Success for Puzzling Students: Using Data · AAS Process & Tool Part 1/Using Data 1 Success for...

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AAS Process & Tool Part 1/Using Data 1 Success for Puzzling Students: Using Data 8.09 Welcome to the Success for Puzzling Students: Using Data online module. In this module, you will learn about the Attuning a Student process – a way of thinking and a corresponding set of tools that will strengthen your ability to deeply understand your most puzzling students. You will also be introduced to the Attuning a Student online tool.

Transcript of Success for Puzzling Students: Using Data · AAS Process & Tool Part 1/Using Data 1 Success for...

AAS Process & Tool Part 1/Using Data

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Success for Puzzling Students: Using Data

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Welcome to the Success for Puzzling Students: Using Data online module. In this module, you will learn about the Attuning a Student process – a way of thinking and a corresponding set of tools that will strengthen your ability to deeply understand your most puzzling students. You will also be introduced to the Attuning a Student online tool.

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PART 1:

Module Overview andCustomizing your Learning Experience

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After completing this module, you will:

Module Objectives

> Be familiar with the seven stages of the Attuning a Student process.

> Be able to determine appropriate situations for implementing the Attuning a Student process.

> Be able to use the Attuning a Student online tool to initiate the Attuning a Student process.

> Know what pre-work and materials are required for the Making Sense of Data module.

Please take a moment to read the module objectives listed on your screen. At the end of the module, you’ll be prompted to think about whether the objectives were met.

Now, let’s take a look at the breakdown of content in the module and how this content is structured.

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Module Outline

6 minutesModule Overview and Customizing Your Learning Experience

PART 1

11 minutesOverview of Attuning a Student: A Quick Tour

PART 2

12 minutesA Closer Look at Attuning a Student: A Case Study

PART 3

6 minutes*Initiating the Process: Stages 1 and 2

PART 4

4 minutesConsolidation and Next StepsPART 5

*Not including viewing Attuning a Student Online Tool Tutorial (optional)

There are five parts to this module:

- PART 1: Module Overview and Customizing Your Learning Experience- PART 2: Overview of Attuning a Student: A Quick Tour- PART 3: A Closer Look at Attuning a Student: A Case Study- PART 4: Initiating the Attuning Process: Stages 1 and 2- PART 5: Consolidation and Next Steps

While the module program will automatically advance through the sections in order, you are not required to view each section consecutively. Begin thinking about what approach will best suit your own learning style given the objectives and the content provided. Let’s talk about some options for customizing this learning experience.

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Customizing Your Learning Experience

YOUR TOOLBOX

> E-learning program features

> Supporting documents (see Attachments tab)

> Flexibility in navigating the module content

Using the features of this e-learning program and supporting documents in the Attachments section, and considering different approaches to navigating the content of this module, you can design an experience that meets your learning needs. How does your kind of mind learn best in e-learning environments? Before we proceed with the module content, let’s briefly explore these tools.

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> VOLUME> SLIDE STATUS> PLAY/PAUSE

> OUTLINE> THUMBNAILS> NOTES> SEARCH

FULL SCREEN

> ATTACHMENTS> BOOKMARK

E-Learning Program Features

First, the features of this e-learning program can help you to customize your experience.

There are 4 tabs in the side panel. The Outline tab displays the topics and subtopics in the module. The Thumbnails tab provides a glance at each of the module slides. The Notes tab contains the module narration script, and the Search tab enables you to locate key words or topics throughout the module.

On the bottom of your screen, you will see the volume control, the slide status bar, the play/pause controls, and the full screen button. You may pause the module at any time.

On the top right of your screen, you will see the attachments and bookmark tabs. The attachments tab contains a number of documents that will be referenced throughout the module and/or are intended for future use after completion of this module. The bookmark tab enables you to bookmark this module in your browser for quick future reference.

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> Attuning a Student Journal

Attachments Section

> Slide images with narration script

Documents designed to support your learning …

Pause the module to download the Attuning a Student Journal and any other support documents you choose. PAUSE

> Slide thumbnails with lines for notes

> And more …

IMPORTANT: Be sure to save your journal to your computer; it is not saved within the module.

Next, we’ve provided several documents in the Attachments section that are specifically designed to support your learning throughout this module. Among these materials are the Attuning a Student journal. You will be asked periodically to pause the module while you respond to reflection prompts in the journal.

In addition, for those participants who like to refer to handouts during presentations, the Attachments section also includes a document with the slide images and narration script for this module and a document with slide thumbnails and lines provided for notes.

Now, pause the module and take a moment to download the Attuning a Student Journal document from the Attachments tab and any other supporting documents you feel will be helpful as you proceed through this module.

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Downloading Attachments

NOTE: If you still cannot download the attachments, you may access them by clicking here or by returning to the page where you accessed this module and clicking on “Access additional module resources”.

