Constructing Learning Experiences 1 Carol M. Trivette & Bonnie - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Family Strengths in Constructing Learning Experiences 1 Carol M. Trivette & Bonnie Keilty National Early Childhood Inclusion Institute University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC May 8, 2019

Introductions 2 Who is in the room? Why did you select this session? Talk with you neighbor about….. 1. What you think are family strengths 2. How do you use them in your work…be specific

History of Family Strengths 3  Is it a new concept?  Where have you heard the concept discussed/used?  So why are you here?

Why am I here? 4  Bonnie’s Story  My Story

FamSCLE – Family Strengths in 5 Constructing Learning Experiences The FamSCLE …. moves strengths-based home visits from a practitioner-as-coach and family-as-coachee relationship to a family-as-intervener and practitioner-as-facilitator arrangement. The family reflects on their true priorities, uncovers their already existing strengths, and discovers ways to enhance those strengths. The practitioner utilizes their expertise through affirming, asking questions, reflecting on responses, and connecting strategies to family goals .

Family Constructions (i.e., Strengths) of Child Learning: Digging Deeper Individual Culture Uncovering Competencies, Knowledge & Routine Life Experiences Activities (González, Moll, & Amanti, 2005) Learning Strategies

Curiosity 7  Curiosity is hard to define  Curiosity is a process that can lead to:  Exploration  Understanding  Creativity  Curiosity satisfies a desire to understand  Some knowledge is needed to pique curiosity  Curiosity can be at different levels  Deep understanding or quick answer

Family Strengths in Constructing Learning Experiences (FamSCLE) Co- Observing Constructing Preparing Discussing

FamSCLE Framework/Process 9

Observing Learning Strategies Identify what the family is already doing to help their child learn  We watch and note  Developmental strategies you saw  Illustrations of when the parents use strategies  Routines where strategies are used

Developmental Strategy Inventory 11  Physical Adaptation Strategies  Environmental Adaptations  Add/Adapt/Change Materials  Adapts Requirements/Instructions  Adult Help

Developmental Strategies 12  Responsive Interaction Strategies  Sensitivity  Contingent Responsiveness  Consistent Responsiveness  Engagement

Thoughts about Strategies 13 Look through the list and identify 5 or 6 strategies that you use the most frequently? Did you think of strategies that you use frequently that are not on either list?

How are the observations done? 14 Write down all the strategies that you see in this video 1:17 min

Observing Learning Strategies Identify what the family is already doing to help their child learn  We watch and note  Strategies you saw  Illustrations of when the parents use strategies  Routines where strategies are used And we share what we saw the family do…

FamSCLE Framework/Process 17

Discussing Learning Strategies Understand the strategy choices the family made:  Why the strategy was chosen/What could the child learn/ do differently ? (their rationale)  How figured out the strategy? (resources they use)  How effective the FAMILY thinks the strategy is?

Introducing the Discussion 19  “We’re going to talk about what you did and all the strategies you were using.”  “I’ll ask you why you’re using the strategy. I’m asking to truly know why you’re picking certain things.”  “The point is so I can understand your thinking. I need to under your reason to be sure staying to true to your thoughts as we work to help him learn.”

Discussion as Intervention!!! 20  Family is doing most of the talking : (avoid sharing your thoughts on less effective strategies or how they might change the strategies. Put these on your mental parking lot list.)  Affirm parenting competence when they provide a reason for using an effective strategies by paraphrasing back. “So by sitting a little further away, you’re giving him as reason to move.”

Preparing to Co-Construct Join the family in their perspective  Reflecting on the (assessment) information obtained  Potential priorities as identified by the family in the discussion  Individual family considerations  Understanding the family  Identifying potential strategies – currently effective, tweaked, and new

Co-Constructing a Developmental Plan  Discuss family identified goal clusters  Family restates into a goal

Co-Constructing a Developmental Plan  Discuss family identified goal clusters  Family restates into a goal  Discuss, agree upon, and document  Family’s currently strategies that are effective as is

Co-Constructing a Developmental Plan  Discuss family identified goal clusters  Family restates into a goal  Discuss, agree upon, and document  Family’s currently strategies that are effective as is  Family’s current strategies and ways to tweak  Modify  Generalize across more/different activities  Use more often  Qualify when to use/not use  New strategies

Developmental Plan

Co-Implementing Goals and Strategies 27 Overall visit flow  Observe  Discuss s trategy effectiveness to particular goal to DECIDE/PLAN  Clarify/Revise the goal?  Tweak the strategy?  Add a new strategy?  Try out tweaked or new strategies (coach here)  Wrap up by completing Developmental Diary

28 Developmental Diary Parent/Child: Date: To help your child continue to learn to: Developmental Strategies Times to Use Did you use the strategy as described? Yes No* How much change have you seen in your child learning the goal (circle one): No Change Less Change than As Much Change More Change than I Expected as I Expected than I Expected

FamSCLE as a Curiosity Approach • Wondering without judgment or assumptions • Seeking to understand deeply • Eliciting family expertise and self-discovery • Shifting power • Shifting role – observer, affirmer, facilitator • Comfort with vulnerability

Let’s Talk about….  What similar and different about current EI and the FamSCLE approach?

Co-Implementing Goals and Strategies Overarching Practices and Mindset 31  Time is taken to discuss strategies that are already working well for the family.  Professional advice is held for times when the family initiates the desire for support. Keeps other advice in a “mental parking lot” to access as “asked.”  Professional expertise is provided throughout by affirming families, asking questions, reflecting on responses, and connecting strategies to family goals.

Continued…. 32  When a strategy needs to be tweaked, added, or replaced, the strategy is to blame (as opposed to child learning status or family strategy use).  Currently effective strategies continue to be utilized and documented as intervention.  Concerns are addressed as they emerge in the discussion of strategy effectiveness rather than directly asking family for concerns.

Family Words  When you have a special needs kid, you’re always wondering, “Am I doing the right thing or am I not doing it right?” So, I think all the reinforcement was really good for us to hear and, with you being in the field, that is very encouraging.  I felt like we were more connected in the process [than IFSP development] because I understood why we were making the goals we were making. We actually made them together so we were involved in it…. It was written in a way that makes sense to me cause we wrote it together.  I think it would be very beneficial for all the children in early intervention because you would really see a greater carryover than you do now. I think his therapists are wonderful, but I think if we had the tools to be able to do something like [the FamSCLE] earlier we would see greater progress.

Family Words  I think that we – sort of unspoken – we’ve always been on the same page of trying to work towards her being as independent as possible…to discover that, serendipitously, and intentionally or not, we were doing things strategically to make that happen.  You’re still doing the same types of things. It’s how you’re approaching it, and sometimes that makes all the difference.  It was… enlightening as to what it is that we do to try to help him…without realizing it…. The interview process is good for families because they’ll learn that, regardless of what they think they’re doing, they are doing something to help…their child.

Closing…. 35  The FamSCLE guides home visiting practitioners to move from a belief in family strengths to effectively implementing strengths-based practices that give agency to families in their parenting role of helping their child learn.

Understanding Family Strengths from a Lens of Curiosity