RTI Collaborative Teaming and Consensus Building Exploring

RTI Collaborative Teaming and Consensus Building Exploring

RTI Collaboration Objectives

• Validate/Motivate• Identify that a healthy and successful RTI

framework includes ongoing collaboration as a school-wide practice

• Learn about personality traits and how to motivate each other as team members

• Establishing team protocol/norms for problem solving

• Establishing roles for team members

Find a Shoulder Partner

Why do you think collaborative teaming is

important in an RTI framework?

Establish who will be 1 and who will be 2

2’s go first

Teachers prefer support from a colleague to implement a new intervention strategy.

(Lane, Mahdavi & Borthwick-Duffy, 2003)

Collaboration is most effective when teachers feel safe asking questions and

revealing weakness to their peers

(Fuchs, Fuchs & Bahr, 1990)

RTI Essential Components

1. Strong Leadership2. Evidence-based Curriculum and Instruction3. Ongoing Assessment4.Collaborative Teaming5. Data-based Decision Making6. Fidelity of Implementation7. Ongoing Training and Professional

Development8. Community and Family Involvement

“[an] emphasis on collaboration across disciplines and across general and special education boundaries…requires ongoing training in collaborative teaming” (Marston, Muyskens, Lau & Canter, 2003, p. 190)

Compartmentalization = Non Collaboration

• Compartmentalized systems are created largely by funding streams to provide services for specific populations of students.– SPED , Title 1 services

• A culture of “this is my kid- that is your kid” developed

• How about your school? (1’s go first)

RTI Framework = Collaboration

• In the RTI process…………..collaborative teams are formed using

the resources, talent, and personnel across the educational system.

All educators work together and are accountable for the outcomes of each and every student!

Lessons learned from the front line of RTI implementation in Montana

schools• Collaboration support

– Provide time during schedule to purposefully meet

– Explicitly train collaborative methods– Monitor/Coach

• Time and money are always perceived to be in short supply– collaboration requires time!

Source: Hannon, 2007, Collaboration Works, Inc.

What Makes an Effective Team?

In your team groups, discuss the following:– Have you ever been a part of an

extremely effective team? What qualities made this a successful experience?

– What do you think each individual must bring to a team in order for the team to be successful?


Five Characteristics of Effective Collaborative

Teams

Trust

Conflict Capable

Commitment

Accountable

Results


Trust Considerations• Trust Worthiness

– Consistency– Integrity– Capability – technical and interpersonal

• Trust Willingness– Vulnerability– Willingness to risk– Willingness to question own assumptions


What to do when conflict occurs?

• Understanding how/why conflict occurs

• Communication skills– Unfolding our own thinking (advocacy)– Exploring other’s thinking (inquiry)

• Ability to identify and work at the level of “interests”

• Ability to compromise


Commitment• Problem-solving skills

• Decision-making skills

• Personal investment– Think about your own personal

investments in this effort – What draws you to this team?

– What problem-solving/decision-making skills do you have that could be useful to the team?


Accountability• Blame, intentions, and impact

• Separating individual responsibility from justifying and blaming

• Feedback skills to encourage accountability– Appreciation– Advice/Coaching


Results-Oriented• Commitment to a higher purpose

– Need of child vs. need of adult

• Loyalty to team– Making others look good even it they

are not present

• Team-orientation

• Celebrating team accomplishments

InstructionAs

sess

men

t Student Goals

Data Utilization

Ongoing Cycle:Linking Assessment, Instruction,

and Student Goals

RTI Collaborative Teams work to evaluate outcome data to inform instruction, to make school level and student goals, and to plan for professional development

The team process looks a little different in

every school.The composition and number of collaborative

teams needed will be based on the needs of – students– staff – the local culture– resources available– size of school!

RTI Team Skills and Knowledge

• Team members are knowledgeable about and capable of using the skills listed below:– Group processing – Effective classroom organization and

management – Problem-solving and collaboration – Data collection/evaluation– Instructional adaptations and

interventions In addition………….

