Author Archive

A Guide for Interprofessional Collaboration Edited by Aidyn Iachini, Laura Bronstein, and Elizabeth Mellin

Monday, November 20th, 2023
Collaboration

A Guide for Interprofessional Collaboration Edited by Aidyn Iachini, Laura Bronstein, and Elizabeth Mellin would make a great textbook for any course on social work, which is a course that anyone who cares for individuals, families, or communities should take. The complex needs people face cannot be served by any one profession, which is why collaboration is essential. This book also belongs in any well-stocked professional development library.

Part I: Foundations

1. Relevant Contexts for Interprofessional Collaboration in the 21st Century: Social Issues, Settings, and policies

  • Social work comes with many complex challenges. Addressing them cannot usually be achieved by social workers alone. Therefore, the social work profession is increasingly emphasizing interprofessional collaboration. Other professionals included are psychologists, counselors, doctors, educators, nurses, pharmacists, child welfare workers, and law enforcement among others. Bringing teams together often falls on the social worker. Collaboration is challenging, which is why many universities are now offering courses in interprofessional collaboration.

2. Exploring Definitions and Models of Interprofessional Collaboration

  • There is a spectrum that extends from cooperation to coordination to collaboration. It goes from increasing levels of interdependance, structure, commitment, and risk. At the highest collaboration level services are co-located with multiple professions contributing to treatment.
  • A second continuum goes from interprofessional to interdisciplinary. Multidisciplinary collaboration happens when professionals with similar backgrounds engage in mutual work. Mental health assessments are often multidisciplinary. Interdisciplinary collaboration occurs when boundaries between knowledge and expertise are blurred. Transdisciplinary collaboration occurs when boundaries are crossed, knowledge is exchanged and transformed into something new.
  • The remainder of the chapter summarizes models that deal with the inputs, processes, and outputs of services.

3. A Model for Interprofessional Collaboration (MIC)

  • The model used for the rest of the book is Bronstein’s Model for Interprofessional Collaboration (MIC). It contains five constructs. Interdependence involves people relying on each other to reach agreed upon goals. Everyone needs to understand everyone’s role and area of expertise. Newly Created Professional Activities are those that occur unexpectedly and are often thought of as synergy. Flexibility is necessary when rolls are blurred. Collective Ownership of Goals should involve everyone participating in goal setting, implementation, and evaluation. Reflection Process should take place thoughtfully and regularly.
  • Beyond the five constraints, there are four things that influence the process. 1.Professional Role: Everyone needs to articulate their expertise and contributions. This will help avoid turf wars. 2. Structural characteristics deal with having time, space, and administrative support for collaboration. 3. Personal characteristics are important as collaborators need to like and trust each other. 4. History of Collaboration: Having a history of positive collaboration is important. This is why it needs to be a focus of classroom work and internships.

Part II: Putting the Model Into Action: Interprofessional Collaboration Across Settings and Populations

4. Education

  • This chapter takes a look at a specific project where the team used the model from chapter 3. The project was called closing the broadband gap (CBBG). It was a university-school developed partnership aimed at addressing 1. using technology to engage students and enhance learning, 2. engaging parents in student learning, and 3. addressing the broadband access gap. The collaborators were social workers, the technology coach, teachers, administrators, business professionals, and parent engagement coordinators.
  • As you read on you first encounter the five constructs followed by the four influencers. You are taken step by step through the project’s creation and implementation. You get to learn from the obstacles the team encountered. You learn that like many collaborations, the social worker is the link that holds the project together. By traversing this exemplar, you will better understand this important model that is worth using if you wish to collaborate on a meaningful project.