2. When trying to download a document, a security pop-up bar may appear. Click on the bar and click on “Download file”.

1. Turn off pop-up blocker if necessary. If you are using Internet Explorer, follow the prompt to the right.

For other browsers, check out the Tools menu or consult the help documentation.

Click on the forward arrow below to continue.

Downloading documents from the Attachments section can be tricky on some computers. Here are a few trouble-shooting tips to help you.

First, you may need to temporarily disable the pop-up blocker in your browser. If you’re using Internet Explorer, follow the prompts on the screen to do this. If you’re using another browser, look for this function under the Tools menu or consult the help documentation.

Secondly, when you attempt to download an attachment, you may notice a yellow pop-up bar on the top of your screen that reads something like, “To help protect your security, Internet Explorer blocked this site from downloading files to your computer. Click here for options.” If this bar appears, you can left-click on it and then click on “Download file”.

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Who are you as a learner?

Navigating the Module Content

> Need big picture first

> Hands-on

> Need breaks/time to process

The flexible options for engaging in the module content will also help you to design a learning experience that best meets your individual needs.

For example, do you need to understand the big picture before you can proceed to the operational level? If so, then you may want to view Parts 2 and 3 before moving on to Part 4.

If, on the other hand, you like to dig right in and explore an online tool before learning the underlying process or intent of the tool, you may want to proceed directly to Part 4, and then return to Parts 2 and 3 to fill in the gaps as questions begin to arise.

Do you have a hard time focusing on a topic for more than 10 or 15 minutes? Or do you like to process information in smaller chunks? If so, you may want to engage in one section of this module at a time, returning as many times as necessary to complete the module. This e-learning program has a built-in prompt that asks you when you return to the module whether you would like to pick up where you left off.

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Please pause the module and plan your learning experience by responding to the questions below. Record your thoughts in the Attuning a Student Journal.

You may resume the module when you are ready to continue.

Reflection – Part 1

> Knowing yourself as a learner, what are some ways you might use the tools provided and navigate through this module to meet the objectives?

> What tools do you plan to use? Why?

> In what order will you explore the sections?

> How will you know if your plan was successful?

PAUSE

We’ve reached the end of Part 1 – Module Overview and Customizing your Learning Experience.

Now, pause the module and plan your learning experience by responding to the questions on your screen. Record your thoughts in the Attuning a Student Journal.

You may resume the module whenever you are ready to continue.

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Module Outline

Slides 1-11

Module Overview and Customizing Your Learning Experience

PART 1

Slides12-28

Overview of Attuning a Student: A Quick Tour

PART 2

Slides29-47

A Closer Look at Attuning a Student: A Case Study

PART 3

Slides48-56

Initiating the Process: Stages 1 and 2PART 4

Slides57-62

Consolidation and Next StepsPART 5

COMPLETED

Now, based on your plan, begin your customized learning about Attuning a Student. Slide references are provided on your screen to help you navigate. The Outline tab in the sidebar menu also delineates each module part.

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“This process is a wonderful tool to use … I look at it as if it were a puzzle that needs to be solved. The thing that I like most … is that we are looking at strengths as well as areas of concern.”

− All Kinds of Minds program participant

PART 2:

Overview of Attuning a Student: A Quick Tour

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Meet Caleb …

> Enjoys school and class discussions

> Good at reading and writing stories

> Trouble applying math concepts

> Thinks he’s “dumb”

> Loves to draw

> Trouble using the computer for writing

As we turn our attention to attuning a student, I’d like to introduce you to a few students.

Caleb, a 4th grader, enjoys school, gets along well with his classmates, and loves class discussions. He is good at reading and writing stories. Math, on the other hand, is beginning to be a problem.

Caleb understands concepts while his teacher is explaining them, but has trouble when he needs to apply the concepts.

Before this year, Caleb had always looked forward to math class, especially when his teacher used any kind of hands-on activities. Now that Caleb is having trouble in math, he is becoming more and more anxious, and has even told his teacher that he thinks he is "dumb" because he can’t figure out his math homework.

Caleb loves to draw by hand or on the computer. He easily figured out how to use the graphic design program on the computer, but has had trouble using the computer for writing stories.

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Meet Chelsea …> Positive attitude, very

kind

> Struggles with text in all subjects

> Loves science experiments and math manipulatives

> Great speller, loves telling stories

> Difficulty identifying main ideas

Now, meet Chelsea, a rising sixth grader:

Chelsea is well respected by adults and peers because of her positive attitude towards everything and everyone. However, her smiles mask her troubles in school.

Chelsea struggles in all subjects when she is faced with text. Science and math are a mixed bag. Although the textbooks are confusing to her, Chelsea loves doing science experiments and working with math manipulatives. In Language Arts, she is a great speller, has neat handwriting, and loves telling stories she creates; however, in class discussions, her responses are short and non-elaborative. She is unable to find main ideas and struggles with summarizing and making inferences. To compensate for these difficulties, she concentrates on what is being said and tries to connect new information to her personal experiences.

