Title: Using Systems Change Strategies to
1Using Systems Change Strategies to Support
Children Birth to Five in Natural and Inclusive
Environments
Preschool LRE Community of Practice September 28,
2004 Jan Thelen, Nebraska Department of
Education Early Childhood Special Education
Coordinator jthelen_at_nde.state.ne.us Jeanine
Huntoon, Nebraska Department of Education Early
Childhood Specialist jhuntoon_at_nde.state.ne.us
2What was the Impetus for our Systems Change? The
Law Says
The Federal Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) requires that early
intervention (EI) services under Part C for
infants and toddlers with disabilities from birth
to three years of age
3be provided in natural environments and that
early childhood special education (ECSE) services
under Part B for children ages three through
five be provided in least restrictive
environments.
4 Natural and least restrictive environments means
settings that are natural or normal for the
childs age peers who do not have disabilities.
5Where We Began
1998 OSEP Part C Monitoring visit to Nebraska
need to provide services in natural environments
- 1999 2001
- Creation of state-level Natural Environments
Task Force by co-lead agencies for Part C
(NDE-HHS) - Multiple trainings, workshops and forums across
the state by various experts (J. Woods, L.
Edelman, R. McWilliam, M. B. Bruder, D. Rush, M.
Shelden, S. Walsh)
- Spring 2001
- Task Force additional Stakeholders meet to
develop recommend comprehensive statewide plan
for personnel development B-5 - Adopted two pronged approach (1) systems change
model for EI/ECSE practitioners Personal
Development Support model (Dathan Rush MLisa
Shelden) (2) Companion model for child care
providers Special Care training (Child
Development Resources)
6Where We Began (cont.)
- Spring 2001
- Memo to stakeholders statewide inviting
nomination of LICC Teams to include - Administrator/ supervisor
- ECSE teacher
- PT, OT, SLP
- Services coordinator
Summer 2001 Stakeholder meeting to customize PDF
material to reflect state SPED and Co-lead
rules and regulations
- Oct. 2001-Oct. 2002
- 3 day PDF Institutes
- All 29 LICCs represented
- 140 facilitators trained
- Oct. 2002-Oct. 2003
- One day PDFI follow-up meetings
7Support Level One
- State-level early intervention and early
childhood special education program staff,
regional teams of early childhood leaders from
across the state, and other selected key
stakeholders serve as personal development
facilitators (coaches).
8Support Level Two
- Early childhood staff receive ongoing coaching
by the personal development facilitators.
9Support Level Three
- Families and other care providers who
participate in early childhood programs receive
coaching from service coordinators, therapists,
and teachers.
10Purpose of the PDF Model
- To support the delivery of services in natural
and least restrictive environments by assisting
teams of recognized leaders from across the state
to function as personal development facilitators.
11 Goals of the PDF Model
- Support Nebraska in increasing the numbers of
children with disabilities served in natural and
least restrictive environments. - Improve quality of early intervention and early
childhood special education services and supports
provided in and across natural and least
restrictive settings. - Build statewide capacity for ongoing, continuous
improvement
12Philosophical Underpinnings
The purpose of early childhood intervention is
to support care providers B-5 in developing the
competence and confidence to help the child learn.
13Core Values Beliefs
- Culturally Competent, Family-Centered Care
- Every family is unique
- We honor the diversity of families
- The family is the expert on the child and
the constant in the childs life - Families are equal team members
14Core Values Beliefs
- Natural Learning Environments
- Opportunities for learning occur as part of
typical life activities both routine and
spontaneous - Our role is to assist care providers to support
or increase the childs participation in
existing or desired activity settings - Our focus is on activities and settings that
are interesting and important to
the child and family
15Core Values Beliefs
- Learner-Focused Intervention
- Teachers and care providers are the primary
learners rather than the child
16Core Values Beliefs
- Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special
Education Staff as Coaches - Coaching is a reciprocal process
- The coach recognizes and uses the knowledge,
skills, experience, and interests of the
learner - The coach supports the care
providers to help the child learn
17Core Values Beliefs
- Functional Outcomes Meaningful Supports
- Supports are designed to achieve outcomes that
make a meaningful difference in the life of the
child - Supports occur within and are a part of
real-life - We use evidence-based practices
18Evidence-Based Practices
Practices that are informed by research, in
which the characteristics and consequences of
environmental variables are empirically
established and the relationship directly informs
what a practitioner can do to produce a desired
outcome. (Dunst, Trivette, Cutspec, 2002)
19Traditional Paradigm
- Treatment models
- Expertise models
- Deficit-based models
- Service-based models
- Professionally-centered models
- (Dunst 2000)
20New Paradigm
- Promotion models
- Capacity-building models
- Strengths-based models
- Resource-based models
- Family-centered models
- (Dunst 2000)
21Our Goal
Promoting the childs ability to be and do by
facilitating the familys or care providers
ability to enhance the childs development using
what they consider important. (Shelden Rush,
2001)
22The Role of Personal Development Facilitators
(PDF)
- To engage early childhood staff and families
within their region in an interactive and ongoing
learning process related to providing support in
natural and least restrictive environments using
the process of coaching.
