modules.nceln.fpg.unc.edumodules.nceln.fpg.unc.edu/sites/modules.nceln.fpg.unc.edu/files... · Web viewFoundations At a Glance is a summary of Foundations – meant to be used as

Module 3: Promoting Positive Relationships

Effective Teacher Practices Supporting North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development

Module 3: Promoting Positive Relationships 90 Minute Face to Face Session

Contact hours: 2 contact hours (90 minute session plus 30 minute pre-learning activity review)

[Trainer note – don’t forget to discuss pre-learning assignment (instructional practices self-assessment, reading, and reflection upon article -- The Power of Positive Adult Child Relationships: Connection is the Key). Trainers may choose to have the group decide how they could present the content of the pre learning article. Chart different suggestions.]

Slide 1: Promoting Positive RelationshipsWelcome to today’s session on promoting positive relationships.

Slide 2: Relationship ActivityTake just a few seconds and recall a relationship in your life that has been positive. What makes a relationship positive? Think for a moment about a relationship that was positive for you. What were the characteristics of the relationship that made it positive?

[Allow participants to respond -- chart answers from participants on chart paper with heading, ‘positive.’] Now think about a relationship that was not positive for you. What were the characteristics of the relationships that kept it from being positive? [Allow participants to respond -- chart answers from participants on chart paper with heading, ‘Not positive.’] What is the difference in the two lists?

[Allow for a few comments.]

Let’s take the opportunity to look at how important positive relationships (adult to child, child to child, and adult to adult) are to the development of our youngest learners . Let’s discover how we can achieve nurturing and responsive relationships for all parties in our preschool classrooms.

[Trainer note: Alternative Activity Suggestion - Mingle: The facilitator asks participants to share around the prompt, “A childhood memory that makes me happy is……” Ask participants to find a partner and share, then move to another partner and share. After a few minutes, ask participants to return to their seat. Debrief by asking individuals to share their childhood memories. Discuss how the memory involves a relationship and the characteristics of those relationships.] Slide 3: Review of Pre learning Assignment

1Effective Teacher Practices Supporting

North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and DevelopmentNC Early Learning Network, a joint project of NC-DPI and UNC-FPG, 2016


[Trainer note –discuss pre-learning assignment (instructional practices self-assessment, reading, and

reflection upon article -- The Power of Positive Adult Child Relationships: Connection is the Key).]You were asked to review instructional practices from self-assessment. What strategies did you identify that you use in your classroom to demonstrate the instructional practices?

You read The Power of Positive Adult Child Relationships: Connection is the Key. This article explores a creative ratio termed ‘C:D:C Ratio.’ This is the amount of time a teacher spends ‘Correcting and Directing’ compared to ‘Connecting’ with young children in their daily care. You were asked to complete a 30 minute C:D:C in your classroom. What did you learn from this exercise? At your tables, discuss the following questions: Based on the results of your C:D:C, would you like to increase or decrease correcting? Directing?

Connecting? Brainstorm ways to modify your teaching style to foster development of the traits discussed in the

article in the children for which you care. Discuss how you can change your daily schedule to enjoy more time connecting with individual

children. Discuss how you will share the article with parents and co-workers.

[Trainer note: Allow 10 minutes for discussion at tables. Debrief discussion as a large group.]

Slide 4: Neurons to Neighborhoods (Picture of the book)

[Trainer note – you may wish to call upon a participant to read the following passage.]

‘The most important dimension of the environment that influences how children develop competencies is the quality of the relationships that they have with important people in their lives.’ This is a quote from Dr. Jack Shonkoff who wrote From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development in 2000 and who continues to study how children’s brains are ‘wired.’ He says, ‘If those interactions are nurturing and individualized and positive, and they provide a safe and stimulating environment in which to learn, then that results in a healthy brain architecture as the brain is developing. If the environment is unstable, neglectful, abusive, not individualized, that also affects the architecture.’ Shonkoff says, ‘That's what it's all about. That's where the action is. It's not in what's on the television, it's not in whether we have more expensive or less expensive toys, it's about the nature of those relationships that provide the context in which children learn about the world and learn about themselves.’ (Shonkoff, 2000)

Trainers ask participants to reflect on these questions: Do you believe this to be true? Think for a moment about the children in your classroom. You are one of the most important persons in their lives. What is the quality of your relationships with them? Are your interactions with children nurturing? Individualized? Positive? Culturally responsive? Do you provide a safe and stimulating environment in which to learn?

