Using a Coaching Model to Support Students with ASD in Schools

1. Using a Coaching Model to Support Students with ASD in Schools March 27, 2009 MiBLSi Coaches Conference

2. Introductions

3. WHY MOVE TO A COACHING MODEL? Too Many Students for the Old System

4. Too Many Students • Can’t adequately meet the needs / use #’s as a reason • Can’t do anything effectively • Always in crisis / no time for proactive strategies • No time for collaboration to improve services IN the classroom / build capacity

5. Increased need for capacity-building • IDEA Revisions • OSEP: 80/80 Rule • NCLB Revisions • Focus on One Curriculum: • General Education WITH Special Education Support (EVERYONE looking in the same direction)

6. Moving Toward a 3-Tiered Approach Intensive Individualized Intervention TIER 3 1-5% 7-15% Targeted Intervention TIER 2 Universal Intervention TIER 1 Used for 100% Effective for 80%

7. Application to Students with ASD Intensive / Tier 3 Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders? Targeted / Tier 2 Universal / Tier 1

8. Application to Students with ASD Intensive / Tier 3 Targeted / Tier 2 Universal / Tier 1

9. What ARE Universal Supports for Students with ASD? • Family Involvement • Positive Behavior Support • Visual Supports and Strategies • Opportunities in Integrated Environments • Accommodations / Modifications to Increase Access to Integrated Environments • Build in Preferred Activities • Focus on Independent Functioning / Socialization Skill Development • Peer to Peer Support • Effective Use of Paraprofessionals to support independence and socialization • Implementation Fidelity through Coaching

10. Fidelity of Implementation • All educators need to know the effective practices • Be able to implement those practices • Have follow up support to assure implementation fidelity.

11. Increase ACCOUNTABILITY for OUTCOME • Responsibility for implementation • Lack of “role up your sleeves” • Come and go without responsibility • Ownership • Blame direct service staff • Skills in prescriptive student support • Pick and choose the TC preferred strategies • Knowledge of system • Staff, resources, structure, etc. • General education curriculum

12. Implementing START Coaching • EPLI (Effective Practice Leadership Initiative) • EPLI is designed to: • Increase local ACCESS to information and training in ASD • Improve IMPLEMENTATION of effective practices for students with ASD in order to improve OUTCOMES • BUILD local district CAPACITY to educate students with ASD • Increase use of TEAM and PROBLEM-SOLVING processes

13. HOW do we deliver EPLI? • Trainer/Coaches • Deliver content information through training • Recruit and train building coaches • Coach Coordinators / Leaders • Serve in a coach consultant role • Coordinate district / ISD coaching activities • Work collaboratively with Trainer/Coaches • Building Coaches • Serve in a coaching role at the building level

14. What is a COACH? Most common example: SPORTS What is the ROLE of the Coach? What characteristics make a GOOD Coach? What Characteristics make a BAD Coach?

15. What IS a Coach? • We don’t see coaches as “experts”; rather, they HAVE expertise. . . • In the CONTENT • In the PROCESS • In the TEAMING necessary to make it happen Isn’t this a “consultant” ? ? ?

16. Comparison of the Models:Expert Consultant vs. Coach:

17. This change requires you to THINK DIFFERENTLY The way you think creates the results you get. The most powerful way to improve the quality of your results is to improve the way you think . . . HOW: …stop focusing on the problem …understand no one person knows the RIGHT answer …realize that FEAR, CONFORMITY, AND LAZINESS paralyzes us

18. START’s Coaching Model STRUCTURED yet FLEXIBLE

19. START Coaching StructureRoles / Responsibilities • Coach Coordinator(s): • Coach representatives to the RCN • Coordinate coaching in the region • Report out progress to RCN / START • Coach Leader(s): • ISD / District Level Coaches • Carry caseload of buildings / coaches • Meet regularly / support building coaches • Report progress to Coach Coordinator • Building Coaches: • Coaches working at the building level • Positive nag / crisis response • Assure action items are completed • Coordinate / report progress to Coach Leader

20. RCN: EPLI Coach Coordinator(s) ISD / District Level (Coach Leaders) Districts Level – EPLI District Coach Leaders Building COACH Building COACH Building Coach Building COACH Building Coach Building COACH COACH Leader COACH Leader Building COACH Building COACH Building COACH Building COACH Building COACH Building COACH

21. START Coaching Goal A coach in every building serving students with ASD in Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

22. EXAMPLE:CCRESA Model of Service: Building CapacitySupport Team and Building Coaches W GW

23. Who are Coach Leaders? In multiple buildings Tends to be Ancillary Staff: School Psychs SSW Providers of Speech and Language ASD Teacher Consultants OTs / PTs

24. A LEADER is a person you would follow to a place you wouldn’t go yourself

25. Super Bowl – Go Steelers • Coach Mike Tomlin • HIS ROLE • Teach others about the game • Assist others in their understanding • Guide others in making right decisions • Deal with the toughest calls of the game

26. What is their JOB ? Carry a Caseload of BUILDINGS (i.e. COACHES) Recruit Building Coaches Assist and Support Building Coaches in: Development and maintenance of a 3-tiered model of academic and behavioral support for students with ASD Consult on Tier 2/3 students Development and implementation of evidence based interventions (USAPT / POC) Gathering and analyzing data for decision-making IEP Development and Implementation Behavior Plan Development and Implementation

