Job Coach Guidance-MPC Apr-2009 · coach be as natural as possible and fade support as quickly as...
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April 2009 ©2009, 2017. The Garrett Center, Sam Houston State University, TX. All rights reserved. 1 TM Garrett Center SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY Finding a Job Coach for Work-Based Learning Programs in Special Education One of the most difficult tasks is that of hiring a job coach for work-based learning programs under special education. The role of a job coach, who provides services to students with disabilities on an Individual Education Plan/Program, is conducted in the community as well as potentially on the child’s secondary campus. Services, provided on a secondary campus, are under the direct supervision of multiple educators: the teacher of record, the special education department chair, and the campus principal. Services provided in the community are conducted under the direct and indirect supervision of the teacher of record, which is usually the Vocational Adjustment Coordinator (VAC) or a special education administrator from the central office special education department. Work-based learning programs are designed for students who require intensive training and support needs that cannot be met in general education career and technical education (CTE) programs, even with support. According to the American’s with Disabilities Act, a job coach is a person who works to train an individual on work-related behaviors, specific work skills related to employability, and/or trains an individual new to employment on daily job tasks and functions of the new job. The job coach may be called back to the job to train if there are new responsibilities or the individual begins to experience difficulties with existing work tasks. The philosophy of the position of a job coach is to: • Provide small group instruction such as on CBVI sites or one-on-one for students on either CBVI sites or in paid employment. It is the role of the job coach, with assistance from the WBL teacher, to: • Identify how the student learns best; • The demands of the work environments for each student; • The teaching strategies that best meet the student’s learning styles; • The support needs required for each student; and • Collect data to determine progress and make needed instructional and/or support adjustments
Transcript of Job Coach Guidance-MPC Apr-2009 · coach be as natural as possible and fade support as quickly as...
April2009
©2009,2017.TheGarrettCenter,SamHoustonStateUniversity,TX.Allrightsreserved. 1
TM
Garrett CenterSAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY
FindingaJobCoachforWork-BasedLearningProgramsinSpecialEducation
Oneofthemostdifficulttasksisthatofhiringajobcoachforwork-basedlearningprogramsunderspecialeducation.Theroleofajobcoach,whoprovidesservicestostudentswithdisabilitiesonanIndividualEducationPlan/Program,isconductedinthecommunityaswellaspotentiallyonthechild’ssecondarycampus.Services,providedonasecondarycampus,areunderthedirectsupervisionofmultipleeducators:theteacherofrecord,thespecialeducationdepartmentchair,andthecampusprincipal.Servicesprovidedinthecommunityareconductedunderthedirectandindirectsupervisionoftheteacherofrecord,whichisusuallytheVocationalAdjustmentCoordinator(VAC)oraspecialeducationadministratorfromthecentralofficespecialeducationdepartment.Work-basedlearningprogramsaredesignedforstudentswhorequireintensivetrainingandsupportneedsthatcannotbemetingeneraleducationcareerandtechnicaleducation(CTE)programs,evenwithsupport.AccordingtotheAmerican’swithDisabilitiesAct,ajobcoachisapersonwhoworkstotrainanindividualonwork-relatedbehaviors,specificworkskillsrelatedtoemployability,and/ortrainsanindividualnewtoemploymentondailyjobtasksandfunctionsofthenewjob.Thejobcoachmaybecalledbacktothejobtotrainiftherearenewresponsibilitiesortheindividualbeginstoexperiencedifficultieswithexistingworktasks.Thephilosophyofthepositionofajobcoachisto:
• ProvidesmallgroupinstructionsuchasonCBVIsitesorone-on-oneforstudentsoneitherCBVIsitesorinpaidemployment.
Itistheroleofthejobcoach,withassistancefromtheWBLteacher,to:
• Identifyhowthestudentlearnsbest;• Thedemandsoftheworkenvironmentsforeachstudent;• Theteachingstrategiesthatbestmeetthestudent’slearningstyles;• Thesupportneedsrequiredforeachstudent;and• Collectdatatodetermineprogressandmakeneededinstructionaland/orsupport
adjustments
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AttributesofanEffectiveJobCoachThefollowingareattributesofaneffectivejobcoachthatshouldbeconsideredinthehiringprocess.Theindividualshouldpossess:
• Goodcommunicationskillstointeractwithstudents,parents,teachers,andcommunitypartners.