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Meet Jeff …

> Generally strong student

> Poor grades on writing assignments

> Does well on tests

> Despite concerted efforts, writing is disorganized, unclear, and incomplete

> Frustrated and humiliated

And here’s Jeff, a tenth grader:

Jeff has generally been a strong student, though he has had some difficulties since middle school. In particular, for the past couple of years he has been receiving poor grades on writing assignments, especially on essays and research papers.

Jeff does well on most tests and evaluations and is well thought of by most of his teachers. However, his papers, reports, and essay tests usually return with the same messages: "disorganized", "needs more clarification", "incomplete". The continued negative feedback on writing assignments frustrates Jeff and he has begun to feel humiliated about it. "I don't get it," he says, "I rewrote that essay twice and it still comes back with marks all over it!"

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Who is a puzzling student for you?

Whether you are an elementary, middle, or high school educator, some of the strengths and challenges highlighted in these case studies may sound familiar to you. Each student has his or her own unique set of strengths and weaknesses, but some students are more puzzling than others.

As we go through this section, try to think about the Attuning a Student process as it might apply to one of your puzzling students – either one you have taught in the past or one you’re currently teaching.

Now, let’s begin our exploration of the process itself.

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All Kinds of Minds Conceptual Model

> The All Kinds of Minds approach can be applied at the school, classroom, or student level.

> The Attuning a Student process falls under the STUDENT level of application.

No audio on this slide.

Click on the forward arrow below to continue.

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Let’s take a closer look at the second two tiers of application, the classroom and student levels.

In many cases, the individual learning needs of your students can be addressed by the instructional decisions you make, such as differentiating instruction, or teaching your students about learning.

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Some students require more focused attention and intervention in order to maximize their success in school. Many of these students benefit from strategies targeted toward small groups of students with similar academic struggles.

A small percentage of these students – that is, your most puzzling students – may require even further, more individualized intervention in order to flourish academically. In these cases, you might begin exploring your student’s specific neurodevelopmental strengths and weaknesses and strategies for addressing them by engaging in a Student Learning Partnership with the student.

Sometimes, after implementing a number of different strategies, moving from broad to narrow strokes, a student still continues to puzzle you. At this point, it may be appropriate to begin the process of deeply understanding this student’s neurodevelopmental profile through the Attuning a Student process.

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When might you initiate the attuning process?

> No explicit guidelines; professional judgment is key

> Reserve process for students who have not responded to prior classroom-based, small group, or individual strategies

Attuning a Student may provide the detailed information and guidance you need to address these students’ challenges.

> Consider the significant time and effort investment

So, to summarize, how might you know when it’s time to attune a student?

There are no explicit guidelines for when to attune a student; professional judgment plays a prominent role in this decision. The attuning process is complex and requires a significant investment of time and effort. Therefore, while you may initiate this process at any time, in general we recommend that you reserve the process for those students whose struggles have not been addressed successfully through the use of classroom-based strategies, small group interventions, and/or prior one-on-one work.

In cases like this, engaging in the Attuning a Student process can often provide the detailed information and guidance you need in order to really hone in on the student’s challenges and identify appropriate strategies to support him or her in the classroom.

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> Careful observations

> Multiple perspectives –teacher, parent, student

> Exploration of recurring themes

Key Features of the Attuning a Student Process

The Attuning a Student process provides a method – or a way of thinking – and a corresponding online tool to help teachers, students, and their parents understand how students’ neurodevelopmental differences can affect their learning. The word “attuning” is intended to convey a commitment among all of the players—students, educators, and parents—to be aware of and responsive to the wide range of students’ neurodevelopmental and academic strengths and weaknesses.

The process empowers teachers to be careful observers, accurately and richly describing students’ strengths and concerns. The process also considers students’personal accounts of their experiences as learners and acknowledges the value of parents’ observations about their children’s learning. These multiple perspectives enable teachers to search for recurring themes that can provide insight into students’ struggles and successes.

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> Collaboration and alliances

> Shared understanding of student’s strengths and weaknesses

> Development, implementation, and evaluation of strategies for success

Key Features of Attuning a Student (cont’d)

Throughout this process, students, their parents, and educators are collaborators both in gathering information about students’ learning and in managing their school experiences to maximize success and minimize failure. The attuning process helps these team members to develop a shared understanding of the underlying neurodevelopmental functions that may be affecting a student’s learning and to implement and evaluate strategies that address the students’ strengths and weaknesses with the ultimate goal of improving his or her learning.

This method – or way of thinking – aligns closely with a broader thought process: Management by Profile.

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Management by Profile Protocol

Let’s briefly explore the relationship between the Management by Profile Protocol and the seven stages of Attuning a Student.

Management by Profile comprises four elements: Observation, Neurodevelopmental Analysis, Management, and Measurement of Impact.

