Collaboration and Learner-centered Planning
Evidence-based practice highlights the importance of collaboration and teamwork. In the context of assisting in the development of functional skills, collaboration and teamwork require that the stakeholders work together to assess the needs and challenges of the learner, as well as to design an adapted educational plan. Each member of the team contributes based on their role and skills, including the learner, who must be involved in the planning and decision-making process.
Evidence-based practice also highlights the importance of considering and respecting family values. Parents/guardians should be involved during the process of the Comprehensive Assessment for Learning and Independence (CALI) - Functional Skills for Independence, as well as during subsequent meetings. The well-being and success of the learner must always be at the centre of all discussions and the interventions must be carried out with compassion and empathy.
This section emphasizes learner-centered planning and the importance of building an effective collaborative team whose members value empathy and compassion.
Forming an Effective Collaborative Team
The main objective of any collaborative team is to bring together individuals who work towards common goals. When professionals and families work collaboratively and are guided by common values, responsibilities are shared, and everyone can offer their skills and expertise. The collaborative team acts as a support network and helps with the planning and implementation of interventions. Hence, the activities of each member do not overlap, and the services offered are more effective.
Here are some aspects to consider when building a collaborative team. Click each consideration for more information.
Include the learner and their family.
All interventions are planned and implemented to allow the learner to develop new skills. If possible, the learner should be part of the group. Otherwise, the team must find a way to express the learner's opinion and needs. Parents should be involved in the process of setting and prioritizing goals when planning interventions. Some goals that seem less important in the school setting may be critical to the learner’s success at home and in the community. Parents can help prioritize because they are generally aware of the barriers that keep their child from taking part in certain activities.
Consider all the people who could directly or indirectly contribute to the learner’s progress.
The team is made up of people involved in planning and implementing interventions and in monitoring the learner’s progress. Depending on the case, it is possible to have a “core” team and an “extended” team. The core team consists of the learner, family members, teachers, educational assistants (EAs), and any other school support staff who often interact with the learner. These individuals meet regularly, assess progress and make data-driven decisions.
Specialists such as speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists, social workers, school district support staff and other members of the community can be part of the extended team and be called upon to attend meetings on an ad hoc basis, during which particular subjects are approached.
Specialists such as speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists, social workers, school district support staff and other members of the community can be part of the extended team and be called upon to attend meetings on an ad hoc basis, during which particular subjects are approached.
Designate a team leader.
This decision is up to the team, but it is usually the team leader who is responsible for providing each member with the information necessary to ensure the interventions are coherent. The team leader organizes and leads team meetings, works with the various professionals concerned, and ensures that their recommendations are integrated into the plan. They also supervise the interventions, ensure that they are carried out correctly, and monitor the learner’s progress.
Ensure clear and systematic communication.
The team charged with meeting the learner’s needs must ensure that all staff involved in the learner’s daily activities have up-to-date and accurate information. This requirement promotes the learner’s success in all of their daily activities, regardless of the environment. Members of the extended team must also be made aware of progress made or challenges encountered so that they can respond effectively. During meetings, a person is designated to relay the information in the manner approved by the members of the team. Care should be taken to communicate progress and success regularly in order to paint a fair picture of the learner’s performance.
Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each member.
When planning the assessment and the intervention, the various components are distributed among the team members, according to the knowledge and skills required to perform the assigned tasks. It may be necessary to call on other professionals if no member of the current team has these skills.
Establish a structure and processes to follow.
Setting the dates of the meetings in advance ensures the presence of all team members. It is advisable to establish an agenda and share it with the members before each meeting to encourage the group to follow a precise structure and avoid irrelevant discussions. In addition, laying out the length of meetings allows you to adjust the agenda according to the time available, and thus avoid meetings that are too long and less productive.
Adopt a problem-solving method.
The objective of the team is to plan interventions methodically and make decisions based on the data collected on the learner’s performance and behaviour. If one team member faces a specific obstacle or challenge, it is important that other team members help them find solutions. Discussions remain objective and positive, and decisions are made jointly. If it is necessary to modify one or more parts of the plan, the decision is made by the team based on the data collected on the learner’s performance and on the accuracy of the implementation of the intervention.
Take notes.
It is important to adopt a quick and efficient method of recording discussions. Note also the follow-up to be done and the people responsible for it. All team members must have access to the notes after the meetings.
Education Support Services TeamMembers of the Education Support Services team can also be associate members of the learner’s collaborative team. However, the Education Support Services team does not replace the collaborative team. These two teams have somewhat different mandates.
