1. April 18, 2013 Sabrina Beaudry & Pam Leonard
Making Change Happen
April 18, 2013
Sabrina Beaudry & Pam Leonard

2. Summary of Your Paradigm Shifts:
How to label students (using the term “learner”)
Shift from social skills to social thinking
Service delivery- gen ed classroom needs to help with modeling
Using different tools to assess needs (7 Considerations)
Benefit of talking to students about their autism or disability
Goal writing should look different for students with ASD

3. More Of Your Paradigm Shifts...
Shift from blaming behaviors on autism to looking at how we can support classroom
Understanding ASD better- each student presents differently
Autism is much more complex than initially thought
Understanding thinking style of students with ASD
Applying the neuro way of thinking to behaviors

4. More Of Your Paradigm Shifts...
We need to build capacity in our buildings
Addressing social communication needs must become best practice
Community model vs. pull out
Everyone’s process vs. a few experts
Being direct is ok
Educating the job coaches to the “why” of behaviors
Address the “why” with students

5. Paradigm shifts you would like to see in your buildings:
Be proactive not reactive
Importance of using common vocabulary across the board
Social thinking supports can support ALL students
Tying the skill set into collaborative teaching/Danielson model/CCSS, etc.
Teachers don’t know what they don’t know
Teachers sees their role as traditional academic experts
Teaching staff that behaviors are not intentional
Teaching terminology
Teaching strategies to address behaviors

6. Paradigm shifts you would like to see in your buildings:
Strategies do not just apply to students who are labeled
Do not lower expectations- acknowledge the disability, but teach to it
TA training
Ongoing dialogue
Stigma
Parent views
Background knowledge
Academic requirements
Time

7. Paradigm shifts you would like to see in your buildings:
General ed teachers taking ownership of all students (so not just “your” kids)
AP/Honors teachers/ Electives teachers- time to inform & buy in to ensure consistency
Educating Deans & DA’s on behaviors and appropriate consequences

8. Barriers: Denial of student need Teaching style Who is responsible?
Logistics of direct instruction
Time for collaboration-Time for ongoing training and dialogue
Time for training TA’s
Difference between high schools
Motivation
Resistance to change

9. Barriers: Parent view point- different expectations at home
Parent/student buy in
Enabling/ low expectations
Parent has negative stigma related to autism
New terminology/ new way to think
Too many initiatives
Different focus across departments/ dept. chairs
Emphasis on academics and graduation requirements
Lack of follow through
Background knowledge & prior experiences
Time management of students

10. Take a look at your lists… Would you change anything?
Control? No Control?
Take a look at your lists… Would you change anything?

11. Prioritize and List The Barriers That You Have Control Over
REASON
OPTIONS

12. Identify Reasons that a Barrier Might Be Present:
BARRIERS
REASON
OPTIONS

13. Brainstorm Options of How to Break Barriers:
REASON
OPTIONS

14. Next Steps: Start Planning
OPTIONS
RESOURCES
NEEDED
WHO IS
RESPONSIBLE?
COMPLETION
DATE

15. Take a Break

16. NEXT STEPS for Us: Thoughts for next year: Assessment
Teaching methodologies
Behavior
Family Perspectives and Teaming

17. Thanks for a fun year!