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STAGE 1: NOTICING A STUDENT> Teacher notices student struggling

with some aspect(s) of learning

> Teacher decides to attune student to further explore the student’s strengths and weaknesses

> Teacher gathers detailed information about the student as a learner

> Information collected from teacher(s), the student, and the student’s parent(s)/caregiver(s)*

> Observation-based questions and student work samples

STAGE 2: DATA COLLECTION

* From this point forward in the module, the term “parent(s)” will be used to encompass parents, caregivers, and/or guardians.

OBSERVATION

Observation occurs in the Attuning a Student process in Stage 1 (Noticing a Student) and Stage 2 (Data Collection). When beginning to attune a student, it is important to start with observations, exploring the student’s strengths and weaknesses from multiple perspectives.

In the Noticing a Student stage, the teacher observes that one of his or her students is struggling with some aspect of learning and decides to initiate the Attuning a Student process to further explore the students’ strengths and weaknesses.

In the Data Collection stage, the teacher expands his or her observations by gathering detailed information about the student as a learner. This information is collected from the student’s teacher(s), the student, and the student’s parent(s) or caregiver(s) through observation-based questions in the Attuning a Student online tool as well as student work samples.

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STAGE 3: DATA ANALYSIS> Consolidation of the detailed

information gathered in the Data Collection stage

> Information linked to the neurodevelopmental framework

STAGE 4: PROFILE BUILDING

> Teacher applies his or her professional judgment to interpret the consolidated data

> Teacher identifies recurring themes and generates a hypothesis about the student’s neurodevelop-mental profile

NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL ANALYSIS

Neurodevelopmental Analysis occurs in Attuning a Student Stage 3 (Data Analysis) and Stage 4 (Profile Building). In these stages, the observations recorded in the Data Collection stage are consolidated and linked to the neurodevelopmental framework. The teacher then applies his or her professional judgment to interpret this data, identifying recurring themes and generating a hypothesis about the student’s neurodevelopmental profile.

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STAGE 5: MANAGEMENT PLAN> Teacher connects school demands,

the student’s academic struggles, and the student’s learning profile

> Teacher identifies strategies that address the student’s strengths and weaknesses

STAGE 6: DEMYSTIFICATION

> Teacher engages the student, his or her parent(s), and sometimes other educators in a conversation around how the student’s profile may affect school performance

> Discussion affords opportunity to explore roles in implementing the management plan

MANAGEMENT

Attuning a Student Stage 5 (Management Plan) and Stage 6 (Demystification) encompass the Management element of the Management by Profile Protocol. In these stages, the teacher connects what he or she knows about the demands of school and the student’s academic struggles with what he or she knows about the student’s neurodevelopmental profile.

Based on this understanding, the teacher identifies specific strategies that address the student’s strengths and weaknesses.

Then, through a demystification conversation, the teacher engages the student, his or her parent(s), and sometimes other educators in a conversation that leads to a shared understanding of the student as a learner and how his or her profile may affect school performance.

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MEASUREMENT OF IMPACT

STAGE 7: IMPLEMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT OF IMPACT> Teacher, student, and parent(s)

collaborate in implementing the management plan over time

> Reflection and communication on ongoing basis regarding impact of strategies

> Adjustments to management plan made as necessary

Lastly, Attuning a Student Stage 7 (Implementation and Measurement of Impact) aligns with Management by Profile’s Measurement of Impact element. In this stage, the teacher collaborates with the student, and in many cases, the student’s parents and other teachers, in implementing the management plan over time. They reflect and communicate on an ongoing basis regarding the impact of the strategies used, and adjustments to the management plan are made as necessary.

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Please pause the module and respond to the reflection questions below. Record your thoughts in the Attuning a Student Journal.

You may resume the module when you are ready to continue.

Reflection – Part 2

Based on what you have learned so far about Attuning a Student …

> In what ways does this process seem similar to what you’re already doing with students?

> In what ways does this process seem to differ or build on what you’re already doing with your students?

PAUSE

We’ve reached the end of Part 2 – the Attuning a Student Overview.

Now, pause the module and respond to the questions on your screen. Record your thoughts in the Attuning a Student Journal.

You may resume the module whenever you are ready to continue.

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“It amazes me what information and knowledge of a student I gained when I attuned that child. Even though it was a very involved process, I enjoyed it and looked forward to helping that student during the year.”

− All Kinds of Minds program participant

PART 3:

A Closer Look at Attuning a Student: A Case Study

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Next, we are going to take a closer look at the seven stages of the Attuning a Student process.

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> Initial observations of a struggling student

> Decision to obtain more information about the student as a learner

> Observations of strengths as well as weaknesses

STAGE 1 – NOTICING A STUDENT

The Attuning a Student process begins with the Noticing a Student stage. In this stage, you observe that one of your students continues to struggle with some aspect of learning, despite your efforts to understand and address the factors that might be impacting his or her learning challenges. You decide to initiate the Attuning a Student process to further explore the students’ strengths and weaknesses.