• Apositiveattitudethatseesstrengthsinsteadofweaknesses,possibilitiesinsteadoflimitations,andwindowsofopportunitythatpromotestudentsuccess.
• Professionaldemeanorastheindividualisinthecommunityrepresentingthedistrict,thespecialeducationdepartment,thehighschoolcampus,andthefieldofeducation.
• Energy.Thepotentialjobcoachshouldexhibitanenergythatindicatestheindividualiscommittedtoresults,isaself-starter,anddoesnotrequiredirectsupervisiontomeettherolesandresponsibilitiesofthejobcoachposition.
• Problemsolvingskillsthathavebeenevidencedinpastexperiences.• Theabilitytoinstillinstudents,self-determinationskillsthatfacilitate
employability.• Anunderstandingnotonlytherolesandresponsibilitiesofthejob,butalsothe
WBLdistrictprocedures,anddistrictpolicies.ParaprofessionalsasJobCoachesAparaprofessionalmayserveasajobcoachinWork-BasedLearningProgramsasdocumentedintheTexasAdministrativeCode.ThefollowingisthespecificTACcodeaddressingparaprofessionalsasjobcoaches.§89.1131.QualificationsofSpecialEducation,RelatedService,andParaprofessionalPersonnel.
(c)Paraprofessionalpersonnelmustbecertifiedandmaybeassignedtoworkwitheligiblestudents,generalandspecialeducationteachers,andrelatedservicepersonnel.Educationalaidesmayalsobeassignedtoassiststudentswithspecialeducationtransportation,serveasajobcoach,orserveinsupportofcommunity-basedinstruction.Educationalaidespaidfromstateadministrativefundsmaybeassignedtospecialeducationclericaloradministrativeduties..
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Work-BasedLearningintheCommunityWork-basedlearninginthecommunityhas4distinctcomponents[ImprovingSecondaryEducationandTransitionforYouthWithDisabilities:HandbookforImplementingaComprehensiveWork-BasedLearningProgramAccordingtotheFairLaborStandardsAct.(3rdEd.Feb.2005).Minneapolis,MN:NSTTAC,UniversityofMinnesota.):vocationalexploration,vocationalassessment,vocationaltraining,andpaidemployment.VocationalExploration:Duringvocationalexploration,studentsrotatethroughavarietyofemploymentsettingsdesignedtoprovidework-relatedexperiencesthatrepresentpotentialemploymentopportunitiesinthecommunity.Duringtheexplorationactivities,studentscanexperienceavarietyofemploymentoptionstomakedecisionsaboutstrengths,needs,preferencesandinterestsbasedontheactivities,tasks,andworkenvironmentsofeachWBLsite.ItiskeytoensureWBLsitedevelopmentreflectscommunityemploymentoptionstopreventthecollectionofdatathatisirrelevanttofutureneedsandemploymentoptions.VocationalAssessment:ThevocationalassessmentcomponentofWBLisdesignedtocollectinformationthatcanbeusedinthedevelopmentofIEPGoalsandObjectives.Itisalsousedtocollectinformationusingtasksanalysis,work-relatedbehaviorchecklists,andotherdatatodeterminetrainingandsupportneeds.ThecollectionofassessmentdataonWBLsitesisusedtodetermineIEPprogressandgradesforreportcards.VocationalTraining:Thejobcoachand/orWBLteacherconductvocationaltraining.Collaborationwithtrainingsitemanagersandemployerstobeinvolvedinthestudent’strainingandsupportneedsiscriticaltothefuturesuccessofthestudent.Thecollaborativemodelbetweentheschoolandbusinessenablesstudentstolearntointeractwithco-workersandutilizenaturalsupportsystemswithinworkenvironments.Thepurposeofvocationaltrainingistoprovideinstructionandsupporttoteachstudentsworkbehaviorsandspecificskillstoenhanceemployability.PaidEmployment:Althoughstudentsmaymovethroughthesequenceofnon-paidWBLtoemployment,theprogramforeachstudentmustbeindividualized.Whilesomestudentsmayrequirenon-paidtraining,othersmaybeabletomoveintotheVACpaidemploymentprogramthatprovideslessintensivesupportthanthenon-paidtrainingsitesbutrequiresmoresupportthanthegeneraleducationpaidemploymentcoop.
