of Operation
Leader vs Manager
OLF - Setting Directions:
Leading the Instructional
Program
• SEF– Components 2 and 4
• Equity Walkthrough
Leadership examined
• Inclusion/Segregated
Classes
• Mental Health
• Future Trends in Special
Education
• M2 Post and M3 Pre
Assignments: Review
2
Norms of Operation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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
3
Leader or Manager…
OPC – OLF Research Foundations:
“so...one defining attribute of effective leaders is their
ability to carry out even the most routine and
seemingly trivial tasks in such a way as to nudge their
organizations toward their purposes. This is
one of the ways in which the separate parts of their
especially effective organizations come to be
productively aligned.”
4
Quotes to share…
Effective principals do not allow managerial
tasks to consume their days. They create
adequate time to focus on being the
instructional leaders of their schools. It is
the key part of their job.
 Discuss with an elbow partner how you
demonstrate that you are an instructional
leader for your students with special needs.
5
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
6
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
7
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
8
9
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!)
10
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)
11
12
So now you have a
goal for Module 2
Focused, ongoing learning that is
job embedded and “in context.”
13
School Effectiveness Framework
Component 2
…School and Classroom Leadership…
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?
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
14
School Effectiveness Framework
Component 4
…Curriculum, Teaching and Learning…
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
we have to can help
do
us?
differently?
Who is
monitoring?
What?
When?
How?
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
15
Leadership
Reflect while viewing the clips from the SEF and be prepared
to share:
• Have you observed the instructional practices being used for your
students with special needs and if so, what did you learn?
• Have you fostered leadership/created many leaders to provide the
needed supports for your students with special needs?
• In what ways have you facilitated staff planning and learning together
to further the success of your students with special needs and did you
attend the PLC with your staff?
• In what ways have you specifically supported best practices/ high
quality instruction for students with special needs?
• How have you enabled co-planning, co-teaching and co-assessing that
supports students with special needs?
16
School Effectiveness Framework
• Component 2: School and Classroom Leadership
• 2.4 Job-embedded and inquiry-based professional learning
builds capacity, informs instructional practice and contributes
to a culture of learning
http://www.curriculum.org/secretariat/framework/leadership4.shtmlStreaming WMV Option
Length 2:28
17
Leadership and Student Learning
After teaching, the second most influential factor on student
learning is leadership (shared; formal and informal).
Most-effective leadership dimension:
 promoting and participating in teacher
learning and development
Vivian Robinson, 2007, School Leadership and Student Outcomes:
Identifying What Works and Why in Earl and Katz, Creating a Culture
of Inquiry in Blankstein, 2010: Data Enhanced Leadership
18
SEF - Component 4
Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
Indicators:
• Reinforce the importance of teaching and learning through alignment of curriculum,
instruction, assessment and resources in order to meet the diverse learning needs of
students. Grades 9–12
http://resources.curriculum.org/secretariat/framework/curriculum5.shtml
Streaming WMV Option Length 2:32
•
Develop policies and funding to help ensure that learning resources are current, culturally
relevant and inclusive.
http://resources.curriculum.org/secretariat/framework/curriculum6.shtml
Streaming WMV Option Length 2:20
•
Timely and tiered interventions, supported by a team approach, respond to individual
student learning needs.
http://resources.curriculum.org/secretariat/framework/curriculum6.shtml Grades 7–8
Streaming WMV Option Length 2:05
19
School Effectiveness Framework
School and Classroom Leadership Component 2 and
Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Component 4
•
•
•
•
•
Review the goals outlined in Component 2 and Component 4
Consider your goal from OLF Framework then Select the goal or goals that fit with the OLF, School and DSB
plan for these areas in relation to Special Education
Complete both charts with one or two focus areas for each
component
Share with your elbow partner key issues for change!
20
Context and Relevant Theory
and Research Around the Learner
Assignment REVIEW– Categories of Exceptionalities
21
Ministry Categories
of Exceptionalities
• Behaviour
• Communications
• Autism
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing
• Learning Disability
• Intellectual
• Giftedness
• Mild Intellectual Disability