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Reads and writes very well

Difficulty remembering and applying facts, especially in math

Understands facts

Trouble with word problems

Take Caleb, our 4th grade case study from the beginning of the module, for example. In this stage, Caleb’s teacher, Mrs. Daly, notices that Caleb reads and writes very well, but he is having a lot of problems in math class. He tends to understand facts but has difficulty recalling and applying them. Mrs. Daly also observes that Caleb has trouble with word problems in particular. She is puzzled and decides to try to learn more about why Caleb is struggling by engaging in the Attuning a Student process.

On your screen, you see how these observations will be recorded in the Attuning a Student online tool in the next stage of the process.

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> Contact the student’s parents about participating in the attuning process

Better understanding the student’s learning strengths and weaknesses

> Convey the goals of …

Improved success in school for their child

Mrs. Daly’s next step is to contact Caleb’s parents to request their involvement in the process. She explains to Caleb’s mother, Mrs. Wells, that her goals are to better understand Caleb’s learning strengths and weaknesses, and ultimately to help him achieve greater success in school. Mrs. Wells agrees to participate in the process.

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> Collect detailed information

> Several perspectives

> Observation-based questionnaires and student work samples

> Lays groundwork for neurodevelopmental profile and strategies

> Collecting, not analyzing data

STAGE 2 – DATA COLLECTION

The next stage in the Attuning a Student process is Data Collection. The goal of this stage is to collect detailed information about the student as a learner from a variety of perspectives and sources, including observation-based questionnaires called “Views” and student work samples. This stage lays the groundwork for the attuning teacher to build a neurodevelopmental profile for the student and devise strategies with his or her student to improve the student’s success in school.

It is important to note that this part of the process involves only collecting data, not analyzing or interpreting it. Objective observations are essential at this stage.

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> Talk with the student about being attuned

> Emphasize alliance formation

> Explain the attuning process, why you’re initiating it, and its potential positive outcomes

> Reassure the student that he or she will not be stigmatized

Mrs. Daly then discusses the Attuning a Student process with Caleb, approaching him as a partner and advocate for his learning success and emphasizing the idea of building an alliance with him and his mother. She explains how the process will work, why she is initiating it, and how she thinks his participation in the process might make school more productive for him. During this conversation, she assures Caleb that everyone has learning strengths and weaknesses and that she will maintain confidentiality throughout the process, protecting him from stigmatization by his peers. Caleb is excited by the prospect of doing better in school and agrees to take part in the attuning process.

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Caleb’s Teacher Initiates the Attuning Process

> Completes the Teacher’s View questionnaire

> Awaits completed Views from Caleb and his mother

> Collects and reviews several of Caleb’s recent assignments, looking for evidence of strengths and weaknesses

NOTE: You’ll learn more about collecting work samples and noting strengths and weaknesses in Part 4 of this module.

Let’s return to Caleb. Mrs. Daly initiates the Attuning a Student process using the online tool. She completes her Teacher’s View questionnaire and awaits completed questionnaires from Caleb and his mother. Meanwhile, she collects a few of Caleb’s recent assignments from several different subjects and jots down some observations on strengths and weaknesses reflected in his work.

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> Analyze student work samples through neurodevelopmental lens

> Generate report summarizing all data entered into online tool

> Report organized by neurodevelopmental Constructs

PARENT’S VIEW

TEACHER’S VIEW(S)

STUDENT’S VIEW

DATA ANALYSIS

STUDENT WORK

STAGE 3 – DATA ANALYSIS

In the third stage of Attuning a Student, Data Analysis, the attuning teacher, or “Profile Coordinator,” analyzes the student work samples through a neurodevelopmental lens, using a form on the Attuning a Student online tool to guide the analysis. He or she then generates a Views Consolidation Report that encompasses all of the Views observations and student work data and organizes this information by neurodevelopmental Construct.

As its name suggests, this is the stage in which the profile coordinator begins to analyze and interpret the observational data that has been collected. It is during this stage that a picture of the student’s neurodevelopmental strengths and weaknesses begins to emerge.

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Excerpts from Caleb’s Views Consolidation

ReportMrs. Daly

Mrs. Daly

What might this part of the process look like for Caleb? In analyzing Caleb’s assignments, Mrs. Daly notes that Caleb’s work reflects strengths in receptive and expressive language and concept formation. The work samples also suggest that he may have weaknesses in the areas of rule use and long term memory. She enters this information into the Student Work Analysis section of the Attuning a Student online tool.

Once all of the Views have been submitted and Caleb’s student work analysis data has been entered into the online tool, Mrs. Daly generates and prints a Views Consolidation Report that summarizes all of the Views observations as well as Caleb’s student work analysis data. The tool sorts the information byneurodevelopmental Construct and function, and the responses are also displayed in relation to a continuum of “weak” to “strong.” Comments entered on the Views are not shown here but are captured in the report.

