REPORTING FOR ACTIVE

DUTYNORTH L.A. REGIONAL SERGEANT

ANDREW DAY & SERGEANT MAJOR OF SUPPORT

SERVICES AMBER OSBORN

DEFINE ACTIVE DUTY : DEFINE ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT

Stovall (2003) suggests that engagement is defined by a combination of students’ time on task and their willingness to participate in activities

Krause and Coates (2008) say that engagement is the quality of effort students themselves devote to educationally purposeful activities that contribute directly to desired outcomes.

Chen, Gonyea and Kuh (2008) say that engagement is the degree to which learners are engaged with their educational activities and that engagement is positively linked to a host of desired outcomes, including high grades, student satisfaction, and perseverance

Other studies define engagement in terms of interest, effort, motivation, time-on-task and suggest

that there is a causal relationship between engaged time, that is, the period of time in which students are completely focused on and participating in the learning task, and academic achievement (Bulger et al).

Active Engagement: Engaged an activity that brings a desired outcome. There is an active participation with the learner.

HISTORY OF ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT

There is not a clearly defined beginning of the philosophy or practice of active engagement.

It does appear to have come from the combination of two distinct movements: Developmental Theory and Educational Theory.

History Continued-Developmental Theory

Developmental Theory was an outcome of theoretical groundbreakers Sigmund Freud, Jean Piaget and Erik Erickson beginning in the late 1800’s. These theorists varied immensely in their approach to development, yet shared a common theme of distinct physical and psychological phases or stages. This provided the world with a map of “normal” development.

History Continued-Educational Theory

Educational Theory did not emerge until much later; in the 1960’s with the push of theorists Walter Feinburg and Jason Odeshoo. Educational Theory began as a reflexive process rather than a prescribed set of normative or theoretical components. It simply examines what in education can be ascribed and described and how does it affect the learner as they engage with the world. Offshoots of educational theory expand on developmental theory by adding psychological and theoretical methods to the prescribed biological phases and or stages. Classic education was merged and in certain specific school, such as The Waldorff School, replaced with contemplative methods of learning, which catered to one’s spiritual absorption of the educational material. Critical (social-constructivism- Marx), Democratic (teaching of social –governance) and Normative (core knowledge and teaching constructs and theories via a determined and set curriculum).

History Continued Active engagement as the terminology that we

think of here at PCS is a very recent, progressive movement based in the belief that the individuals that we serve have the capacity to actively engage, which as we know from our definition of active engagement, requires a psychological component of the learner.

A recommended source for history of treatment of individuals with developmental and mental disabilities in the United States: Mad in America by Robert Whittaker.

HOW CAN WE BEST MODEL AND IMPLEMENT ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR OUR PLATOONS?

Role Model Give In-Vivo Feedback Start a Learning Log Fight For Your Beliefs in Each Individuals Abilities to

Grow Hiring the Right People Firing the Right People Be an Advocate Without Fear Have Ideas for Staff if They Run Out of Ideas Make it a Priority ? ?

DOCUMENTING ORDERS AND OUTCOME OF CARRYING THEM OUT

Keeping good records is always important in any of our facilities, especially one’s of our own accounts, notes, observations, etc.

Not only should you as the Corporal should be maintaining your own notes on management related items, but regularly check other methods of documentation to be sure that your troop understands what the expectations are in regards to their documentation as well.

Coach, coach, coach Many of us have commented that you can’t really

teach this component of treatment…what do you do if you have come across a staff member who is resistant to active engagement?

WHAT ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT MEANS TO PCS

PCS has built the entire company around the expectation that PCS will be progressive, follow the PCS Way and operation within Person-Centered Practices

PCS Way Positive Attitudes: compassion and empathy and train

themselves to be mindful in all their actions. 

Shared Principles. principally and morally driven through the use of moral reasoning, support employees in making decisions allowing support persons to feel good about the work they have done on a particular day or for a specific situation, look within ourselves first and accept responsibility of our actions and then use that knowledge to learn and grow and change behaviors in the future so that outcomes for others are positive and successful. The goal is to be inner directed and outer focused, always connected with reality and being able to review your own actions.

What Active Engagement Means to PCS Continued

1.  What is the right thing to do? 

2.  What results do I want?  

3.  How do I behave in a more authentic way?

4.  What role did my actions play in the outcome?

5.   What could I do better next time? 

6.  How can I help others grow and learn? 

The last focus is Personal Mastery, through the last component; it is of the most importance because it allows our minds to think ahead and pushes us to develop future ways of learning through spending time on personal reflection and development while striving to achieve our personal bests.

What Active Engagement Means to PCS Continued

Listen for Understanding

Assume the positive and possible

Demonstrate objectivity

Check for understanding before responding/acting

Respond in a timely manner

Seek input by those affected by a decision

Be Realistic

Be aware of scope of responsibility and authority

Consider what is positive and possible

Be honest about you can and cannot do

Commit

Determine what you can do

Follow-through on what you have said you will do

Practice collaborative decision making

Honor and solicit different perspectives before

making decisions

Create working relationships internally and externally

Create and use a framework of

information for collective decision making

Act on what you hear

Model respectful language

Take initiative to act when hearing a need and opportunity

Bring closure

Take responsibility for your personal choices and actions

What Active Engagement Means to Those We Serve

Literally Gives Them Life: Statistics have proven to us over and over again that human beings need contact with each other. Care providing contact is not effective unless there is personal relating; talking with our Consumers, listening to them weather they communicate verbally or not.

Engaging with one or persons during your day for an hour or more a day can increase you life span by 5 years.

Loneliness studies indicate a strong correlation between shortened lifespan, hopelessness/ helplessness and loneliness. To experience loneliness one does not actually have to be alone, perceiving oneself as alone is as powerful.

Attachment theories have demonstrated the need of an infant to bond in order to thrive. This need to attach continues on throughout our adult lives- disability or not.

What do you think?

YOUR ORDERS AND OATH TO FOLLOW THEM WHEN RELEASED BACK TO YOUR PLATOONS

Exercise- You will now break up in groups and use the attached form, or make your own, to write your plan for ensuring that Active Engagement is occurring in the facilities that you manage. Be sure to provide the following:

What is your Active Engagement Goal? What Will You Need to Do in Preparation? How Will You Measure the Degree to Which You Are Meeting

that Goal With Your Staff? What is Your Expectation of Yourself and Your Staff (clearly

define it)? How Will You Coach? Other Info That You Want to Provide?

Questions and Answers

Now I want you to each sign and print the bottom of your plan for assuring that Active Engagement is occurring with our consumers throughout the company.

I will be copying all of them before you leave today. You will each get your plan in addition to the other individuals in your groups. You may alter your plan by adding to it.

Visualize! Place your plan out in the open, or in your planner, monitor your success.

Q&A