Using Person-Centered Practices for the Many Transitions, from Infanthood to Adulthood
Garrett Petrie | Person-Centered Thinking (PCT) trainer and coach trainer
Mary Cashman-Bakken | Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) specialist
Person-Centered Practices in Education Leadership Team | Minnesota Department of Education
Takeaways for Participants
* Know how to access the most current person-centered practice resources available in Minnesota for students, educators and family members.
* Develop at least 1 One-Page Description for yourself before trying out with others.
* Sign-up to receive direct technical assistance and professional development opportunities available as they are announced.
What are Person-Centered Practices?
* Continuum of strategies and activities that support the informed choice of students and families to make or have input into both
o Major transitions, and
o Everyday life decisions. 
* Focus on the interests and needs of the person receiving instruction or support.
* Emphasize each person’s strengths and dreams rather than weaknesses or deficits.
Why use Person-Centered Practices?
* Ensure that all students and their families have teams that use the most current information about their strengths, interests and needs
* Make informed choices about learning, working, living and playing in the most integrated settings possible
* Students can be even more active members of their
o Home, 
o School, and
o Local community
Resources Available
Core Features of Person-Centered Practices
The Minnesota person-centered practices in education leadership team focuses on supporting educators to implement person-centered practices that have the following core features:
* Strengths-based.
* Person and family-led.
* Involves people from across the home, school and community.
* Awareness and sensitivity to issues of culture, race, age, sexual orientation and gender identity.
* Information about student and family preferences to ensure each team member’s preparedness.
* Informed choice that balances information that is both important to and for the person.
Person-Centered Practices in Minnesota
Access the most current person-centered practice resources (https://education.mn.gov/MDE/fam/sped/person) available in Minnesota for students, educators and family members, which include:
* Examples of person-centered practices with demonstrated evidence, usability and implementation supports for school settings in Minnesota 
* Training opportunities provided by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), funded partners and other state departments like the Department of Human Services
* Invitation to share experience and student/family outcomes with MDE’s leadership team (mde.person-centered@state.mn.us) for other person-centered practices
One-Page Descriptions (OPDs):
A positive introduction to a person
The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices 
The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices envisions a world where all people have positive control over the lives they have chosen for themselves. Our efforts focus on people who have lost or may lose positive control because of society's response to the presence of a disability. We foster a global learning community that shares knowledge for that purpose. 
Opening Round – 3 Steps
Let us know in chat (personal to Garrett or to all) if you are either [pick one]:
* Listening to gauge interest - or - 
* Fully participating to try out the skills
How do we get to know students…
Sources of information for students…
* Evaluation Report (ER), sometimes called Evaluation Summary Report (ESR)
o Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)
* Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
* Individualized Education Program (IEP)
o Present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP)
o Progress report (PR)
o Limited English proficiency (LEP) impact on learning and progress
o Assistive Technology (AT) devices and services considerations
* Personal Learning Plan (PLP) process (grades 9–12)
* Individual Service Plan (ISP)
* Summary of Performance (SOP)
If technical information is our first introduction, 
it may look like the following … 
* ‘Communication skills are significantly different from typically developing peers…’ 
* ‘Referred to public school by pediatrician…’
* ‘Presenting concern with delay of speech…’
* ‘Responds to the word ’stop’ and ’no’ and follows routine cues…’
* ‘Makes wants and needs known by pulling adult to items or pointing…’
* ‘Fine motor skills during functional activities observed to be discrepant from same-age peers…’
* ‘High level of distractibility…’
* ‘Able to use a neat pincer grasp…’
* ‘Impairments in joint attention, reciprocal, social/emotional skills and limited peer interactions appropriate to age…’
* ‘Does not spontaneously respond to greeting/goodbye initiated by others…’
* ‘Safety concerns in the community…’
* ‘Delayed expressive/receptive communication and sensory processing skills…’
* ‘Hand-to-hand transfer…’
What do we know about Chandran?
* How do we feel about this as an introduction to him?
