ABCs of Teaming

By: Erica, Emily, Kristen,

Megan, and Laura

Sped 538
Summer 2013
A - Active Listening
Definition: Active Listening is when the
listener or "receiver" is much more
involved and aminated.

Example: Teddy was having a hard day
and was sharing the events of his
day with his friend Margery. Margery
wanted to use active listening
techniques to make sure Teddy felt
heard. Margery made frequent
comments (such as, "I see" or
"Hmmm"), asked questions (such
as, "How did that make you feel?"),
and empathized with how Teddy
was feeling. After they were done
talking, Teddy felt better and
Margery felt more connected with
him.

Citation: Correa, V.I., Jones, H.A., Thomas, C.C., Morsink, C.V.
(2005). Interactive teaming: Enhancing programs for students
with special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education Inc.
B - Black Hat Leadership
Definition: A Black Hat Leader looks
at all the "bad parts" of a decision.
This type of leader is cautious and
defensive and they typically make
the plans tougher than what they
need to be.

Example: The principal of a preschool
thinks that their social-emotional
curriculum is outdated and would
like to purchase a new curriculum
set. On the purchasing committee,
there is one teacher that has
objected to every curriculum set
mentioned and is slowing down
the selection process by wanting
the curriculum they purchase to be
recommended by two local
schools. This teacher is wearing a
black hat.
Citation: Six thinking hats: Looking at a decision from all points of
view. Retrieved from
http://http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_07.htm
C- Collaboration
Example: Eeyore and Roo wanted to go for a long walk to visit Tigger but
Kanga said it was going to rain and they needed to find a way to keep
dry. Eeyore and Roo talked about all the possible ways they could
stay dry on their walk (use an umbrella, put a bags over their heads,
or walk under trees). They successfully collaborated and came up with
the idea to ask Owl to fly overhead and protect them from the rain.

Citation: Correa, V.I., Jones, H.A., Thomas, C.C., Morsink, C.V. (2005). Interactive teaming: Enhancing programs for students with
special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
Definition: Collaboration
is a style of interaction
between at least two
equal participants who
are voluntarily engaged
in decision making
towards a common goal.
D - Diversity
Definition: Diversity is the condition of
having or being composed of
differing elements: variety;
especially the inclusion of different
types of people (as people of
different races or cultures).

Example: The author Todd Parr does
a great job of illustrating diversity
in his children's books; he
represents people in a variety of
shapes, colors, and sizes. When
working as a team, we may not be
able to see differences (such as
blue or green skin color) but each
group is made up of a variety of
people all with different (diverse)
experiences and backgrounds.

Citation: Merriam-Webster Online. Retrieved from:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diversity
E - Early Childhood Special
Educator
Definition: An Early Childhood Special Educator is a
teacher within a school that works with
students 3-5 years old. Their roles include:
conducting screenings, assessing children's
developmental competence, developing IEPs,
evaluating program effectiveness, and
advocating for children and families.

Example: Jakie is a three-year-old child who
was diagnosed with Down syndrome
when he was one. He has just started
preschool and his grandma is nervous
about the supports that he will receive at
school. His grandma (Grannie) asks the
early childhood special educator to meet
with her and go over the services Jakie
will be receiving in and outside of the
classroom along with how the classroom
teacher will be adapting the curriculum
for him.

Citation: Correa, V.I., Jones, H.A., Thomas, C.C., Morsink, C.V.
(2005). Interactive teaming: Enhancing programs for
students with special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Education Inc.
Example: When Abbie's parents attend
her first IEP meeting, they feel quite
overwhelmed. Fortunately, the
teachers and other professionals
working with Abbie go slowly, define
terms and services, and constantly
ask if Abbie's parents have
questions. These professionals also
ask for suggestions from Abbie's
parents, as well as if they believe
that the services suggested will be
effective for Abbie's needs.


Citation: Correa, V.I., Jones, H.A., Thomas, C.C., Morsink,
C.V. (2005). Interactive teaming: Enhancing programs for
students with special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education Inc.


F - Family Centered Approach
Definition: Family Centered Approach is when the interactive
team places the needs and desires of the family and the child
with special needs at the center of the intervention process.

