Interactions: Collaboration Skills for School Professionals, 6th Edition

The most widely-used text on the topic of collaboration, Interactions is a guide for preprofessionals and professionals to help them understand and participate effectively in their interactions with other school professionals and parents.  It addresses collaboration as a style, with accompanying knowledge and skills, that guides practices in many education efforts.

 

Interactions provides a cutting-edge look at how teams of school professionals– special educators, general educators and related services professionals–can effectively work together to provide a necessary range of services to students with special needs. As a result, future teachers learn how to collaborate with school professionals and families to help special education students who are more often being placed in general education settings.

 

New to this Edition!

• Chapter on collaborating with Families--Back by popular demand is a full chapter on family collaboration (chapter 8) which details the role teachers can and should play with families of students with disabilities.
• Case Study Activity -- Each chapter now concludes with a reflective case study that will allow students to apply concepts learned in the chapter.

1 The Fundamentals of Collaboration  

 

Collaboration Concepts  

    Definition  

    Defining Characteristics for Collaboration  

    Emergent Characteristics  

    The Dilemmas of Collaboration  

Collaboration in a Contemporary Context  

    Societal Trends  

    School Collaboration  

    Special Education Collaboration  

A Framework for Learning about Collaboration  

    Summary  

    A Case for Collaboration

    Collaborative Activities  

 

2 Interpersonal Problem Solving  

 

A Context for Interpersonal Problem Solving  

    Reactive and Proactive Problem Solving  

    Deciding Whether to Problem Solve  

Steps in Interpersonal Problem Solving  

    Identifying the Problem  

    Generating Potential Solutions  

    Evaluating Potential Solutions  

    Selecting the Solution  

    Implementing the Solution  

    Evaluating the Outcome  

Putting the Problem-Solving Pieces Together  

    Summary  

    A Case for Collaboration

    Collaborative Activities

 

3. Teams

 

Team Concepts  

    Characteristics of Teams  

    Developmental Stages for Teams  

    Rationale for and Benefits of Teams  

Team Models  

    Disciplinary Relationships on Teams  

    Types of Student-Centered Teams  

Effectiveness of Teams  

    The Team’s Goals Are Clear  

    Members’ Needs Are Met  

    Members Have Individual Accountability  

    Group Processes Maintain the Team  

    Team Members Have Leadership Skills  

Conducting Meetings  

    Prior to the Meeting  

    During the Meeting  

    After the Meeting  

Collaboration and Teams  

    S ummary  

    A Case for Collaboration

    Collaborative Activities

 

4  Consultation  

 

Consultation Concepts  

    Characteristics of Consultation  

    Rationale for and Benefits of Consultation  

Consultation Models  

    Behavioral Consultation  

    Clinical Consultation  

    Choosing and Using Consultation Models  

Consultation and Collaboration  

    The Consulting Relationship  

    Issues in Consultation as Collaborative Service Delivery  

    Summary

    A Case for Collaboration  

    Collaborative Activities

 

5  Co-Teaching

 

Co-Teaching Concepts  

    Defining Characteristics of Co-Teaching  

Rationale for Co-Teaching  

Co-Teaching Approaches  

    One Teaching, One Observing  

    Station Teaching  

    Parallel Teaching  

    Alternative Teaching  

    Teaming  

    One Teaching, One Assisting  

Co-Teaching and Collaboration  

The Co-Teaching Relationship  

    Maintaining Collaborative Relationships in Co-Teaching  

Administrative and Pragmatic Matters Related to Co-Teaching  

    Use of Planning Time  

    Summary 

    A Case for Collaboration

    Collaborative Activities 

 

6  Paraeducators  

  

Paraeducators in Public Schools  

    Paraeducator Qualifications  

    The Prevalence of Paraeducators  

Paraeducator Roles and Responsibilities  

    Instructional Responsibilities  

    Noninstructional Responsibilities  

Ethical Considerations  

    Paraeducators Supplement Instruction  

    Parent Communication and Input  

    The Problem of Proximity  

Working with Paraeducators  

    Training Paraeducators  

    Planning with Paraeducators  

    Assigning Responsibilities to Paraeducators  

    Communicating with Paraeducators  

    Supervising Paraeducators  

Paraeducators and Collaboration  

    Summary  

    A Case for Collaboration

    Collaborative Activities  

 