Slides 5 and 6: Objectives




1. To understand how to effectively implement instructional practices related to building and maintaining positive relationships that promote children’s learning

2. To understand the importance of involving families in practices related to building and maintaining positive relationships that promote children’s learning

3. To understand the importance of conducting formative assessment with children as they maintain and build positive relationships which promote learning

4. To understand the relationships between targeted instructional practices, NC Foundations for Early Learning and Development and the NC Professional Teaching Standards.

With this session we hope to help you maximize your relationships with your children, their families, and also with the staff in your classroom and school to create a safe, nurturing, positive environment for everyone. We’ll focus on instructional practices that build and maintain the relationships that are so critical to the development of children’s brains. We want you to intentionally build your own relationship skills – while also helping children learn to get along with others. This session will also help you assess your own development and children’s development in this area.

[Trainer note: To help participants process the information throughout the session, remember to ask clarifying questions, such as Can you give an example of ….., Can you tell more about that……,How does that relate to……, What could you do instead……and What have you experienced?]

FirstSchool, a systems-change initiative at the Frank Porter Graham Center for pre-K to third grade children, sees nurturing and responsive relationships as part of ‘developing a culture of caring’ in your classroom. But relationship building isn’t the most obvious or tangible practice. That’s why it’s especially important to understand why we intentionally devote time and energy to relationships. It’s important to be fully aware of – and be able to articulate -- the early learning and development standards you promote with these practices, as well as the NC Professional Teaching Standard you are demonstrating. In this session we’ll help you make the connections between what YOU DO in the classroom, how that helps children develop and learn, how to assess development and learning, and how to talk about it with families – and with the administrators who assess your performance as a teacher.(Ritchie & Gutmann, 2013)

Slide 7: Romanian orphan brains

Let’s start by looking at the worst case scenario! What happens when children DON’T experience nurturing and responsive positive relationships? A neurological study of Romanian orphans who were left in their cots all day -- experiencing no affection and little interaction – showed that those children actually failed to develop whole areas of their brains. Researchers said that the missing parts of the brain were those especially needed for social skills and that with this much damage, children’s brains were unlikely to recover. Children who don’t form attachments early in life will have difficulty exploring environments, relating to others, and learning to be independent. (Perry, 1997)

There is some evidence that certain areas of the brains of children living in poverty are smaller than those in children not living in poverty. Dr. Joan Luby and her colleagues at Washington University School of Medicine analyzed brain scans of 145 children between the ages of 6 and 12. In addition to the influence of poverty on a student's behavior and school performance, the researchers found that poverty also affects the physical makeup of a child's brain; the children exposed to poverty at an early age had smaller volumes of 4 different types of brain tissue (Luby et al., 2013). As with all research findings, this study points to some instances that poverty negatively impacted some children’s brains. In




no way, however, does it imply that all children in poverty will have the same outcome. This work reminds us to be aware of potential impacts of growing up in environments with fewer enriching and stimulating elements, but it does not mean that “poverty always equals smaller brains”.

Slide 8: Picture of happy child

Now let’s look at a child who DOES experience nurturing and responsive relationships. As you might guess, he or she grows to be more independent, better able to relate to others, more caring, and less likely to have mental health issues. But wait, there’s more! Children who experience warm, responsive, individualized, sensitive interactions with adults are more likely to acquire the reading and math skills they need to succeed in school. (Pianta, 2008)

Slide 9: Picture of a child in preschool graduation garb and a high schooler in graduation garb

Why is that? Shonkoff would say it’s because most of what children learn they learn in the context of meaningful interactions with other people. Neuroscience tells us that experience and environment have a direct impact on the wiring and architecture of a child’s developing brain. If the interactions are positive, individualized, safe, and stimulating, the child develops a healthy brain.

Slide 10: Picture of a teacher

But how do you, as a teacher (or other member of the teaching staff), provide a warm, nurturing, positive, individualized, safe, stimulating, sensitive, responsive, stable environment for all your children, all the time, in every activity and interaction, every day of the week? Especially when you are under pressure to deliver content, conduct assessment, manage behavior, respond to parents, conduct more assessment, and go to meetings. That’s what we’re here to talk about today: How to nurture and respond to children – so that they develop healthy brains and grow to be caring and responsible adults – all as part of the ongoing daily routine of your classroom. Teachers can work with parents to help children develop appropriate social emotional skills so the teacher does not have to do this alone.