With Caleb’s Views Consolidation Report in hand, Mrs. Daly is looking forward to trying to figure out patterns of strengths and weaknesses for Caleb.

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> Use professional judgment and Schools Attuned knowledge to interpret data

> Identify recurring themes

> Develop a neurodevelopmental profile for the student

STRENGTHS = ?

WEAKNESSES = ?

STAGE 4 – PROFILE BUILDING

The fourth stage of the Attuning a Student process is Profile Building. The goal of this stage is to generate a hypothesis about the student’s neurodevelopmental profile, which will guide the development of the management plan.

Building this profile involves examining the neurodevelopmental strengths and weaknesses identified in the previous stage and applying your professional judgment and Schools Attuned knowledge to identify recurring themes. The Views Consolidation Report will be the primary document used to inform the development of the student’s neurodevelopmental profile.

Let’s take a look at what this stage might look like for Caleb.

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Caleb’s Profile

Summary

Upon reviewing his Views Consolidation Report, Mrs. Daly notices some common threads between her student work analysis and the body of data collected in the Teacher’s, Parent’s, and Student’s Views. The report also reflects Caleb’s affinities for drawing and computers, his strengths in social cognition, oral expressive language, and spatial ordering, and his weaknesses in temporal-sequential ordering.

Mrs. Daly documents her interpretation of the consolidated data on a profile summary form, another component of the online tool. When complete, the Profile Summary, pictured here, is a one-page display of the student’s “balance sheet” of neurodevelopmental strengths and weaknesses. This online form helps you to synthesize the information from all sources into a tentative neurodevelopmental profile.

The profile summary will be Mrs. Daly’s main point of reference as she begins to develop management strategies for Caleb.

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> Link the neurodevelopmental profile with school demands

> Develop strategies to support student in school

> May involve student, parent(s), and other teacher(s)

Goal is to minimize struggles …

… and maximize successes.

STAGE 5 – MANAGEMENT PLAN

The fifth stage of the Attuning a Student process, Management Plan, involves finding links between the student’s neurodevelopmental profile and the demands of school. After identifying these connections, you are ready to develop strategies to support the student in achieving greater success in school. This stage may involve the student, his or her parent(s), and if applicable, the student’s other teachers.

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Excerpts from Caleb’s Management and Demystification Planning Guide

What might Caleb’s management plan look like? Let’s take a quick look.

Using the Management and Demystification Planning Guide form on the online tool, Mrs. Daly notes Caleb’s strengths, affinities, school performance weaknesses, and the related Constructs and functions. Then, keeping Caleb’s affinities in mind, Mrs. Daly refers to her Schools Attuned Management Resources book to help her in identifying some possible strategies to capitalize on his strengths and support him in addressing his weaknesses.

Once she has brainstormed some strategies, she begins planning for the demystification conversation she will have with Caleb and his mother.

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> Communicate with individuals involved in the attuning process, increasing understanding around …

The student’s neurodevelopmental profile

How the profile is impacting student performance

How to help the student experience greater success

STAGE 6 – DEMYSTIFICATION

The sixth stage of Attuning a Student is Demystification, the culmination of all of the stages to this point. In this stage, you communicate with the individuals involved in the attuning process about the student’s neurodevelopmental profile, how the profile is impacting his or her school performance, and how each participant in the process can help the student experience greater success in school.

The Management and Demystification Planning Guide you completed in the previous stage becomes the outline for this conversation.

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Three Themes of Demystification

DESTIGMATIZATION

> Everyone has strengths and weaknesses.

> Students should not be made to feel singled out.

ALLIANCE FORMATION

> Common goal of helping the student improve success in school.

> Shared understanding of the student’s profile and respective roles in implementing strategies.

INFUSION OF OPTIMISM

> Build confidence that the student can overcome his or her learning difficulties.

> Focus on strengths as well as weaknesses.

Demystification is governed by three themes: Destigmatization, Alliance Formation, and Infusion of Optimism.

Given these themes, how might a demystification conversation play out?

In Caleb’s case, Mrs. Daly sits down with Caleb and his mother to share what she has learned about Caleb’s neurodevelopmental profile. She assures Caleb that each of us has a unique mind and a unique way of learning. She confides in him that she, too, struggles in some areas of learning, such as reading maps and staying organized. The three of them discuss the strategies Mrs. Daly has identified and brainstorm a few other strategies for supporting Caleb’s learning both in school and at home. After they all agree on a plan of action, including how to evaluate the success of the plan, Mrs. Daly closes the conversation by expressing her confidence in Caleb’s ability to be successful in school, even in math class where he struggles most.

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> Put management plan into action

> Evaluate strategy outcomes

> Adjust the plan over time as necessary

> Ongoing communication and demystification

STAGE 7 – IMPLEMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT OF IMPACT

The seventh stage of the Attuning a Student process, Implementation and Measurement of Impact, involves putting the management plan into action, evaluating the outcomes of the strategies, and making any necessary adjustments to the plan over time. Modifications might include discontinuing some strategies, fine-tuning others, and identifying new ones. Ideally, communication and demystification continue well beyond the attuning process.

