1. Whose Plan Is It Anyway? Presenters: Deborah Newport & Bekah Mercer

2. Introduction ● Deborah has worked in special education for over 30 years, as an educator, administrator, and consultant. ● Deborah founded Empower Student Services in 2010 to facilitate best practices in transition in public schools across Oklahoma. ● This presentation will cover the skills students need to cultivate for postsecondary success, how teachers can become coaches for those skills, and the tools TransitionSpot can offer to facilitate the process.

3. Skills for Postsecondary Success Goal Setting Benefits of Setting Goals: ● Student involvement in school activities and transition planning ● A feeling of being capable and in control of the situations around you ● Increased motivation to achieve new goals

4. Skills for Postsecondary Success Self-Advocacy Benefits of Self-Advocacy: ● Students feel better about themselves and are more self confident ● Students who have self advocacy skills are more willing to take risks and set higher goals ● Students who have self advocacy skills are better at communicating and asking for help or clarification with necessary

5. Skills for Postsecondary Success Disability Awareness (but not reliance) Benefits of Disability Awareness: ● Students understand how their disability affects their learning/work/ lives ● They are aware of supports they need ● They are able to see their disability as only one aspect of their lives, it does not “define” them

6. Skills for Postsecondary Success Ability to Acquire Supports & Build Relationships Benefits Developing a Support System ● Students self worth is improved ● Student academic performance and attendance improves ● Students make healthier lifestyle choices

7. Coaching Versus Teaching Transferring Ownership to Students We all want our students to develop self-determination skills and become independent, successful members of our communities. But with so many requirements pulling us in so many different directions, we don’t always have the time to focus on transition. The good news is, this isn’t about us! This is all about the student—it’s their plan. Not yours, not mine, not their parents’, not the counselor’s. Their plan. And they will be more successful if we allow them to maintain ownership of their future and learn to set goals of their own choosing and work to achieve them.

8. Coaching Versus Teaching What Teaching Looks Like Teachers do a lot of hard work: ➔ TEACHERS develop lesson plans ➔ TEACHERS find curriculum and present information ➔ TEACHERS provide practice opportunities ➔ TEACHERS evaluate student progress

9. Coaching Versus Teaching What Coaching Looks Like Coaches let the students do the work: ➔ STUDENTS set their own goals ➔ STUDENTS develop their own plan for achievement ➔ STUDENTS set due dates for accomplishment ➔ COACHES encourage, celebrate, and ask questions

10. Coaching Versus Teaching How Coaching Works ● Coaching provides a critical relationship focused on supporting the student through the transition journey ● Coaching facilitates awareness of abilities and disabilities ● Coaching facilitates self-advocacy ● Coaching encourages goal-setting and celebrates achievement

11. Coaching Versus Teaching How to Conduct a Coaching Session Connect with the student Discuss activities & interests, let them know you are interested in what interests them. Review last session and progress Find out if anything has changed and how it has been going. Review next steps If all were completed then celebrate and set new goals. If goals were not completed by due dates, then discuss why and come up with a new plan of action. Review new or revised plan Set a time to connect again

12. Coaching Versus Teaching Tips & Tricks for Coaching ● Build a relationship with the student ● Practice active listening with the student ● Ask good questions ● Provide feedback

13. TransitionSpot What is TransitionSpot and why should I use it? TransitionSpot is a website designed to be a central hub for transition- related activities. The website was built with teachers in mind to improve the quality of services provided to students, and the ease with which teachers are able to provide those services.

14. TransitionSpot Tools to Empower Teachers & Students ● Career Matching Quiz ● Career Research Center ● Career Planning ● Messaging ● Curriculum ● User Profile ● Résumé Builder ● Budget Builder

15. TransitionSpot To Empower Teachers ● Student-led career plans and research ● Transition curriculum provided ● Continuously updated student information ● Integrated messaging to facilitate relationship

16. TransitionSpot To Empower Students ● Career Matching Quiz ● Career Research Center ● Career Plan Development ● Budgeting and Résumé Tools

17. Whose Plan Is It Anyway? Question & Answer