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Coaching the Coaches: Activities and Strategies to Build Strong

and Effective Coaches

New Jersey

Missouri

New Hampshire

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Session Introduction

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Session Purpose

• The purpose of this session is to share activities and strategies from three states implementing SWPBS initiatives that are used to develop and maintain strong coaches and coach networks

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Session Highlights

• To share strategies being used in New Hampshire, Missouri, and New Jersey to develop PBIS coaches including:– Selecting the right coaches, the first time and

every time– Building coaches’ professional leadership– Developing and maintaining state and regional

networks– Developing coaches’ independent problem

solving and trouble shooting skills– Seamless transition during turnover

The New Coach

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A Typical Coach:

• Mentors• Models practices• Provides guidance and feedback• Advocates for PBIS• Serves as a liaison between stakeholder

groups• Serves as a communication point person• Facilitates implementation fidelity

evaluation

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Coach Development Goals:To develop coaches who-

• have a grounded understanding of PBIS systems

• display and positive temperament toward PBIS and the change process

• are able to lead colleagues through the change process

• are able to carry out practical application of PBIS systems

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Characteristics of a Model Coach

• Positive Temperament– Cheerleader

– Positive energy

– Externally persistent

– Ambitious

– Respectful of others perspectives

– Enthusiastic

– Reflective

– Encouraging

• Knowledge and Skills – Fluency with PBIS systems

– Capacity to deliver high quality implementation support

– Capacity to train others in PBIS practices and systems

– Capacity to sustain teams in efforts to implement PBIS systems & practices

– Ability to be a “Positive” Nag

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State Presentations

New Jersey

Missouri

New Hampshire

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Sharon Lohrmann, PhD

William Davis, M.Ed

Sunne-Ryse Smith, MA

The Positive Behavior Support in Schools Initiative is sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs in collaboration with

the Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities at UMDNJ. This initiative is funded through the I.D.E.A. 2004, Part B Funds and is administered by the New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.

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• NJ PBSIS has been active since 2003• Linked to our State Performance Plan• Schools from “districts in need” are invited to

participate• Administrators attend a regional orientation

event• Schools submit competitive applications• Schools are considered active participants for

2 years then go on a maintenance list

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Overview of the New Jersey School PBS Training Series - Year One

Coaches • 1 day of new coach training

Universal Team

• 4 days of universal intervention training (day 1 – introduction to SWPBS and self assessment) (day 2 – behavioral expectations) (day 3 – school wide recognition system) (day 4 – instructional event)

Tertiary Team

(Child Study Team)

• 3 days of Functional Behavioral Assessment and Behavior Intervention Planning training

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Overview of the New Jersey School PBS Training Series - Year Two

Universal Team

•1 day of universal intervention training (day 5 – data based decision making)

Secondary Team

2-5 selected school members

•2 days of secondary intervention training (assessment, mentoring, behavior contracting, function based social skill instruction, CICO)

Respectful Classroom

Trainers2-5 selected

school members

•1 day of “trainer” training on building respectful classroom environments

Overview of Coach Development Activities

• 1 day new coach training year (year 1)• 4-6 regional coach technical assistance

meetings (years 1 & 2)• Onsite support as needed• Monthly individual phone conference

technical assistance (years 1 & 2)• Semi annual coach network events (ongoing)• Access to the coach network section of the

website (ongoing)

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New Jersey Activities that Build Coaches’

Professional Leadership

Orientation to the Roles and Responsibilities of a Coach for First

Year Coaches

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Sample of Coach Roles and Responsibilities

Training and Technical Assistance Responsibilities

•Attend PBSIS trainings and coach network events•Ask for help when your not sure•Ask for help when you encounter obstacles•Provide PBSIS Liaison with electronic copies of products

Organize and Structure the Team•Coordinate meeting logistics •Have an agenda for each meeting•Take minutes with a responsibility list•Bring a laptop, PBSIS flash drive, and master binder •Maintain an archive of all old notes

