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DE-MTSS: ISLA

Instructional and Restorative Alternatives

to Exclusionary Discipline

Session 1 - February 24

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DE-MTSS Technical Assistance Center

The Delaware Multi-Tiered System of Support TA Center proudly serves as a technical assistance provider for the

Delaware Department of Education.

Our TA Center provides professional learning and coaching to support the academic and nonacademic development of all children.

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Defining MTSS in Delaware

DE-MTSS is a framework designed to meet the needs of the whole child through an integrated, multilevel prevention system that optimizes team-based leadership and data-driven decision making to meet the academic and nonacademic needs of all students. High quality core academic instruction and non-academic practices are provided as universal supports to all children. Evidence-based intervention and supports are matched to student needs and informed by ongoing progress monitoring and additional formative assessments.

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Grounding in our why’s

How do our students, teachers, and communities benefit from decreasing exclusionary discipline practices?

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Layers of Support within the ISLA Model include…

Prevent

Practices

Teach

Practices

Respond

Practices

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Today’s session will provide…

More tools to share with educators for preventing behaviors of concern from escalating in the classroom (Tier 1 reminders)

More understanding of the preventive and responsive ISLA Model specifically

Brainstorming opportunities for how to bring the ISLA Model to your LEA/school

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Leaning Into our Whys

Exclusionary Discipline can result in:

  • Overall and Disproportionate Long-Term Impacts
  • Loss of Instructional Learning
  • Harmed Relationships/Belongingness
  • Missed SEL Teaching Opportunities
  • Damaged School Climate and Overall Safety
  • Missed Attention to Needed Changes within Current Systems

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Today’s session anchor is ….

This brief outlines the five components of the ISLA model, as well as steps that school and district teams can take to begin implementing these practices within their MTSS/positive behavioral interventions and supports framework.

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Building On What We Know Works

ISLA (Inclusive Skill-building Learning Approach) provides schools with an organization for naming and adopting strategies that classroom teachers and other supportive adults in the building can work on in tandem to help students stay in the classroom for instruction or positively re-engage after a break, when needed.

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The ISLA School-Wide/Tier 1 Model for Schools

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Layers of Support to Successfully Implement ISLA

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Teaming for SW Tier 1 Implementation of ISLA Model

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ISLA Teaming

ISLA Team Guide Implementation:

Data-based decision making embedded supports in school system

School MTSS/Leadership/Improvement Team(s)

Grade-Level Teams

Content-Specific

Teams

All Teachers, Adults, and Classrooms Utilize ISLA

Role-Specific

Teams

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ISLA Session Note-Catcher

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The ISLA Model: Layer 1

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ISLA: Layer 1

Preventative

Classroom

Practices

Building Relationships

Intentional Supports

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ISLA - Layer 1: Preventative Classroom Practices - WOW

Preventative

Classroom

Practices

ISLA WOW Strategies

Welcome Students at the Door

Own Your Classroom Environment

Wrap Up With Intention

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ISLA - Layer 1 - WOW: Welcome Students at the Door

Welcome Students at the Door

By Name…

Cook and Colleagues (2018)

Student Engagement

20%

Disruptive Behavior

9%

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ISLA: WOW: Welcome Students at the Door

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ISLA - Layer 1: Preventative Classroom Practices - WOW ISLA Supporting Videos & Resources.pdf

All (4:03)

Elementary (0:47)

Middle

(1:01)

High

(1:03)

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* How are we making this happen?

* What do we need to help make this happen?

WOW: Welcome Students at the Door

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ISLA - Layer 1 - WOW: Owning Your Classroom Environment

Establish, teach, and practice classroom routines and procedures.

Teach routines at the beginning of the school year sets students up for success in the classroom.

Student Engagement

Disruptive Behavior

Yearlong Improved Progress

(Oliver et al., 2011)

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Resource Reminder: 5 Instructional practices to BOOST engagement and accelerate learning

A resource designed to help you and your staff implement 5 evidence-based instructional practices in 3 steps:

  • Establish a safe and supportive learning environment.
  • Prompt active participation during instruction.
  • Reinforce the application learner skills.

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ISLA - Layer 1 - WOW: Owning Your Classroom Environment

Curious: Where do “mistakes” show up in your rules & routines?