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JobCoachesProvideDirectandIndirectSupport:DirectandindirectsupportsareprovidedtostudentswhoparticipateonWBLnon-paid,whileindirectsupportisprovidedtostudentsonVACpaidtrainingsites.Studentswhoparticipateinthegeneraleducationworkcooparealsoprovidedindirectsupport.ThetypeofsupportandamountofsupportneedsaretobedeterminedbyARD/IEPCommitteedecision.AlthoughthesupervisionofstudentsintheWBLprogrammaybesharedwiththeemployeesofthebusiness,thesupervisionremainstheprimaryresponsibilityoftheschooldistrict.DirectSupervision
• One-on-oneinstructionaltime• Smallgroupinstructionaltime• Observationincloseproximity
IndirectSupervision
• Observationincloseproximityatfrequentintervals• Observationincloseproximityatinfrequentintervalsdesignedtofadesupport• Observationfromadistancedesignedtoprovidesupport• ObservationbybusinessemployeeswhoprovidefeedbacktotheVACorJob
CoachItisimportanttonotethatasastudentbecomesindependent,ifthestudentisabletomastertheskillsandrequireslittleornosupport,non-paidtrainingbecomesunpaidemployment,whichisinviolationoftheDepartmentofLaborChildLaborLaws.Whenastudentreachesthislevelofsuccess,theVACorWBLteachermustmovethestudenttoenhancedtrainingoptionsandexpectationsand/orgobacktotheARD/IEPCommitteetoconsidertheappropriatenessofapaidemploymentprogram.
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RolesandResponsibilitiesoftheJobCoachInWork-BasedLearningProgramsResponsibilities
1.WorkcollaborativelywithcampusspecialeducationstaffandVACteachertoplanWBLinstruction,assessment,datacollection,andprogressreporting.2.Analyzetheworkenvironmentforlayoutandphysicaldesign,alongwithskillsandbehaviorsrelatedtotrainingexpectations.3.Developecologicalinventoriesandtaskanalysisrelatedtothework-basedtrainingforeachstudentforthepurposeofdatacollection.4.Providework-relatedtrainingalignedwiththestudent’sIEP.5.Collectandanalyzedocumentationrelatedtoinstructionandperformanceforthepurposeofre-teaching,providingappropriatesupports,and/ormakingadjustmentstotheWBLsite,teaching,supports,orplacement.6.Provideon-goingsupervisionofstudentsintheWBLsetting.7.Communicatewithstudents,teachers,VAC,employer,andstudent’sco-workers.8.Worktomovefromjobcoachassistancetoco-workerand/oremployerassistance.9.WorkwiththeVACtomovestudentfromtrainingtopaidemployment.10.Adheretodistrictexpectationsforworkethicsandbehaviorsatschoolandinthecommunity.
Roles
1.ArriveatthecommunitytraininglocationpriortoorwiththeWBLstudents.2.DevelopworkschedulesfortheWBLstudents.3.TeachWBLstudent’swork-relatedbehaviorsandroutines.4.Collaboratewithbusinessemployerandemployeestointegrateintothebusinessroutines,activities,andsocialevents.5.Workwitheachstudenttoincreaseskillacquisition,workspeed,workaccuracy,andindependence6.Workwiththeemployerandco-workerstotransitiontrainingandsupportstothenaturaltrainingmethodsandemployeesupportswithinthebusiness.7.Worktoidentifythestudent’sinterestsandpreferencesrelatedtopostsecondaryemployment.8.WorkwiththeVACtomovethestudentfromtrainingtopaidemploymentrelatedtothestudent’spostsecondarygoalsforemployment.9.Forstudentsinpaidemployment,workwiththestudenttoincreasethejobresponsibilities,skills,andbehaviorcompetenciesforthespecificpurposeofincreasingworkhours,wages,benefits,andemploymentopportunities.