Slide 11: Doyle video engaging children in block center

Can it be done? Let’s view a teacher interacting with the children in her classroom. This classroom had 14 children, a B-K certified teacher, and one full-time teacher assistant, and one-part time teacher assistant. Both of the teacher assistants were new to the classroom that school year. There were 11 children with IEPs: 10 identified as having a Developmental Delay, and one identified on the autism spectrum. In addition, four children were supported by NC Pre-K, and one child’s family paid tuition. The class included three-year-olds who do not attend every day – therefore you will not see all 14 children in the video clip.

When the video begins you will observe a play situation in the block center where the teacher is interacting with children. The children are building their homes in a neighborhood using a map on the carpet. The teacher also represents her home in the neighborhood. Closely examine the interactions between the teacher and the children.




Take out the Instructional Practices to Promote Positive Relationships: Observer Checklist from your handouts and take a moment to review the instructional practices listed.

[Trainer note – you may wish to have participants take turns reading the instructional practices aloud.]

Keep your instructional practices checklist available while we watch this video clip. We will look for the instructional practices listed on the checklist.

[Show Module 3 Relationships video 1.]

Let’s talk about what you observed. What did you see this teacher demonstrate in her relationship with the children?

[Allow participants to respond. Prompt as necessary to comment on the warm and supportive interaction, strong positive affect between the teacher and children, and atmosphere of mutual and consistent respect. Talk about repeated interactions and emotional elements: physical proximity, shared activities, matched affect, social conversations, eye contact, warm, and calm voice, respectful language and/or physical or verbal affection. Paraphrase her interactions with the children and explain why these interactions would be considered respectful, responsive, and reciprocal: teacher and children on the same physical level, teacher joins the play in which children are interested, teacher expands of the ideas of the children using the theme of the neighborhood and the children’s families, warm, calm voice of the teacher, respectful language used by the teacher, etc.]

What practices did you see that were listed on the observer checklist? Put a check beside those you observed. Note specific examples of the practice. [Allow participants to respond. Prompt as needed to include:

IP-1 The teacher will call children by name and will engage in brief and extended conversations throughout the day (i.e. routines, teacher-led activities, student-led activities, etc.); modeling conversational strategies that support relationship building and overall communication development. (Doyle used the children’s names when speaking with them. “Do they (cookies) smell good, Jonathan?”)

IP-2 The teacher will identify, use, and model strategies for joining children’s play that will support their development of social interactions and will assist them in expanding their ideas during play sequences. (Doyle invited Jacob – who had been playing alongside but not actively engaging with the group until he announced that he had a “microphone”. The teacher thought he meant “telephone”, and suggested that word to him by inviting him to use his telephone to “call all the friends and tell them that we’re gonna have lemonade and cookies at 2:00 at Ms. Christine’s house”.)

IP-3 The teacher will use and model a positive, calm, and supportive tone in conversations with children. (Doyle spoke calmly and slowly and pleasantly with the children.)

IP-4 The teacher will respond to children’s comments and ideas by asking open-ended questions and by making comments that expand their learning and encourage critical thinking skills.] (Doyle expanded Jacob’s understanding of the word “telephone” by suggesting that he use it to call the friends for the cookie and lemonade party.)]




The quality of interaction determines the quality of the relationship. Interactions that support a positive relationship are: respectful –treating the child as a person; responsive –which means paying attention to the child; and reciprocal – the interaction goes back and forth.

Slide 12: Pyramid of Effective Teaching Practices Supporting Emotional Social Development

Do you think the teacher’s actions were intentional in order to help children build relationship skills? Yes. Doyle Woodall’s classroom was the first in the nation to be selected as a demonstration site for the Center on the Social-Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL). She uses instructional strategies that will help children learn the skills they need to get along with others. Building and maintaining nurturing responsive relationships are some of the most critical pieces of emotional-social development for children. Relationships form the foundation of the CSEFEL pyramid and are necessary for everything else we do. To create a culture of caring in the classroom, we model respectful, responsive, and reciprocal relationships with our children, with families/caregivers, and with other staff members. When those relationships become complacent, unengaging, or ineffective, the teacher must challenge his or her own instructional practices. When something is not working for children and families, teachers have to look to themselves to change… NOT to the children and families they serve to change.