Team members should have knowledge and training in the following:

– The Montana Common Core Standards– Critical components of reading, math, written expression

instruction – Culturally sensitive instructional issues – Evidence-based instructional materials and practices– Types of assessments and appropriate use– Availability of school and community resources– Positive behavior support system

Does any one person know all of this?

Recommended RTI Leadership Team Members

• School Principal• General Education Teacher(s)• Special Education Teacher• Instructional Coach• Data Coordinator• School Psychologist• School Counselor• Parent• Others

M. Beebe-Frankenberger 2007

Collaborative Teams: Collaborative Teaming

School Level

•Evaluates School Level Processes•Monitors Fidelity of Processes•Identifies problems and concerns•Manages Data

Student Level

•Progress monitoring measures in place and scheduled•Diagnostic Assessment •Assess additional factors•Systematic review of data to inform intervention

All team members bring their own unique

experiences, background, and agendas to the table.

Make a list of the positive qualities of each member of

your leadership team.

How can these qualities be capitalized upon?

Discussion

Developing Norms Group Norms are…

• Principles and practices that define how we make decisions and resolve conflicts

• Ground rules or habits that govern the group

• Norms can be:– Informal– Formal

Developing Norms• We need to establish norms:

– To ensure that all individuals have the opportunity to contribute in the meeting

– To increase productivity and effectiveness

– To facilitate the achievement of our goals

ActivityTalk with your group about the protocol or norms that have been observed in a leadership team.

Make a list of norms that your team may want to use in your meetings.

Source: Hannon, 2007, Collaboration Works, Inc

Critical Elements for Meetings

• State the purpose

• Attention to structure– Agenda– Topic outcomes– Content vs. process

• Clarity about meeting roles

• Meeting closure-review action steps

1. The Team should determine a regular place and time to meet.

2. Members of the team are clearly identified along with attendance expectations.

3. Roles are assigned to team members

Considerations for Teams

Considerations for Teams

4. Establish expectations for meetings

*Task oriented

*Problem oriented

*Stay within specified time frame for meeting

*Regular attendance

*Complete assigned responsibilities

Role of the Team Members Roles are assigned to facilitate effective meetings

– Meeting Facilitator - directs team through the meeting (should not be the Principal).

– Case Manager - makes sure all stakeholders are invited and present; coordinates implementation of team decisions.

– Scribe - takes notes and completes the RTI Intervention Plan document.

– Timekeeper - redirects team to immediate focus of meeting; keeps and calls “time” for various meeting components in problem solving.

Guidelines for the Facilitator-Stick to the issues, not individual personalities

•Be aware of what each person brings to the table

– Be prepared•Issues can become complex, be ready for

anything

– Keep the process going

– Recognize when constraints are blocking consensus and make adjustments as needed

Guidelines for the Time Keeper

• Monitor the time-Remind participants to remain on topic

• Provides gentle reminders when time is almost up

• Stops everyone when allotted time is up– Suggest that topic is placed on the

schedule to be revisited at a future meeting

Guidelines for the Scribe

• Takes notes during the meeting-consider creating a template to use for each meeting

• Files notes and makes sure each team member receives a copy of the notes after the meeting

Other Roles• Food Czar

– Arranges for snacks at meetings

• Celebrator– Comes prepared to quickly share two

items worth celebrating since the last meeting

Discussion• Discuss the idea of using a shared

leadership model– How will you identify who will fulfill each role

at the meetings?– Are there other options you may want to

consider?• How can the expectations for each

role be communicated?

Building the Foundation

Achieving Consensus and Building Capacity

Developing an RTI Community Objectives:

• Validate/Motivate• Building a school-wide RTI infrastructure• Identifying stakeholders in your school

community• Importance of informing stakeholders • Build on what is already in place

Assemble District and Building RTI Leadership

Teams to Guide the Process

Build District and School-wide RTI Infrastructure

Infrastructure Building“…where sites examine their implementation

against the critical components of RtI, find aspects that are being implemented well and gaps that need to be addressed. Infrastructure building centers around closing these practice gaps.”