7 Practical Matters  

 

Time for Planning  

    Options for Creating Shared Planning Time  

Scheduling and Coordinating Services  

    Establishing Schedules in a Collaborative School  

    Coordinating Services for Collaboration  

Roles and Role Responsibilities  

    School as a Professional Workplace  

    Role Management  

Stress and Stress Management  

    Dealing with Stress

Professional Development

    Types of Professional Development

    Participant Involvement

    Design and Delivery

Collaboration Embedded in Shared Improvement Planning

    Shared Leadership

    Leadership and Teacher Teams

    Parent Involvement  

    Summary  

    A Case for Collaboration

    Collaborative Activities

 

8 Families

 

Understanding Families

    Family Systems Theory

    Family Life Cycles

    Cultural Influences

    Unique Factors and Barriers to Collaboration

Facilitating Family Participation in Decision Making

    Providing Information to Families

    Assisting Families to Participate in Student-Centered Meetings

    Summary

    A Case for Collaboration

    Collaborative Activities

 

9  Interpersonal Communication  

 

The Process of Communication  

    A Model of Communication   

    Concepts Reflected in the Communication Process  

    Communication Types  

Prerequisites to Effective Interactions  

    Frame of Reference  

Communication Skills  

    Listening  

    Nonverbal Communication  

Developing Effective Communication Skills  

    Principles for Effective Interpersonal 
    Communication  

    Suggestions for Improving Your Communication 
    Skills  

    Summary  

    A Case for Collaboration

    Collaborative Activities

    Appendix: A Cultural Self-Awareness Journey  

 

10 Using Statements  

 

Purposes of Statements  

    Statements That Provide Information  

    Statements That Seek Information  

    Statements That Confirm or Clarify Information  

Giving Verbal Feedback  

    Characteristics of Effective Interpersonal Feedback  

    Guidelines for Giving Effective Feedback  

    Summary  

    A Case for Collaboration

    Collaborative Activities  

    For Further Reading  

 

11 Asking Questions  

Purposes of Questions  

    Questions That Seek Information   

    Questions That Provide Information  

    Questions That Clarify or Confirm Information   

Characteristics of Questions  

    Question Format  

    Degree of Concreteness  

Suggestions for Effectively Asking Questions  

    Use Pauses Effectively  

    Monitor Question-Asking Interactions  

    Attend to the Cultural Context  

    Make Questions Meaningful  

Conducting Interviews  

    Prior to the Interview  

    During the Interview  

    After the Interview  

    Final Thoughts on Interviewing  

    Summary 

    A Case for Collaboration 

    Collaborative Activities  

 

 

12 Difficult Interactions  

 

Understanding Conflict  

    Causes of Conflict  

    The Influence of Organizational Variables  

    School Administration and Organization  

    Conflict Response Styles  

    Resolving Conflict through Negotiation  

    Resolving Conflict through Mediation  

    Conflict and Diversity  

Understanding Resistance  

    Causes of Resistance  

    Indicators of Resistance  

    Assessing Whether to Address Resistance  

    Persuasion as a Strategy for Responding to Resistance  

    Putting the Pieces Together  

    Summary

    A Case for Collaboration

    Collaborative Activities and Assignments    

    Appendix: Conflict Management Style Survey  

 

13 Perspectives and Issues  

 

Role-Specific Considerations in Collaboration  

    Working with Administrators  

    Working with General Education Teachers  

    Working with Professionals from Other Disciplines  

Context Considerations for Collaboration  

    Interagency Contexts  

    Early Intervention and Preschool Settings  

    Vocational and Community-Based Services  

    Multicultural Contexts  

    Technology Based Contexts

Student-to-Student Collaboration  

Ethics in Collaborative Practice  

    Common Ethical Issues  

    Responding to Ethical Issues

    Summary 

    A Case for Collaboration 

    Collaborative Activities