RTI Collaborative Teaming

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RTI Collaborative Teaming and Consensus
Building Exploring
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RTI Collaboration Objectives

• Validate/Motivate
• Identify that a healthy and successful RTI
  framework includes ongoing collaboration as a
  school-wide practice
• Learn about personality traits and how to
  motivate each other as team members
• Establishing team protocol/norms for problem
  solving
• Establishing roles for team members

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Find a Shoulder Partner
Establish who will be 1 and who will be 2

• Why do you think collaborative teaming is
  important in an RTI framework?

2s go first
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Teachers prefer support from a colleague to
implement a new intervention strategy.
(Lane, Mahdavi Borthwick-Duffy, 2003)
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Collaboration is most effective when teachers
feel safe asking questions and revealing weakness
to their peers (Fuchs,
Fuchs Bahr, 1990)
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RTI Essential Components

• Strong Leadership
• Evidence-based Curriculum and Instruction
• Ongoing Assessment
• Collaborative Teaming
• Data-based Decision Making
• Fidelity of Implementation
• Ongoing Training and Professional Development
• Community and Family Involvement

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an emphasis on collaboration across
disciplines and across general and special
education boundariesrequires ongoing training in
collaborative teaming (Marston, Muyskens,
Lau Canter, 2003, p. 190)
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Compartmentalization Non Collaboration

• Compartmentalized systems are created largely by
  funding streams to provide services for specific
  populations of students.
• SPED , Title 1 services
• A culture of this is my kid- that is your kid
  developed
• How about your school? (1s go first)

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RTI Framework Collaboration

• In the RTI process
• ..collaborative teams are formed using the
  resources, talent, and personnel across the
  educational system.

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All educators work together and are accountable
for the outcomes of each and every student!
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Lessons learned from the front line of RTI
implementation in Montana schools

• Collaboration support
• Provide time during schedule to purposefully meet
• Explicitly train collaborative methods
• Monitor/Coach
• Time and money are always perceived to be in
  short supply collaboration requires time!

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What Makes an Effective Team?

• In your team groups, discuss the following
• Have you ever been a part of an extremely
  effective team? What qualities made this a
  successful experience?
• What do you think each individual must bring to a
  team in order for the team to be successful?

Source Hannon, 2007, Collaboration Works, Inc.
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Five Characteristics of Effective Collaborative
Teams
Results
Accountable
Commitment
Conflict Capable
Trust
Source Hannon, 2007, Collaboration Works, Inc.
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Trust Considerations

• Trust Worthiness
• Consistency
• Integrity
• Capability technical and interpersonal
• Trust Willingness
• Vulnerability
• Willingness to risk
• Willingness to question own assumptions

Source Hannon, 2007, Collaboration Works, Inc.
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What to do when conflict occurs?

• Understanding how/why conflict occurs
• Communication skills
• Unfolding our own thinking (advocacy)
• Exploring others thinking (inquiry)
• Ability to identify and work at the level of
  interests
• Ability to compromise

Source Hannon, 2007, Collaboration Works, Inc.
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Commitment

• Problem-solving skills
• Decision-making skills
• Personal investment
• Think about your own personal investments in this
  effort What draws you to this team?
• What problem-solving/decision-making skills do
  you have that could be useful to the team?

Source Hannon, 2007, Collaboration Works, Inc.
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Accountability

• Blame, intentions, and impact
• Separating individual responsibility from
  justifying and blaming
• Feedback skills to encourage accountability
• Appreciation
• Advice/Coaching

Source Hannon, 2007, Collaboration Works, Inc.
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Results-Oriented

• Commitment to a higher purpose
• Need of child vs. need of adult
• Loyalty to team
• Making others look good even it they are not
  present
• Team-orientation
• Celebrating team accomplishments

Source Hannon, 2007, Collaboration Works, Inc.
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Ongoing Cycle Linking Assessment, Instruction,
and Student Goals
Assessment
Student Goals
Instruction
RTI Collaborative Teams work to evaluate outcome
data to inform instruction, to make school level
and student goals, and to plan for professional
development
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The team process looks a little different in
every school.

• The composition and number of collaborative teams
  needed will be based on the needs of
• students
• staff
• the local culture
• resources available
• size of school!