Facilitate Team Discussions•Model appropriate meeting behavior•Ensure all members participate in discussions and tasks•Catch “conflict” quick – listen for interaction “warning signs”•Use the problem solving structure to work through discussions

Market PBS to the School•At least once a month, provide the school with an update of PBSIS activities (5-6 minutes at a staff meeting; post a link on your school’s website; etc.)•Invite the school community to help with short term tasks•Solicit input for decision making

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Pre-teaching upcoming modules with “Tips for Coaches” for first year

Coaches

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Sample Pre-Teaching Slide

Team Time Activity• Referring to the examples provided begin

to discuss what your ticket distribution and raffle system might look like.

• Begin discussing how you can get staff feedback on the recognition system.

Please return to the whole group in 15 minutes

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• Target Accomplishment: Team agrees on the need for a recognition system by the end of the activity

• Redirect “reward push back” with adult examples of reinforcement; ask to table personal feelings to try it out

•Use the planning checklist to redirect off task discussion

Team Time Instructions

Training preparation checklists for Coaches of schools in the first and

second year of training

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PREPARING FOR TRAINING DAY 1:

INTRODUCTION AND CLIMATE ASSESSMENT

Materials To Bring To Training Day 1 Item

Laptop

PBSIS flash drive

School calendar

Tasks To Complete During Training Day 1

Task Determine plan for presenting PBSIS introduction to staff

Date/time Format for presentation (e.g., power-point) Who will present

Discuss plan for administering climate surveys Decide if you will use paper or online versions If paper, determine who will copy, distribute, and collect (parent,

staff, student) If online, determine when and how people will access the surveys

Determine plan for conducting the building walkthrough: Coordinating the areas of the building and person(s) responsible

for each area Procedures for asking other staff as appropriate (e.g., security

officers)

Tasks To Complete Before Training Day 2 Task

Hold first team meeting Administer climate surveys to students, staff, and parents Conduct the building walkthrough

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Training and TA Schedule

Oct – New coach training

Oct – Team training - Intro

Nov – Coach TA

Dec – Team training – Expect

Jan– Coach TA

Feb – Team Training – Rec.

March – Coach TA

April – Team Training – Inst.

May & June – Coach TA

New Jersey Activities toDevelop and Maintain

Coaches’ Networks

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Semi Annual Coach Network Events for Coaches of Schools in Year 2 of

Training and Maintenance Schools

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Nov 2008 Coach Event Agenda

• Skill Building: Maintaining Staff Buy-In and Enthusiasm: Strategies to Keep PBS Alive in Your Building

• Examples of Innovation: Presentations by three schools focusing on innovative ideas for kick off events, booster events, and ongoing instruction of positive behaviors.

• Implementation Reflection: Self assessment of implementation, small group problem solving and sharing

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Coach Network Page on the Website

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Curriculum and Resources

Coach Contact Information

New Jersey Activities to Develop Coaches’

Problem Solving Skills

Implementation Reflection

Coach Reports completed at

technical assistance sessions for coaches of schools that are in Year 1

of training

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Sample Section from a Coach Report

Progress Indicator Self Check Items

The team has facilitated the development of a school-wide recognition system as evidenced by…..

_____ Implementation of a process (e.g., surveys) to gather feedback

from staff and students about a recognition system.

_____ Finalization of a 1 page handout that describes the recognition

system and procedures.

_____ Formation of a workgroup who will lead implementation of the

recognition system.

The team is having difficulty finalizing the recognition system.

Problems experienced include….

_____ Conflict over the use of a recognition system to reinforce

behavioral expectations.

_____ Difficulty coming to consensus about the recognition system

procedures.

_____ Difficulty recruiting volunteers for the recognition system

workgroup. 28

Implementation Reflection

Self Reflection activity at Coach Network Events for Coaches of schools in the

maintenance phase

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Sample section from the

Coach Network Reflection Activity

What’s Going Well?