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ISLA - Layer 1 - WOW: Wrap Up with Intention

Create opportunities for students to self-regulate emotions and unwanted behaviors associated with the sometime-chaotic nature of transition times.

Maintain Strong

Relationships

Community

(Verschueren & Koomon, 2012).

Predictable

Routine

Opportunities

To Assess

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ISLA: WOW: Wrap Up with Intention

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ISLA: Layer 1: Preventive Classroom Practices Fidelity Resource

  • 0-2 Scale Per Item

  • Space for Comments/Tallies

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Looking Ahead: How can we support teachers to develop their WOW strategies for the 25-26 SY?

Here and Now: How can we recognize teachers who are still leveraging WOW strategies to finish up this SY?

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The ISLA Model: Layer 2

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ISLA - Layer 2: In-Class Effective Responses to Behavior

In-Class Effective Responses to Behavior

Effective Responses to Behavior Consider

the Whole Child, including Function of Behavior

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ISLA - Layer 2: In-Class Effective Responses to Behavior

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ISLA - Layer 2: In-Class Effective Responses to Behavior

We want to figure out

WHAT IS BEING COMMUNICATED & WHY IT BEING COMMUNICATED THIS WAY

ehavior

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ISLA - Layer 2: In-Class Effective Responses to Behavior

…by noticing what happens before a behavior ANTECEDENT

…by noticing what happens after a behavior CONSEQUENCE

Help figure out the

WHAT & WHY…

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ISLA - Layer 2

  • Consider the motivation behind the behavior
  • Give your yourself a few moments
  • Ensure your reaction is truly focused on the behavior
  • Look for ways to respond instructionally
  • Keep your response in line with the severity of the behavior

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ISLA - Layer 2: In-Class Effective Responses to Behavior

Calm and respectful

Discreet

Focused on skill building

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ISLA - Layer 2: In-Class Effective Responses to Behavior

  • Reteach appropriate behavior
  • Request a change of behavior
  • Invite student to self-correct
  • Partner student with a peer who is on-task
  • Modify the assignment
  • Move closer or provide a visual prompt
  • Have a mini-conference with student

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ISLA - Layer 2: In-Class Effective Responses to Behavior

ISLA Supporting Videos & Resources.pdf

Elementary (2:17)

Middle

(9:12)

High

(8:33)

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ISLA - Layer 2: Breaks

Take some time, give some time

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ISLA - Layer 2: Breaks

Take some time, give some time

  • (Pro)active behavior breaks are linked to improved attention and math performance (Broad et al., 2023; Fiorilli et al., 2021). When not improved, attention is not compromised (Infantes-Paniagua et al., 2021).

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Activity: Review & Reflect

ISLA Supporting Videos & Resources.pdf

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Breakout Time

Sharing & PERSONAL Note-Catching

What, if any, procedures do teachers have in place to give students breaks in class your school/LEA?

What ideas did I hear from others?

What ideas did I share with others?

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ISLA - Layer 2: In-Class Supports

Training & Supporting Effective Responses

How can we support teachers to do this?

Where do these folks come in to help teachers?

  • Administrators
  • Tier 1/MTSS Team
  • ISLA Implementation Team
  • Student Support Team
  • Other Adults in the Building
  • Students
  • Families

In-Class Effective Responses to Behavior

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ISLA - Layer 2: In-Class Supports

Training & Supporting Effective Responses

How can we support teachers to do this?

Where do these folks come in to help teachers?

  • Administrators
  • Tier 1/MTSS Team
  • ISLA Implementation Team
  • Student Support Team
  • Other Adults in the Building
  • Students
  • Families

In-Class Effective Responses to Behavior

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Grounding Students w/a Grounded Staff

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ISLA Session #2

Next Monday

March 3rd

3:00 - 4:30 pm

Invite Colleagues

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The ISLA Model - Layers 3 & 4 - Session 2 March 3rd (3-4:30)

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Considering the opportunities in and outside the classroom

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Shifting from Chaos to a System

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ISLA: Layer 3: Out-Of-Class ISLA Supports

Steps

Triage (1)

Debrief (2)

Behavior Skills Coaching (3)

Reconnection Conversations (4)

Classroom Re-Entry (5)

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Related Resources

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Thank you for joining us today and for ALL that you do!

And please know that your feedback matters!