Calling the child by name, playing with him, talking with him about his interests, responding to his overtures, making sure the environment and rules contribute to his success, communicating in a way he can understand - these strategies build and maintain a caring relationship. When it comes to caring in education, Nell Noddings is the expert. She talks about the value of ‘reciprocity’ in a genuine caring relationship. Reciprocity means a connection between two individuals, to which both persons contribute, and both benefit. ‘The carer is open to what the cared-for is saying and might be experiencing and is able to reflect upon it.’ It’s a back and forth thing. Engaging in a back and forth relationship recognizes the child as an individual with individual characteristics, strengths, and needs. Nodding says that caring relationships are the foundation for successful learning. Listening to children builds their trust, acceptance and ability to cooperate. Knowing children as individuals helps us serve them better – we can tailor activities to their interests and motives and when our teaching matches children’s interests – they’re more likely to get engaged. (Noddings, 2014)

That’s what makes it a win-win! It’s obvious in just this short clip that Doyle has developed genuine caring relationships with the children she serves.

Dombro, Jablon, Johnson, and Ensler (2015) offer a number of other strategies for connecting with children in their book and blog titled Powerful Interactions. Please see http://www.powerfulinteractions.com/ for more information on these strategies. Slide 13: Instructional practices checklist

In your handouts you have Instructional Practices to Promote Positive Relationships: Teacher/Staff Self Checklist that you used as a self-assessment prior to this session. You also have the Instructional Practices to Promote Positive Relationships: Observer Checklist that you just used to guide your observation of Doyle’s classroom. The checklists are the same in that they list the same practices. They’re different in that one is formatted as a self-assessment for teaching staff and the other is designed to be used by an observer during a classroom observation.




The checklists are adapted from the teacher checklists developed by Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) and the University of Iowa. The practices are assessment items on the Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool (TPOT) – with which you may be familiar. CSEFEL conducted extensive research and found that these practices have proven to be effective for helping children learn emotional and social skills. In other words, they are evidence-based practices. Research supports their effectiveness.

[Trainer note – if your district is part of the NC Preschool Pyramid Model project, you are aware that your Preschool Exceptional Children’s program receives funding from the Department of Public Instruction to support training for Preschool Pyramid Model coaching and the use of the TPOT to assess teachers’ fidelity to the framework of Preschool Pyramid Model instructional practices. If not, your district is under no obligation to provide Preschool Pyramid Model coaching or use the TPOT. You may wish to learn more about CSEFEL by visiting this website -- http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/]

Slide 14: NC Professional Teaching Standards

Now refer to the NC Professional Teaching Standards. Put yourself in the shoes of the principal who is observing Doyle’s classroom for evaluation purposes. Which teaching standard(s) did she demonstrate during the interactions you observed?

Take a few minutes to discuss the NC Professional Teaching Standards at your tables. Select a spokesperson to report to the large group which standards you saw and what you saw that supported those standards.

[Encourage small groups to talk among themselves. Give adequate wait time.]

What teaching standard did you observe? How was the teaching standard demonstrated?

[Allow groups to report out. Prompt as necessary to include the following standards:

Standard 2: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students. Element 2a . Teachers provide an environment in which each child has a positive, nurturing

relationship with caring adults.* Establishes an inviting and supportive learning environment by responding to the questions of

the children, incorporating their suggestions in play, and calling each child by name. Interactions between adults in the classroom are pleasant. We also notice the children using the names of the teacher’s children (i.e., Tommy, Ben) indicating that the teacher shares elements of her home life in the classroom.

Standard 4: Teachers facilitate learning for their students. Element 4a . Teachers know the ways in which learning takes place, and they know the

appropriate level of intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of their students.* Understands developmental levels of students and appropriately differentiates instruction.

For example, she extends the children’s social play scheme with the block houses by introducing the idea of a cookie party. She also recognizes Jacob watching from the sidelines




of the conversation and invites him to participate by calling friends to invite them to the party.

Element 4g . Teachers communicate effectively.* The teacher communicates in ways that are clearly understood by students by providing visual

cues and verbal descriptions (i.e., points as she states, “My house is right there with the yellow roof.”) when needed.

