Competent Learner Model in Action Every Day at Tucci Learning Solutions

By Rae-Ann Arevalo, Director of Staff Development

A routine part of my job is talking to my colleagues at Tucci Learning Solutions (TUCCi), checking in and discussing how the implementation of the Competent Learner Model is going for

their cases. What is working, what challenges the teams may be facing and assessing their growing understanding of the Competent Learner Model as well as how they are implementing it in this ever changing world.  As I’m listening, I am thinking about future staff development opportunities for Team TUCCi.

While much of what I described occurs in regular interactions, the past two weeks I had the opportunity to meet with some of my colleagues for 15 minute interviews and asked them questions about how they use the Competent Learner Model and what makes the Competent Learner Model so great.

The four most common responses that emerged from the discussions are:

Kimi Villalobos, Program Coordinator for Early Start and Rachel Tololi, Program Coordinator for Behavior Intervention Services, engaged in an activity during a training about the core values that the Competent Learner Model is designed upon.

1. The use of positive reinforcement with our learners, TUCCi team members,  parents/families/caregivers is vital to establish, strengthen and maintain the new behaviors. 
2. Play Learn Achieve!  It’s more than a motto. It is part of our culture at TUCCi (and other Competent Learner Model implementations). It makes instruction fun for our learners. These three words are not only very impactful in the day to day delivery of the Competent Learner Model but also the bigger picture of what a Competent Learner Model implementation should be. 
3. Focus on the learning of replacement behaviors in a meaningful and natural context. It is the goal of the Competent Learner Model to teach learners to be successful not only during their ABA session, but also with their families, friends and teachers outside of session. 
4. The Competent Learner Model really does develop competent learners thanks to the toolbox of resources that has been designed in the Competent Learner Model system. There is something for everyone!

It was exciting to hear some of the common responses from Team TUCCi as some of them have engaged with the Competent Learner Model for less than a year and some have used it for over 24 years. These common ‘threads’ are what continue to keep the Competent Learner Model a highly valuable method creating behavioral change. 

Stay tuned as there will be more sharing of the responses from my colleagues online soon! 

Rae-Ann Arevalo,
Director of Staff Development