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Excerpt from Caleb’s Progress Monitoring Guide

Caleb’s teacher, Mrs. Daly, uses a form provided in the Attuning a Student online tool to track Caleb’s progress and evaluate whether the strategies they agreed on are working. In the weeks after the initial demystification conversation, she checks in periodically with Caleb to discuss the strategies they are using. She also keeps in touch with Caleb’s mother to get a feel for how the strategies are being implemented at home. About six weeks out, the three of them meet to more formally discuss the effectiveness of the strategies.

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Please pause the module and respond to the reflection questions below. Record your thoughts in the Attuning a Student Journal.

You may resume the module when you are ready to continue.

Reflection – Part 3

PAUSE

Based on what you have learned so far about Attuning a Student, what benefits do you see for …

> Students?

> Teachers?

> Parents?

We’ve reached the end of Part 3 – A Closer Look at Attuning a Student.

Now, pause the module and respond to the questions on your screen. Record your thoughts in the Attuning a Student Journal.

You may resume the module whenever you are ready to continue.

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“The more I study how to attune a student, the more insight into all students I have.”

− All Kinds of Minds program participant

PART 4:

Initiating the Process: Stages 1 and 2

NOTE: This section contains some slides without audio, which will advance automatically after 1 minute. On these slides, you may click below on the pause icon to display the slide for longer or on the forward arrow to advance to the next slide before the minute is up.

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STAGES 1 & 2

Now that you’ve gotten an overview of the seven stages of the Attuning a Student process, this section will provide further detail about the steps involved in the first two stages of the process, including the use of the Attuning a Student online tool. The next Attuning a Student module, Success for Puzzling Students: Making Sense of Data, will cover Stages 3 through 7 in greater depth.

For the purposes of this module and the Making Sense of Data module, you will be asked to apply the Attuning a Student process to a case study student, not a real student. Keep in mind that some of the steps outlined in this section, such as Stage 1, Noticing a Student, will not apply when using a case study. Section 5 of this module provides details about accessing and using the case study.

For now, though, let’s focus on learning how you would begin the attuning process if you were working with an actual student.

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Identify Student to Attune

> For more information on identifying a student, see slides 18-20.

> For more details on Stage 1 of Attuning a Student, see slides 31-34.

TIP: As you think about whom to attune, keep in mind that your first attuning is a learning experience. We recommend that you don’t select your mostpuzzling student.

Your first step in Attuning a Student is to identify a student to attune. This is Stage 1 of the process, also known as “Noticing a Student”.

Typically, Attuning a Student is a process that you would implement only with your most puzzling students. However, we recommend that for your first attuning experience, you select a struggling student but not the student that poses the greatest challenge for you as a teacher.

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Attuning a Student Stage 2 – Data CollectionTo access the Attuning a Student online tool:

> Go to www.allkindsofminds.org and log in (top right corner of screen).

> Click on Attuning a Student.

> When you arrive at the screen shown here, click on Enter the Attuning a Student Online Tool.

Click on the forward arrow below to continue.

NOTICING A STUDENT

GATHERING DATA FROM:> Parents

> Students

> Teachers

No audio

Once you’ve completed the Noticing a Student stage, the next stage involves gathering data from multiple viewpoints, using the Parent’s, Student’s, and Teacher’s Views in the Attuning a Student online tool.

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Using the AAS Online Tool

No audio on this slide.

Step-by-step instructions for using the online tool are provided in the Guide to Using the Attuning a Student Online Tool, a tutorial accessible from the Attuning a Student home page.

NOTE: Tutorial is available in PDF and online, narrated formats.

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1. All respondents should base responses on multiple observations over a minimum 2-3 week time frame, not on one-time occurrences.

Key Points about Completing Views

2. When attuning a student who has several teachers, it may be advantageous to involve his or her other teachers in the process.

4. For the Adolescent Learner Student’s View, the student should complete at least 3 subject areas – those he/she considers his/her best, most difficult, and most enjoyable.

3. When deciding which windows to complete for the Adolescent Teacher’s View, consider subjects that are of concern as well as those in which the student is doing well.

5. While parent involvement in the attuning process is strongly encouraged, in some cases you may choose to attune a student without involving his/her parents.

No audio on this slide.

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> Collect 3-4 work samples

> Document initial observations about strengths and weaknesses

> See guidelines on the next two slides for more details

Student Work Samples

In addition to collecting data through the Attuning a Student online tool, you’ll need to collect three or four of the student’s work samples and document some initial observations about strengths and weaknesses reflected in the samples. Student work samples provide yet another perspective on the student’s learning strengths and weaknesses.

Guidelines for selecting work samples and noting observations about the work are provided on the next two slides.

