Ideas to Empower Students to Take a Role in Their Own Intervention Plans Jim Wright www.interventioncentral.org

1. Ideas to Empower Students to Take a Role in Their Own Intervention PlansJim Wrightwww.interventioncentral.org

2. Intervention Responsibilities: Examples at Teacher, School-Wide, and Student Levels • Signed agenda • ‘Attention’ prompts • Peer-Guided Pause Teacher Student School-Wide • Take agenda to teacher to be reviewed and signed • Self-monitor and chart their organizational skills (e.g., bringing work materials to class) • Seeking help from teachers during free periods • Lab services (math, reading, etc.) • Remedial course • Homework club • Providing additional instruction to students during selected free periods

3. ……………… ……………… 0 10 X X ...………… ...………… 0 10 0 0 Unmotivated Students: What Works Motivation can be thought of as having two dimensions: • the student’s expectation of success on the task The relationship between the two factors is multiplicative. If EITHER of these factors (the student’s expectation of success on the task OR the student’s valuing of that success) is zero, then the ‘motivation’ product will also be zero. Multiplied by • the value that the student places on achieving success on that learning task Source:Sprick, R. S., Borgmeier, C., & Nolet, V. (2002). Prevention and management of behavior problems in secondary schools. In M. A. Shinn, H. M. Walker & G. Stoner (Eds.), Interventions for academic and behavior problems II: Preventive and remedial approaches (pp.373-401). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

4. Intervention Plans for Secondary Students: The Motivational Component • Intervention plans for secondary students may require ‘motivational’ strategies to encourage engagement in learning

5. Promoting Student Involvement in Secondary School RTI Intervention Team Meetings • Train students in self-advocacy skills to participate at intervention team meetings (can be informal: e.g., conversation with Guidance Counselor) • Provide the student with different options to communicate needs, e.g.,: • Learning needs questionnaire • Personal interview prior to meeting • Advocate at meeting to support student • Ensure student motivation to take part in the intervention plan (e.g., having student sign ‘Intervention Contract’)

6. When Interventions Require Student Participation... • Write up a simple ‘Intervention Contract’ that spells out • What the student’s responsibilities are in the intervention plan • A listing of the educators connected to parts of the intervention plan that require student participation--and their responsibilities • A contact person whom the student can approach with questions about the contract • Have the student sign the Intervention Contract • Provide a copy of the Intervention Contract to the student and parents • Train the student to ensure that he or she is capable of carrying out all assigned steps or elements in the intervention plan

7. Sample ‘Student Intervention Contract’ p. 19

8. If the Student Appears Unwilling to Follow Through With the Plan… • Verify that the student has the necessary skills to complete all steps or elements of the intervention plan without difficulty. • Check that all adults who have a support role in the student’s personal intervention plan are carrying out their responsibilities consistently and correctly. • Hold an ‘Exit’ conference with the student--either with the entire RTI Intervention Team or with the student’s ‘adult contact’. It is recommended that the student’s parent be at this meeting. • At the ‘Exit’ meeting: • Review all elements of the plan with the student. • Share the evidence with the student that he or she appears able to implement every part of the personal intervention plan. • Tell the student that he or she is in control—and that the intervention cannot be successful unless the student decides to support it. • Tell the student that his or her intervention case is ‘closed’ but that the student can restart the plan at any time by contacting the adult contact.

9. Starting RTI in Your Secondary School: Enlisting students in intervention plans • As a team: • Put together a set of strategies to train students to be self-advocates and to attend RTI Team meetings. • Discuss ways to motivate students to feel comfortable in accessing (and responsible FOR accessing) intervention resources in the school.