27. Stephanie Dyer-Psychologist Caryn Coyle-ASD TC; CPM Tisha Schafer-Occupational Therapist Joanne Polfus-School Social Worker Lori Seagraves-Speech/Language Therapist CCRESA ASD SUPPORT TEAM • Coordination/Training of Building Coaches • Consultation with Teams/Coaches • Resource for Current Research/Best Practice • Screening Observations • Evaluation via Centralized Team Model • Classroom/Staff Sensitivity Training • Workshops/Trainings • Resource Library (under construction) • Collaboration with Ingham/Eaton counties (CRAN) • Parent Support Groups • Coach/Mentoring support

28. Requirements to be a Coach Leader • Michigan Department of Ed Credential • Work for the public schools • Three years experience working with students with ASD • START Training

29. Who are Building Coaches? Primarily assigned to ONE building EXAMPLES: Special Ed Teacher Gen Ed Teacher Provider of Speech and Language Principal

30. Coaching T-Ball, Elementary Basketball, Pee-Wee Hockey • Not to run out on court, field, ice YOUR ROLE • Teach others about the game • Assist others in their understanding • Guide others in making right decisions • Deal with the toughest calls of the game

31. WHAT IS THEIR JOB? • Meet monthly with building team • School Improvement Team • Tiered / Academic – Behavior Support Teams • Special Ed / ASD Support Teams • Develop goals for building capacity • EIC-ASD • USAPT • POC • Follow up on action items • Provide Implementation Support • Problem Solve in Crisis • Report to Coach Leader

32. CCRESA ASD BUILDING COACHES Attend 3 2-day training modules Submit resume and application Attend 5-6 coaches meetings/training during year Submit meeting agendas/minutes from teamings • “Front line” resource person for building • Coordinate team meetings for each student with ASD in their building • Communication link between building and ASD team (trainings, supports, resources) • Link for consultation requests, screening observations, evaluations • Support for classroom teachers and support staff

33. Requirements to be a Building Coach • Michigan Department of Ed Credential • Work for the public schools / primarily in ONE building • START Training

34. TO BE A COACH • TOOLS • SKILLS • RESOURCES / SUPPORTS

35. TOOLS • USAPT • EIC-ASD • http://education.gsu.edu/autism/ • APERS • Evidence-based practices • http://www.ocali.org/

36. COACHING SKILLS TAKING ON HUMAN NATURE

37. Problem Solving ProcessMEETING MECHANICS Assign Responsibilities Problem Identification Implementation Variables Problem Specification Brainstorm Cluster/ Prioritize Adapted in part from Allen, S.J. & Graden, J.L. (1997).

38. COACHING SKILLS • FBA on Adults • Begin with the end in mind • 10 minute vs. 1 hour approach • Right vs. Successful • Keep Focus on the STUDENTS • Keep out of the OPINION DEBATE • Law • Evidence–based support • DATA

39. COACHING SKILLS • Talk about the WHITE ELEPHANT • Spotlight vs. Lightening Bolt • Focus on OUTCOME -- IMPLEMENTATION • Discovery vs. Expert • An idea discovered is better than an idea delivered-- • Crisis vs. Build capacity • Do it for them?

40. COACHING SKILLS • FRONTLOAD: Best place to solve a problem is… • Have an arsenal of responses….

41. The Tough Meetings • You want a goal about that, write it yourself… • I can’t believe the parent wants me to provide data on why I selected these strategies… • I think kids with aggression need to be sent home and charged with assault. • He has ASD. He needs to go to the ASD program. • We can’t have general ed students support students with ASD.. it will take away from their school day.

42. The Tough Questions • This student is hurting our staff! When is enough enough? • DATA on implementation fidelity • Documentation of using data to make program adjustments • Lack of progress on goals and objectives • If you modify the curriculum THAT much, what is the student actually learning? • Learning HOW to Learn: Purpose of Modifications

43. The Tough Questions • If you use visuals THAT much, aren’t you creating dependence on visuals? • SYSTEMS dependent vs. ADULT dependent • SYSTEMS increases INDEPENDENCE • If we put that student in general education, he will disrupt the learning of others. Don’t you think he would be better off in a restricted setting? • DEFINITION OF LRE

44. Now you know the WHAT… What about the HOW? • Nonverbal (55%) • Appearance • Posture • Eye contact • Body movement • Paraverbal (55%) • Tone • Volume • Cadence • Verbal (7%)

45. I didn’t say you were stupid.

46. COACHING SKILLSProviding Feedback “The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.” —Norman Vincent Peale

47. Providing Feedback • Effective feedback is meant to help the recipient. • Feedback will not FIX what you believe is wrong with another person. • The recipient’s decision to change behavior is their responsibility. • Don’t give feedback to “get something off your chest.” • Feedback should be descriptive, not evaluative • Give information, not judgment. • Be honest and straightforward-- FRONTLOAD • Talk about the “elephant” in the room • Expect feedback in return (listen, don’t just defend or justify) • Remember, even constructive feedback can be painful

48. Coaching Supports / Resources • Quarterly Coaches Meetings • Online Coach Manual • Coaching Kits • Visual Supports Kits • Reinforcing Coaching Activities

49. COACHING GOAL • GET CRITICAL MASS • HOW? • The Story of the Hybrid Seed

50. Story of the Hybrid Seed • Bruce Ryan / Neal Gross study on the spread of hybrid seed corn (1930’s Greene County Iowa) • New seed introduced in 1928 and was superior in every respect • DESIGN: • 258 farmers • In 1932-33, only a handful used the new seed • DEFAULT: • 1934: 16; then 21 more; then 36, 61 … etc. • DEFIANT: • By 1941: all but 2 used new seed The Tipping Point; Malcolm Gladwell