We all have been in circumstances where we intentionally seek out the ideas and suggestions of other like minded educators challenged with similar dilemmas such as curriculum implementation, increased student achievement or improved wellness for all. We often see cohorts of teachers meeting to discuss literacy practices or subject area teachers meeting to discuss exam questions and the impact on achievement. District leaders also seek out other professionals in similar roles to share and learn from one another based on a common challenge. All of this affirms our need to collaborate and access the expertise of others.
In these situations, we sometimes see one participant who has invested considerable time to articulate their processes or their strategies regardless of the topic. Our tendency, as collaborative educators, is to request a copy of the developed work with the intention to rewrite or reconceptualize it in our setting. Of course, colleagues are ready and willing to provide this jump forward with the impetus of helping the greater good and there is a feeling of pride when someone asks for a copy of your work, realizing that the effort has not gone unnoticed.
So if this is the standard and acceptable means for sharing and collaborating with our colleagues, why is it unacceptable to adopt another school or district’s continuum of supports?
It all comes down to one thing - it does not reflect your school, your expertise, your staff, your students or your community because it was not created by you!
The true power of the development of a continuum of supports lies in the collaborative process of building and refining the interventions, strategies and accommodations that are living currently in your building. Each teacher should see themselves reflected in the continuum, understanding that their unique practices have contributed to the collective expertise of the entire school team.
Co-creation isn't just a buzzword; it's the cornerstone of effective educational support systems. When teachers actively engage in developing the continuum, they take ownership of it, seeing it not as a mere document but as a dynamic tool that evolves alongside their teaching practices.
The process of the development of the continuum of supports starts with a shared understanding of why we need a continuum and how the continuum serves the students and staff in the school or district. This video describes the essential understandings of the continuum of supports as a foundational component of Collaborative Response.
At Prairie Sky School, Calgary Board of Education, the leadership team designed a Continuum of Supports Presentation to assist staff in the understanding and co-creation of continuums for literacy, mathematics and well-being.
Creating your initial continuum of supports can occur within a timeframe from anywhere from 2 to 4 hours depending on how in depth and to what degree you would like the continuum to be refined. We begin simply with a question - “What do you do when a student struggles with XXX?”. Each staff member writes down one idea on each sticky note that responds to the question reflecting on their own practice. In essence, we are attempting to surface what each teacher does in their own classrooms that support the needs of their students.
When the staff team have multiple sticky notes ahead of them they determine what Tier of Support that it is attending to. The Tiers of Support in Collaborative Response are defined as follows:
Ideally, this activity is completed in a large space where the Tiers of Support can be posted on each of 4 walls providing some distance between to encourage conversations about the justification of a support in relation to the tier. Through this activity, you will have instant recognition of common practices and unique strategies being used across the school. When placing the sticky notes on the continuum, teachers stack the ideas that are common and place apart those that are unique. Even the quick visual of common and unique practices becomes evident.
One of the benefits of this co-creation is the exploratory nature of sharing teaching practices in a unthreatening and safe manner. It encourages teachers to define and justify their pedagogy merely through the process of development. A well-crafted continuum has the ability to normalize conversations about instructional practices within the school. By sharing strategies and discussing their effectiveness, teachers create a culture of continuous improvement and mutual learning.
Once the continuum is developed, it is advantageous to move it into a usable, accessible format such as a document, poster, slides, etc. At this point, we need to understand that the continuum is never complete, that it is always undergoing refinement as we learn new strategies and refine our previous understanding. The poster serves as visual reminders of the collective expertise within the team. Here are a couple of examples from schools who have developed their continuums into formats reflective of their experience and school culture.
Darwell School developed a Google Site to encompass their continuum of supports.
Peace Wapiti Public Schools developed a continuum of supports by their Indigenous Education Services department.
You’ll note that while we share these resources, we honor and recognize the unique nature of these continuums that are reflective of the school and/or district in which they were co-created. We share these samples with the intention that it will jump start your thinking about the unique dynamics of your educational setting and the breadth and depth of expertise that your students access every day from your unique community of leaders and learners.
Ultimately, the continuum of supports is more than just a tool for categorizing and organizing supports; it's a testament to the collective capacity of all those who are committed to meeting the diverse needs of every learner in their school.
We extend an invitation to share your insights, your challenges, and your triumphs along with your questions, resources or suggestions related to this concept. Please reach out - we would love to chat with you! Email us at or .