* She helps the child articulate thoughts clearly by modeling specific words for Jacob to use when inviting friends to the party.]

We have talked about the intentional instructional practices Doyle used for relationship-building in the video clip. We have seen how she embedded those practices into the regular routine of the day. Now let’s focus our attention on the children’s behavior.

Slide 15: Picture of Foundations

Take out your Foundations document and also your Foundations At a Glance from your supporting materials. Looking first at the Foundations document -- you can see on pages 8-12 that the standards are organized around five different developmental domains. What are the five domains? Now compare your Foundations document with the Foundations At a Glance. Foundations At a Glance is a summary of Foundations – meant to be used as a kind of ‘cheat sheet’ – especially for lesson planning.

In the video clip you observed children using skills related to all five developmental domains for which standards are provided in Foundations.

Would you like to view the video clip again? This time let’s see if we can identify the domains, subdomains, and goals from Foundations that the children demonstrate. We’ll divide into groups – one per developmental domain. This group-- focus on Approaches to Play and Learning, this group focus on Emotional-Social, this group focus on Language and Communication, this group Health and Physical, and this group focus on Cognitive Development.

Turn to the section of Foundations that provides goals and developmental indicators for the domain to which you were assigned. As you watch the video clip again, note the goals the children demonstrate. If you are not sure about the goal, read the additional descriptive information provided with the developmental indicators for each goal. Make a note of the page that describes what you saw. After watching the video clip, talk at your tables for a few minutes about what you saw. Be prepared to report to the large group which goals you observed and the evidence that supports your choice of that goal.

[Make sure each group is looking at the appropriate section of Foundations.]

Slide 16: Relationship Video

[Show Module 3 Relationships video 1 again. Give participants time to talk.]

What goals were children working toward in the activity we watched? What evidence of the goal did you observe? On what pages did you find the goal? Did you find additional goals and evidences that we missed?




[Prompt as necessary to include: Approaches to Play and Learning (APL)Children engage in increasing complex play. (APL-3) (p. 34 Foundations- children were pretending they lived in the make believe town and were planning a pretend cookie party)

Children are willing to try new and challenging experiences. (APL-5) (p. 38 – Jacob accepted the challenge of using his telephone to pretend-call the friends) Emotional and Social Development (ESD)Children demonstrate a positive sense of self-identity and self-awareness. (ESD-1) (p. 52 – children used pronouns to refer to themselves and their “houses”)

Children form relationships and interact positively with familiar adults who are consistent and responsive to their needs. (ESD-3) (p. 56 – children were at ease and comfortable with the teachers)

Children form relationships and interact positively with the other children. (ESD-4) (p. 57 – children were playing together positively)

Children demonstrate the social and behavioral skills needed to successfully participate in groups. (ESD-5) (p. 58 – children adjusted their behavior to be sure to not knock over others’ houses)

Language Development and Communication (LDC)Children participate in conversations with peers and adults in one-on-one small and large-group interactions. (LDC-2)Children speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly. (LDC-4)

Cognitive Development (CD)Children recall information and use it for new situations and problems. (CD-2)]

Slide 17: Children playing with Legos

Children’s patterns of engagement and achievement form during the first three years of school and have a long-term impact on their academic trajectories.Because academic trajectories tend to be stable and difficult to change over the course of their schooling, it is critical that children experience early success in order to develop positive self-concepts and strong senses of self-efficacy (Alexander, Entwisle, & Dauber, 1993). feel valued?Psychologist Albert Bandura (1994) has defined self-efficacy as one's belief in one's ability to succeed in specific situations. FirstSchool and other researchers remind us that children with a strong sense of self-efficacy recover quickly from setbacks and disappointments, willingly tackle challenging problems, develop deeper interest in the undertakings in which they participate, and form a stronger sense of commitment to their interests.

On the other hand, research says, children with a weak sense of self-efficacy quickly lose confidence, avoid challenges, believe they cannot be successful when things are difficult or challenging, and focus on their failures. (Hamre & Pianta, 2001).




In order for children to be engaged in school at this age, families must also be engaged and feel that they are valued within the school setting. By building a positive partnership with families, early care and education professionals are building a foundation for strong senses of self-efficacy for the entire family. What are two things you currently do to ensure

[Trainer note: Ask participants the following questions: “What are two things you currently do to ensure that children and families feel they are valued?” “ What are two things you could change or add to your current practice to ensure that children and families feel valued?” Chart responses.]

