Resource Directory For supervisors and administrators: Leadership training

 

2009 Leadership Training in Developmental Therapy-Teaching (DTT)

Objectives

• Expand supervisory skills of administrators, coordinators, directors, and other individuals in leadership positions for special education who plan to implement DTT in their programs.

• Establish the accuracy of participants’ use of the DTORF-R developmental assessment process to assist staff in identifying students’ social-emotional learning objectives for their IEPs.

• Prepare participants to conduct workshops about DTT for their faculty and staff.

• Increase participants’ skills in observing, guiding, and mentoring faculty and staff as they implement DTT.

• Explore ways to use student DTORF-R data to monitor and report students’ AYP and gains in Behavior, Communication, Socialization, and Cognition.

Overview

DTT Leadership training involves guided classroom observations and seminars with a DTT certified instructor. Typically, this involves 5 days over a year-long period at an individual participant’s own site. On these days, a participant and instructor observe morning classes together for about three hours (9:00 to 12:00). Both preschool and school age classes are selected. Stage Two and Stage Three/Four instructional strategies are the emphasis. These observations are accompanied by guided commentary from the instructor and are followed by debriefings with the observed teachers. The instructor, participant, and observed teachers debrief together. These dialogues focus on positive feedback and planning for additional staff development to meet individual teacher and program needs. Follow-up workshops may include full group seminars, small group discussion groups, structured assignments with peers, and practice simulations.

Content

Participants use an observational assessment procedure to accurately identify IEP objectives for students’ social, emotional, and behavioral objectives (DTORF-R). They also learn to use the Developmental Teaching Rating Inventory of Teacher Skills (DTRITS), as a guide for mentoring their own staff members implementing DTT. Additional content for conducting staff workshops may include the following topics:
1. Decoding students’ social and emotional development as a foundation for selecting appropriate behavioral interventions and instructional strategies.
2. Building effective teaching teams with lead and support teachers.
3. Recognizing and using social power of students and adults to improve results.
4. Debriefing for daily program evaluation and program refinements.
5. Structuring classroom organization for student success.
6. Blending required Georgia academic requirements with social/emotional/behavioral learning objectives.
7. Motivating students through creative writing, reading, art, role play, and social skills lessons.

Instructors

DTT certified national instructors, Developmental Therapy Institute, Inc.

Dates

To be arranged.

Cost

Contact the DTT office: 706.542.4938

Eligibility

Participants must be in an administrative or supervisory leadership position for special education or professional support services and have successfully completed a minimum of 3 online course modules in DTT — Developmental Teaching for Students with Special Needs. (An individual who has completed 2 modules and is actively into the third module will be eligible.)

Benefits and Outcomes

1. Participants work together with highly experienced DTT national instructors, sharing comprehensive information about how to make a DTT program successful for faculty, staff, and students.

2. Participants who successfully achieve pre-established performance standards on the DTT Knowledge test, the DTORF-R, and the DTRITS will receive a Developmental Therapy Institute certificate indicating completion of 40 hours of advanced professional development. This certification also recognizes the individual as prepared to conduct staff development activities in DTT for their faculty and staff.

3. Participants receive teaching notebooks and copies of key PowerPoint and CD/DVDs for DTT workshop and seminar training materials that can be used with their own faculty and staff.

4. After completion, a participant is eligible to continue advanced training to become certified as a Developmental Therapy Institute Regional Associate. This latter, advanced certification authorizes an individual to conduct training and consultation through the Developmental Therapy Institute in other programs requesting staff development assistance for implementing DTT.