Indicators What Needs

Planning?

_____

_____

_____

_____

_____

Teaching and Recognizing Appropriate Behavior•Expectations are defined and posted by location •An instructional event is planned for each September to teach the expectations to students•Lesson plans have been developed •Staff regularly distribute tickets to students•Students have reward options (e.g., trade in or raffles) for using their tickets once received

_____

_____

_____

_____

_____

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Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support (MO SW-PBS)

Mary Richter, Ph.D.MO SW-PBS State Coordinator

Center for PBSCollege of EducationUniversity of Missouri

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MO SW-PBS Initiative Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE)University of Missouri – MU-PBIS Center

• 350 Schools, 100 Districts and Growing– Encourage district-level Adoption

• State Date Profile developed to support comprehensive data-based decision making

• Collaboration with PLC, Character Plus, RTI, School-based mental health Initiatives

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MO SW-PBS Organization

• 17 positions funded through Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE):– 13 regional consultants based in 9 educational

Regional Professional Development Centers (RPDC’s) throughout Missouri

– 4 statewide positions based at MU PBIS Center:• Coordinator• Website/data consultant• 2 Tier Two consultants 33

State-level Trainings Provided:

Annual 3-day Summer Institute Data-based decision making &

fluency Web-based support & materials SWIS SET Tiers 2 & 3

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• New Coaches Training (4 per year)

• Experienced Coaches Training (4 per year)

• Administrator Training (2 per year)

• On-site Technical Assistance

• On-site In-services as requested

• Informal (phone & e-mail)

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Regional Trainings Provided:

Building Coaches’ Professional Leadership

• Fluency with 7 SW-PBS Essential Components (Handout 1)

• Categories of Implementation (Handout 2)• New Coaches Curriculum (Handout 3)• Understanding Coaches’ Role & Responsibilities

(Handouts 4 & 5)• Understanding Teams’ Roles & Responsibilities

(Handout 6) • Familiarity with publications, key articles and

online resources (Handout 7)• Networking Opportunities with state, regional and

local SW-PBS personnel36

MO SW-PBS 7 Essential Components (Handout 1)

• Administrative Support, Participation, Leadership• Common Purpose & Approach to Discipline Among All

Through all Components• Clear set of Positive Expectations & Behaviors• Procedures for Teaching Expected Behaviors• Continuum of Procedures for Encouraging Expected

Behaviors• Continuum of Procedures for Discouraging

Inappropriate Behaviors• Procedures for Ongoing Monitoring 37

7 Essentials are Essential

• Each of the 7 described through a set of Tasks & Outcomes

• Tasks & Outcomes guide Coach to understand the “Big Picture” of effective SW-PBS implementation

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MO SW-PBS Categories of Implementation (Handout 2)

• Inactive

• Exploration & Adoption (Level .5)

• Preparation (Level 1)

• Emerging

• Bronze

• Silver

• Gold

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Categories & Essential 7 = Curriculum (Handout 3)

Standardized Training Modules are under development across the Categories

Example:

• New Team Scope & Sequence (Handout 3)– This identifies the curriculum New Coaches will

learn – The key features of this Scope may be repeated

• in more detail with examples of teams at Level 1• with more advanced planning tools

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Example Curriculum Materials (Handouts 4, 5, 6)

• Coaches’ Roles & Responsibilities– Role v. Person – Reminder to be facilitator rather than leader

• Coaches’ Planning Guide– Map of what to accomplish when

• Team Roles & Responsibilities– Guide to share with team– Reminder that responsibilities are shared

The Coach as Instructional Leader (Handout 7)

Help the Coaches Build:• Understanding of research-based

practices– Books, articles, website sources

• Skills to locate resources– National, state, regional & local

• Materials to share with team & staff– Mini-modules provided by consultants

Activities that Develop and Maintain Coach Networks

• Assign experienced coaches as mentors to new coaches (from out-of-district as well as within district)

