With Open Arms

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With Open Arms

• Developing Staff Learning Teams in Support
• of At Risk Students
• Mary Schlieder
• Norris School District 160
• www.schoolswithopenarms.com

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Who?

• Repeated behavior problems
• Dont respond to regular classroom behavioral
  support systems
• Principals sidekicks
• Chronically unsuccessful students
• Alphabet soup ADD, ASD, OCD, ODD, PTSD, BPD,
  SPED, CD, NBS, PIT--

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Why?

• Affect teachers ability to teach
• Take time away from other students
• Take time away from administration
• School safety concerns
• Federal mandates-IDEA
• Costly to school districts-NCLB
• Costly to society

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IDEA

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• Free public education
• Least restrictive environment
• Between 1995 and 2005 increase from 45 to 52 in
  the number of students with disabilities in
  general classroom at least 80 of the time.
• U.S. Dept. of Education National Center for
  Education Statistics, 2007

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Why bother?

• Special needs students do better academically
  and socially in general education classrooms than
  comparable students in non-inclusive settings.
• Baker, E.T., Wang, M.C., and Walberg, H.J.
  (1994). The effects of inclusion on learning.
  Educational Leadership, 52(4), 33-35.

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• No Verification? RtI Response to Intervention
• Shares responsibility for helping child find
  success
• Focus on prevention of academic failure
• Frequent progress measurement
• Use of intensive research based interventions
• Avoids wait-to-failChildren receive help in
• regular classroom immediately.
• Provides broader range of supports in regular
• classroom
• VanDerHeyden, A., Jimerson, S. (2005). Using
  response-to- intervention to enhance outcomes for
  children. California School Psychologist, 10,
  21-32.

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Some things to think about.

• Dropouts from the class of 2008 in NE will cost
  the state nearly 1.3 billion in lost wages.
• Alliance for Excellence in Education, 2009
• Prison cost-1 yr. Nebraska-34,850.20 Nebraska
  Dept. of Correctional Services, 2009
• Autism Study-3 indicators of success
• Living on own
• Employed
• Has two or more friends

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Strategy Overview

• Learn specific learning team implementation
  techniques for maximum benefits
• Apply to specific at risk student examples
• Become familiar with effective literature
  selections for learning team use

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What is a Learning Team?

• Small, collaborative group of staff working
  together in a disciplined way to focus on a
  central issue.
• Focus on teacher learning to address student
  needs
• Builds rapport, trust, and support
• DuFour, R., (2004). Whatever it takes.
  Bloomington, IN National Education Service.

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Case Study

• Adam

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The Myth of Laziness by Dr. Mel Levine

• Neurodevelopmental dysfunctions of the brain can
  affect the following areas
• Motor function
• Attention
• Memory
• Language
• Mental Energy

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Joey Pigza Swallowed the Keyby Jack Gantos(ADD)
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Structured Learning Teams

• Keep teams small.
• Choose/rotate leaders.
• Leader sets schedule, emails study prompts ahead
  of time, facilitates meeting
• Identify problem(s) to be solved
• End of meeting-share idea implementation
  commitment-Who will do what?
• Beginning of next meeting-share successes,
  concerns, collaborate, develop plans

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Plan for Adam

• Demystify strengths and weaknesses
• Provide materials management system
• Allow to leave classroom after direct instruction
• All homework done at school
• Assignments written on board
• Specific praise
• Tests taken in resource room
• Allow sports participation
• Tutor ELL elementary aged students

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Results?

• Participated in sports all 4 years
• Improved scores on assessments
• Graduated from high school
• Maintained after school and summer employment
• Volunteered with elementary students throughout
  high school
• Currently attending university

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Case Study

• Caleb

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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the
Nighttime(Asperger Syndrome)

• By Mark Haddon

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Jackson Whole Wyomingby Joan Clark(Asperger
Syndrome)
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Look Me in the EyeMy Life with Aspergersby
John Elder Robison
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With Open Arms Creating School Communities of
Support for

• Socially Challenged Kids
• By Mary Schlieder

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The Plan

• Seat in rear of classroom
• Allow to arrive late to classes
• Allow to leave when needed
• Multiple copies of paper assignments
• Hand out gum and tissue when needed
• Provide opportunities for expanded science
  research/projects
• Provide individual math class
• Implement Circle of Friends peer mentor group

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Results?

• Fewer meltdowns
• More time spent in class
• Increased social interactions with both peers and
  teachers
• Extracurricular participation-ACADEC/Quiz Bowl
• Volunteers in preschool
• Improved scores on assessments

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But wait!Shouldnt learning teams be focusing
on the data?
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Case Study

• Brian

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The Explosive Childby Dr. Ross Greene(behaviors)
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Behavior Baskets

• Non-negotiable Negotiable Of No
• (worth meltdown) (Learning Concern
• Taking Place) Right Now

Basket A Basket B
Basket C
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Brians Baskets

• Non-Negotiable Negotiable No Concern
• -no aggression -amount of work -where
  work allowed required
  is done
• - disruptions -where to
  -locker
• keep supplies
  -eat in caf.
• -who writes -PE
• 
  

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Theres a Boy in the Girls Bathroomby Louis
Sachar(Behaviors)
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Results?

• Increased time in regular classroom
• Passing all classes
• Passing state standard assessments
• Socializes with other students
• Less support required on assignments

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Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

• www.jodipicoult.com
• Nineteen Minutes
• Fishbowl Discussion

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Learning Teams in Supportof At Risk Students

• Just do it!
• Study guides available at
• www.schoolswithopenarms.com

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• Helpful Websites
• www.asperger.net
• www.schoolswithopenarms.com
• www.explosivechild.com
• www.drhallowell.com