5. Criminal Justice

  • This area brings courts, prisons, jails, and probation officers into the mix while keeping everyone else in play. Again, the social worker is at the center of the action. Here the MIC model follows the path of a young woman involved in the crimes of drug use and possession, shop lifting, and prostitution. This case is further complicated by having two children out of wedlock and a stressed relationship with her mother who has custody of the children. Many incarcerated people have multiple issues with things like drugs, mental health, economic insecurity, and employment. Employment is the key to getting these clients back in the game, but all of their other issues, including lack of education and skills get in the way.
  • A key concept here is that the client has to buy into the plan, which means that the client must be involved in making the plan. It’s common for the clients to feel like a child as multiple collaborators are more or less telling them what to do. Further tension arises when the client fails to comply with the plan, often drug relapse, and the social worker shifts from advocator to law enforcer.
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Bard Does a Lesson Plan – If You Are Still Teaching, You Should Use This.

Thursday, November 16th, 2023

Bard
I asked Google’s Bard to “Prepare a lesson plan to teach the quadratic equations at the high school level.” Below is what I got back. My conclusion is that if I were still teaching, I would always ask for Bard’s plan before I made my own. I might not use Bard’s plan, but I would look to it for ideas. I would certainly share the Additional Resources links with my students. If you are still teaching, why aren’t you doing this? This is probably more detailed than your real lesson plans and will impress your principal.

Lesson Plan: Quadratic Equations

Grade Level: High School

Subject: Algebra II

Time: 50 minutes

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to identify and define quadratic equations.
Students will be able to graph quadratic equations.
Students will be able to solve quadratic equations using factoring, completing the square, and the quadratic formula.
Students will be able to apply quadratic equations to real-world problems.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector
Markers or pens
Graph paper
Calculators (optional)
Worksheets (optional)

Procedure:

Introduction (5 minutes)

Begin by asking students what they know about quadratic equations.
Elicit responses from students and provide a brief overview of the topic.
Explain that quadratic equations are polynomial equations of the second degree, meaning they have a highest power of 2.

Identifying Quadratic Equations (10 minutes)

Display a variety of equations, some quadratic and some not.
Ask students to identify which equations are quadratic and explain their reasoning.
Provide examples of quadratic equations in various forms, including standard form, factored form, and vertex form.

Graphing Quadratic Equations (10 minutes)

Review the concept of graphing equations in general.
Introduce the concept of the axis of symmetry for quadratic equations.
Demonstrate how to graph quadratic equations using vertex form.
Allow students to practice graphing quadratic equations on their own or in pairs.

Solving Quadratic Equations (20 minutes)

Introduce three methods for solving quadratic equations: factoring, completing the square, and the quadratic formula.
Explain each method step by step, using examples to illustrate the process.
Provide students with practice problems to solve using each method.

Real-World Applications (5 minutes)

Discuss real-world situations where quadratic equations can be used to model problems.
Provide examples of such problems, such as calculating the height of an object launched into the air or determining the profit or loss of a business venture.
Encourage students to think of their own examples of real-world applications of quadratic equations.

Closure (5 minutes)

Summarize the key points of the lesson.
Review the different methods for solving quadratic equations.
Encourage students to ask any remaining questions.

Assessment

Observe students’ participation in class discussions and activities.
Collect and review worksheets or homework assignments.
Administer a quiz or test to assess students’ understanding of the material.

Differentiation

For students who need more support, provide additional practice problems with worked-out solutions.
For students who are ready for more challenging material, introduce the concept of complex numbers and solving quadratic equations with complex roots.

Additional Resources

Quadratic Equations
Solving Quadratic Equations
Real-World Applications of Quadratic Equations

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School-Linked Services: Promoting Equity for Children, Families, and Communities by Laura Bronstein and Susan Mason

Monday, October 9th, 2023

School
School-Linked Services: Promoting Equity for Children, Families, and Communities by Laura Bronstein and Susan Mason contains extensive advice for anyone interested in linking a school with one or more other service providers in their community. It offers summaries of successful programs and demonstrates how schools with linkages out perform schools with similar demographics that lack linkages in many ways. This is a must-read for leaders of any organization that serves schools.