• Provide presentation skills practice• Establish informal communication through group

emails and discussion boards• Implementing standardized curriculum that stresses:

– Basics (systems, data, practices across 7 Components)– Tiered prevention and intervention modules – Building capacity

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Activities that Develop Coaches’ Problem Solving Skills

– Collecting, Summarizing, Disseminating and Communicating Data

– Becoming an Active Listener– Monitoring and Assessing team’s activities &

progress toward Action Plan goals– Monitoring and Assessing school’s activities &

progress toward Action Plan goals– Developing, implementing and monitoring Action

Plans

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Howard Muscott, Ed.D. Director

Becky Berk, M.Ed.Associate Director

Tina Pomerleau, M.Ed. Early Childhood Project Director

Stacy Szczesiul, M.Ed.Evaluation Coordinator

Eric Mann, LICSWTrainer and Project Consultant

Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports-NH

To Our PARTNERS, We Thank You!

NH Department of Education Kathleen Murphy, Santina Thibedeau, Robert Wells, Amy Jenks, Carol Angowski

UNH IOD and APEX II Initiative JoAnne Malloy, Leigh Rohde, Michael McSheehan, Eileen Levitt

PBIS Center, University of Oregon George Sugai, Rob HornerIllinois EBD Network Lucille Eber, Steve Romano, Kim BreenNew Hampshire Connections Jon-Michael DumaisParent Information Center Heather ThalheimerMaryland PBIS Susan BarrettMental Health Collaborators NH DHHS, Glen Quinney, Ray Barrett,

Mary SeebartSERESC, Inc. Antonio Paradis, Becky Berk, Julie

Prescott, Valarie Dumont. Tina Pomerleau, Stacy Szczesiul

Others Douglas Cheney, Nick Long, Frank Fescer, Bridget Walker, Ken Kramberg, Debra Grabill, Linda Thomas, Kathleen Abate

PBIS-NH

• NH CEBIS founded as a project in 2002 • 1st of 5 cohorts established in 2003• 3-year cycle of training and TA, covering all three tiers• 141 school sites, reaching 20% of NH’s public school

population, now implementing PBIS• Funding provided by NH Department of Education, Bureau

of Special Education• Now working to implement an RTI model for literacy and

behavior with funding from US DOE, OSEP 47

New Hampshire’s System of Care and Education Continuum of Academic and Behavior Supports:

Linkages to Wrap-NH Facilitation

School-basedIntensive Supports

Coordinator

Linkages to Community-based

Supports

School-wide and General Education Classroom Systems for PreventativeInstructional and Behavior Management Practices

Systematic ScreeningPromote Positive Parent Contact

Array of Evidence-Based Group Interventions Addressing Literacy and Functions of Behavior Available for Students Who

Don’t Respond to SW and Social Contracting

Literacy Supports and Function-Based Support Planning

Available for SW and Group non-responders

School-basedIntensive Supports

Linkages to Case Centered Collaboratives

Mann & Muscott (2007)

Efficient Systematic Intervention for Students Who Do Not Respond to SW and Classroom Prevention and Response Systems

Intensive Literacy and Behavior Support Plans

Including Crisis Intervention

PBIS-NH Training and

Technical Assistance

• Training for all three tiers, coaches, SWIS, and district level support teams

• Begins with Universal System, then Targeted and Intensive -- Spiraled

• 3 Years of Support

• Facilitation at training

• On-site facilitation ½ day per month

• Resources provided free of charge

Types of PBIS-NH Coaches

1. Internal Coach1. Internal to the preschool or school; employed by

preschool, school or program

2. External Coach/Coordinator1. Works at the district, SAU or program level;

employed by preschool, school or program

3. PBIS-NH Facilitator Coach1. Employed by NH CEBIS and contracted to

provide support to a school, district, SAU or program

Roles of the PBIS-NH

Internal Coach1. Be a major advocate, leader, and promoter of

SWPBIS in the school and within the district2. Be able to support team design, implementation

and assessment of universal SWPBIS3. Be a liaison between the leadership team and the

faculty, staff, families, and community4. Be a liaison between school, PBIS facilitator and

