Continuing to Stitch a Collaborative Quilt Sewn by an ICORT Mindset

As noted previously, educators need to embrace the educational needs presented by the reality of concurrent Roomers and Zoomers. Before students fully return to the brick-and-mortar classroom, there will be a time when many teachers will be concurrently instructing and managing Roomers and Zoomers. The need to manage both in-person and virtual learners in a concurrent model was nicely addressed during Mclaughlin and Borup’s (2021) webinar.  Advocates of Invitational Education theory and practices professionally invite others to seek, develop, and implement effective connections. We must always be mindful that each two-dimensional virtual image in a rectangle AND three-dimensional in-class person is actually a whole child and student contributing to the patchwork quilt that comprises the learning community.  

 As Roomers and Zoomers become either the next phase of recovery or a longer-standing option within the continuum for providing Free and Appropriate Public Education, effective educators need to embrace the educational needs presented by concurrent Roomers and Zoomers. In all cases greater student success is possible when educators utilize an intentionally caring, optimistic, respectful, and trusting (ICORT) mindset. An ICORT mindset is the foundation for better communication. 

Exhibiting these principles, a former student addressed the need for flexibility and consistency when seeking to collect, present, and share information with parents and other IEP Team stakeholders.  Stephanie embraced the opportunity to be more professionally inviting during the preparation process for evaluation and IEP meetings.   Her resource is shared herein with the following suggestions for how to utilize it with an intentionally caring, optimistic, respectful, and trusting (ICORT) mindset:

• Prior to the meeting, share access to the file with other team members through Google Slides so they can add information based on their areas of expertise. The slides allow parents to follow along with a visual of the information being presented. This then allows everyone to focus on the slide’s information rather than the speaker, thereby elevating IDEA principles over individual personalities. 
• During the meeting, the case manager can then type notes directly into the slides, thereby allowing all team members to see that their input is being accurately documented.
• The notated slides can then be referenced to transfer information to the IEP and serve as an artifact if questions arise about what was discussed or decided during the meeting.
• The slides file provides a handy reference when a teacher or related service provider has questions about the schedule of services.  In addition to the signed IEP, the slides file provides an artifact of real time agreements and documentation of the IEP Team’s decision related to LRE and service delivery.

Ideally, Stephanie’s resource and ICORT-driven suggestions for utilization will help you provide further flexibility and consistency for collecting, presenting, and sharing information with parents and other IEP team members. You can view the template in Google Slides

Regardless if your opportunity is to concurrently teach Roomers and Zoomers or to communicate more effectively with stakeholders involved with diverse learners, an ICORT-driven educator promotes vibrant discussions and active interactions. This intentional desire promotes collaboration,  exhibits critical, higher order thinking skills (HOTS), and analyzes accessible, reliable data.  Therefore, an ICORT-driven educator embraces, models, and promotes cooperative learning, high expectations, utilization of HOTS, and analysis of data.

Some readers may consider this a worthy goal.  At this point, it is important to remember a goal without a plan is just a wish. An ICORT-driven educator plans for success!  May your plans always be strengthened through the desire for increased awareness, elevated knowledge, and willingness to make better possible.

 

To cite:

Anderson, C.J. (May 31, 2021). Continuing to stitch a collaborative quilt sewn by an ICORT

mindset. [Web log post] Retrieved from http://www.ucan-cja.blogspot.com/

 

References

McLaughlin, C. & Borup, J. (April 26, 2021). Roomers and zoomers: Tips for working

with in-person and virtual students concurrently [Webinar recording] retrieved from:

 https://home.edweb.net/webinar/commonsense20210426/

 Purkey, W. W., & Novak, J. M. (2016). Fundamentals of invitational education. (2^nd Ed)

            International Alliance for Invitational Education. Retrieved from:

http://invitationaleducation.net/product/category/books

Sweetland R, (n.d.) Ways to classify questions. Revised by Anderson (2012) Retrieved from http://www.huntel.net/rsweetland/pedagogy/teach/question/classify.html

Swenson, S (May 2021) A resource for collaborative IEP meetings. Retrieved from

Google Slides