Introduction

  • This book consolidates the available literature on this topic along with a wide range of conversations with diverse key informants. In doing so it illustrates how partnerships between schools and communities support educational success. It covers a wide range of types of school-linked services and how they can break the cycle of poverty.
  • They aim to provide enrichment activities that are often only available at schools serving wealthier populations. The services include after-school and summer programs, early childhood education, health and mental health services, family engagement, youth leadership programs, and others.

1. Making the Case for School-Linked Services

  • A teacher’s ability to teach can clearly be hampered by issues outside their control. We must not view a student’s academic struggles in isolation from external factors. Low academic achievement is highly correlated with poverty. Distracted, hungry, worried, and ill children have a more difficult time learning. Absenteeism and mobility add to these problems. Partnerships must be fruitful, as schools cannot afford to spend resources just to have a partner.
  • The Center for Disease Control has a model called Coordinated School Health (CSH) that integrates health promotion efforts across: health education, physical education, health and nutrition services, counseling, psychological and social services, safe school environments, staff wellness, and family and community involvement. These partnerships are progressive as they aim to do more for students who need more.

2. The School

  • Although state aid to schools serves to reduce unequal funding, the decentralized system in the US results in kids in poor school districts having fewer resources, less experienced teachers, and greater teacher turnover. While teachers and other school personnel are trained to teach and do other jobs, they are not trained to deal with issues that children face beyond school. This needs to be part of their professional development. Administrator vision is vital.
  • Since students are the ones with the most to gain or lose, their voices should be heard when it comes to decisions that will reform what schools do. If you are a school leader, you need to do what you can to create trust with poor and minority families. (Doug: I did this by hiring as many Black people as I could, especially for support staff positions.) Make sure that all of your families know that their input is welcome. Kids only spend about 10% of their time from birth to age 18 in school.

3. School-Linked Services Today

  • The authors start by discussing the nature of school-based health centers, family resource centers, partnerships with businesses, expanded school mental health services, and finally, full-service community schools, which offer all of the other services. Such full-service schools can grow out of nonprofit organizations, school/city districts, or counties. In all cases, it is necessary to rethink how a school is managed, funded, and staffed. It’s important to see community members as customers and to involve students in community projects. Businesses are usually involved as well.
  • The rest of the chapter (64 pages) contains details of three nonprofit initiatives, three school district/city-lead initiatives, and one county-wide initiative. Anyone thinking of starting or expanding a full-service school can draw on this information for ideas and guidance. As each of these exemplars are different from each other, so you should expect yours to be different as well as you strive to meet the unique needs of your community. Flexibility should also act as a guidepost. I suggest you start by reading each of the brief overviews and funding sources for ideas.
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High-Stakes Standardized Testing in Schools: The Pros and Cons – Written by Google’s Bard

Tuesday, September 12th, 2023

Bard
I decided is was time to try artificial intelligence for article writing so I took Google’s Bard for a spin. I gave it the prompt “Write a 1000 word article on the pluses and minuses of high-stakes standardized testing in schools” and a few seconds later it offered the article below. See what you think. Can you tell it was written by AI and not a human educator like myself? If I were working the education beat for most media outlets, I would be a bit nervous. I also asked for a “a short story in Swedish about a day at the beach.” What I got was a valuable lesson for someone like myself who has intermediate Swedish skills. Share with foreign language teachers you know. If you want to try it yourself just click here.

High-Stakes Standardized Testing in Schools: The Pros and Cons by Google’s Bard, prompt by Dr. Doug Green

Standardized testing has been a part of American education for over a century. In recent decades, however, the use of standardized tests has become increasingly widespread, with many states and school districts now using them to make high-stakes decisions about student promotion, teacher evaluation, and school funding.

High-stakes standardized tests are those that have significant consequences for students, teachers, or schools. For example, a student who fails a high-stakes test may be held back a grade, a teacher whose students perform poorly on a high-stakes test may be fired, or a school that does not meet its performance goals on a high-stakes test may lose funding.

