Extend Teachers' Knowledge of Collaboration and Referral Skills
Professional development can provide opportunities to help teachers learn to work effectively with service providers and develop the skills to identify and respond to students' personal needs. Abdal-Haqq (1993) notes:
"Teachers need to be trained to identify students who need intervention; to handle problems in the classroom; to locate sources of help for students; to take part in the collaborative process; and to view themselves as part of a team effort to address the academic, social, and health development of students."
Bucci and Reitzammer (1992) note the importance of teachers learning how to collaborate and cooperate with social service providers, especially when identifying and referring children who are in need of services:
"Referral skills addressed in the literature and practice of social work, special education, and counseling--how to refer, to whom to refer, and the timing of referral--are essential for making the best use of the various professionals and their agencies. One critical aspect of referral skills, especially for inexperienced teachers, is how to refer students with sensitive problems to other professionals without exacerbating those problems. The wrong approach may stigmatize the child, alienate parents, or damage the working relationship with other human service professionals. Guidelines for carefully referring students to noneducation professionals can be developed with the help of the noneducation professionals, who most often see the direct effects of the referral process." (p. 293)
Garcia (1994) adds that successful collaboration between school staff and service providers is based on commitment, definition of goals, development of mutual trust, clarity of roles, adequate time and training, and periodic evaluation.