NH CEBIS5. Gather assessment tools (team checklists, EBS

survey, etc.) and outcome data and share with NH CEBIS

Tasks of the PBIS-NH

Internal Coach

1. Attend universal leadership team meetings

2. Assist in the development and completion of action plans

3. Assist in the development of a district-wide or SAU support team and structure

4. Become a resource to schools across the state and country (optional)

The Six Essential C’s of Coaching Support

Muscott (2008)Celebrations

Capacity Building

Challenges/Conundrums

CommitmentsConsistency of

Practice

Knowledge, Beliefs, Skills, Competencies

The Six Essential C’s of Coaching Support

Muscott (2008)

Capacity Building

Sustaining PBIS-NH requires coaching capacity at the school and district/

SAU/organization levels

What is Coaching Capacity?Sugai (2005)

• Personnel & resources organized to facilitate, assist, maintain, & adapt local school training implementation efforts

• Coaching is set of responsibilities, actions, & activities….not a person

Types of Coaches TA & Training

• Training and forum for ‘internal’ PBIS-NH Coaches

• On-going support (beyond scope of training cycle)

• More than 1 per school

• Administrator included in Coaches Training

• Multi-cohort context after 1st 6 months

• Coaches as teacher and learner

Coach Development

Activities• Focus on competencies within role and team• Explicit consideration of conundrums• Discussion of influential thinkers, e.g.

– Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point and the “Stickiness Factor”

– Kurt Lewin and force field analysis as a way to think about minimizing resistance, etc.

• “Fishbowl” discussions of ideas, challenges and successes in content and process

• Teaching and role plays on facilitation, managing difficult dynamics and applying situational leadership suited to the team 57

The Six Essential C’s of Coaching Support

Muscott (2008)

Personal Attributes

Knowledge, Beliefs, Skills, Competencies

Content Knowledge

BeliefsTeam Process,

Facilitation, Communication

Selecting the Right Coaches

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Personal Attributes/Beliefs Roles Competencies

• Organized •Optimistic•Enthusiastic•Positive•Strength-based•Adaptable •Persistent

•Children want to succeed•Everyone can learn social behavior•Power of the team•Skeptics are welcome•Schools want to be welcoming and safe for all•If they don’t know how to do it, we need to teach it.•Human beings need structure•Punishment doesn’t teach

•Advocate, leaders, promoter of PBIS•Facilitator of team meetings•Liaison between leadership team and others•Sharing knowledge, training•Provide universal data to team from management system, other

•Team/Group Process•Facilitation•Connectors •Salespeople•Able to motivate others to action•Communication Skills•Across Boundaries•Elicit participation•Consensus building•Mediate conflict•System Thinking•Building culture•Data-based Decision Making•Problem Solving Skills•Data analysis•Content Mavens•Behavior, Literacy•PBIS, Behavioral Theory, Behavior Management, RtI

The Six Essential C’s of Coaching Support

Muscott (2008) Challenges/Conundrums

Conundrums

• How full is your plate?

• An ounce of prevention or pound of detention?

• Consistent means identical?

• To recognize or ignore?

• Parents as partners?

• One size fits all?

• The carrot or the stick? 61

Cultural beliefs needing explicit discussion so they’re “on the table” and don’t become covert barriers

Consistent = Identical or Effective?

• We know that effective programs are predictable and consistent

• We understand that some see consistency as using identical strategies for everyone, while others understand the need for a consistent approach with flexible strategies

• We believe in a consistent approach where the goal is to find effective strategies to change behavior

The Six Essential C’s of Coaching Support

Muscott (2008)

Commitments

PBIS NH Big IdeaMaking and Keeping

Commitments

Developing and maintaining an effective school community requires a sustained commitment to vision, collaboration, resources, and evidence-based strategies over time, hardly an easy task in schools these days.