There are both pros and cons to using high-stakes standardized testing in schools.

Pros of High-Stakes Standardized Testing

Accountability: High-stakes standardized tests can help to hold schools and teachers accountable for student learning. By requiring schools to demonstrate that their students are meeting certain standards, high-stakes tests can help to ensure that all students have access to a quality education.
Data for improvement: High-stakes standardized tests can provide valuable data that can be used to improve instruction and student learning. For example, test scores can be used to identify areas where students are struggling and to target interventions.
Fairness: High-stakes standardized tests can help to ensure that all students are treated fairly, regardless of their background or circumstances. By giving all students the same test, high-stakes tests can help to level the playing field.
Motivation: High-stakes standardized tests can motivate students to work hard and achieve their goals. The prospect of failing a high-stakes test can be a powerful incentive for students to study and do their best.

Cons of High-Stakes Standardized Testing

Overemphasis on test scores: When high-stakes tests are used to make important decisions about students, teachers, or schools, there is a tendency to overemphasize test scores. This can lead to a narrowing of the curriculum and a focus on test preparation at the expense of other important learning goals.
Inaccuracy: High-stakes standardized tests are not perfect measures of student learning. They can be affected by a variety of factors, such as test anxiety, fatigue, and socioeconomic status. As a result, high-stakes test scores can sometimes be inaccurate and misleading.
Disadvantaged students: High-stakes standardized tests can disadvantage students from disadvantaged backgrounds. These students may have less access to resources and support, and they may be more likely to experience test anxiety. As a result, they may score lower on high-stakes tests than their more privileged peers.
Stress and anxiety: High-stakes standardized tests can cause stress and anxiety for students, teachers, and parents. This stress can have a negative impact on learning and well-being.

Conclusion

The use of high-stakes standardized testing in schools is a complex issue with both pros and cons. There is no easy answer to the question of whether or not high-stakes testing is a good thing. Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to use high-stakes standardized testing is a political one that must be made by each state and school district.

In recent years, there has been a growing movement to reduce the reliance on high-stakes standardized testing. Some states have eliminated high-stakes testing altogether, while others have moved to reduce the stakes associated with testing. This movement is based on the belief that high-stakes testing is not an effective way to improve education.

The debate over high-stakes standardized testing is likely to continue for many years to come. There is no easy solution to this complex issue. However, it is important to have a thoughtful and informed discussion about the pros and cons of high-stakes testing so that we can make the best decisions for our students.

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Bad at Math: Dismantling Harmful Beliefs That Hinder Equitable Mathematics Education by Lidia Gonzalez

Monday, September 11th, 2023

Math
Bad at Math: Dismantling Harmful Beliefs That Hinder Equitable Mathematics Education by Lidia Gonzalez points out the fact that most people in our society are comfortable at saying they are bad at math. This certainly implies that there is something wrong with how we present and teach math in general. She also points out that the math achievement gap between poor and minority kids and wealthier children is likely an opportunity gap that perpetuates the problem. While you may not be able to solve this problem, you should do your part by starting conversations with parents, teachers, administrators, and policy makers and by sharing this important book.

Introduction

  • It is somewhat alarming that most of our population is comfortable admitting publicly that they are bad at math. This behavior is also accepted by our culture and the media. This tells us that the way we conceptualize and teach math has to fundamentally change. What is needed is a growth mindset that tells you that you can get better at anything with effort. It’s vital that teachers have growth mindsets. This chapter will help.
  • It is clear that existing reforms have fallen short. We also know that Black and Hispanic students struggle more with math than their white and Asian counterparts. This feeds and extends existing inequalities. It is important, therefore, to improve the mathematical experience of typically marginalized students. The main goal of this book is to tell us how to do this.

1. What Does It Mean to Be Good at Math?