Please note that you may collect work samples and document your observations at any time; it is not necessary to wait until after the Views data are entered.

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1. Piece of original writing (any subject area)

Suggested Types of Work Samples for Student Work Analysis

Collect 3-4 work samples that reflect neither the student’s best nor worst effort.

2. Assignment or test revealing reading comprehension level

3. Math assignment with computation and word problems

4. Spelling test (if applicable)

The following types of work samples are recommended in order to achieve the best range of work:

- a piece of writing from any subject area that represents original student work;

- an assignment or test that reveals aspects of the student’s reading comprehension;

- a math assignment with the student’s completed responses, preferably including both computation and word problems that demonstrate how the problem was solved; and

- a spelling test, if applicable

- Three to four work samples are ideal. The more work samples you collect, the more easily discernable the student’s patterns of strengths and weaknesses will be. The samples should reflect the student’s typical work.

Please note that if the student you’re attuning has multiple teachers, you may consider requesting copies of student work from his or her other teachers.

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Student Work Samples –

Initial Observations

Once you’ve collected student work samples, review each piece of work carefully, noting areas of strengths and weaknesses directly on the paper.

When recording your comments, use common, not neurodevelopmental, language. Examples of observations you might record include “Good elaboration of ideas” or “Used incorrect algorithm to solve problem”.

If you have collected work samples from other teachers, you may need their assistance in noting strengths and weaknesses in the student’s work.

When doing this task, keep in mind that you are still in the data collection stage, which is characterized by observations, not analysis or interpretation. Neurodevelopmental analysis of these work samples will take place in the next stage of the process.

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PART 5:

Consolidation and Next Steps

NOTE: This section contains some slides without audio, which willadvance automatically after 1 minute. On these slides, you may click below on the pause icon to display the slide for longer or on the forward arrow to advance to the next slide before the minute is up.

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Preparing for the Making Sense of DataModule – Accessing the Case Studies

No audio on this slide.

As mentioned earlier, you’ll be applying the Attuning a Student process to a case study student as you prepare for and complete the Making Sense of Data module.

To access the case study documents:

Click here or go to the Access additional module resources page to download and print the case study documents that most closely correspond to the grade level you teach. Be sure to print all 4 documents.*

3rd grade, 7th grade, and 11th grade case studies are available.

*Each case study “packet” consists of 4 documents:> Part 1 – Instructions, narrative, and work samples> Part 2 – Parent’s View> Part 3 – Student’s View> Part 4 – Teacher(s)’ View

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No audio on this slide.

Once you’ve downloaded the case study documents:

Read the case study narrative and review the student’s work samples.

Using the Attuning a Student Online Tool*:Create your personal profile.Create a new student record for your case study student.Assign respondents and Views for your case study student (necessary information provided in the case study packet).Enter the information from the Teacher’s View(s), Parent’s View, and Student’s View into the online tool.Generate and print a Views Consolidation Report.

*View/download the tool tutorial for assistance if necessary.

Document initial observations of the student’s strengths and weaknesses as reflected in his or her work samples. These notations can be made directly on the work samples.

Preparing for the Making Sense of DataModule – Using the Case Studies

NOTE: More detailed instructions are included in the case study packet.

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What to “Bring” to theMaking Sense of Data Module

NOTE: A detailed preparation checklist is available in the Attachments section of this module.

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Attuning a Student Journal

Case study packet, including:Narrative (student background)Teacher, Parent, and Student ViewsStudent work samples with strengths and weaknesses notedViews consolidation report

Prior All Kinds of Minds Course materials

Have the following items available when you begin the Making Sense of Data module:

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Please pause the module and respond to the reflection questions below. Record your thoughts in the Attuning a Student Journal.

Reflection – Part 5

PAUSE

MODULE OBJECTIVES

> Be familiar with the seven stages of the Attuning a Student process.

> Be able to determine appropriate situations for implementing the Attuning a Student process.

> Be able to use the Attuning a Student online tool to initiate the Attuning a Student process.

> Know what pre-work and materials are required for the Making Sense of Data module.

Reflect upon the module objectives. > Are there any objectives you feel

require further review? > How might you apply your

experience engaging with this module to your teaching practice?

It’s time for your final reflection. Please pause the module and respond to the questions on your screen. Record your thoughts in the Attuning a Student Journal.

You may resume the module whenever you are ready to continue.

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Congratulations! You have completed the Using Data module!

Before proceeding to the Making Sense of Data online module …

> Download and print the preparation checklist for the Making Sense of Data module from the Attachments section.

> Complete the next steps outlined in this module (which are also summarized on the preparation checklist).

Thank you for your participation in this module. We hope that it has been a valuable learning experience for you, and we look forward to continuing to explore the Attuning a Student process with you.

Contact [email protected] with questions.

No audio on this slide.

When you are ready to begin the Making Sense of Data module …

Log in to www.allkindsofminds.org, click on Attuning a Student, and click on Access the online modules.