Parent-Teacher Action Research Teams (PTAR)

1. Parent-Teacher Action Research Teams (PTAR) Tier II Intervention Family-School Collaboration

2. PTAR • Goal: Provide school-based intervention for children at-risk for emotional behavior disorder (EBD) • Rationale: Students with EBD • Most challenging and difficult to teach • Disrupt learning of other students • Often require multi-faceted intervention • Often served in special education settings See PTAR Handout 1

3. PTAR as a Tier II Intervention • Emotional-behavior problems can be recognized at early ages • Promising Tier II interventions include: • Parent training, teacher consultation, social skills training, pre-referral teams

4. PTAR Membership • Classroom teacher • Parent • Parent liaison • Facilitator • Others as needed (e.g., speech-language pathologist)

5. PTAR Process: MAPS • Making Action Plans (formerly the McGill Action Planning System)

6. MAPS Process • Action Research Cycle • Facilitator’s role • Parent Liaison’s role

7. MAPS Ground Rules • Parent speaks first • Anyone may choose to pass or stop • All ideas are recorded in team member’s own words • All ideas are expressed as positively as possible

8. MAPS Process: First Two Meetings • Identify child’s strengths • Identify parent’s and teacher’s hopes and fears • Establish mutual parent-teacher goals • Establish observable indicators for each goal (“How will we know? What will it look like?”) • Plan observations (parent and teacher)

9. Action Research Cycle REFLECTION Collecting Data Analyzing Data ACTION PRACTICAL THEORY Getting Permission Brainstorming Ideas PLAN OF ACTION

10. Facilitator’s Role • Create agenda based on PTAR goals • Summarize previous meeting • Ask parent to report observations • Clarify and connect parent observations to goals • Ask teacher to report observations • Clarify and connect teacher observations to goals • Help team members develop their practical theory: “What does this tell us about (child)?”

11. Facilitator’s Role • Help team members formulate action plans and observations to test their theory • If no theory, help team members decide what to observe for additional information • Summarize meeting and review action plans to be undertaken prior to next meeting • Set date for next meeting • Distribute meeting notes

12. Parent Liaison’s Role Between Meetings • Contact parent at least once to discuss observations and action plans • If necessary, call or visit parent to help record observations • Refer parent to resources within the community, as needed • Meet with facilitator biweekly • Keep detailed notes and send weekly to facilitator

13. PTAR Efficacy: Research Findings • The Achieving, Behaving, Caring Project: • PTAR + Social Skills Instruction

14. Achieving, Behaving, Caring Project • Kindergarten teachers identified students at risk for EBD, using a multiple gating procedure • Random assignment into: • PTAR group (PTAR team process + social skills instruction) • Control group (Social skills instruction only) • Social skills instruction: Whole-class social skills instruction selected by teacher (e.g. Second Step, Skillstreaming the Elementary School Child, Lion’s Quest)

15. Achieving, Behaving, Caring Project: Outcome Measures • Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) • Achenbach Teacher Report Form (TRF) • Achenbach Direct Observation Form (DOF) • Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) • Family Empowerment Scale-School Version

16. Achieving, Behaving, Caring Project: Data Collection • Parent liaisons obtained CBCL and SSRS during home visits • Teachers completed TRF and SSRS forms • Independent observers used DOF in four 10-minute observations • Data collected in fall and spring of two consecutive years

17. Achieving, Behaving, Caring Project: Outcomes • Significant reductions in: • Teacher reported internalizing behavior problems and delinquent behavior • Parent reported total problems, externalizng and delinquent behavior • Observed internalizing problems

18. Achieving, Behaving, Caring Project: Outcomes • Significant increases in: • Parent reported cooperation, self-control and competence in child • Parent report feelings of empowerment to obtain school-based services for their children

19. Achieving, Behaving, Caring Project: Limitations • Sample had moderate levels of risk for EBD • Parents and teachers were not blind to children’s group assignments • Lack of control group that received no intervention • Generalizability of results to urban settings, diverse populations? • Long-term outcomes?

20. Parent-Teacher Action Research Teams (PTAR): Resources Cheney, Douglas. (1998). Using action research as a collaborative process to enhance educators’ and families’ knowledge and skills for youth with emotional and behavior disorders. Preventing School Failure. 42, 88-93. Forest, M. & Pearpoint, J.C. (1992). Putting kids on the MAP. Educational Leadership, 50, 26-31. Kay, P.J. & Fitzgerald, M. (1997). Parents + Teachers + Action Research = Real Involvement. Teaching Exceptional Children, 8-11. McConaughy, S.H., Kay, P.J. & Fitzgerald, M. (1999). The achieving, behaving, caring project for preventing ED: Two-year outcomes. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 7, 224-239. McConaughy, S.H., Kay, P.J. & Fitzgerald, M. (1998). Preventing SED through parent-teacher action research and social skills instruction: First-year outcomes. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 6, 81-93.