Megan: My Response to Intervention

I love response to intervention (RtI). I do. I think anything that helps students achieve success is a good thing. I love the idea of teachers working collaboratively to better serve the needs of all students, not just the ones officially in special education.

In theory, RtI is fabulous. As I pursue a certificate in Curriculum Adaptation as part of my master’s program, I am constantly learning new, fabulous ways to keep students in the general education classroom. I am excited to talk to other teachers and share ideas; I am a big adaptation nerd.

But my response to intervention is one of confusion. I’m someone who likes clear outlines. I’ve decided I want a rubric for RtI. I want to know exactly what a great RtI team looks like and what interventions are the most successful. I want to know when I’m supposed to step in and when I’m crossing the line.

I am new to special education; I am still learning the ropes of being a teacher in a self-contained classroom. Just as I’m getting the hang of my district’s curriculum and what’s expected of me, I feel like my job is changing because of RtI.

As I co-teach more and more, I wonder about the parameters of RtI. How much should I offer to help the general education teachers? Do they even want my help? If I see students struggling, do I step in or do I wait for them to be brought to the team? I have so many questions as to what my role is in this program.

I’m also at a loss as to what interventions to try, and when. I work with students in my self-contained classroom who are definitely at the top of the pyramid. As I go to more and more conferences, I keep hearing about interventions that are proven to work with most students in the bottom tiers. Especially with behavioral interventions, I hear, “It works—but not necessarily with that top 5%.” Which make me want to shout, “But I work with that 5%! What works? Help me!”

I also get confused as to what counts as an intervention: Are the basic accommodations I make in my self-contained room considered interventions? Do good interventions come out of a box, or do they come from the creative collaboration of experienced teachers?

In some ways, I feel like RtI should be covered under the Good Samaritan Law. As long as I’m intentionally trying to always do the right thing, I should be okay. I know from my limited experience, however, that trying to do the right thing can sometimes be perceived by others as overstepping boundaries.

I want to share my ideas and I want to learn from other educators. I want to help as many students as I can, not just the five in my classroom. Is it better to have the guidelines spelled out or is it better to be involved and have a say in what the guidelines are?

In the end, I have to remember that RtI is just a different name for what special education has always sought to accomplish: Help as many students as possible get what they need. Even with all my confusion, that’s something I know for sure.

Comments

[Turki Alzahraney]

One of the main purposes for the response to intervention (and sometimes called response to instruction) is to ensure that professionals gather high-quality data to document the effectiveness of the remedial strategies that have been implemented. These data, gathered as an ongoing part of instruction, may be used to determine whether a student has a learning disability. This feature of RTI, that is, the ongoing use of data to determine whether a student is responding to the interventions being implemented, is referred to as continuous progress monitoring. In the RTI approach, decisions (i.e., about the need for intervention, characteristics of appropriate interventions, and effectiveness of interventions) are based on data generated in the course of assessment, as well as on the strength of evidence supporting the choice of a particular intervention strategy.

In truth, I believe that collaboration is a primary reason to success for all students whether they are qualified for special education services or not. From my limited experience, I strongly encourage and advise you to collaborate with other educators, as well as develop effective relationship with parents and students. With the RTI approach, general and special educators collaborate to define and analyze the needs of students, develop and implement a plan, and evaluate the response to the intervention. Collaborating together, offering suggestions, sharing our ideas and learning from other educators are all things that help us to grow in our profession. I strongly agree with Ellen that developing a relationship with the student first will intuitively lead us to find strategies that fit the needs of that student. Actually, as educators, all students within our school are our students and we are responsible to find the best education and practice that they need. In the RTI approach, parents become active partners in all stages of the learning process for their children. Parents can track their children's academic progress. When possible, parents can make suggestions about strategies and interventions based on what they know works at home. Research has shown that when schools work together with parents and communicate regularly to support learning, students achieve more and schools succeed in educating children.

[Keysha Ewing]

Megan,
As a first year teacher, I share your concerns. In the district I work in, RTI is nothing like what I learned as an undergrad. The process is called SST(Student Support Team). We actually had an SST on Monday for a student who has behavior issues. In the meeting, I expected to discuss strategies and ideas to better manage his behavior. What was discussed were the conversations the general education teacher had with his parents concerning his behavior. His teacher shared that she was concerned that he may be ADHD but did not ask for interventions. This concerned me because instead of seeking interventions, she wanted to refer him for special education services based on his behavior. I learned that through RTI, interventions are used and the data collected will support its effectiveness. I understand that every district does RTI differently but this process makes it easy for a student to be referred unnecessarily. I like you, would like to have a rubric for RTI. I'm not clear about my role as a special educator in this process because even though I was in the meeting, my opinion was not asked. I have been in the room with this student and I tried to redirect him when he was acting inappropriately. The teacher and the aide didn't seem to like that I stepped in.

[Michelle]

Megan,

I couldn't help but laugh when you posted that you want a rubric for RtI. I have felt your same frustration and as a first year teacher I agree that a rubric would help me to understand the entire process from beginning to end. I have been to several RtI meetings but I do not feel a sense of accomplishment with the process. It seems that there are no effective time constraints for collecting materials and ensuring that the student is moving through the tiers as determined in previous meetings. I get the feeling from other teachers that the RtI meetings are just another item on their to-do list. I believe that the process can be used to help any struggling students and build student efficacy. I would like to see a tangible outline or rubric so that we can make sure that we are working through the process as effectively as possible.