G - Goals
Definition: Goals - whether
IEP, IFSP, or otherwise -
work to improve the
treatment or education for
a child with special
needs, and to train
professionals in skills
beyond their expertise.
Example: Adam has been diagnosed with a learning disability. He is quiet in class
and does not readily answer questions when asked. His IEP team created a goal
to offer Adam a multitude of ways to answer questions - such as with a computer or
through dictation - in order to better allow him to participate in class discussions
with peers.

Citation: Correa, V.I., Jones, H.A., Thomas, C.C., Morsink, C.V. (2005). Interactive teaming: Enhancing programs for students with
special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
H - Harmonizers/Compromisers
reading up on Autism through blogs and other websites for individuals and families
with Autism, and they want more services for Jacob. When they express their
disappointment in the team, the service coordinator (being a harmonizer-
compromiser) steps in to remind everyone that they are there for Jacob and that
the team remains open to ideas from every seat at the table.
Definition: The Harmonizer -
Compromiser is a "maintenance role"
for the team. You work to resolve
conflicts and determine solutions for
problems the team encounters. This
role helps keep the team on track and
focused on the goals.

Citation: Correa, V.I., Jones, H.A., Thomas, C.C., Morsink, C.V. (2005). Interactive
teaming: Enhancing programs for students with special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Education Inc.
Example: During the team meeting, one-year-old
Jacob's parents become frustrated with the lack
of services being provided. They have been
I - IDEA (Individuals with
Disabilities Act 2004)
Example: Jennie was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth. Her parents were
concerned that she would be lost in the world, unable to get a good education and
live on her own. Because of IDEA, Jennie's parents were assigned a caseworker
who informed them of everything Jennie had rights to: a free and appropriate public
education just like her typically developing peers; being educated in a general
education classroom as much as possible; and that Jennie and her parents have a
voice in what experiences and services Jennie receives. Jennie is not lost in the
world, but integrated into it as much as her and her parents desire.

Citation: Correa, V.I., Jones, H.A., Thomas, C.C., Morsink, C.V. (2005). Interactive teaming: Enhancing programs for students with special needs.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
Definition: IDEA, or the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act, works to
provide persons with disabilities an equal
opportunity to participate in and
contribute to society. Under this act,
individuals are guaranteed a right to the
following: zero reject, nondiscriminatory
evaluation, appropriate education, least
restrictive environment, procedural due
process, and parent and student
participation.

J - Judging
Definition: To judge means to
form an opinion or conclusion
about something or someone.
This can be positive, but is
more often negative and
resulting in hasty
generalizations of one
another.

Merriam-Webster Online. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/judging
At the start of their first year at Hogwarts, Harry and Ron were quick to judge
Hermione Granger to be a stuck-up know-it-all. She did seem to fit the
description: always knowing the answer to everything; calling them out when
they were about to break a rule; etc. Then, on Halloween night, they went to
warn Hermione about the danger of the Troll in the castle, despite how much
they didn't like her. After they all worked together to knock the troll out,
Hermione lied for the boys so they wouldn't get in trouble. Well, this totally
changed how Harry and Ron felt about Hermione. The three were best
friends until the end.
K - Knowledge Sharing
Definition: Empowerment "involves the development
of expert power or knowledge among staff
members. In the interactive team, knowledge
acquisition begins with information sharing
among team members," known as knowledge
sharing (p.217). "Individuals engage in a type of
professional development by sharing their
specialized knowledge and skills with other team
members (p. 217).

Example: During the IEP meeting, the team
members shared information about their
respective fields. The PT shared gross motor
developmental milestones and goals he wanted
to see for the child, while the OT provided
information on fine motor and sensory
milestones and how the team could work to meet
these goals. Once the team members had an
understanding of one another's perspectives,
they worked together to develop goals that
applied to the student as a whole.

Citation: Correa, V. I., Jones, H. A., Thomas, C. C., & Morsink, C.
V. (2005). Interactive teaming: Enhancing programs for
students with special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Education, Inc.
L - Leadership

Definition: Leadership is"behavior that facilitates
change. It has a dimension of power, which
focuses on the strength necessary to
accomplish goals that are believed to
promote the common good" (p. 177).