* Are we excited to meet him?
* Are we excited to support him?
Please enter your thoughts in the chat 
Is there another way?
Chandran’s One-Page Description
Now—What do we know about Chandran?
* How do we feel about this as an introduction to him?
* Are we excited to meet him?
* Are we excited to support him?
Please enter your thoughts in the chat. 
Objectives
* To understand the purpose of a One-Page Description (OPD)
* To understand the core headings always included in an OPD
* To identify where you can use creativity and judgment in creating an OPD
* To develop an OPD for yourself or a student
• Hopefully, you have a student in mind
• Important to practice with yourself
• It’s not necessarily that easy to do for ourselves
Purpose of One-Page Description
Descriptions are used for a specific purpose to introduce someone (e.g., new job, at the front of personal records, orientation for new staff, etc.)
Know the purpose before you create one
They are an at-a-glance, positive source of information about the person
They can also be used:
* As a way to introduce someone across different settings like school, home and community.
* When moving to a new school.
* When meeting new people, like a new Intervener.
* At the front page of a student’s records to share when paperwork is transferred.
* As the beginning of a more detailed Person Centered Description.
* As the basis for action—going from an OPD to then asking what is working and not working from different perspectives and acting on this.
Or … They can be used throughout the lifespan and always support positive control for people
Maxwell 3 Months
Liam’s One Page Introduction
Elizabeth Kate’s One-Page Description
Garrett Petrie: 
Special Education Teacher, Grades 2-4
People Like & Admire
these things about Garrett:
? Calmness
? Tie-day Tuesday & Tie-dye Friday
? Optimistic
? Doggedly persistent
? Has a vision
This is Important To Garrett:
? Paperwork time when students are not in school
? Ability to focus on family after a solid workday
...and this keeps him fulfilled:
? Focusing on support and interactions with students and team members while at school
One-Page Description for Garrett Petrie, Ed Spec
Garrett Petrie is an Education Specialist (Ed Spec) for the State of Minnesota. You can find information about the position purpose from Garrett’s position description in the last section.
Introduction to Garrett Petrie
People Like & Admire These Things about Garrett
* Calmness
* Relentlessly positive
* Doggedly persistent
* ‘Big picture’ thinking
* Has a vision
One-Page Description for Mary Cashman-Bakken
Introduction to Mary
Mary is the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Specialist for the Minnesota Department of Education. You can contact her by email at Mary.Cashman-Bakken@state.mn.us.
People Like & Admire These Things about Mary
* She herself is Deaf and knows what she is talking about.
* She is knowledgeable about Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Deaf Culture.
* She has lots of experience. Taught DHH for 10 years; in education for 40 years.
* She is logical and practical. 
* She is a good listener.
Mary Cashman-Bakken
Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Specialist | Minnesota Department of Education
People like and admire these things me:
? I am Deaf and know what I am talking about.
? Knowledgeable about DHH and Deaf Culture.
? Lots of experience. Taught DHH for 10 years and been in education for 40 years.
? Logical and practical
? Good listener
Supports that Mary needs to be Healthy, Safe and Fulfilled: 
I need balance and the non-work side of me—books, sports and golf.
? I love books by James Patterson, John Sanford, Lee Childs, Nicholas Sparks, Carla Neggers, Sandra Brown, Kat Martin, David Baldacci, and Elizabeth Lowell… I am an avid reader!
? I support the Gophers, Twins, Vikings, Wild and my husband’s football teams!
? I am thrilled and smile when I get pars and birdies in golf!
Conejo Team One-Page Description
One-Page Descriptions Must Include
What must be included:
* What people like and admire
* What is most important to
* How to best support the person
What people like and admire
* A proud list of people’s positive qualities, strengths, gifts and talents 
* What are the cool things about you or your student?
* Be clear and avoid words like usually or sometimes 
* Do not use jargon words—socializes with peers well
* What would you say about other people around this age?
* Find out from the person the things they are proud of and ask their team members. 