[Bailey]

As an undergraduate student, pursuing elementary and special education, this post really opened my eyes to what RTI is really about. I will be applying to student teach next semester and I'm wondering if looking for an RTI school in my state would be the best route for me. In South Dakota, RTI is now being piloted in a few select schools, therefore, I have never been able to see it in action. For those of you who have experienced working in an RTI classroom, do you see it as beneficial to student teach in an RTI school? If I do select an RTI pilot school, will I have a hard time transitioning into the structure they have set up? I think what Megan said represents how I feel about going into an RTI classroom as a student teacher.
"I wonder about the parameters of RtI. How much should I offer to help the general education teachers? Do they even want my help? If I see students struggling, do I step in or do I wait for them to be brought to the team? I have so many questions as to what my role is in this program."
Would an RTI classroom be an great learning opportunity, or would I struggle with the parameters as a student teacher?

[Ellen]

In our school, RTI has been separate from Special Education. An RTI is opened on a student when a student is struggling in specified areas causing low academic grades or their behavior is affecting their learning. Documentation is collected and meetings are held every four weeks. Students advance through the tiers as data reveals that the interventions are not being effective, then new interventions are recommended. Our Assistant Principal is very knowledge in the RTI process and encourages proactive responses by the teachers. After 5 years of being a special education teacher, this is the first year that a connection has been made between RTI and special education by our administration. They began encouraging us to use the RTI intervention reference materials with our special education students. To use the materials as another resource for special education strategies. How I wish this idea had been brought to my attention years ago. RTI and special education go hand-in-hand. I do not understand why it has been identified as a separate entity. After all, the goal for all of us is to use best practices to give the students the best opportunities to succeed. There are noted strategies, but they are not limited to a box. I find that developing a relationship with the student first will intuitively lead us to strategies.

[Rachel]

Whether a general educator or a special education teacher, I think we are all there for the same reasons: to do what we can to help each child succeed and to feel successful. As a general classroom teacher,I modify programs and make adaptations on a daily basis. I try various intervention tactics and some work and some do not. I think the more experience you get and seeing what works and what does not, the easier it will become in trying to decide which intervention to try with any given student. We must remember what works for one child will not necessarily work for another.
I have done a lot of research on co-teaching and I think it can work wonderfully for the benefit of all children. How much should one do? Does one help a struggling student who is not on their list? What are my boundaries? These are all great questions and I think the answer is to think about the fact that you are both there working collaboratively together helping all the children. If a student is struggling or not understanding a concept, whether he is a special needs student or not, should not matter. We are there to teach all the children so I would say certainly if you see a struggling student approach him and offer your assistance. All children within our school are our children and our responsibility.
Collaborating together, offering suggestions, sharing our ideas and learning from other educators are all things that help us to grow in our profession.

[Destiny]

Wow! I am glad to know that there are others out there who feel the same way I do about RTI. At my school the expectations are very vague and I often feel like I am reinventing the wheel with each student. As part of my Master's Program I have taken on Streamlining the RTI process at our school so that expectations are the same for each teacher and there is a step by step outlined process to follow when going through the RTI process. I have found that the more people you talk to the more information there is to learn and know. I have searched our District website and found frameworks and protocols that have been helpful in the process. I have also visited other schools in my district to compare our RTI strategies and gain ideas for improvement in ours. So far I have came across many things that I didn't know were out there, and neither do a lot of my colleagues. I feel like RTI is a process that will take a lot of collaboration between many different stake holders. I am planning to suggest a collaboration time for some of our PLC's in which I can share my proposed steps and gather input for other teachers, I am also hoping to get my school on board with a common assessment if the one that is supposed to be provided by the school district falls through. I think once a common assessment ins in place, and all teachers are familiar with it then the discussion of "I know they are lacking in this area now what?" can proceed, and this will lead to pooling of our resources and supporting each other making less reinventing of the wheel and more collaboration. I feel that collaboration is truly the key to success for all students whether they are special education qualified or not. My advice would be to do a little research, there may be more available than you or your colleagues realize. Also don’t be afraid to ask questions of all staff members.

[Kathy Skiles]

As a co-teacher, I have really enjoyed the opportunity to work with regular education students. In many cases, I have had to provide accomodations to students who did not have an IEP. I believe it is the role of both teachers to step in when they see a need regardless of whose kid it is. RTI is just a fancy way of saying, we need to give all students the support they need to succeed. In this way, our learning support students fit right in. The students realize that both teachers are there to help all students. If the classroom is running smoothly and RTI is working, any observer should not be able to tell who the special ed teacher is and who the learning support students are.

[Emily]

This post reminded me of a simple question one of my peers asked in our class for special education student teachers. Our program had an "RTI Specialist" come in and speak to us about her work. At the end of the lecture, my peer raised his hand and asked, "Isn't this what good teachers do already?".

[Megan]

Hi, Nartlebex,

Thank you for your comment! I really liked the analogy of "wearing my best dress." It is a reference I can totally relate to!

I think you and I are saying the same thing, just in different ways. When I said that, "Everyone gets what they need," I meant that that special education takes into account the challenges each student faces and individualizes so that each student gets what he/she needs, so that they can function as indepdendently as possible. Providing what each student needs is looking at each child as an individual, his/her strengths and weaknesses, and tailoring a plan that suits him/her so that everyone can reach his or her potential. I think that is something all special ed teachers can agree on.

[Nartlebex]

The best tool that works in your classroom is yourself. The strategies you learned from the conferences you attended should serve you as reference materials. These strategies are like the clothes in your dresser. You pick the ones you wear as appropriate. The 5% you are talking about is just a number. Think of this as a special occasion where you prepare yourself to wear the best dress fit for the event.

I also beg to disagree with your last statement: “In the end, I have to remember that RtI is just a different name for what special education has always sought to accomplish: Help as many students as possible get what they need. Even with all my confusion, that’s something I know for sure.”

Special education is more than just this. Special education is acknowledging the challenges that each individual have; providing the appropriate intervention to prepare them to function as good citizens, as independent as possible.