NASDSE (2008)

Conceptual Framework• School Building as unit of change• Change guided by use of key

questions• NASDSE Blueprints• Surveys on staff beliefs, practice, skills.

• Build upon & coordinate with consensus building activities

• Focus on team building, training & coaching, and alignment of resources

Questions guiding infrastructure

• How will efforts towards implementing MTSS/RtI be monitored? How are staff involved?

• What assessments are in use and what is their role for use at your school?

• What resources are available for use? How aligned with student needs at each tier?

• How sufficient is your core services/programs/instruction? And for what student populations?

• Where needs exist with core, how will they be addressed?• How will effectiveness of interventions at each tier be

monitored?• What professional development needs exist? And how

addressed?• What supplemental and intensive services/programs are

available for use? How delivered?• How will you determine which students require more intensive

planning and supports?

Build Consensus by Informing ALL Stakeholders

The more informed people are

the more likely they are to be supportive.

Who are our Stakeholders?Internal Community

Teachers StudentsSpecialists

Para Educators

ParentsSchool Board Administration

Lunch Room Staff Bus Drivers

Other????

Who are our Stakeholders?

External CommunityBusinesses

Day CaresChurches

LibrariesOther????

Guest Teachers Community groups

Build consensus among internal and external

stakeholders• Discuss the resources and commitments

necessary to build consensus

• Ideally obtain consensus before implementation– district administration – internal stakeholders – external stakeholders

Identifying Stakeholders Activity:

Worksheet

What Information do Stakeholders Need?

• Rationale for district adoption of RTI practices

• Explain the research

• What they can do to become involved?

Offer Activities that:• Define RTI

– What are the components– Benefits– Barriers– Give Examples

• Describe Expected Changes

• Talk about Required Commitments

Provide a Rationale• Show how RTI connects with existing

district goals, missions, and priorities

• Illustrate the potential impact on district values and beliefs– School motto “All for one and one for all!”– RTI is about meeting the needs of all

students

Team DiscussionHow does RTI connect with existing district

– goals-5 year plan?– missions?– priorities?– initiatives and programs? – values and beliefs?

Do any of these need to be re-written to reflect the RTI framework?

What kind of activities does your team need to do to inform stakeholders about RTI implementation?

Team Goal is Consensus

• Not like voting

• Give and take– Many times it “takes”

• Compromise exists as people get the opportunity to state their point of view

• Everyone gets “something” although concessions are made

Consensus is not necessarily everyone

agreeing Rather it is…

Everyone agreeing to support or at least not sabotage the group’s decision

Conflict or resistance will not necessarily be overcome immediately or easily…..

Consensus Building in Schools

80% CommitmentDistrict Support

Common VisionBuilding Leadership Team

Allocated ResourcesFunding Support

Aligned with Support TeamsAllocated Professional Development

Consensus Building Tools

Consensus BuildingObjectives for Schools:

•Schools have time and support available to build consensus

•Schools need access to consensus building tools

•Schools understand the process and importance of building consensus before moving forward with infrastructure building and implementation

NASDSE

Don’t Commit Assume-i-side

• Don’t “assume” we can SKIP this phase

• Don’t “assume” we have enough commitment to go forward

• Don’t “assume” the staff will just be compliant

Harkin

Consensus Is…• derived from Latin roots meaning

“shared thought” • a process for group decision-

making• a gathering and synthesis of ideas • arriving at a final decision

acceptable to all• achieving better solutions

Achieving ConsensusFROM:

• Why do I have to do it this way?• Why do we have to go through all

this change?• Who dropped the ball?• Why can’t they communicate

better?• Who’s going to solve that problem?• How do you expect me to do my job

when I have to do everyone else’s?• Am I going to have a job?• Where is the box?• Harken

Achieving ConsensusTO:“What” or “How” and should include

“I”1. How can I become better at doing things in

this way?2. What role will I create for myself in this

process of change?3. How can I improve the communication

events in which I participate?4. How can I grow in my job performance as I

collaborate with others?5. How can I improve outcomes for students?