Showing Empathy and Compassion
In order to foster a positive and welcoming atmosphere within the collaborative team, each member must take into account the perspectives of the other members and show empathy towards their personal situation. All team members, including the learner and their family, have some prior knowledge and experience that can affect their contribution. For example, a teacher who has had many rewarding experiences working on collaborative teams will approach the experience with an open mind and a positive attitude. Another teacher will be more reluctant if they have had a negative experience.
During the meetings, the learner’s collaborative team draws up a list of priority interventions and objectives. Team members may not share the same views on the types of interventions to be implemented or their priority. It is also possible that some members may not be comfortable with the role assigned to them or with specific aspects of the intervention. To ensure the learner’s success, it is important that the meetings take place in a climate of trust where everyone's opinion is listened to respectfully.
Empathy, i.e., the ability to put oneself in the place of another person, requires that an individual be able to perceive an experience from the perspective of the other and be able to understand the emotions experienced by the other person (Taylor and Coll, 2018). For example, if a parent expresses concern about their child, it is important that team members consider their perspective in order to try to better understand their reaction. It is also important to adjust one’s dialogue to meet the needs of the parent. If the parent is concerned that their child is alone at recess, an empathetic response from a team member can make a huge difference in the parent’s attitude and, ultimately, in the success of the intervention with their child.
Compassion, on the other hand, takes empathy a step further by adding action to the empathic response (Taylor and Coll, 2018). In the case of the parent who worries that their child is left alone at recess, active listening, seeing things from the parent’s perspective, acknowledging and accepting their concerns are examples of empathic reactions. To go further and show compassion, the team could add a goal related to the child’s social interactions or even offer to share the data with the parent daily during the intervention.
Many studies have shown the importance of these interpersonal skills among healthcare professionals, but relationships with others are just as important in the world of education. The commitment of each member of the collaborative team is therefore essential to the learner’s success and it is vital that all of them show empathy and compassion in their interactions with others. A climate of sharing and open-mindedness is essential to the pursuit of the team’s goal of developing meaningful skills in the learner. Empathy and compassion should be common practices and encouraged by everyone.
Example: Jane
Jane is 9 years old. Since the start of the school year, she has had great difficulty in following the daily routine of the class. She does not always understand the instructions that are given and needs help finding her things during the various activities. During group activities, she does not communicate with her peers and often asks to go to the washroom. Her teacher, Ms. Lawson, shared her concerns with Jane’s parents on several occasions and tried to put in place certain educational actions to help her overcome these challenges. Ms. Lawson notes, however, that Jane seems increasingly anxious and agitated during the day. During the past two days, the teacher who supervises the students during recess noticed that Jane was sitting on a bench crying. He tried to understand what was bothering her, but Jane was unable to confide in him. He therefore told Ms. Lawson about the situation.
Ms. Lawson decided to talk to Mr. Peterson, the school principal. He asked Ms. Lawson to explain the situation to the Education Support Services team during its next meeting. The team determined that it would be beneficial for Jane to be assessed using the Comprehensive Assessment for Learning and Independence (CALI) – Functional Skills for Independence in order to identify the skills to teach her so that she feels more comfortable with the daily routine. Ms. Brown, the resource teacher, volunteered to conduct the assessment.
A few weeks later, Ms. Brown completed the assessment and compiled the results. She is ready to report and start planning the response.
Question: Considering the importance of forming a collaborative team, what could be the next step in this situation?
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- Ms. Brown invites the persons concerned to a meeting in order to communicate the results of the assessment. Jane and her parents, Ms. Lawson, and Mr. Peterson are therefore invited along with any other person who works closely with Jane.
- During this meeting, those present designate a team leader and establish team standards. The leader can then ensure clear and effective communication between all members of the team.
Jane’s team met for the first time, and each member is well aware of their role and responsibilities. Jane’s mother was present at this meeting, but her father was unable to attend. The intervention was chosen and the people responsible began to implement it. Both Jane’s parents are present at the group’s second meeting. Jane’s father expresses concern about the intervention. He wonders about the social consequences that the intervention could have on his daughter. The team members are a bit concerned because the decision was made with the agreement of Jane’s mother during the last meeting.
Question: How could the team members react in order to find a solution to the problem while showing empathy and compassion?
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- Team members adopt a problem-solving attitude while remaining objective and avoiding judgment. If someone is not comfortable with the intervention, it is important to listen to their point of view and see the situation from their perspective.
- The team members show empathy in trying to understand the emotions experienced by Jane’s father when faced with this situation. It is important to practice active listening and not jump to conclusions.
- Once the situation is better understood, the team members propose solutions that take into account the concerns of Jane’s father. For example, his concerns are related to the fact that a group of peers selected by the teacher will be included in the intervention, so the team offers to let Jane choose the students to be involved.
