After reading Chapter 3 of Knackendoffel, Dettmer, and Thurston (2017) and Cook and Friend’s (2004) Co-teaching, choose FOUR of the twelve situations listed on pages 104-106 of Ch 3 in the Knackendoffel. For each, propose a method of addressing the need using the 6 facets (system, perspective, approach, prototype, mode, and model). Also propose a solution using one of Cook & Friend’s 6 co-teaching models. Analyze the potential drawbacks and strengths of each plan. Below are two different examples of one situation response (you will complete four):
EXAMPLE ONE:
Situation 5:
System: This situation depicts a high school student who often has behavioral problems at school. The school psychologist and the teacher and discussing new methods for setting up behavioral limits with appropriate contingencies and rewards. The principle likes it best when the teachers sort through these things on their own. The system for this situation is the school context.
Perspective: Due to the fact that the classroom teacher and the psychologist are seeking more guidance from the principle, the perspective for this situation would be purchase. The ‘consumer’, the teacher and psychologist, are looking for additional support and strategies from the principle in order to improve the student’s behavior.
Approach: The approach for this particular situation with be a formal one. Collaborative consultations between the classroom teacher, psychologist, student, their parents (if necessary) and principle need to take place in order or to improve the student’s behavior. Therefore, the classroom teacher and the psychologist need to formally approach the principle about their concerns about the student so interventions can be put in place.
Prototype: The consultation prototype for this situation is an advocacy consultation. The classroom teacher and the psychologist need to advocate for additionally support from their superior for themselves in order to correctly and effectively improve the behavior of the student.
Mode: The mode for this situation is through a direct consultation. In this process, the classroom teacher and the psychologist will directly confront the principal. Together they may conduct observations and discuss the behavior with the student as a united front.
Model: The model I believe best fits this situation is the Teacher Assistance Teams Model. In this model, the teachers provide a support system and create a problem-solving team. I think that this model best fits this situation because classroom teacher and the psychologist are working together to comprise a plan for this student and are supporting one another as they confront the principal about this situation.
Solution: Using Cook’s Co-Teaching Approaches, I think that the One Teach, One Observe method would work in this situation. After the classroom teacher and the psychologist confront the principle about the lack of support with this student, they would invite him to observe in one of their classes. The classroom teacher would teach a lesson while the psychologist and principle observe the student with behavioral issues. Following the class, the three parties would be able to discuss the student’s behavior and create more support for the teacher and psychologist.
Strengths:
- Principle witnesses the classroom teacher and psychologists’ struggles.
- More communication between parties.
Potential Drawbacks:
- Principle does not have enough time to meet/observe/reflect on a regular basis.
EXAMPLE TWO:
For situation 5, the system in addressing the needs of the disruptive high school student needs to include the school psychologist, school counselor, all teachers in the class which the disruptions are taking place, the parents/guardians of the student, the student, and the principal. The principal’s involvement should simply be an awareness of the situation and the plan that the other system’s members have developed to remedy the student’s behavior. The plan should not include reliance on any principal involvement as a primary component. By simply letting the principal know about the problem and the plan to address it, the principal can attend to other administrative duties with the awareness of situations within the building and confidence in the staff to be self-sufficient. If the initial plan does not remedy the situation and the disruptions continue/escalate to the level which administrative action is required, the principal has less briefing required at the time his/her involvement is needed.
The perspectives of the counselor and psychologist is that of a process. The counselor and psychologist are consultants for the classroom teacher, but ultimately the teacher is who must act on the recommendations given and implement changes into his/her class as he/she sees fit.
The approach for the situation should be formal. The situation is too vague and requires a detailed plan to be effective. Information about the student, teacher, and course needs to be communicated and processed; an informal approach is not sufficient for this situation.
The prototype is a behavioral consultation to determine the root of the disruptive behavior.
The mode is a direct consultation.
The triadic model with variation should be used. The school counselor and psychologist would serve as the consultant, the teacher is the consultee, and the student is the client. The variation to the triadic model would include a more formal meeting between the consultant and consultee because a large amount of information regarding student, teacher, and class dynamics is required. Depending on the severity of the behavior and the overall status of the student, this situation may simply require a planning meeting and a follow-up or may require the student to be included in the psychologist’s caseload.
A solution could use a type of one teach, one drift model. The teacher would be providing instruction, while the counselor or psychologist drifts unobtrusively to provide assistance. This assistance does not necessarily need to be in the classroom, but can take form through consulting with the student periodically throughout the school week or month. A “check-in check-out” sheet may be an appropriate tool to use. “Check-in check-out” sheets require the student to give the teacher a sheet with a short questionnaire (about 3-5 questions) at the end of each class. The teacher completes the questionnaire and returns it to the student. The student keeps the questionnaire sheet and presents it to the school psychologist during a designated meeting time. The psychologist reviews the sheet and implements designated incentives or consequences based on the information.
For both the initial post AND the reply to a peer, you may type/paste text, upload a document, or do the discussion assignment in any format that you would prefer: written discussion, powerpoint/slides, poster, audio or video recording, Prezi, or other.