Buy-In or Commitment

Current level

Promoting Forces

Restraining Forces

What are the Roadblocks to Sustained Commitments or

Consistency?

• Barriers• Restraining

Forces• Challenges • Problems• Dilemmas

Identify as many forces or factors as you can that restrain or inhibit commitment from your top two prioritized constituencies

What are the Forces that Would Promote Sustained

Commitments?

• Promote

• Encourage

• Support

• Positive

Identify as many forces or factors as you can that promote or encourage commitment from your top two prioritized constituencies

PBIS Team

s

Faculty

Administration

Families

Community

Students

Coaches

Maintaining Commitments and Momentum

Mapping PBIS Commitments Over

Time1) Look at the time span between beginning PBIS and

the present time

2) Choose 3-6 “events” that may have affected the level of commitment of the team, the faculty and the administration to PBIS

3) List those events along the X axis, and map the degree of commitment to PBIS for each group

4) Have commitments changed? Are there trends? If significant negative dips occurred, are there ways to reduce these dips if a similar event happens again?

Mapping PBIS Commitments Over

Time

Begin PBIS Now

Deg

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of C

omm

itm

ent

Passage of Time

Legend

T = TeamA = AdministratorF = Faculty

Mapping PBIS Commitments Over

Time Example

Begin PBIS Now

Deg

ree

of C

omm

itm

ent

Passage of Time

LegendT = TeamA = AdministratorF = Faculty

T

T

T

T

T

F

F

F

F

F

A

A A

AA

A

FT

Vot

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Rol

lout

NH

EA

IP T

esti

ng

Cha

nge

in P

rinc

ipal

New

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roll

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The Six Essential C’s of Coaching Support

Muscott (2008)

Consistency of Practice

"To be successful, you don't have to do extraordinary things.

Just do ordinary things extraordinarily well.”

- John Rohn

Which can be embraced by faculty, administration, students, families, and community members– initially with Words– which develop into Actions or Behaviors– and then become Habits through Practice– to ultimately form Climate or Culture

Supporting systemic change in a school community is a long-term journey that

begins with dreams and ideas

The Six Essential C’s of Coaching Support

Muscott (2008)Celebrations

Celebration Activity

• What: Review all the data you brought today and other information and brainstorm a list of data-based successes to celebrate from your school last year. Do all of your school’s constituencies know about these successes? Jot down ideas on your coaches’ log for what you should celebrate, how you might celebrate and with whom

• Who: All coaches• Timeframe: 15 minutes• Report Out: None

Common Coach Building Issues

Common Challenges

• Differentiating training and support across coaches of difference skill/knowledge level

• Release time for coaches to attend training / networking events

• Creating opportunities for networking across coaches

• Maintaining contact and support with maintenance schools

• And….coach changes and transitions78

Ideas for Coach Transitions

• Have co-coaches or coach in training• Incorporate PBIS language and

procedures into handbooks• Have the role of coach built into the district

contract as a duty• Systematically Rotate the role of coach• Maintain materials in a central location

(e.g., flash drive, master notebook, folder on the public network)

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Ideas in the Works

• Linking with Administrator’s state association

• Administrator Academy and New Administrator orientations

• Video interviews to provide first hand testimonials

• Web based training formats• Online meeting forums (e.g., Go to Meeting) for

interactive support80

Thanks!

• Handouts will be available on the new coaching systems section of the APBS website (need to get the correct information for this)

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For Tools and Handouts Referred to in this Presentation Visit:

• New Jersey – www.njpbs.org – click on upcoming events and scroll to APBS conference

• New Hampshire – www.nhcebis.seresc.net

• Missouri – http://pbismissouri.org

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Coach Networks

• All coaches, including those who have graduated from formal supports, attend coaches’ trainings

• Annual poster sessions and networking events

• Schools invited to present “showcase” sessions on particular topics at state conferences

• Summer Institute83