Slide 18: iPoints

What are iPoints? They are ‘Instructional Practices Observed IN Teaching Standards.’ There are two sets of iPoints in your handouts. The iPoints for Teachers: Instructional Practices to Promote

Positive Relationships are meant to help teachers see the connections between their practices, the early learning and development standards they promote when they use the practices, and the NC Professional Teaching Standards they demonstrate when using the practices. iPoints for Administrators: Instructional Practices to Promote Positive Relationships contain the same information, but are meant to help administrators understand how practices promote early learning and development standards and how those practices demonstrate NC Professional Teaching Standards.

Look at your iPoints documents and find the instructional practices we’ve discussed thus far in this session. Find where iPoints shows the relationships among those practices with Foundations’ early learning and development standards and the NC Professional Teaching Standards. Take a few moments to review this document. Then we’ll talk about how you might use this information.

[Give participants a few minutes to review.]

[Trainer note: Ask participants to discuss with a partner, “How might you use iPoints?” Ask several folks to share some of their ideas with the whole group.]

[Prompt as needed to talk about how the information would be useful for explaining to administrators and to families what you do in the classroom and why you do it. For example, one of the most important ways to use this information is for explaining to administrators and families what you do in your classroom and why you do it. Working together with families by sharing information back-and-forth to support their child’s educational progress is another key way to use this information.]

Slide 19: Crosswalk between NC Early Learning Standards and NC Standard Course of Study/Essential Standards for Kindergarten

Here is a crosswalk showing the relationship between emotional-social early learning and development standards and the NC Standard Course of Study for KindergartenThis slide shows how ‘Foundations Goal ESD-4: Children form relationships and interact positively with other children.’

Leads to ‘NCES Guidance - Readiness/Exploratory/Discovery (RED) – Social –Emotional (SE) RED.SE.2.1:

Identify ways of making and keeping friends.’




At your table, you have a copy of the Foundations for Early Learning and Development - NC Standard Course of Study Crosswalk. Crosswalks were developed to document how the early learning and development standards align with the NC Standard Course of Study. The ‘Standard Course of Study’ consists of NC Essential Standards and the Common Core standards. The crosswalk is meant to show: ‘when children work toward this early learning and development standard, they are developing precursor skills that will lead to this kindergarten standard.

The crosswalks are a great resource to use in the two-way sharing of information between early childhood educators and families during individual and group meetings and conferences, home visits, and parent engagement in curriculum development opportunities.

Slide 20: Role Play

We sometimes hear about our preschool classrooms being observed by visitors – principals or other administrators, other teachers, families, community members, and even assigned mentors -- who are unfamiliar with preschool practices. We sometimes worry that unfamiliar visitors expect to see preschool children involved in school-age activities, such as sitting quietly at desks learning to write their names. Suppose you entered an elevator with an influential person in your community who would make a good advocate for early childhood. What would you say to him or her to express the importance of preschool? Consider this your ‘two-minute elevator speech.’ (An elevator speech is when you have a quick opportunity for one-on-one interaction, with someone you don’t usually get to be with, as you ‘ride up the elevator.’) What would you say to that person?

Let’s do a role play in groups of four. Two people will engage in the role play and two people will observe and coach. One role player is the principal of the school that houses a preschool classroom. The other role player is the teacher of the only preschool classroom in the school. The principal is new to the school and, in fact, just got the principal position after being an assistant principal in a high school for eight years. She has visited the teacher’s classroom and observed her playing with children as Doyle was in the video clip. You will role play the conversation the teacher and principal have after the observation. The principal is concerned about why children weren’t at desks completing math and reading worksheets.

Please form groups of four. Decide who will be role-players and which roles they will play. Decide who will be observer/coaches. Start with the person playing the principal - voicing his or her concerns. Then, the person playing the teacher answers the principal’s questions by explaining her instructional practices for the block activity – how that helps children develop and learn, which early learning and development standards you are promoting, and what kindergarten standards she is preparing children for. Also talk about the teaching standards you demonstrated. Observer/coaches – look at your iPoints and crosswalk documents and help the teacher make her case!

[Give groups time to participate in this activity.]

