Guidelines for Success

Results-Oriented Professional Development: In Search of an Optimal Mix of Effective Practices

by Thomas R. Guskey

Used with permission from NCREL www.ncrel.org

Ways in which the Collaborative Empowerment Project aligns with Guidelines for Success

Copyright © 2003   Permision to use is only granted through written request. Send your request to: LankutisT@aol.com

Guideline 1:

Recognize Change as both an Individual and Organizational Process

-      ALL individuals on an IEP team are required to participate

-      ATSTAR Lessons 1-8 are process focused; Lesson 9 is policy focused

-      Participation results in teachers and administrators creating policy together

-      Administrators understand the need for the process

-      Each individual is validated for the unique knowledge they contribute to the process

-      Public recognition and validation is built in to the project

Guideline 2:

Think Big, but start Small

-      Teaches the process through application for one student

-      Teaches the Big Picture and the systematic, step-by-step process to getting there

-      Is a consensus building process that once learned can be applied to any decision making situation

-      The process can be applied to the current structure of any district

-      The process encourages trying low-tech/ no tech solutions prior to jumping to high tech options

Guideline 3:

Work in Teams to Maintain Support

-      Requires participation by administrators, educators, parents, students and any other critical service providers on the IEP team

-      Teaches collaborative skills through modeling

-      Provides opportunities for teams to practice the collaboration skills learned

-      Teaches time management and delegation skills

-      Individuals work as a local team but the Collaborative Empowerment Project creates a sense of a larger team among the entire participant group

-      Creation of an IEP team presentation delivered to colleagues

Guideline 4:

Include Procedures for Feedback on Results

-      Listserv between facilitator(s) and participants

-      Site visit by facilitator(s) for the purposes of assisting the team with unique issues

-      Provides reinforcement and guidance from facilitator(s)

-      Receive feedback and guidance from facilitator(s) on graduate credit assignments

-      Team members regularly give feedback to each other

-      ATSTAR pre/post tests

-      Increased confidence when making decisions reinforces that the effort put forth is valuable therefore, increasing team motivation for continued use and refining of the process

-      Feedback is focused on meaningful outcomes because the work is based on real situations

-      Witness success of others through end of the year presentations

Guideline 5:

Provide Follow-Up, Support, and Pressure

-      Multiple face-to-face meetings throughout the year

-      List serve

-      Access to facilitator(s) through list serve and site visits

-      ATSTAR resources, forms, and content

-      Some of the pressure is provided by those taking MCEP for graduate credit

-      Continuation of the list serve indefinitely

Guideline 6:

Integrate Programs

-      Easily integrates within the IEP structure and any current policy or procedure currently in place in the district

-      Frequent opportunity to practice applying concepts under the guidance of the facilitator

-      Combination of group dynamics activities with ATSTAR content

-      Structure of CEP/ATSTAR allows participants to see the vital link the process has on the outcome of the decision

-      The IEP team gains confidence to apply concepts learned and continually build upon the process

-      By including general education teachers as "equal" team members, AT decisions will more easily and readily be incorporated into the general education curriculum

-      Use of the ATSTAR process becomes habitual