• Developmental Disability
• Physical
• Physical Disability/Blind Low Vision
• Deaf/Hearing Impaired
• Please indicate on one of the post it notes your first three
choices in order of preference.
22
Assignment
Categories of Exceptionalities
 Research in a group of two an area of exceptionality as identified in
the Education Act
Include the following:
 Category of exceptionality including the Ministry criteria:
e.g., intellectual, deaf/hard of hearing
 Definition of the exceptionality: Ministry and Board
 Student learning: strengths and challenges
 Instructional, environmental and assessment/evaluation strategies for
accommodation integration and inclusion
 Differentiation of instruction and learning
 Differentiation of assessment for, as and of learning.
23
Assignment
Categories of Exceptionalities
Candidates MAY use the following guiding questions to meet the expectations for this
research assignment:
Based on the exceptionality what are best practices?
What would a demonstration classroom for this exceptionality look like, sound like,
feel like?
How as the principal or vice principal will you utilize change theory to move your
school forward in terms of best practices for students with this exceptionality?
What would be the best resources for students with this exceptionality? Include
community, school, and web based.
Discuss the manifestations of behaviour that may be seen with this exceptionality.
How as a principal or vice principal would you mitigate discipline based on the
exceptionality? Develop a case study and discuss how you would mitigate based on
the case you develop.
How will you engage students and parents?
24
Group Assignment
Categories of Exceptionalities
Candidates MUST include:
Research on the intersection of race, socio-economic
status (SES) and identification of a disability.
A Walkthrough for classrooms for students with this
exceptionality who are receiving instruction. This
walkthrough should be based on the sample template
from the Equity and Inclusive Education section of the
OPC website.
25
Categories of Exceptionalities
Presentation of Final Product MUST include:
Group
•
•
•
•
Experiential activity so that the audience knows what it feels like to have the
exceptionality that you are presenting. (10 to 15 minutes)
Multimedia presentation (or other format to be confirmed by the instructor) to staff,
parent community with handouts. (10 to 15 minutes)
A Walkthrough for classrooms with handouts for students with this exceptionality who
are receiving instruction. This walkthrough should be based on the sample template
from the Equity and Inclusive education section of the OPC website. (10 to 15 minutes)
Research on the intersection of race, socio-economic status (SES) language, and
identification of a disability.
Individual
•
•
•
Each candidate will provide a personal reflection based on key concepts from this
exercise including next steps for personal growth to be submitted to the instructor.
Reflection and multimedia documents are to be submitted to the instructor
electronically.
Be prepared to share your research and information with the group during Modules 3
and 4.
26
Observations/Conversations as an
Instructional Leadership Strategy
Purpose
•Gives principals a real time opportunity to gain insight into the staff focus on school
goals and to use the information to engage the staff in conversations
to improve the level of classroom and school success.
Benefits
•Monitoring commitment to school and Board goals (SIP/BIP)
•Showing principal’s interest in classroom instructional strategies and student learning
•Monitoring general conditions in the school (hallway behaviour, cleanliness, ventilation,
currency of displays, representation of the students, etc.)
•Visibility to students, staff, volunteers, parents and community
27
PRACTICUM: REVIEW AND WORKING
GROUPS
This practicum is an opportunity for candidates to
illustrate a high level of professional knowledge,
skill, pedagogy, ethical practices and instructional
leadership. It also includes reflections and
analysis of your learning over time in the SEA AQ
course.
Instructors will set up consultation times with candidates
during the review.
28
The Question/The Inquiry….
Asking the “question” that gets your practicum started is the
greatest challenge!
THINK ABOUT….
– What issue related to special education in your school is
causing you concern or keeping you up at night?
– What areas of learning in your school are not suitable for
students with special education needs?
– What area of the SEF needs attention by you and your staff in
order to remove the barriers to learning for students with
special needs?
– What changes in practices would support a “growth mindset”
for your staff? For your community? For yourself?
29
What to consider about data collection:
 Your inquiry question will determine the form of data
collection that is best. So…
 Determine if the data will be collected from student
performance, teacher performance, or what others in
your community are doing. Then…
 You want a variety of sources, triangulation of data.
30
Data Collection





