Interviews | Quotes

Linking Agent in Allegany County , Maryland
LINKING AGENT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Q: What sparked your interest in becoming a Linking Agent?

A: When EMSTAC representatives first visited Allegany County to talk with Sheree Witt, Special Education Supervisor, I sat in on the meeting. (I was working part-time for Staff Development then.) What they had to say intrigued me. The concept of bringing research into the classrooms in rural Allegany County was an exciting one. I thought that I would like to be instrumental in helping students and teachers benefit from the research.

Q: Describe how your experiences and skills have impacted upon your role.

A: I have taught both regular education and special education students, so I have a rather unique perspective when working with teachers and talking to them about such topics as classroom accommodations, and how special education techniques can be applied in typical education classrooms, and vice versa. I have worked for the last several years as a Diagnostic-Prescriptive Teacher, who serves in this county as IEP Committee chairperson. In this role, I have become familiar with a variety of school settings, and have developed working relationships with teachers and administrators. I also worked two years as part-time Staff Development Specialist, and became familiar with the nuts and bolts of arranging for inservice training for teachers.

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Q: What functions and tasks have you assumed within your district since becoming a Linking Agent?

A: I have been responsible for designing and completing a needs assessment. I facilitated the selection of a reading/writing intervention; helped coordinate the communication between the school and consultant/researcher; planned and assisted in the implementation of a two-day workshop; have done follow-up consultations with the school. I have continued in my role as Diagnostic/Prescriptive Teacher/Staff Development Specialist, and have done numerous behavioral observations and recommendations.

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Q: What is your typical day like in your role as a Linking Agent?

A: I am not sure there is a typical day. During the planning stages of the intervention, I spent time talking with the principal, vice-principal and teachers at the school that was targeted about the perceived needs of the school. I would speak frequently with, my TA liaison (contact person at EMSTAC), about possible research projects that would meet the needs. I read research materials, and tried to gain a better knowledge of what various researchers were doing and learning. I talked with the elementary supervisor, and tried to build my own knowledge base about the county's needs in the area of reading and written language. Once the search for interventions was narrowed to a few possibilities, I arranged meetings with my TA Liaison and the faculty at the school. We discussed the options with them, and guided them to a decision. Then began the second phase, where I actually made contact with the researcher. We held numerous phone conversations. My TA Liaison suggested that someone from the school and I should visit the sites where the research had taken place, so I made a two day trip to Michigan and experienced first-hand what we were bringing to Allegany county as a strategy. With the assistance of the TA Liaison, I made the arrangements for the researcher to come to Cumberland and do a 2-day workshop. Following the intervention, I provided support to teachers as they attempted to implement some of the strategies. I modeled lessons, observed as they taught lessons, and listened to their enthusiastic responses to the project. I have been recently arranging a return trip for the researcher. We are starting to plan for another 2-day workshop that will occur in June. I am now looking at doing another needs assessment, and starting to plan for next year.

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Q: What would you say to professionals who are thinking about becoming Linking Agents?

A: The work is different from being in the classroom, but it is rewarding in its own way. It provides exposure to new ideas, and it gives me a chance to converse with a variety of professionals on a daily basis. The people at EMSTAC are wonderful to work with, and provide support all along the way. It is a job that I have enjoyed this year, and I hope to be able to continue in this position for at least several more years.

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Q: What impact has your role as a Linking Agent had within your district? What impact has your role had upon outcomes for students with disabilities?

A: I feel that it is a little early to measure impact. Our first inservice training was held just a few months ago. Teachers have been experimenting with trying some of the new strategies, but I don't think that a significant change has occurred yet. Several teachers have reported that they believe students' language skills have improved as a result of using Morning Message (a writing scaffold). We do not have data yet to support the perception of improvement.

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Q: Tell us a little about what has happened this year in Allegany County and what are the plans for the future.

A: This year, after considering numerous reading/writing interventions, we chose the Early Literacy Project (ELP) as the intervention that appeared to most closely meet the needs of our target school. The principal, the coordinating teacher, and I first read the literature about the Project and presented that to the faculty at West Side School. The principal and I then spoke with an, ELP consultant at MSU. As a group we decided that the ELP approach would fit nicely with what was already happening at West Side in terms of language arts instruction. The consultant came to West Side and presented a two-day workshop to teachers. Following his presentation, the school principal and I modeled lessons for various teachers. Teachers seemed excited and began implementing parts of the ELP program. We hope to bring the consultant back to Cumberland in June for another 2 days. At that time, we hope to have him expand on additional elements of the approach and to give teachers time to process and plan to use the various strategies. We will soon begin doing new needs assessment to determine the project for next year.

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