A model for understanding a kid with social, emotional and behavioural challenges COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING IN SCHOOLS PART 3

 Plan B Review  Invitation Step  Practice  Report  Video  Plan B Role Play  Practice  A few breaks here and there PLAN

1.The Empathy Step – gathering information from the child to try and understand his concern about the unsolved problem.  Build rapport  “I’ve noticed that you […]. What’s up?”  Fact finding on who, what where, when  Move on once we reach the “A-HA” moment 2.Define the Problem – communicate your concern of the same unsolved problem.  “The thing is...” 3.The Invitation – You and your child discuss and agree on a solution that will address each other’s concerns.  “What are some of things we could do …” or “What do you think you could do…” PLAN B – THREE STEPS

 In this step you brainstorm solutions to the defined problem  Let the child know this is something you are doing together and not doing to him/her  Crucial to prove to the kid you are as invested in getting his/her concern addressed as you are in getting your own concern addressed  Wording can be hard because you must recap concerns and invite solutions…  “I wonder if there is a way…”  “Are there any ideas you have to…”  “I am curious how you feel we could…”  Great solutions meet following criteria: 1) Realistic and 2) Mutually Satisfactory THE INVITATION STEP

 FORMULA... “The thing is... What do you think we/you can do to solve this?”  IMPORTANT considerations:  If the agreed upon solution has minimal chance for success then this must be discussed and addressed  The last steps of the Invitation Step should include  Agreement to use Plan B again if solution(s) do not work  Affirmation to the student that the solution can succeed if everyone does their part  Affirmation that staff care about the student THE INVITATION STEP

 REMEMBER:  “The thing is... What do you think we/you can do to solve this?”  Get agreement for Plan B if solution does not work PRACTICE 1  With a partner choose one to be the child and use the following example to work through the Invitation Step  Peter has been stealing items from other students by going into their desks.

 REMEMBER:  “The thing is... What do you think we/you can do to solve this?”  Get agreement for Plan B if solution does not work PRACTICE 2  Switch roles and use the following example to work through the Invitation Step  Nikki has been wearing inappropriate clothing to school and has been asked many times previously to change.

 SCHOOL WORK: You were asked to use the empathy step and practice different methods of questioning before this meeting  In your school cohort or with a partner please discuss:  What went well  What you would do differently  Questions you remain unsure or uncomfortable with regarding Plan B (Use the sticky notes to write at least one question and place on the board) REPORT

 Large group discussion based on the empathy step:  What went well?  What would you do differently?  Group answers to group questions regarding Plan B. REPORT

 Sample video of a seamless Plan B VIDEOVIDEO  While watching the video look for:  Empathy step  Defining the Problem  Invitation  Remember that it rarely goes in such a linear way  Often you define the problem, make the invitation and realize from the response that you haven’t finished clarifying and questioning. Sometimes to go forward you must go backward.  Small Group Discussion PUTTING IT TOGETHER

 Watch an “in the flesh” role play ROLE PLAY

 Questions  Steps: Empathy, Define the Problem, Invitation  Types of questions that are asked: open-ended, closed- ended, exclusion questions, who?, what?, where?, when?, how?  What was the lagging skill?  How does the process support the lagging skill?  How does the solution provide growth?  How was this approach different from what we did previously? ROLE PLAY

 Bob is a grade 5 boy who has been diagnosed with a moderate receptive language delay and ADHD in Kindergarten. Bob achieves average grades and almost never does his homework. His teacher, Mr. McCartney, is concerned because at times Bob seems so intelligent and engaged in the conversation, and at other times he is “out to lunch”. If Mr. McCartney tries to redirect Bob at these times, he shrugs his shoulders and says, “I don’t give a crap about this. This is stupid.” His teacher has tried many things to get Bob engaged but it seems that Bob almost always escalates his behaviour or completely shuts down.  Tag team role means you start and if you get stuck you can put up your hand and say “Pause” (I need advice on where to go next) or “Tag” (I want someone to take my place).  Group discussion. TAG TEAM ROLE PLAY

 Using a real scenario with a partner, work through the entire Plan B process  Empathy step  Define the Problem  Invitation  Discuss after the role play what went well and what you would do differently  Switch role with a different scenario PARTNER PRACTICE 3 AND 4

 Individually, create a scenario to be used with CPS next meeting.  Scenario must have: a teacher, a student, and if possible based on real experience.  Give details of the teacher situation in one paragraph and details of the student in a separate paragraph.  Use language that is observable and avoid conjecture / guessing.  Scenarios will be used next class SCHOOL WORK 1

 Video tape a Collaborative Problem Solving session with a child – we would like one video for each school team to review at our February meeting.  Video can be brought to our next meeting on an iPad or USB key to share within your small group for reflection and discussion.  Bring signed consent form with the video. SCHOOL WORK 2