Observer/coaches – how did the role-players do? What did teachers say to educate the new principal about preschool? What specific information did you use from iPoints? From the crosswalks?

[Allow a few participants to describe what they heard or to repeat parts of what they said in their role-play.]




[Trainer note – as an additional activity, have participants switch roles and have a similar discussion between a teacher and a family member who believes her child should be learning to read and write at school, not play with blocks.]

Slide 21: Group of children interacting

Did anyone talk about the importance of play for preschool? We know from the American Academy of Pediatrics that play is essential to child development. It not only contributes to cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being, play is an easy way for teachers to engage fully with their children (Ginsburg, 2007).

Slide 22: Picture Red Box Activity

Now let’s watch another video clip of Doyle in the same classroom we observed in the earlier video. This is a glimpse into her morning routine. It includes circle time as a large-group activity for all the children. At the beginning of the clip you will see Doyle and TJ (the circle time helper) seated in front of the other children on a carpet area. Doyle is reading a social story about the importance of taking turns during the school day.

After completing the story, children participate in the ‘Red Box Activity.’ It’s a planned classroom activity designed to help children verbally give and receive compliments.

Take out your instructional practices observer checklist. As you watch the video, note which practices you observe. Be prepared to talk about the practices you observed.

[Show Module 3 Relationships video 2.]

Which instructional practices did you see? What was the evidence?

[Prompt as necessary to include:IP-1 The teacher will call children by name and will engage in brief and extended conversations throughout the day (i.e., routines, teacher-led activities, student-led activities, etc.) modeling conversational strategies that support relationship building and overall communication development. (Doyle used the children’s names when speaking) IP-3 The teacher will use and model a positive, calm, and supportive tone in conversations with children. (Doyle spoke slowly, and pleasantly, and kindly to all children) IP-4 The teacher will respond to children’s comments and ideas by asking open-ended questions and by making comments that expand their learning and encourage critical thinking skills. (Doyle expanded the children’s thinking of “happy” when she pointed out the smiles on their faces and encouraged the children to notice this as a visual clue as to how the compliment receivers felt)

IP-5 The teacher will use and model alternative strategies when communicating with children who are non-verbal, language delayed, or dual language learners (DLL) and will assist other children in implementing these strategies for successful peer relationships. (Doyle rephrased what TJ said to be




sure that the other children understood him. She also used a picture card to remind Jacob that his body should be in a sitting position.)]

Keep in mind that these practices that Doyle used were used on purpose to help children form positive relationships with each other and with her.

Slide 23: NC Professional Teaching Standards

Now look at your NC Professional Teaching Standards handout or the teaching standards listed on iPoints. Which teaching standards did Doyle demonstrate during this activity?

[Prompt as necessary to include:

Standard 2 : Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students. Element 2d . Teachers adapt their teaching for the benefit of students with special needs.

* Provides unique learning opportunities using research-based effective practices for students with special needs by using a variety of SEFEL strategies. For example, she is reading the social story I Can Take Turns to introduce children to the skills needed to take turns in daily routines. She has developed the ‘Red Box’ activity in order to teach children how to give and receive compliments.

* Effectively engages special needs students in learning activities and ensures their unique learning needs are met. She supports TJ by providing a verbal model of the child’s name when he pulls it from the box. We also notice that during the activity she repeats TJ’s compliments so the other children can understand what he said.

Standard 4: Teachers facilitate learning for their students. Element 4c . Teachers use a variety of instructional methods. (Ensures success of all

children through the selection and utilization of appropriate methods and materials. For example, she uses a picture cue paired with verbal reinforcement to encourage Jacob to sit upright during group. She has these visual supports readily available for use when needed.)

Element 4g . Teachers communicate effectively. (Helps children articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively by asking them questions related to the activity (i.e. “How does that make you feel?”) and then helping the children read the body language cues of others by guiding their attention to the child’s facial expression.)]

Slide 24: iPoints

Find your iPoints document and notice the relationships among standards and practices listed there.

Slide 25: Foundations




Now let’s look at Foundations. What early learning and development standards are the children working toward when participating in the activities you observed?

Slide 26: Red Box Activity

[Trainer note – ask participants if they wish to view the video again in order to identify Foundations’ early learning and development standards. If so, show the clip again. If not – continue with the discussion of Foundations and prompt as needed to identify the goals below. If participants are not sure about the goal – or if they tend to say that all the goals were addressed – instruct them to read the developmental indicators, which provide more detailed information and description of the goal.