Harken

How much consensus is needed before moving

forward?•100% consensus may not be realistic

•Literature suggests 70-80% is enough to go forward

•Some schools are starting with one or two grade levels

Acknowledge the Resistance

•Staff complete a survey regarding their perspectives of implementing RTI•Summarize and discuss the results •Organize small group discussions and formulate possible solutions or actions•Have a guided discussion regarding RTI (use dialogue starters)•Poster Board Activity (place sticker dots(value) on the different poster boards)

Involving Parents to Build Consensus•Introductory RTI parent letter

•Write an article in School Newsletter

•Set up an RTI information table at parent teacher conferences

Consensus-Building Tools*Building Consensus (Fist to Five)

Process/Steps to reach consensus

* Shared RTI VisionOn-going Commitment from staff

*NASDE Blueprints Self-Assessment Tool to identify areas of

strengths and needs.

Harken

• Building Consensus - –Fist-to-Five

Fist-to-Five Quick Check

Harken


5 fingers All for it…I can be a leader for this decision.

4 fingers All for it…You can count on me to support this no matter what.

3 fingers For the idea…I will support it in concept but may not be out in front

of the gang leading in implementation.

Harken

2 fingers I’m not sure…But I trust the group’s opinion and will not sabotage the decision.

1 finger I’m not sure…Can we talk some more?

Fist No…We need to find an alternative.


Harken

HOW to USE it:• Someone makes a statement that he/she needs

consensus on

• If anyone holds up a fist, or only one or two fingers, the group has not reached consensus. You will need more discussion or dialogue.

• If you get all three, four, or five fingers showing, you can declare consensus. Harken

Fist-to-Five Quick Check Tool

Shared RTI Vision

Is the capacity to create and communicate a view of a desired

state of affairs that induces commitment among those working

in the organization

Thomas Sergiovanni, 1984

Having a Shared Vision•Shared vision provides incentive to all involved

•Shared vision provides coordination and focus to your actions (Drives your decisions)

•Shared vision promotes sustainability

Question ?????Has your team engaged in RTI

related visioning activities (time to think, interact and dream together about the desired state)

prior to today?

Consensus Building Activity

• Reviewing NASDSE blueprint document

• * Page 49: Self-Assessment on Consensus Building

Considerations for Staff Meetings

-Keep the whole staff “in the loop”-RTI leadership team can give reports on training sessions-Choose a topic for a 10 minute discussion once a month (fidelity, -Regular classroom teacher testimonials about the success of RTI-RTI leadership team team presents a teaching strategy (S.O.S) ask teachers to practice and bring examples to next staff meeting Celebrate Successes!!!

Staff Meeting ActivityQuestions to address the rationale for

RTI

• What are the belief statements that drive the actions of the school?

• What is RTI?• Why would a school choose to implement RTI?• What are the benefits to implementing RTI?• What are the barriers to implementing RTI?

Ideas to Consider…Use a variety of people to communicate

information

-shows that many people are committed and believe the effectiveness of RTI for increased student achievement

-each person brings different experiences and portrays different needs

Ideas to Consider…Be strategic in laying the groundwork

with people before holding an event

-plan ahead-know your audience-keep the language simple-host multiple venues-decide if it should be formal or informal

Group Decision MakingConsensus is achieved when…

– all points of view have been heard and

– the will of the group is evident even to those who most oppose it

Richard Dufour

Building Consensus Activity: Worksheet

Thank you for the slides adapted/used

for this presentation:

Shannon Harkin, Heartland AEA11

Documents

RTI Collaborative Teaming and Consensus Building Exploring