This is a positive list. What makes the person unique?
What is most important to me
* This section should have enough information that someone that does not know you well would know what is important to you. If you took the names out, would people know it was you?
* Include things about your life
* Include enough detail, so people know who you are and what you value most
* How to best support me
* Include what is helpful and what is not 
* Be specific – What does support or help mean? 
• Think about environment 
• Learning vs. social environments
• Classroom vs. non-classroom settings
• Think about routine and comfort
* How do we help the person be their best
One-Page Descriptions May Also Include
What might be included:
* Hopes and dreams for the future
* How I communicate with you
* Characteristics of people who best support me
* My story/history
* Things I don’t like
* What is important to my family
• For some students, this may be a required element
* Other 
Who may have the best information for the description?
If you are looking for people who may be able to contribute, ask them:
* What do you like about the person?
* What do you admire about the person?
* When was the last time that you had fun with the person?
Recommendation: If they can answer these three questions, and add even more details, then prioritize them for the person to consider reviewing their info to add/update their One-Page Description over time.
One-Page Description templates
* Google Drawing template (http://bit.ly/opdtemplate - all lowercase)
• If you want to use and adapt this template, go to:
• File 
• Make a copy
• Rename and save to your Google Drive
* PowerPoint version (provided with examples)
* Word document version (provided by trainer) – Two pages with headings
* Charting the LifeCourse Profile Page (https://disabilityhubmn.org/media/u5nnccvn/hub_lifecourse_myprofilepage_fillable.pdf)
One-Page Description for 
[INSERT NAME AND ROLE/PURPOSE]
(Age, Grade or Team)
How to best support/comfort me:
Questions
Resources
* Minnesota Gathering YouTube video: OPDs for Children 2021 (https://youtu.be/7gPbUQf5K5Y)
* The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices (https://tlcpcp.com)
* Support Development Associates: Go-To Guide for Person-Centered Thinking (PCT) Skills webpage (https://sdaus.com/tool-kit-templates-examples)
* Helen Sanderson Associates: One-Page Profile Templates webpage (http://helensandersonassociates.co.uk/person-centred-practice/one-page-profiles/one-page-profile-templates)
* It’s My Choice (https://mn.gov/mnddc/extra/publications/Its-My-Choice.pdf)
* Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Person-Centered Thinking webpage (https://education.mn.gov/MDE/fam/sped/MDE032791)
* Positive Supports Minnesota (https://mnpsp.org) 
* Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) Person-Centered Practices webpage (https://mn.gov/dhs/partners-and-providers/program-overviews/long-term-services-and-supports/person-centered-practices)
Person-Centered Practice Examples in Minnesota Schools: Contract Opportunity
Purpose: Provide additional opportunities for schools and districts to share current information and video stories about person-centered practices in Minnesota schools and programs.
* MDE is offering contracts to schools and districts to develop approved, student or family-centered stories.
* Provide examples of person-centered practices that have demonstrated evidence, implementation supports and usability across a range of school, home and community environments.
Stories may include, but are not limited to:
* Description of the person-centered practice used with the student or family
* How the person-centered practice was implemented
* Available professional development opportunities for the practice
* How it may have improved graduation rates, employment opportunities, increased integration or other specific outcomes of your focus 
* A student success story about how it impacted the student
Person-Centered Practice Examples in Minnesota Schools contract proposal page (http://s.alchemer.com/s3/Person-CenteredExamplesMN)
Interested in Receiving Email Updates?
Email the Minnesota Department of Education's leadership team (mde.person-centered@state.mn.us) to be added to the list of upcoming person-centered practice professional development opportunities.
Share Your One-Page Description
Email Mary Cashman-Bakken (mde.person-centered@state.mn.us) to share your first draft of your One-Page Description.
Thank you!
Minnesota Department of Human Services
Disability Services Division
PositiveSupports@state.mn.us
Minnesota Department of Education 
Person-Centered Practices in Education Leadership Team
MDE.Person-Centered@state.mn.us
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