บทถอดความฉบับเต็มของ #92: Unlocking the Potential of MTSS in Education: Collaboration, Support, and Success

MTSS and the kids are making big improvements. 00:03:12.544 --> 00:03:16.712 That should be honestly run of the mill. 00:03:16.712 --> 00:03:19.162 That's what we should be expecting. 00:03:19.162 --> 00:03:43.893 We should be expecting that the kids are going to make improvements, because we have chosen some really great interventions and progress monitoring and we're hitting those gaps that the kids have so that they can make progress and they can catch up, so that they don't need special education services. 00:03:44.439 --> 00:04:11.385 And those students that are kind of on the back burner because the teachers are thinking and again, wonderful, amazing teachers but the focus has been given to them subconsciously, unconsciously, subliminally, whatever it is, the thought process has been given that MTSS is just the process that we go through for the kids that need special education to get them the help they need. 00:04:11.385 --> 00:04:15.280 No, no, special education is not the goal. 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:21.511 The goal is getting the kids on grade level Now. 00:04:21.511 --> 00:04:28.500 If they need special education, okay, on grade level Now. 00:04:28.500 --> 00:04:29.242 If they need special education, okay. 00:04:29.242 --> 00:04:59.127 But we should be doing everything within our power, providing the interventions that the kids need with the intensity that they need and focusing on the skill gaps that those students have so that they don't need special education, so that they don't have to be taken out of the general education classroom, so that they can get on grade level and they can make progress and be independent students without the additional services, accommodations, that are under the special education umbrella. 00:04:59.127 --> 00:05:16.894 So yeah, the fact is, the purpose of MTSS is to help kids fill in the gaps so that they're successful and that those gaps don't get so wide that the only recourse is special education. 00:05:16.894 --> 00:05:21.442 Mtss is supposed to be. 00:05:21.442 --> 00:05:24.910 That's why we have we call them early warning systems. 00:05:24.910 --> 00:05:47.252 Right, that are the triggers that will say, hey, uh-oh, this kiddo's starting to slip, let's get them into a tier two program and get them caught up so that this gets fixed, so that they don't need tier three or down the line special education, something that also kind of gets backburnered. 00:05:47.932 --> 00:05:51.865 You know my take that math is backburnered. 00:05:51.865 --> 00:05:58.800 Let's face it, most schools focus on reading and math kind of takes to backburner. 00:05:58.800 --> 00:06:13.952 I know that in one school that I worked with we had something like 200 kids getting receiving MTSS services and something like six of those kids had math and that just doesn't make sense. 00:06:13.952 --> 00:06:27.321 You know, you know that there were way more kids in that school that needed math support, but the focus for many years has always been reading and we've talked about that in previous episodes. 00:06:27.321 --> 00:06:31.110 I will not beat that down into the dirt anymore. 00:06:31.110 --> 00:06:35.380 But math is definitely something that gets backburnered. 00:06:35.380 --> 00:06:36.963 You know, writing does. 00:06:36.963 --> 00:07:04.307 I think that over the years I've seen one, maybe two that I can think of students and I've worked with entire districts for MTSS, entire middle schools, entire multiple elementary schools in a different district, and it is, writing is just not something, whether it's handwriting or actually composition writing it's not focused on, and that's unfortunate. 00:07:05.168 --> 00:07:24.129 But the other thing that is kind of backburnered but is actually a purpose of mtss is to provide supports for behaviors and let's be honest, in this day and age we're looking at a certain tiktok trend that's going around right now. 00:07:24.129 --> 00:07:58.240 We have some behaviors that need to be addressed, some really, really destructive, aggressive behaviors that need to be addressed, and MTSS that process, the tiers of support is a wonderful, it is a great framework to use, to get in place, to prevent the huge disruption for students and peers in the classrooms, no matter what the grade age, whatever. 00:07:58.240 --> 00:08:17.624 Mtss is, I truly believe, a fantastic framework to use when dealing with behaviors, whether it's disruptive behaviors or, quite frankly, if you're talking about a child with a lot of absences, we don't really think of that as a behavior. 00:08:17.624 --> 00:08:30.190 But depending on what's going on, it could very much be a behavior If the child is avoiding school due to anxiety or due to stress at home or whatever it is. 00:08:30.190 --> 00:08:40.580 There's a lot that can be done for high truancy rates when you start thinking of that in the behavior MTSS framework. 00:08:40.580 --> 00:08:52.793 But I will say, with all of that, kindergarten, my kindergarten teachers are just shaking their heads in absolute wonder at all of it. 00:08:53.794 --> 00:08:55.958 Kindergarten is a little different. 00:08:55.958 --> 00:09:09.092 I kind of feel like with kindergarten, especially the first few weeks when we start figuring out what's going on in kindergarten, you know, you have, you have. 00:09:09.092 --> 00:09:10.554 They're the babies. 00:09:10.554 --> 00:09:16.788 The kindergartners are the babies Every year and you get at least one. 00:09:16.788 --> 00:09:30.538 You get one kiddo who just makes every kindergarten teacher either want to quit or really glad that that student isn't in her classroom. 00:09:30.538 --> 00:09:31.339 Don't get me wrong. 00:09:31.339 --> 00:09:34.528 We love all of our babies, that's absolutely correct. 00:09:34.528 --> 00:09:39.586 But there is one that is going to give their teacher Forest Whitaker Eye every year. 00:09:39.586 --> 00:09:46.649 It's just going to happen and every single administrator