Example: During Bobby's initial IEP meeting, the
school administrator took the leadership role
by focusing the team on the goals that they
wanted to establish for Bobby. He
encouraged the team to focus on Bobby's
abilities and how they could use their own
strengths and expertise to collaborate and
help Bobby reach the determined goals
throughout the year. Throughout the meeting,
he kept the discussion going by encouraging
all members to share their ideas and by
keeping the team focused on a common
goal.

Citation: Correa, V. I., Jones, H. A., Thomas, C. C., & Morsink, C.
V. (2005). Interactive teaming: Enhancing programs for
students with special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Education, Inc.
M - Mediation
Definition: "Mediation is an informal and
confidential way for people to resolve
disputes with the help of a neutral
mediator who is trained to help people
discuss their differences. The mediator
does not decide who is right or wrong
or issue a decision. Instead, the
mediator helps the parties work out
their own solutions to problems."

Example: During the teaching strike, a
neutral mediator was hired to help the
school board and the teachers go
through a period of mediation. The
mediator helped both parties to work
together in order to develop a solution,
rather than just coming up with a
solution himself.

Citation:
http://www.eeoc.gov/employees/media
tion.cfm

N - Nonverbal Communication
Definition: "Most communication messages are
transmitted in ways other than the use of
words alone. In fact, it has been suggested
that up to 90% of a message's content may be
transmitted through nonverbal
communications and vocal inflections" (p.
146). Nonverbal communications also include
body language, attending skills, and
considerations.

Example: While sharing assessment results with
the family, the special education teacher read
the family's nonverbal communication in order
to determine how to talk to them. When she
noticed the mother crossing her arms and
frowning, she asked the mother if she would
like to share how she was feeling, and then
she validated the mother's emotions in order
to assure her that it was okay to feel
overwhelmed, but that the school wanted to
work to support both her and her child.

Citation: Correa, V. I., Jones, H. A., Thomas, C. C., & Morsink,
C. V. (2005). Interactive teaming: Enhancing programs for
students with special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Education, Inc.

O - One Teach/One Assist

Definition: A co-teaching model, one
teach/one assist is when a "general
education teacher is primarily
responsible for teaching a specific
subject, while the special educator
circulates around the classroom and
offers individual students assistance"
(p. 345).

Example: While Miss Jones taught her
third graders multiplication, Mr.
Smith, the special education teacher,
walked around and provided
additional assistance to individual
students. Mr. Smith extended Miss
Jones' lesson by making
modifications for specific children as
he worked with them individually.

Citation: Correa, V. I., Jones, H. A., Thomas, C. C., &
Morsink, C. V. (2005). Interactive teaming:
Enhancing programs for students with special
needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education, Inc.
P - Paraprofessional
Definition: A Paraprofessional is an
individual who supplements the
instructional or other support
services which are provided to the
student with special needs while
under the supervision of the
teacher or other professionals.


Example: The aide in the classroom
collaborates with the teacher so
that a child with special needs can
participate in classroom activities.

Citation: Correa, V.I., Jones, H.A., Thomas, C.C., Morsink,
C.V. (2005). Interactive teaming: Enhancing programs for
students with special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education Inc.
Q - Questioning
Definition: Questioning is "an act or
instance of inquiry" (Merriam-
Webster Online, 2013). In leadership
questioning involves asking about
specific procedures in an open-
ended way.

Example: In a team meeting, Molly, the
classroom teacher, asks the physical
therapist, "Can you please explain the
steps involved in the therapy you are
currently using with Tommy?"

Citation: Correa, V.I., Jones, H.A., Thomas, C.C., Morsink,
C.V. (2005). Interactive teaming: Enhancing programs for
students with special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education Inc.
Merriam-Webster Online. Retrieved from: http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/questioning

R - RESOLVE
Definition: RESOLVE is an acronym
for the seven components of a
strategy that can be used in
conflict situations (Respond,
Encourage, Stay, Organize,
Listen, Voice, End).

During a team meeting, Harold and Fiona, two
special education teachers have conflicting
views on the most appropriate reading
program for the school. Tina, the
administrator, responds to both teachers as
they share their concerns, emphasizes how
important a reading program is, and stays
focused on their goal. She then organizes a
way of listing the benefits and challenges of
each program and listens as everyone
shares. Before ending by finalizing the
program, everyone voices their views on
their next steps.

