Disputes are most effectively resolved at the earliest stage possible. SERC provides trainings to school districts and parents to help with the challenging conversations that take place and facilitate effective collaboration.
Student outcomes are best when parties learn to effectively communicate their interests and needs and work together to develop appropriate services for children with disabilities.
For questions or details on additional training opportunities, please contact SERC at 918.270.1849 or 888.267.0028 (toll-free).
Presentations
- Good Meeting Management (PDF)
- Building Partnerships, Creating Agreement: Collaborative Problem-Solving in Early Intervention and Special Education (PDF)
Crucial Conversations Training
Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue is a nationally recognized training that helps people have difficult conversations that they are afraid to have or that aren't going well. And the focus of the training is not just about communication - it's about helping people get the results they want and need.
Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue can help you in your conversations with:
- School Administrators
- Staff and personnel including general ed teachers
- Services resource providers
- IEP team members
- Parents and their advocates
We are now able to offer in-person classes as well as a virtual format using Zoom that is very effective. The in-person format is a two-day training from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, and the virtual format consists of five 2.5-hour long sessions that can be scheduled over three days or one session at a time.
Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue is available at no cost to those attending through our partnership with the Oklahoma State Department of Education. If you are interested in scheduling a future training for your district, please contact Rob Keiter at rob.keiter@okstate.edu or (405) 569-3105.
- Crucial Conversations In-Person Training Agenda (PDF)
- Crucial Conversations Virtual Training Agenda (PDF)
- Short YouTube video showing the need for a crucial conversation.
FY 24 Crucial Conversations Classes
Administrators - OKC Regional In-Person training
Tuesday and Wednesday, October 17-18, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Location - Mid-Del Technology Center
Administrators - Tulsa Regional In-Person training - Tuesday and Wednesday, October 24-25, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Location - The Sharp Center - Jenks Public Schools
Special Ed Directors - OKC Regional In-Person training
Tuesday and Wednesday, November 7-8, 8:30am to 4:00 pm
Location: Mid-Del Technology Center
Special Ed Directors - Tulsa Regional In-Person training
Tuesday and Wednesday, December 5-6, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm
Location: The Sharp Center, Jenks Public Schools
Facilitation Training
SERC is offering a new training as a one-day course to districts beginning in the fall of 2023. The training will provide an overview of facilitation to include facilitator qualities and skills, key functions of a facilitator, the facilitator’s role before, during, and after a meeting, along with a toolbox of practical facilitator strategies and techniques to use during a meeting. This training will provide helpful resources to those who want to sharpen their skills and tools when facilitating difficult meetings. It will also benefit districts wanting to develop in-house facilitators for IEP meetings.
The training will be offered in-person with regional classes in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The course will be from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. This training is available at no cost to those attending through our partnership with the Oklahoma State Department of Education. Registration is made online. Course dates and locations with registration links are below. For more information, contact SERC’s Program Coordinator, Rob Keiter at rob.keiter@okstate.edu or (405) 569-3105.
FY24 Facilitation Training Schedule and Registration
Monday, Oct 9, 2023 – OKC Regional
Mid-Del Tech Center, Midwest City
Monday, Nov 13, 2023 – Tulsa Regional
The Sharp Center, Jenks PS
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 – OKC Regional
Mid-Del Tech Center, Midwest City
Monday, Jan 8, 2024 – Tulsa Regional
The Sharp Center, Jenks PS
Monday, Feb 5, 2024 – OKC Regional
Mid-Del Tech Center, Midwest City
Monday, March 4, 2024 - Tulsa Regional
The Sharp Center, Jenks PS
Monday, May 6, 2024 – Tulsa Regional
The Sharp Center, Jenks PS
Monday, June 3, 2024 – OKC Regional
Mid-Del Tech Center, Midwest City
Managing Difficult Emotions Cards
Building Relationships Booklets
CADRE's Working Together and Through Conflict Resources
Attention families and educators supporting students with IEPs! Check out CADRE’s top collaboration and early conflict resolution resources and move toward more collaborative and productive IEP meetings.
Working Together and Through Conflict Resources with web links (PDF)
Promotional Material for CADRE Collaboration Resources (Word)
Essential Skills for Engaging in Conflict:
Six Conversations in Support of Effective Collaboration
SERC presents a professional development series written by Greg Abell, Principal at Sound Options Group, LLC.
"Essential Skills for Engaging Conflict" is designed for Oklahoma schools and staff to improve their ability to work together and achieve a range of goals and objectives in improving student learning.
The series contains an introduction session plus six additional modules. Each module includes a guide and a video to be used to help facilitate groups who may use the series in professional development settings.
