Old or New, What’s More Effective?
In this week’s Discussion you build on your Discussion from last week. You reflect on leadership strategies and components needed to promote successful implementation of an MTSS. You will also analyze various models of MTSS in several states to identify any possible components that may be missing in the model that your state has implemented. Pay attention to any gaps in practice as you analyze various models and evaluate the implementation of an MTSS.
To prepare
Review the module Learning Resources of the different states. Consider the different components identified for each state. Be sure to analyze the terms, as they may differ for each state.
Research your state’s implementation of MTSS and the components used. Reflect on the differences of the components and any gaps in practice as it relates to MTSS you recognize throughout your research.
A brief overview of your state’s implementation of MTSS. Then, explain components of MTSS in two other states that you believe should be implemented in your state. Provide a rationale for your components, explaining the gaps in practice in your current state and school, data supporting that gap, and how you envision these components supporting students in your state, district, and school.
Learning Resources
Note: To access this module’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
Required Readings
Brown-Chidsey, R. & Bickford, R. (2016). Practical handbook of multi-tiered systems of support: Building academic and behavioral success in schools. New York, NY: Guildford Press.
Chapter 10, “ Exploration, Adoption, and Installation” (pp. 95–106)
Chapter 11, “Implementation” (107–114)
Chaparro , E. A., Helton, S., & Sadler, C. (2016). Oregon’s effective behavioral and instructional support systems initiative: Implementation from district- and state-level perspectives. In K. McIntosh, & S. Goodman (Eds.), Integrated multi-tiered systems of support: Blending RTI and PBIS (pp. 267–286). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Kincaid, D., & Batsche, G. (2016). Florida’s multi-tiered support system for academics and behavior. In K. McIntosh, & S. Goodman (Eds.), Integrated multi-tiered systems of support: Blending RTI and PBIS (pp. 287–304). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Russell, C., & Harms, A. (2016). Michigan’s integrated behavior and learning support initiative: A statewide system of support for MTSS. In K. McIntosh, & S. Goodman (Eds.), Integrated multi-tiered systems of support: Blending RTI and PBIS (pp. 305–324). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Cook, C. R., Lyon, A. R., Kubergovic, D., Wright, D. B., & Zhang, Y. (2015). A supportive beliefs intervention to facilitate the implementation of evidence-based practices within a multi-tiered system of supports. School Mental Health, 7(1), 49–60.
Eagle, J. W., Dowd-Eagle, S. E., Snyder, A., & Holtzman, E. G. (2015). Implementing a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS): Collaboration Between School Psychologists and Administrators to Promote Systems-Level Change. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 25(2-3), 160-177.
Witzel, B., & Clarke, B. (2015). Focus on inclusive education: Benefits of using a multi-tiered system of supports to improve inclusive practice: Bradley Witzel, Editor. Childhood Education, 91(3), 215-219.
Document: State-Level Multi-tiered Systems of Support Implementation Template (Word Document)
Document: Kansas Multi-Tier System of Support (PDF)
Kansas has a MTSS Innovation Matrix designed to describe the principles and practices within an MTSS. It shares essential system components across all domains.
Required Media
Kukic, S. [RTIActionNetwork]. (2013, August 9). NCLD’s school transformation model: Helping ALL students succeed. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKTG1vxKQuo&feature=youtu.be
Sample Solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