Citation: Correa, V.I., Jones, H.A., Thomas, C.C., Morsink,
C.V. (2005). Interactive teaming: Enhancing programs for
students with special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education Inc.

S - Stages of Team
Development

Definition: Stages of team
development refers to the five-stage
model developed by Tuckman and
Jensen (1977). Groups build by
going through the stages of getting
to know each other while Forming
followed by a turbulent period of
Storming. Teams then begin to
settle during Norming which leads
to a productive period of Performing
and finally end the teaming process
by Transforming (In some
references "Adjourning").

Example: At their first meeting, the professionals in a
classroom while in the Forming stage share their
names, establish a way of communicating and
exchange contact information.

Citation: Correa, V.I., Jones, H.A., Thomas, C.C., Morsink,
C.V. (2005). Interactive teaming: Enhancing programs for
students with special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education Inc.
T - Teaming
Definition: Teaming involves "an
organized group of
professionals from different
disciplines who have unique
skills and a common goal of
cooperative problem solving..."
(p. 50)

Example: Jane is 2 year old child
with Cerebral Palsy. A
developmental therapist,
psychologist, physical therapist,
occupational therapist and her
parents work together and
collaborate to plan and provide
her services.

Citation: Correa, V.I., Jones, H.A., Thomas, C.C., Morsink,
C.V. (2005). Interactive teaming: Enhancing programs for
students with special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education Inc.
U - Unconditional Positive
Regard
Definition: "Unconditional Positive
Regard is the ability to accept
others without prejudice or bias,
and to realize that they are entitled
to their opinion" (p.139).

Example: During the weekly team
teaching meeting all team
members are given time to voice
their opinions, and the rest of the
group actively listens with
unconditional positive regard to
understand the opinion.

Citation:
Correa, V. I., Jones, H. A., Thomas, C. C., &
Morsink, C. V. (2005). Interactive teaming:
Enhancing programs for students with
special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Education, Inc.
V - Verbal Communication
Definition: "The sharing of information between
individuals by using speech. Individuals
working within a business need to effectively
use verbal communication that employs
readily understood spoken words, as well as
ensuring that the enunciation, stress and tone
of voice with which the words are expressed is
appropriate."

Example: During the IEP meeting, the teacher
used verbal communication skills to effectively
explain the new goals to the family and
support team. She summarized the
information and informed the team on the plan
of action.

Citation:
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/v
erbal-communication.html
W - White Hat Leadership
Definition: "With this thinking hat you
focus on the data available. Look at
the information you have, and see
what you can learn from it. Look for
gaps in your knowledge, and either try
to fill them or take account of them.
This is where you analyze past
trends, and try to extrapolate from
historical data."
Example: During the IEP meeting the
teacher focused on presenting the data
collected during her discreet trials to
explain to the family the reasons behind
her goals and decisions. When the
teacher was leading the meeting she
was wearing a white hat of leadership
using the data she had collected to
inform the family.


Citation:
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/art
icle/newTED_07.htm
X - eXplain
Definition: To offer reasons for or a
cause of; justify: explain an error.
b. To offer reasons for the actions,
beliefs, or remarks of (oneself).

Example: The physical therapist
spent the entire meeting
explaining to the team and the
parents how do the new exercises
with the child. She demonstrated
the exercises and described them
in great detail.

Citation:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/e
xplaining
Y - Yakking
Definition: To talk
persistently, or chatter.

Example: The meeting was
ineffective because the
team spent the allotted
time yakking and
gossiping about students.

Citation:
http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/y
ak
Z - Zero Reject
Definition: "Zero Reject is the principle of IDEA
that no student with a disability can be
denied a free, appropriate public education.
This is both a civil right under the equal
protection doctrine and good social policy,
grounded in the individual and social
utilitarianism of educating all students."

Example: Johnny is a 6 year old boy with Down
syndrome who lives in a high poverty
neighborhood. His family cannot afford to
send him to a school out of district that can
provide him with the services (OT, PT, SLP,
etc.) he needs to succeed. Under the Zero
Reject principle of IDEA, 2004, Johnny will
be provided with a free and appropriate
public education where he will receive all of
the above services he qualifies for at no cost
to his family.

Citation:
http://educationnext.org/reachingtheideal/