1. “I’m OK, You’re OK” Approach
A. Warren McClaskey Adult Center
Community Access Program
As designed by Jennie Pope and Tom Larson, teachers
CASAS Summer Institute, June 16, 2005
Sue Gilmore and Ginny Posey

2. As defined by our students
Student initiated
Community focused
Age appropriate
Totally accountable
Centered on personal independence and self-determination
Recent visit to program
Students came in, sat down in groups and knew exactly what they needed to
Some left to meet the bus and go to a restaurant
Students were using calculator to figure out budget
Students who left had permission slips and teachers knew it
Moderate and mild disabilities obviously independent making decisions
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

3. We believe our job is to …
Share experiences
Ask questions
Stimulate thought
Nurture personal development and independence
… A community trip becomes an interactive experience between us, our students and the community (rather than a “field trip”)
Teachers sit at table with students and all share what they did on return
Not, “you can’t do that” rather “How do you feel about disappointing your group by choosing not to go to lunch together”
Questions make students think about actions
Response to “I got to get a job to pay my bills” with “If I wanted a job, I’d go to job club first?”
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

4. Learning Communities
Students understand their roles and responsibilities
Students have a voice in the establishment of classroom activities
Students and staff respect and value one another
Students of differing abilities and ethnicities work together on literacy activities
Reference: Brown and Campione, 1998
Program is a “learning community” with evidence-based research to back up its merits
Students taught to know what they need to do
Can hear students say “I’d like us to make pasta here on Friday”
“You can do whatever you want to do, but If I wanted a job, I’d go to job club”
Can see higher functioning students working with lower functioning, whites with blacks
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

5. Self-directed Learning Community
Know our students
Coach collaborative learning
Teacher is a “coach” of learning groups
Provide information needed to students to make own decisions
Celebrate learning by making achievements public in classroom
Reference: Weymeyer, et al 2002
Another evidence based researcher
Knowing students well is key to process
Students discuss and learn from each other
Teacher is a coach rather than director of students and activities
Teachers provide the permission slips and budget forms to make own decisions
Students high five each other as teacher shares first solo trip and successful
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

6. Outcomes: Learning Communities
Affect and cognition are linked
Needed feedback is possible – even with high student-teacher ratio
Culture of community built when people congregate repeatedly
Ability based on expectations and facts rather than intellect assumed
Learn by examples provided by others
Reference: Brown and Campione, 1998
Why have learning communities – research shows
Positive vibes and students allowed to make own decisions results in increased learning
Can provide positive feedback more easily than in a teacher directed setting
Culture of community is done by students joining in groups every day
Teacher doesn’t say “you can’t do a solo bus ride yet” – expect student to be able to do it
Students achieve higher level when they do it in groups first
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

7. PAC Operatives in Program
Parent: “You need to do that”
 directives and admonishments
Adult: “Why? What? How?”
 Ask ourselves - Why am I angry?
 Staff – How do you feel about that?
Child: “I’m feeling mad, sad, and bad”
 Acts out in inappropriate manner
Reference: I’m OK ― You’re Ok, Thomas Harris, M.D.
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

8. PAC Operatives in Program
Examples of interactions
Parent to Child: Too bad you will come with us!
Child to Parent: I don’t want to go, I don’t have any money.
Adult to Adult: Well, what do you think you should do. You’ve made a commitment to your friends when you signed the destination slip. Do you think it’s appropriate to go back on your commitment?
Situation: Gail has spent all of her money and is scheduled to go with a group for lunch.
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

9. PAC Operatives in Program
In groups, role play interactions
Parent to Child
Child to Parent
Adult to Adult
Situation: Robert is laughing because Anna has spent all of her money and has to go to the restaurant with the rest of her group and not purchase anything.
Try it out
Break into groups
Provide sample statement for interaction assigned for situation involving Robert and Anna
Choose a reporter
Report back to whole group
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

10. Community Trip Preparation
Assemble group no later than 9:30 a.m.
Materials needed: map of city/town, a bus book, a notebook, and the city Guidebook
Ask each group where they are going and what they’re going to do
Enlist each other’s help and use Day Timers
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

11. Trips involving Regional Transit
Get a bus book and review route
Practice bus numbers for location
Discuss landmarks
Assign a bell ringer for the trip
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

12. Trips involving money Each student has an envelope for the trip
A calculator is available to plan expenses
Discuss price and check budget
Each student does as much calculating and writing as possible
Students help each other
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

13. Trips involving money Each student answers following:
What is the date?
Where are we going?
What are we doing there?
What will my item cost?
How much money am I taking?
What kind of change will I get back out of my $1, $5, etc.?
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

14. Managing Trips with Money
Each student completes destination slip with
date, name, activity and staff if not solo
Each student prepares calendar for month
- adds activities for each day and $ needed
Help students look up their commitments
Make appointments with each student to complete the budget process
Each student completes own consumer worksheet
Students ask other students for help
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

15. Trips involving an eatery
Have a menu available for each coffee house, café or restaurant
Have each student find their item on the menu and calculate price, including tax and tip if appropriate
Whole group takes part in discussion
To build confidence, help students practice ordering and restaurant etiquette
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

16. Other Trip Prep Ideas
Practice reading words and numbers that pertain to location
Assign trip leader to guide the group
Ask group about the neighborhood
Fill out destination slips as soon as they have an idea
Follow-up on student interest with group research, discussions and trips based on interest
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

17. Quality Assessment System
A one-shot testing program does not allow for the development of a comprehensive profile
Assessment best if done over time, in diverse situations, and in natural environment
Comprehensive picture of student learning is goal of assessment system
Effective assessment practices help students monitor their own progress and become proficient at learning
Reference: Billmeyer, 2004
Evidence-based research on assessment
Cannot have comprehensive assessment if you assess only at beginning and end of school year
Best assessment is done continuously in different situations and where real learning actually takes place – in community
Need intermittent assessment such as profiles in different content areas –see samples
With profiles and graphs, students can monitor own progress
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

18. Comprehensive Assessment
Pretest with POWER early in program year
Teach and assess steps to reach POWER standards using Community Access Profiles in content areas
Use detailed content area profiles/modules for student self-monitoring and improvement
Mirror performance levels in POWER with assist levels for each skill in modules
Inform students of progress in each module with intermittent progress evaluation and color graphs
Produce program accountability with POWER post-test at end of program year
Comprehensive assessment based on researcher Bilmeyer’s principles
Initial formal assessment – POWER
“Community Access” subject area profiles prepare students to reach standards of POWER +
Profiles enable self-monitoring
Profiles mirror performance and assist levels of POWER
Students informed of progress – profiles/graphs
POWER post test used for accountability
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK

19. Transfer to Real Life Situations
 Construct classroom as community of learners
 Encourage self-initiation, self-determination and independence
 Facilitate teaching as a “coach” in collaborative learning process
 Utilize PAC in teacher student interactions
 Teach in natural environment of community
 Evaluate progress both informally and formally
Best transfer to real life situations
Classroom becomes community
Community of learning promotes self-initiation and independence
Teacher is a coach
PAC promotes adult behavior
Community used as base
Progress is assessed both informally and formally
12/3/2018
I'm Ok, You're OK