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RTI Team Skills and Knowledge

• Team members are knowledgeable about and capable
  of using the skills listed below
• Group processing
• Effective classroom organization and management
• Problem-solving and collaboration
• Data collection/evaluation
• Instructional adaptations and interventions
• In addition.

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• Team members should have knowledge and training
  in the following
• The Montana Common Core Standards
• Critical components of reading, math, written
  expression instruction
• Culturally sensitive instructional issues
• Evidence-based instructional materials and
  practices
• Types of assessments and appropriate use
• Availability of school and community resources
• Positive behavior support system
• Does any one person know all of this?

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Recommended RTI Leadership Team Members

• School Principal
• General Education Teacher(s)
• Special Education Teacher
• Instructional Coach
• Data Coordinator
• School Psychologist
• School Counselor
• Parent
• Others

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Collaborative Teams
Collaborative Teaming
School Level Evaluates School Level Processes Monitors Fidelity of Processes Identifies problems and concerns Manages Data
Student Level Progress monitoring measures in place and scheduled Diagnostic Assessment Assess additional factors Systematic review of data to inform intervention
M. Beebe-Frankenberger 2007
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All team members bring their own unique
experiences, background, and agendas to the
table.
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Make a list of the positive qualities of each
member of your leadership team.How can these
qualities be capitalized upon?
Discussion
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Developing Norms

• Group Norms are
• Principles and practices that define how we make
  decisions and resolve conflicts
• Ground rules or habits that govern the group
• Norms can be
• Informal
• Formal

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Developing Norms

• We need to establish norms
• To ensure that all individuals have the
  opportunity to contribute in the meeting
• To increase productivity and effectiveness
• To facilitate the achievement of our goals

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Activity

• Talk with your group about the protocol or norms
  that have been observed in a leadership team.
• Make a list of norms that your team may want to
  use in your meetings.

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Critical Elements for Meetings

• State the purpose
• Attention to structure
• Agenda
• Topic outcomes
• Content vs. process
• Clarity about meeting roles
• Meeting closure-review action steps

Source Hannon, 2007, Collaboration Works, Inc
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Considerations for Teams

• The Team should determine a regular place and
  time to meet.
• Members of the team are clearly identified along
  with attendance expectations.
• Roles are assigned to team members

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Considerations for Teams

• Establish expectations for meetings
• Task oriented
• Problem oriented
• Stay within specified time frame for
  meeting
• Regular attendance
• Complete assigned responsibilities

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Role of the Team Members Roles are assigned to
facilitate effective meetings

• Meeting Facilitator - directs team through the
  meeting (should not be the Principal).
• Case Manager - makes sure all stakeholders are
  invited and present coordinates implementation
  of team decisions.
• Scribe - takes notes and completes the RTI
  Intervention Plan document.
• Timekeeper - redirects team to immediate focus of
  meeting keeps and calls time for various
  meeting components in problem solving.

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Guidelines for the Facilitator

• -Stick to the issues, not individual
  personalities
• Be aware of what each person brings to the table
• Be prepared
• Issues can become complex, be ready for anything
• Keep the process going
• Recognize when constraints are blocking consensus
  and make adjustments as needed

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Guidelines for the Time Keeper

• Monitor the time-Remind participants to remain on
  topic
• Provides gentle reminders when time is almost up
• Stops everyone when allotted time is up
• Suggest that topic is placed on the schedule to
  be revisited at a future meeting

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Guidelines for the Scribe

• Takes notes during the meeting-consider creating
  a template to use for each meeting
• Files notes and makes sure each team member
  receives a copy of the notes after the meeting

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Other Roles

• Food Czar
• Arranges for snacks at meetings
• Celebrator
• Comes prepared to quickly share two items worth
  celebrating since the last meeting

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Discussion

• Discuss the idea of using a shared leadership
  model
• How will you identify who will fulfill each role
  at the meetings?
• Are there other options you may want to consider?
• How can the expectations for each role be
  communicated?