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JobCoachingandPaidEmploymentOncethestudentobtainsajob,theWBLTeacher/VACandJobCoachanalyzetherequirementsofthejobsiteseveraldaysbeforethestudentbeginswork.Thisallowsthestafftodevelopatrainingstrategyforthejobcoachinpreparationforthestudenttobeginhis/herjob.Thejobcoachthatfirstworkswiththestudentisanemployeeofthedistrict.ItisthegoalofdistrictWBLprogramtoteachthefamilytosupportthejobmonitoringandmaintenancesoitdoesnotfallapartoncethedistrictisnolongerinthepictureafterhighschool.Asecondactiontakenistoidentifyadultagenciesthatwillhelpwithjobmonitoringandmaintenanceafterthestudentleavespublicschool.Itisessentialthattheroleofthejobcoachbeasnaturalaspossibleandfadesupportasquicklyaspossible.Thepresenceofajobcoachisanunspokenmessagetootheremployeesinthebusinessthatthenewlyhiredindividualrequiresspecialknowledgeandskillsinordertotrainthepersonwithadisabilityandexistingbusinessemployeesortrainersarenotsufficienttomeetthetrainingneedsoftheindividualwithadisability.Thismayhaveatendencytodecreaseinteractionamongco-workers,aswellassocialrelationshipsandcooperativesupportamongco-workers.Ifatallpossible,itispreferredthatthenewlyhiredstudentbetrainedbyexistingstorestaffwiththedistrictstaffasaco-trainerorsimply“supportontheside”.Thisallowsthebusinesstoseetheyareabletotrainandsupportthenewhire,andbuild’son-sitecapacityforthetimewhentheschooldistrictisnolongerinthepicture.ItalsoimmediatelyputstheWBLstudentasamemberofthebusinessandnotseparatedfrom“typicalco-workers”.Ifthestudentistobeameaningfulandvaluedemployeeinthebusiness,thenstartthepaidemploymentusingstrategiesthatpromoteemploymentnormalcy.Additionalon-the-jobsupportissuesthatmustbeconsideredare:
• Changesinmanagers;• Changesinco-workerswhoserveasnaturalsupportstothestudent;and• Changeinjobresponsibilityortasklocation.
JobMonitoringforStudentsinPaidEmployment:Thetraditionalmethodofjobmonitoringwithinpubliceducationwork-basedlearningprogramsisforthecasemanagerand/orjobcoachtomakevisitstothejobtoobservethestudentintheworkenvironmentandmeetwithhis/hersupervisorregardingprogress.Thistypicallycontinuesuntilthestudentgraduatesoragesoutofpublicschool.Ifagencyconnectionsweremadeandthegraduatingstudentistheclientofanagency,theadultagencymaytakeoverthejobcoachingandmonitoringactivities.However,intherealworldthatoftendoesnothappenbecauseadultservicesarenotentitlements.Theavailabilityofsupportafterpublicschoolwilldependuponstateandlocalbudgetconstraintsoftheserviceprovider,eligibilityoftheclient,andavailabilityofstafftomeetthesupportneeds.Therearenoentitlementsafterpublicschoolsotheyoungadultmayqualifyforsupportbutifthemoneyorpersonnelisnotavailable,theneedgoesun-met.
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Transitioningstudentsfrompaidsupportstonaturalsupportsprovidesthesamesystemalladultsusetomeettheneedsofeverydaylifeandtheworldofwork.“Nomanisanisland”(JohnDonne).Mostadultshavesometypeofsupportsystematworkwhetheritisbuiltintothesystem,likethementorsystemfornewteachers,orwhetheritisaninformalnetworkoffriendsandcolleagues.Forthestudentwithadisability,thefamilytypicallyremainsastrongcomponentoftheyoungadult’ssupportsystem.Thisincludesimmediateandextendedfamily.Ifthestudentmovesintoasupervisedapartmentorgrouphome,anothertypeofsupportsystembecomesavailable.Tomoveintonaturalmonitoringsystem,theWBLteacher/VACorJobCoachmustteachthestudenttomonitorhisorherownprogress.Thereareseveralcomponentstoself-monitoring:
• Determinetheself-evaluationprocess• Determinethefrequencyoftheself-evaluation• Developself-evaluationtoolsspecifictothejob• Identifytheindividual(s),besidesthestudent,whowillprovidefeedback• Teachthestudenthowtointerpretthefeedbackandwhotoreporttheprogress
reportto(example:thejobcoachandparent)• Teachthestudenttocelebratethepositivesanddevelopaninterventionplanfor
theareasthat“arenotworking”ResourcesforWBLTeachers/VACandJobCoachesThefollowingareregionalandInternetresourcesforWBLTeachers/VACandJobCoaches:
• TheEducationResourceCenter(ESC)TransitionSpecialistandWBLSpecialist• CouncilofExceptionalChildren’s(CEC)DivisionofCareerDevelopmentand
Transition(DCDT:www.dcdt.org• TexasWorkforce:http://www.twc.state.tx.us/siteindex/twcsite.html• AchieveTexas:www.achievetexas.org• TexasTransitionNetwork:www.transitionintexas.org• CareerTechnicalSpecialPopulationsCenter:http://ctsp.tamu.edu/