Interviews






Questionnaire
Interview the individuals carrying out the action (i.e., " Fireside Chat”)
Reflective Diary
Ongoing account of the process
Ensures nothing is missed in the process (e.g., Capture an “aha” moment
during the action)
Questions geared directly to questions you need answers to
Anonymous
Focus Groups
Gathering of information from a larger group of people at one time
Determine how you will collect the information (i.e., Digital Recorder)
31
Practicum…think about
1. Expectations for the SEA AQ Practicum include:
2.
Clarify your key question (determining what you want to see
– precise outcomes).
3.
Articulate your key question in a summary statement
(planning the best way to achieve or get to the outcomes).
4.
A collection of data to inform your practicum.
5.
Implementation ideas - specific action steps.
6.
Reflection on the results, examining the data to see what it
tells and decide how to act on it. Include communication with
your critical friend and instructor. (minimum 500 words)
7. Note: Refer to Practicum Components Outline in Binder.
32
Practicum Options:
Your instructor will review the Special Education For Administrators Practicum Components
outline.
The practicum is 20 hours of professional study completed outside of the face to face days.
Select one of the four options for your practicum:
1. Design a professional learning opportunity for a specific group (e.g., EAs, Special Education
staff, ESL teachers, parent groups) which includes a variety of technologies and resources
relevant to your key question OR
2. Develop a digital story, presenting an issue related to your key question OR
3. Create a portfolio of practical resources, artefacts, photographs, recording critical
reflections for each components as it relates to your key question OR
4. Engage in action research by reflecting and acting upon a specific inquiry into professional
practice as it relates to your key question.
33
Walkthrough
https://www.principals.ca/stream/video/launchVid.as
px?vidID=21
34
Instructional Leadership:
from theory to practice!
Discuss the following quotes as they relate to the current delivery model
for special education in your school and board:
 “Something you’ll notice right away is there’s a lot of teachers and
administrators who don’t know what to do with an EA. Not their
fault really, anymore than it’s ours - but it’s an issue you have to work out.” Kana
V. Gradualt of an EA program
 “One defining attribute of effective leaders is their ability to carry out even the
most routine and seemingly trivial tasks in such a way as to nudge their
organizations toward their purposes…” Kenneth Leithwood (OLF Framework)
35
Strategies For the Principal as Improving the
Instructional Program in Special Education
Crucial
Conversations
Group
Learning
Book Reviews
Focused Task
Forces
Committee
Leadership
Leader’s
Strategies
Mentoring
Matters
Walk-Through
Talented and
Gifted
PLTs
Thinking
Breakfasts
Periodicals
Periodically
36
Culturally Relevant and
Responsive Pedagogy
Theoretical Underpinning:
• caring for students (academic, social and emotional well being)
Growth is expected in
academics and
behaviour
Necessary supports
are provided
High-Yield Teaching
Strategies
Precise and Consistent
Assessment AS & FOR
Learning
Academic
Success
Cultural
Competence
Culturally
Relevant
Pedagogy
Asset based approach to
families/communities-not
deficit
Utilize Students’ Cultures
as a Vehicle for Learning
Connections to Knowledge
of Families and
Communities
Student’s Social Identities
and Lived Realities are
Valued and Respected
Critical
Consciousness
Students develop a broader socio-political consciousness
Students critique the cultural norms, values, mores, and
institutions that produce and maintain social inequities
Gloria Ladson-Billings
37
Debrief
 Look at the elementary and secondary examples of
work plans and how this relates to you as a
principal.
 What would you be able to do in your school
regarding students who have special education
needs?
 What further support do you need to use the
Walkthrough Framework?
38
Student Work
“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
Katz, Earl, Jaafar, 2009
(Corwin)
“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
39
Professional Learning Cycle
STUDENT LEARNING
EDUCATOR LEARNING
For each unit/module:
PLAN
• examine student data and work to identify
areas of need
• determine/access professional learning in
order to address areas of student need and
to differentiate to reach all
ACT/OBSERVE
• implement, adjust, engage in professional
learning, share practice
REFLECT
• examine student data and work to
determine impact, lessons learned, next
steps for student and educator learning
40
OBSERVE – SHARED PRACTICE SCENARIOS
“They are not just accountable for creating the
conditions in which results might happen –
accountability presumably resting with teachers – but
rather they are responsible to ensure that results do
happen.” Ken Leithwood
Please see handout
•Co-assessing Student Work
•Co-teaching
•Peer Observation
•Marker Students/Data and Evidence
41
Debra King identifies six tasks that comprise
Instructional Leadership -The Principal:
1. Leads learning
•
Participates in regular, collaborative, professional learning
experiences, working with teachers in adult learning
activities, and developing a broad knowledge base in
curriculum, instruction, and assessment
2. Focuses on teaching and learning
•
Helps teachers improve instructional practices and makes
student achievement the school’s highest priority
3. Develops leadership capacity
•
Distributes leadership responsibilities to include those who
have no formal leadership roles and provide regular
opportunities for all stakeholders to share what they are
learning about their practice
4. Creates conditions for professional learning
•
provides regular opportunities for stakeholders to work on
teaching/learning issues
•
allocates time during the school day to work on
teaching/learning issues
•
participates with colleagues to give and receive feedback
about performance
5. Uses data to inform decisions
•
collects and uses data from a variety of sources
•
works with a variety of stakeholders to interpret and create
improvement plans
•
answers questions about student achievement and trends in
achievement
6. Uses resources creatively
•
•
uses time, money and people to foster school improvement
uses the school schedule to support student achievement
43
Instructional Leadership
Activity:
– Think first of what you are doing currently in each
category (1-6)
– What are you doing in your school to demonstrate
your instructional leadership for students who
have special needs? Think about your personal
practice.
– You will be then sharing on a Consulting Line…
44
Consulting Line….
Candidates stand opposite one another