Download Essential Skills for Engaging Conflict (pdf)
View the Entire Playlist on YouTube
Series Introduction
The introduction gives an overview of the six (6) modules and how to utilize the training to facilitate participants in a professional development setting.
Module 1: Conflict and Collaboration
Explores the role of collaboration and conflict in the Special Education Collaborative Process of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Module 2: Starting with Self-Preparation
Explains how understanding your own style and preparing yourself for the process leads to meaningful choices as one engages in the Special Education Collaborative Process of the IDEA.
Module 3: Listening for Understanding
Explores the value of listening to understand and responding in a meaningful way during the Special Education Collaborative Process of the IDEA.
Module 4: Sharing Your Perspective
Presents the value of creating safety and sharing your perspective in a way that can be understood and responded to in the Special Education Collaborative Process of the IDEA.
Module 5: Exploring Issues to Understand Interests
Looks at how to explore "the issues presented" in the Special Education Collaborative Process of the IDEA to understand the "underlying interests" that are driving positions of the participants.
Module 6: Solutions for Mutual Purpose
Explores a variety of methods to find solutions to issues that also serve the mutual purposes of the parties during the Special Education Collaborative Process of the IDEA.
SERC Professional Development Series
SERC presents a professional development series with Tracy Gershwin, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Professor at the University of Northern Colorado.
This six-part series addresses important issues related to fostering family-professional partnerships, including conflict prevention and dispute resolution.
Each module includes a presentation pdf, additional resources pdf and video to be used to help facilitate groups who may use the series in professional development settings.
Module 1: What Does the Law Have to Do With It? Understanding the Letter and Intent of Partnering with Families through Federal Laws
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) can be overwhelming and challenging to understand and interpret when it comes to family involvement. This module provides a deeper look at understanding the research behind the importance of family-professional partnerships, and how these partnerships are best translated into practice. Both the letter and intent of federal educational laws will be described in a clear and understandable way for families and professionals to develop a set of shared expectations for this intended partnership.
Module 1 - related materials (pdf)
Watch the Module 1 Video (YouTube)
Module 2: Just Keep Meeting: Individualized Education Program Meeting Strategies
Are you tired of long IEP meetings that feel like an adult read aloud? IEP meetings can sometimes become an initial source of conflict between families and professionals simply because they are challenged by time, paperwork, communication, and there is no real process. During the meeting there are several key areas to discuss that can be overwhelming without using meaningful collaborative meeting strategies. This module will present guidelines to successfully participate in an IEP meeting through all stages, before, during and after the meeting.
Module 2 - related materials (pdf)
Watch the Module 2 Video (YouTube)
Module 3: Why Use IEP Facilitation: Understanding the Usability, Credibility, and Versatility of the Process
This module will provide a detailed overview about IEP facilitation, including understanding the research about the usability and versatility of the process. The module will describe and apply the IEP facilitation framework and process through a conflict prevention and resolution lens.
Module 3 - related materials (pdf)
Watch the Module 3 Video (YouTube)
Module 4: Moving Research to Practice: Lessons Learned and Applied for Building Equitable and Trusting Family-Professional Partnerships
This module will define equitable and trusting family-professional partnerships, including reviewing research about barriers and strategies used to address them and promote meaningful partnerships. The content is presented to bridge research to practice aimed to promote partnerships with families so that students can grow academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally.
Module 4 - related materials (pdf)
Watch the Module 4 Video (YouTube)
Module 5: One Size Does Not Fit All: Understanding and Applying Culturally Responsive Considerations for Families
Not surprisingly, the field of special education has been described as having its own culture due its jargon, language, unique procedures, and processes that are new and, in many cases confusing, for most families and professionals to understand. This challenge is ever further heightened for families who are culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse. This session presents culturally responsive strategies aimed to actively include families and students to participate throughout the educational process, including IEP meetings.
Module 5 - related materials (pdf)
Watch the Module 5 Video (YouTube)
Module 6: Ally Versus Adversary Behaviors: The Utility of a Special Education Advocate During Conflict Between Families and Professionals
Navigating the special education system can leave many families confused, overwhelmed, and struggling to find information, particularly when in conflict with professionals. One source of solace for such families is the support of an advocate. This module presents research about the utility of an advocate during conflict. Specifically, you will learn about two distinct advocate behaviors, the ally, and the adversary, described as either helpful or unhelpful supports during issues of conflict between families and professionals. The actions and behavioral characteristics of the ally and adversary will be described in detail, including guidelines for supportive advocate behaviors that promote equitable and trusting family-professional partnerships.