in the building is going to have Forest Whitaker Eye for at least a month. 00:09:46.649 --> 00:09:56.288 A lot of times those students calm down and we get them to learn how to control their behaviors, to control themselves, their emotions, all of the above. 00:09:56.288 --> 00:10:24.855 But they are a prime example of how quickly and amazing MTSS can make a huge difference if we get the right interventions in place in a timely manner right interventions in place in a timely manner, again later years you can see the behavior starting to get worse and you can really prevent big disruptions. 00:10:25.697 --> 00:10:35.895 Kindergarten is the one year that I kind of feel like you just got to be ready to jump in with everything Because, again, you don't know what you're getting. 00:10:35.895 --> 00:10:38.940 With the kindergartners you have absolutely no idea. 00:10:38.940 --> 00:10:44.467 Every other year after that the child has some history. 00:10:44.467 --> 00:10:53.875 You know a little bit about likes, dislikes, other things that are going to set the kiddo off, and you can work with that student a little bit easier. 00:10:53.875 --> 00:11:21.460 But with those kindergarten babies, when they a lot of them, a lot of them, the first time they get off that bus the first day of kindergarten, that's the first time they've been in a classroom, that's the first time that they will be asked to ask to go to the restroom or stand in a line or sit for any length of time, to go to the restroom or stand in a line or sit for any length of time, and you really don't know what you're getting until the second or third week of school. 00:11:21.460 --> 00:11:26.350 Honestly, uh, and again, I feel like with kindergarten, with those kinds of things. 00:11:26.350 --> 00:11:39.347 You just gotta have your whole toolbox ready and don't wait toolbox ready and don't wait to start interventions. 00:11:39.347 --> 00:11:49.586 If you see something going on and you you see that that child is starting or in the middle of having having an episode, you got to just jump in and you got to deal with it and you have to start working with the, with the child, and all that everywhere else. 00:11:49.586 --> 00:11:55.717 Yes, the framework works a whole lot more appropriately, I should say. 00:11:55.717 --> 00:12:04.707 I guess at the kindergarten level, you just gotta kind of speed up because, oh, it can go from zero to 60 in negative three seconds. 00:12:04.707 --> 00:12:06.450 It is something else. 00:12:07.571 --> 00:12:15.719 Now the final thing, final, final purpose, I guess for MTSS that is rarely. 00:12:15.719 --> 00:12:22.065 Possibly I don't know that I've ever had a school-based discussion. 00:12:22.065 --> 00:12:31.868 I've had these discussions at the district level and with administrators, on more of a theoretical basis, on more of a theoretical basis. 00:12:31.868 --> 00:12:53.793 But the fact is that MTSS, as it was designed and as a framework that is used appropriately,

can be and should be an immense support for teachers. 00:12:53.793 --> 00:13:20.485 At its root, mtss is meant to be a way for teachers to openly come forward with challenges that they're having whether it's in their classroom, with the academics or maybe the behaviors and learn new ways or better ways to deal with it, learn new strategies, learn the tricks of the trade right All those things that it took us years and years the more experienced teachers. 00:13:20.485 --> 00:13:27.748 It takes you a while you got to learn these things and we learn them through blood, sweat and a whole lot of tears. 00:13:28.629 --> 00:13:42.736 Mtss is the perfect place, if we set it up right, to support each other and share our tricks and share and say, oh, you're having a really hard time teaching these kids about fractions. 00:13:42.736 --> 00:13:44.508 Let me tell you I love fractions. 00:13:44.508 --> 00:13:46.493 This is how I introduce fractions. 00:13:46.493 --> 00:13:52.835 I noticed that you have like three or four kids here who are really struggling with multiplication. 00:13:52.835 --> 00:14:03.587 Here's how I introduced multiplication last year. 00:14:03.607 --> 00:14:09.278 There's ways to share and really build the teacher community, because the fact is, teaching is lonely and we used to joke about it. 00:14:09.278 --> 00:14:16.809 We used to say, yeah, you nod your head at your administrator and then you shut your door and you teach the way you feel like you should teach. 00:14:16.809 --> 00:14:20.878 But that's not working. 00:14:20.878 --> 00:14:23.706 It's not. 00:14:23.706 --> 00:14:27.169 Our schools and our students are failing. 00:14:28.192 --> 00:14:38.924 And as much as I want to say that and I do say teachers are amazing, but we can't do it alone. 00:14:38.924 --> 00:14:56.214 We've been trying to do it alone and we have leaned on things like TPT and Khan Academy and there's a lot of different resources out there that we have been leaning maybe too heavily on, and we've been leaning maybe too heavily on and we've been trying to go it alone. 