Each have 2 minutes to “Give and Get One”
Then everyone rotates one person to the left
Future Trends in Special Education
• Individual Presentations
to share trends
• Handouts
46
Ministry of Education
District Reviews
• The SEF is the lens for school improvement
province wide
• Candidates are expected to collate the School
Effectiveness Framework placemats completed in
each module as evidence of school improvement
goals in preparation for their school district review
• As well, goals selected for your school should be
highlighted on the general overview sheet
47
Special Education Overview
Ministry of Education Strategic Directions
Overall Goals
High levels of student
achievement
Reduced gaps in student
achievement
Increased public confidence and
support for public education
Special Education Policy and Programs Branch
(SEPPB)
Goals for Special Education
•
Improved outcomes for students receiving special
education
•
Increased capacity of schools to effectively meet
the needs of a variety of learners in settings ranging
from typical to intensive support classrooms
•
Improved balance between a focus on teaching and
learning, and the need for appropriate process,
documentation and accountability
•
More cooperative connections between schools
and families of students facing learning challenges;
promoting a positive environment
48
Learning For All K-12
Instructional Approaches group activity
Instruction that both responds to the various needs of a
diverse group and precisely tailored to individual needs
is needed for student achievement for all students……
Three instructional approaches form the basis of this document
 Universal Design for Learning
 Differentiated Instruction
 The Tiered Approach
49
ACTIVITY: GROUP
COLLABORATION
1. Within your groups, choose the instructional strategy that you would like
to know more about.
2. Break down the section in the Learning For All document on that
strategy and have each person from your group read about one of the
instructional strategies.
3. After everyone has finished reading, discuss your understandings
together to gain a better grasp of the three instructional strategies.
4. Write down your findings on the chart paper provided and be prepared
to present what you have read using MI (see handout in binder). Present
your findings: 5 minute limit per group.
50
Instructional Core:
” You don't change performance without changing the
instructional core,” -states Professor Richard Elmore.
“ The relationship of the teacher and the student in the
presence of content must be at the center of efforts
to improve performance.”
51
Group Discussion/
Sharing Session:
1. How does your School Improvement Plan/Board
Improvement Plan address instructional approaches to close
the achievement gap and further the learning of students
with special needs?
2. In what ways do the current instructional practices used by
your staff incorporate the principles of Universal Design,
differentiated instruction and the tiered approach?
3. What further steps can you take to ensure that they are
implemented?
4. What resources do you need?
52
REPORTING BACK ON YOUR SCHOOL HOUSE –
BUILDING SCHOOL CULTURE FOR INSTRUCTIONAL
LEADERSHIP:
1. Share in your school house group what you learned from
working with your staff on this exercise.
2. Revisit your school chart NEW AND REVISED and with post it
notes as an overlay add those you would
see/hear/experience/expect in school culture related to
instructional leadership.
53
Improving The Instructional Program
Through IEPs
IEP journeys:
Tell the story of one of the students selected including:
The process that was used to gather data to be used to inform
your decision making;
How did you use the data to construct the IEP?
How was the School Support Team used?
Describe the IPRC process if the student was brought to IPRC
Do we have the will to educate all students?
Hilliard (1991)
Asa Hilliard (1991)
54
Leveling IEPs
Candidates will review an existing rubric and add to the rubric
missing components in order to level the IEPs
Some possibilities of missing components:
 Use of SMART Goals
 Precise/personalized to the child
55
DOING
KNOWING
IEPs AND CHANGE THEORY
• Staff may see barriers to implementing IEPs due to
changes that need to occur in the instructional
practices.
• Consider how you might use your knowledge of
change theory to support the changes that need to
occur.
•
“If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less.”
General Eric Shinseki, former U.S. Army Chief of Staff
56
56
Strategies Principals can use to eliminate the
following barriers to Student Achievement:
Your view – what is best for students with special needs?
Share your thoughts with a think-pair-share.
1. School structures that marginalize, segregate, and impede
achievement, such as pull out programs
2. A deprofessionalized teaching staff who could benefit from focused
staff development
3. A school climate that needs to be more welcoming to marginalized
families and the community; and
4. Disparate student achievement levels
57
Special Education and Mental Health
Schools and school boards play an important
role in promoting awareness, prevention,
and early intervention, and in connecting
students to community services, the
strategy explicitly recognizes the need to
build school-based capacity in this area.
Supporting Minds
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/r
eports/SupportingMinds.pdf
58
New Ministry Policy Memorandum
 The Ministry of Education has just released Policy/Program
Memorandum 156: Supporting Transitions for Students with
Special Education Needs. “A transition plan must be developed
for all students who have an IEP, whether or not they have been
identified as exceptional by an IPRC and including those identified
as exceptional solely on the basis of giftedness. The transition
plan is developed as part of the IEP.”
 The requirements of this memorandum took effect September 2,
2014.
 What steps will you to take (have you taken) to prepare your staff
for implementation
 View PPM 156
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/extra/eng/ppm/ppm156.pdf
59
Using Data to inform instruction in
Special Education
In small groups share ways of monitoring special
needs students currently in their schools and
report back in form of a graphic organizers, locally
developed checklists etc. This may be divided into
the following areas: instructional, environmental,
assessment.
Note: Instructor will share a sample of how he/she collects
data to support special needs students and/or Learning
for All K-12 at both the elementary and secondary
levels:
60
Group Discussion: Data use..
How can you use the following sources of information to support
teachers in order to ensure informed decision making. Consider
the following sources of information