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Building the Foundation

• Achieving Consensus and Building Capacity

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Developing an RTI Community Objectives

• Validate/Motivate
• Building a school-wide RTI infrastructure
• Identifying stakeholders in your school community
• Importance of informing stakeholders
• Build on what is already in place

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Assemble District and Building RTI Leadership
Teams to Guide the Process
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Build District and School-wide RTI Infrastructure
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Infrastructure Building

• where sites examine their implementation
  against the critical components of RtI, find
  aspects that are being implemented well and gaps
  that need to be addressed. Infrastructure
  building centers around closing these practice
  gaps.
• NASDSE (2008)

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Conceptual Framework

• School Building as unit of change
• Change guided by use of key questions
• NASDSE Blueprints
• Surveys on staff beliefs, practice, skills.
• Build upon coordinate with consensus building
  activities
• Focus on team building, training coaching, and
  alignment of resources

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Questions guiding infrastructure

• How will efforts towards implementing MTSS/RtI be
  monitored? How are staff involved?
• What assessments are in use and what is their
  role for use at your school?
• What resources are available for use? How aligned
  with student needs at each tier?
• How sufficient is your core services/programs/inst
  ruction? And for what student populations?
• Where needs exist with core, how will they be
  addressed?
• How will effectiveness of interventions at each
  tier be monitored?
• What professional development needs exist? And
  how addressed?
• What supplemental and intensive services/programs
  are available for use? How delivered?
• How will you determine which students require
  more intensive planning and supports?

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Build Consensus by Informing ALL Stakeholders
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The more informed people arethe more
likely they are to be supportive.
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Who are our Stakeholders?

• Internal Community
• Teachers Students
• Specialists
• Para Educators
• Parents
• School Board Administration
• Lunch Room Staff Bus Drivers
• Other????

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Who are our Stakeholders?

• External Community
• Businesses
• Day Cares
• Churches
• Libraries
• Other????
• Guest Teachers
• 
  Community groups

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Build consensus among internal and external
stakeholders

• Discuss the resources and commitments necessary
  to build consensus
• Ideally obtain consensus before implementation
• district administration
• internal stakeholders
• external stakeholders

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Identifying Stakeholders Activity Worksheet
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What Information do Stakeholders Need?

• Rationale for district adoption of RTI practices
• Explain the research
• What they can do to become involved?

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Offer Activities that

• Define RTI
• What are the components
• Benefits
• Barriers
• Give Examples
• Describe Expected Changes
• Talk about Required Commitments

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Provide a Rationale

• Show how RTI connects with existing district
  goals, missions, and priorities
• Illustrate the potential impact on district
  values and beliefs
• School motto All for one and one for all!
• RTI is about meeting the needs of all students

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Team Discussion

• How does RTI connect with existing district
• goals-5 year plan?
• missions?
• priorities?
• initiatives and programs?
• values and beliefs?
• Do any of these need to be re-written to
• reflect the RTI framework?
• What kind of activities does your team need to do
  to inform stakeholders about RTI implementation?

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Team Goal is Consensus

• Not like voting
• Give and take
• Many times it takes
• Compromise exists as people get the opportunity
  to state their point of view
• Everyone gets something although concessions
  are made

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Consensus is not necessarily everyone agreeing
Rather it is

• Everyone agreeing to support or at least not
  sabotage the groups decision
• Conflict or resistance will not necessarily be
  overcome immediately or easily..

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Consensus Building in Schools

• 80 Commitment
• District Support
• Common Vision
• Building Leadership Team
• Allocated Resources
• Funding Support
• Aligned with Support Teams
• Allocated Professional Development
• Consensus Building Tools

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Consensus Building

• Objectives for Schools
• Schools have time and support available to build
  consensus
• Schools need access to consensus building tools
• Schools understand the process and importance of
  building consensus before moving forward with
  infrastructure building and implementation
• NASDSE

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Dont Commit Assume-i-side

• Dont assume we can SKIP this phase
• Dont assume we have enough commitment to go
  forward
• Dont assume the staff will just be compliant
• Harkin

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Consensus Is

• derived from Latin roots meaning
• shared thought
• a process for group decision-making
• a gathering and synthesis of ideas
• arriving at a final decision acceptable to all
• achieving better solutions

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• Achieving Consensus
• FROM
• Why do I have to do it this way?
• Why do we have to go through all this change?
• Who dropped the ball?
• Why cant they communicate better?
• Whos going to solve that problem?
• How do you expect me to do my job when I have to
  do everyone elses?
• Am I going to have a job?
• Where is the box?
• Harken

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• Achieving Consensus
• TO
• What or How and should include I
• How can I become better at doing things in this
  way?
• What role will I create for myself in this
  process of change?
• How can I improve the communication events in
  which I participate?
• How can I grow in my job performance as I
  collaborate with others?
• How can I improve outcomes for students?
  Harken

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How much consensus is needed before moving
forward?