00:14:56.214 --> 00:14:58.051 We shouldn't have to. 00:14:58.051 --> 00:15:16.317 Teachers should not have to go it alone, and if we want to share the burden and have teaching be enjoyable again and have fewer TikTok challenges that we're concerned about, we have to start working together a whole lot more. 00:15:16.317 --> 00:15:32.052 And MTSS, that framework, is the perfect way for teachers to start leaning on and learning from each other so that we can benefit the kids and we can improve our own craft. 00:15:32.052 --> 00:15:36.469 We know that the first year is horrible. 00:15:36.469 --> 00:15:39.956 The first year is horrible and the second year is not a whole lot better. 00:15:39.956 --> 00:15:46.957 If you make it in, your third year is a little bit better, but you still just oh, it's just rough. 00:15:46.957 --> 00:15:59.375 And by the time, if you make it to the fifth year and let's be honest, there's a lot of teachers, most of them, aren't making it to the fifth year at this point it's so hard. 00:15:59.375 --> 00:16:13.994 We could really improve all of our lives as teachers if we could come together through and again, I think the MTSS framework is the perfect environment to do it in. 00:16:13.994 --> 00:16:26.149 We can come together and share resources, share knowledge, share understanding and get these kids and ourselves back on a track that is more sustainable. 00:16:26.548 --> 00:16:35.219 The problem with MTSS is it has been used as a way to kind of scapegoat teachers Again. 00:16:35.219 --> 00:16:35.979 Another way. 00:16:35.979 --> 00:16:46.298 I have seen, unfortunately, some MTSS systems used as a way to judge, and not in a good way. 00:16:46.298 --> 00:16:58.860 Teachers and certain administrators have been known to sit there and go oh well, you know, jessica, that, jessica, she brought so many kids to MTSS this year. 00:16:58.860 --> 00:17:00.009 Did you notice that? 00:17:00.009 --> 00:17:01.047 You notice? 00:17:01.047 --> 00:17:06.653 None of her kids can read, none of her kids know phonics and you know what is she doing in there. 00:17:06.653 --> 00:17:11.375 That's not what MTSS is for. 00:17:11.375 --> 00:17:14.333 That is abusive, quite frankly. 00:17:14.333 --> 00:17:20.347 The reality is we have to take the ego out of MTSS. 00:17:20.347 --> 00:17:24.894 It requires a shift in. 00:17:25.375 --> 00:17:28.140 First of all, mtss should be a judgment-free zone. 00:17:28.140 --> 00:17:31.573 It should never be a place of judgment. 00:17:31.573 --> 00:17:33.638 It should never be a place of judgment. 00:17:33.638 --> 00:17:35.345 It should never be a place of what are you even doing? 00:17:35.345 --> 00:17:36.929 No sarcasm. 00:17:36.929 --> 00:17:39.575 It should only be positive vibes only. 00:17:39.575 --> 00:18:09.615 However you want to say it, it should absolutely 100 be a judgment-free zone and when you do it that way when teachers can come in and know that, no matter what is going on, no matter how tough a situation is, they're not going to be judged, they're not going to be thought of as in a negative light in any way, shape or form, but they're going to come and they're going to learn new tips, new tricks, new strategies. 00:18:11.625 --> 00:18:18.386 Several times I have looked at a teacher and said oh oh, sweetie, here, here's this better way to collect your data. 00:18:18.386 --> 00:18:20.151 You are doing too much. 00:18:20.151 --> 00:18:20.952 Do this. 00:18:20.952 --> 00:18:24.746 This is so much simpler, it's going to save you so much time. 00:18:26.248 --> 00:19:26.666 That's what we need to be doing in MTSS judgment-free zone, and when you do it that way, when we actually use the MTSS framework as it was meant to be and how I would like to see it done, we can hugely improve not just our students' performance, but we can improve school culture and teacher satisfaction in their jobs, which, let's be honest, right now we have to do and I guess right now I'm really speaking to the administrators we have to do everything within our power to keep the teachers that we have and help them to improve their craft, not only because we want to see the students improve, but because we want to see them have higher job satisfaction rates, because that's part of what drives teacher retention. 00:19:27.568 --> 00:19:43.506 We also want to help them with behavior and we want to prevent certain TikTok challenges that are going on, and we want to support them in their communication with parents their honest and open communication with parents. 00:19:43.506 --> 00:19:48.971 We have to improve our school culture. 00:19:48.971 --> 00:20:17.119 We have to improve our teacher satisfaction in their jobs, because that's the way you keep high quality teachers, so you're not having to train new teachers and watch new teacher after new teacher after new teacher every single year just hit that brick wall and not be able to come back, not be able to move forward. 00:20:17.119 --> 00:20:33.615 So I really do think that we need to put a higher emphasis on how we do MTSS in our buildings. 00:20:33.615 --> 00:20:55.897 We have to improve the judgment-free zone of those MTSS meetings and there are just so many benefits out there if we follow the MTSS framework as it was actually meant to be, and we're going to talk about some of those benefits next week. 00:20:55.897 --> 00:20:57.288 So I hope you tune in. 00:20:57.288 --> 00:21:06.234 Until next time, may your coffee be strong, your students calm and, as always, may your students be progressing. 00:21:06.234 --> 00:21:06.454 Bye.