23Criteria for Selection of PDF
- Function in a leadership role
- Have knowledge of state policies, procedures, and
guidelines - Be competent in own discipline and in the area of
early childhood - Be well respected by staff and parents
24Criteria for Selection cont.
- Be able to function as a coach
- Be interested in serving as a coach for others in
the region - Have time to provide coaching within the region
25Expectations of PDF
- Participate in the Personal Development
Facilitator Institute (PDFI) - Provide coaching to staff and families
- Work with team to create a Team Development Plan
- Participate in quarterly follow-up meetings
26Purpose of the PDF Institute
- To coach leaders how to engage early childhood
staff and contractors within their region in an
interactive and ongoing learning process related
to providing supports in natural and least
restrictive environments through the use of
classroom-based training curricula, just-in-time
learning, and the process of coaching. -
-
27Objectives of the Institute
- 1) To obtain knowledge of the content (what) and
process (how) to provide ongoing support to early
childhood staff and families to ensure that
supports are provided in accordance with the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA).
28Objectives cont.
- 2) To demonstrate skills in coaching and training
for early childhood staff and families.
29Objectives cont.
- 3)To establish a support network among early
childhood leaders for the purpose of coaching and
training how to effectively provide supports.
30Institute Training Process
- Provide overview of module content
- Key issues
- Materials
- Practice coaching based on key issues module
content - Demonstrate knowledge of policies procedures
- Challenge bowl
- Provide opportunities for practice
31Institute Content Modules
- The Process of Coaching
- Natural and Least Restrictive Environments
- Gathering Information
- Evaluation Assessment
- Report-Writing
- IFSP
32Institute Content Modules cont.
- Learner-Focused Intervention
- Primary Coach Approach
- Supporting Teachers in Preschool Child Care
Settings
33Coaching
- The strategy a primary coach uses to build the
capacity of care providers to promote child
learning and development in family, community,
and early childhood settings.
34What is Coaching?
- Coaching is not telling people what to do its
giving them a chance to examine what they are
doing in light of their intentions. (Flaherty,
1999)
35What is Coaching?
- Coaching is developing people on purpose.
Coaching involves (the other person) in the
process of planning, creating, and problem
solving. - (Doyle, 1991)
36Operational Definition of Coaching
- Coaching is an interactive process of reflection
and feedback used to provide support and
encouragement, refine existing practices, develop
new skills, and promote continuous
self-assessment and learning.
37Our Definition
- Coaching in early childhood is an interactive
process of observation and reflection in which
the coach promotes the other persons ability to
support the child in being and doing. Being with
the partners in life who the child wants and
needs to be with and doing what he wants and
needs to do. - (Shelden Rush, 2001)
38The Coaching Process Summarized
- Initiation
- Observation
- Action
- Reflection
- Evaluation of the Coaching Process
39Features of the Comprehensive, Ongoing Support
Model
- Quarterly web-based meetings or conference calls
- Regional awareness-level training
- Administrators training
- Master Coach Training
- Summer Institute
- Continuous refinement and ongoing development of
model with Rush and Shelden
40Lessons Learned (so far)
- Supports need to be provided to new and
developing teams as system grows - Provision of resources is critical
- Importance of direct link to local/state
self-assessment process - Readiness of local teams for change
- Local and state administrative buy-in is
essential to systems change - Using evidence-based practices is key!
41Were Part of a Bigger Picture
- Systems change work in higher education (SCRIPT
and Natural Allies) - Nebraskas Early Learning Guidelines (Good Start,
Grow Smart) - No Child Left Behind (standards, assessment and
accountability measuring EC outcomes) - Nebraska State Board of Education
- EC Policy Study
- Essential Education
42We leave you with this
(Change) is a time for new imaginings, of
windows opening even if some doors close. We need
not stumble backwards into the future, casting
longing glances at what used to be we can turn
around and face a changed reality. It is, after
all, a safer posture if you want to keep moving.
(Handy, 1989)
43 We gratefully acknowledge and credit the work
of Dathan R. Rush and MLisa L. Shelden, Puckett
Institute, Morganton, NC, in the development and
ongoing implementation of the PDF model in
Nebraska. We also express our deep
appreciation to Dathan and MLisa for allowing us
to include their materials in this presentation.
44Questions Discussion
45Gotcha, Jan!