Use of school based teams/multi-disciplinary teams

Class/Student profiles

Case conferences

Parent contribution/information

External resources – data warehouses (MISA)

Ontario School Record (OSR) including:

use of class and student profiles/formative and summative assessment
61
Case Studies
Review case studies from Special Education In Ontario
Schools, 7th Edition, and prepare a plan of action to
assist the special needs students:




What information do you need?
What key issues are there?
What steps will you take to address the issues?
What strategies would you expect to see in the
classroom?
 What resources will you need?
62
Chapter Study
 Group sharing of the work completed for the chapter
study on Learning For All K – 12 chapter 5 and
 Special Education in Ontario Schools (7th Edition):
Chapter 5, The Individual Education Plan (IEP): A Team
Approach
 Share prepared flyers, newsletter articles etc. in small
groups
63
POST ASSIGNMENTS ( 5 HOURS)
Reflective Journal:

Identify three key areas of learning from Module 2 and outline how you have implemented the content or
strategies in your daily practice and how each demonstrates the connections to the personal goals you
identified in the OLF and the component(s) reviewed in the SEF.
Do Schools Kill Creativity?
Ken Robinson from Ted Talks View TED Talk

Candidates are asked to view the TED TALK webcast, and then complete the Module 2 discussion topic:
Do Schools Kill Creativity.

Identify a time how your LEADERSHIP has created a culture in which creativity thrives and is actively
nurtured and supported in and outside of the classroom FOR ALL SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS!
Complete the following assignments as directed by your Instructor

Ontario Leadership Framework Chart 2013

SEF Component 2 - School and Classroom Leadership

SEF Component 4 - Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
64
MODULE 3
PRE-ASSIGNMENTS ( 5 HOURS)
All pre-assignments are located at
www.principals.ca in “my folder” SPECED ACCESS
1. SHARED SOLUTIONS: A GUIDE TO PREVENTING AND RESOLVING
CONFLICTS REGARDING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR
STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS (2007) MINISTRY OF
EDUCATION.
2. Learning for All K-12 (2013) Chapters 3 and 5
3. Alternate Dipute Resolution and Restorative Justice:
William Ury suggests that there is a “third side” to all conflicts. The
third side is us. It’s us who act as the surrounding community
around any conflict, who can play a constructive role. He suggests
that we need to reframe how we see things –to change the frame
from “”hostility to hospitality, or in educational terms – to change
from exclusivity to inclusive. How can you as an administrator
reframe conflicts that leverage “the third side” – the community?
65
66
6666
66