© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. School, Family, and Community Collaboration Chapter 3

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Taylor/Smiley/Richards, Exceptional Students What is Collaboration? A style for direct interaction among coequal individuals usually voluntarily engaged in shared decision making as they work toward a common goal (Friend and Cook, 2000)

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Taylor/Smiley/Richards, Exceptional Students Can You Identify Examples of Collaboration? Two or more parties working together Equal partners Voluntary Shared responsibility Work toward common goal Process influenced by outside factors Planned/formal or spontaneous/informal Shared resources Leads to community building Sometimes uneven distribution of work Occurs along a continuum

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Taylor/Smiley/Richards, Exceptional Students What are Key Concepts of Collaboration? Volunteering Sharing Resources Sharing Resources Sharing Responsibility Sharing Responsibility Sharing Decision Making Sharing Decision Making Achieving Common Goals Achieving Common Goals Community Building Community Building Parity Parity Differing Levels of Work Differing Levels of Work

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Taylor/Smiley/Richards, Exceptional Students Can You Explain Four Barriers to Successful Collaboration? Conceptual Barriers Pragmatic Barriers Pragmatic Barriers Attitudinal Barriers Attitudinal Barriers Professional Barriers Professional Barriers

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Taylor/Smiley/Richards, Exceptional Students What are Collaborative Teams? Pre-referral Intervention Team Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team IEP team IEP team All teams require: mutual trust and respect, mutual trust and respect, clearly stated goals, clearly stated goals, good team communication, good team communication, clear roles and responsibilities, clear roles and responsibilities, flexible leadership responsibilities, flexible leadership responsibilities, flexible schedules, and flexible schedules, and good time management. good time management.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Taylor/Smiley/Richards, Exceptional Students What are Best Practices for Collaboration among Schools and Families? Federal Regulations require state and local education agencies to provide parent training and information centers. Federal Regulations require state and local education agencies to provide parent training and information centers. Collaborative efforts should focus on: Collaborative efforts should focus on: involving students more, involving students more, involving families more, involving families more, resolving conflicts, and resolving conflicts, and ensuring that cultural/ethnic values and beliefs are recognized and respected. ensuring that cultural/ethnic values and beliefs are recognized and respected.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Taylor/Smiley/Richards, Exceptional Students How Can We Increase Student Involvement in IEPs? Ensure that parents know the child is invited to his/her IEP meeting. Prepare student with information for the IEP meeting. Focus on student strengths. Increase student responsibility for developing and implementing IEP. Involve peers and supportive community members. Utilize person-centered planning.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Taylor/Smiley/Richards, Exceptional Students How Can We Increase Family and Parent Participation? Four levels at which parents may participate: Awareness, attendance, and basic participation Awareness, attendance, and basic participation Ongoing communication, information sharing, and basic program involvement Ongoing communication, information sharing, and basic program involvement Advocacy and collaborative program involvement Advocacy and collaborative program involvement Collaboration and partnership participation Collaboration and partnership participation

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Taylor/Smiley/Richards, Exceptional Students How Can Communication be Improved? Teachers can improve communication with family members by: using a relaxed, natural posture and willingness to listen, using a relaxed, natural posture and willingness to listen, maintaining eye contact when appropriate, maintaining eye contact when appropriate, listening and paraphrasing what was said and encouraging open discussion, listening and paraphrasing what was said and encouraging open discussion, increasing sibling involvement, and increasing sibling involvement, and managing conflicts professionally and ethically. managing conflicts professionally and ethically.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Taylor/Smiley/Richards, Exceptional Students What are Some Ways to Increase Involvement of Diverse Families? Use culturally responsive feedback and methods of communication. Show appreciation for and include cultural diversity in the curriculum and school activities, as well as during meetings with the family. Ensure policies, procedures, and activities are in place that reduce the likelihood of prejudice. Ensure policies, procedures, and activities are in place that reduce the likelihood of prejudice.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Taylor/Smiley/Richards, Exceptional Students What are Best Practices for Collaboration among School Personnel? Co-teaching One teach - One observe One teach - One observe One teach - One drift One teach - One drift Station teaching Station teaching Parallel teaching Parallel teaching Alternative teaching Alternative teaching Team teaching Team teaching

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Taylor/Smiley/Richards, Exceptional Students What Role Do Administrators Play in Collaboration? What Role Do Administrators Play in Collaboration? Facilitator Conflict resolution Promote compromise Comprehensive planning Resources Encourage community, trust, and mutual respect

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Taylor/Smiley/Richards, Exceptional Students What is the Role of Paraprofessionals in Collaboration? Under supervision of teachers Participate in planning instruction Participate in planning instruction Participate in curriculum development Participate in curriculum development Counsel students as appropriate Counsel students as appropriate Participate in assessment and program evaluation Participate in assessment and program evaluation May need further training May need further training The teacher is responsible for ensuring appropriate instruction. The teacher is responsible for ensuring appropriate instruction.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Taylor/Smiley/Richards, Exceptional Students How are Related Services Personnel Involved in Collaboration? Collaboration with related services personnel occurs with both special and general education teachers. Related services can involve a wide array of possibilities from transportation to interpreters for deaf students Collaboration may occur primarily during IEP meetings, during regularly scheduled planning meetings, or during the school day Collaboration may occur primarily during IEP meetings, during regularly scheduled planning meetings, or during the school day

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Taylor/Smiley/Richards, Exceptional Students What Are Best Practices for Collaboration Between Schools and Communities? Early intervention Early intervention Full service schools Full service schools Transition service planning Transition service planning Interagency agreements Interagency agreements

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Taylor/Smiley/Richards, Exceptional Students Essential Features of Interagency Agreements (Table 3.3)