• 100 consensus may not be realistic
• Literature suggests 70-80 is enough to go
  forward
• Some schools are starting with one or two grade
  levels

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Acknowledge the Resistance

• Staff complete a survey regarding their
  perspectives of implementing RTI
• Summarize and discuss the results
• Organize small group discussions and formulate
  possible solutions or actions
• Have a guided discussion regarding RTI (use
  dialogue starters)
• Poster Board Activity (place sticker dots(value)
  on the different poster boards)

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Involving Parents to Build Consensus

• Introductory RTI parent letter
• Write an article in School Newsletter
• Set up an RTI information table at parent teacher
  conferences

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Consensus-Building Tools

• Building Consensus (Fist to Five) Process/Steps
  to reach consensus
• Shared RTI Vision
• On-going Commitment from staff
• NASDE Blueprints
• Self-Assessment Tool to
  identify areas of strengths and needs.
• 
  Harken

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Fist-to-Five Quick Check

• Building Consensus -
• Fist-to-Five

Harken
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Fist-to-Five Quick Check

• 5 fingers All for itI can be a leader for
• this decision.
• 4 fingers All for itYou can count on me to
  support this no matter what.
• 3 fingers For the ideaI will support it in
  concept but may not be out in front
• of the gang leading in implementation.

Harken
70
Fist-to-Five Quick Check

• 2 fingers Im not sureBut I trust the
  groups opinion and will not
  sabotage the decision.
• 1 finger Im not sureCan we talk some
  more?
• Fist NoWe need to find an
• alternative.

Harken
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Fist-to-Five Quick Check Tool

• HOW to USE it
• Someone makes a statement that he/she needs
  consensus on
• If anyone holds up a fist, or only one or two
  fingers, the group has not reached consensus. You
  will need more discussion or dialogue.
• If you get all three, four, or five fingers
  showing, you can declare consensus.
  
  
  Harken

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Shared RTI Vision

• Is the capacity to create and communicate a view
  of a desired state of affairs that induces
  commitment among those working in the
  organization
• Thomas Sergiovanni,
  1984

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Having a Shared Vision

• Shared vision provides incentive to all involved
• Shared vision provides coordination and focus to
  your actions (Drives your decisions)
• Shared vision promotes sustainability

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Question ?????

• Has your team engaged in RTI related visioning
  activities (time to think, interact and dream
  together about the desired state) prior to today?

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Consensus Building Activity

• Reviewing NASDSE blueprint document
• Page 49 Self-Assessment on Consensus Building

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Considerations for Staff Meetings

• -Keep the whole staff in the loop
• -RTI leadership team can give reports on training
  sessions
• -Choose a topic for a 10 minute discussion once
  a month (fidelity,
• -Regular classroom teacher testimonials about the
  success of RTI
• -RTI leadership team team presents a teaching
  strategy (S.O.S) ask teachers to practice and
  bring examples to next staff meeting
• Celebrate Successes!!!

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Staff Meeting Activity

• Questions to address the rationale for RTI
• What are the belief statements that drive the
  actions of the school?
• What is RTI?
• Why would a school choose to implement RTI?
• What are the benefits to implementing RTI?
• What are the barriers to implementing RTI?

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Ideas to Consider

• Use a variety of people to communicate
  information
• -shows that many people are committed and
  believe the effectiveness of RTI for increased
  student achievement
• -each person brings different experiences and
  portrays different needs

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Ideas to Consider

• Be strategic in laying the groundwork with people
  before holding an event
• -plan ahead
• -know your audience
• -keep the language simple
• -host multiple venues
• -decide if it should be formal or informal

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Group Decision Making

• Consensus is achieved when
• all points of view have been heard and
• the will of the group is evident even to those
  who most oppose it
• Richard Dufour

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Building Consensus Activity Worksheet
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Thank you for the slides adapted/used for this
presentation

• Shannon Harkin, Heartland AEA11