Emotional and Social Development Children demonstrate a positive sense of self-identity and self-awareness(ESD-1), (TJ said that

giving compliments made him happy) Children form relationships and interact positively with familiar adults who are consistent and

responsive to their needs(ESD-3), (TJ was ready to have his turn with Doyle as the compliment giver and responded well to her guidance)

Children form relationships and interact positively with the other children (ESD-4), (TJ knew his classmates and gave them compliments)

Children demonstrate the social and behavioral skills needed to successfully participate in groups. (ESD-5) (TJ knew the rules for the red box activity and reminded Doyle to shake the box first and the other children where to stand to receive their compliments)

Language Development and Communication Children understand communications from others (LDC-1), (Emily and Jacob responded to the

compliments given to them by TJ) Children participate in conversations with peers and adults in one-on-one, small, and larger

group interactions (LDC-2), (that was what this activity was doing) and Children speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly. (LDC-4) (TJ is working

on this with Doyle’s guidance) Cognitive Development

Children recall information and use it for new situations and problems (CD-2), (TJ recalled the directions for this activity and reminded Doyle to shake the box and the children to stand in the blue rectangle).

Approaches to Play and Learning (APL)Children engage in increasing complex play. (APL-3)Children are willing to try new and challenging experiences. (APL-5)Children use a variety of strategies to solve problems. (APL-6)]

Slide 27: Formative Assessment




This video shows a great opportunity for the teacher to use her knowledge of formative assessment to support children in their ability to give and receive compliments as it relates to building positive relationships.

You may recall from the Formative Assessment module that formative assessment is a daily, ongoing part of the instructional process. Formative assessment poses the questions, ‘where am I going, where am I now, and how do I close the gap?’ When incorporated into classroom practice, it provides the information needed to adjust teaching and learning while they are happening. Formative assessment can help us change instruction so that we engage all children and, ultimately, help them achieve. The scenario we observed showed how a teacher can use formative assessment to determine how she will adjust her teaching – both for the whole group and for an individual child.

[Trainer note: You may wish to post a list of the steps for Formative Assessment: 1) determine clear learning targets, 2) define criteria for success, 3) collect, document, and analyze evidence, 4) provide clear descriptive feedback, and 5) change or adjust instruction.] [Trainer note – for more information about NC FALCON, go to this link -- https://center.ncsu.edu/ncfalcon/]

Slide 28: Formative Assessment-Group

With those steps in mind, let’s identify how Doyle might be implementing formative assessment practices in the video clip we watched. First we’ll talk about formative assessment practices to adjust instruction for the whole group. Then we’ll talk about formative assessment practices for an individual child – TJ.

[Trainer note – ask participants if they wish to view the video again in order to identify formative assessment practices. If so, show the clip again. If not – continue with the activity below. You may want to divide participants into groups and assign each group a different question to discuss, or you may want each group to answer all the questions to make sure they understand formative assessment practices.]

At your tables, discuss:

What do you think the learning targets might have been for the red box activity for the group?

How might Doyle have defined the criteria for success for the group for this activity? What skill(s) would she wish to observe that would indicate that the group was successful in offering and/or receiving compliments?

What feedback did Doyle give the group? What other feedback might she have given?

How should Doyle change or adjust instruction for the group? What might be the next steps for this activity?

[Give groups time to discuss, then bring them back together and ask groups or individuals to report their responses. Prompt as needed to talk about:



https://center.ncsu.edu/ncfalcon/


What do you think the learning targets might have been for the red box activity for the group? Attention and focus-children have to pay attention and listen for their name to be called Understanding how to give a compliment How to respond to a compliment Turn taking -children have to wait for the compliment and then respond, other children have to

wait for their turn.

How might Doyle have defined the criteria for success for the group for this activity? What skill(s) would she wish to observe that would indicate that the group was successful in offering and/or receiving compliments? Children were able to give a compliment to another student during the day Children were able to participate when their names were called Children understood the procedure for giving a response to a compliment (turn taking) Children were able to focus on the speaker or person talking and respond to the compliment.

What feedback did Doyle give the group? What other feedback might she have given? She modeled language Cued the children to look at the girl’s face to help them understand how she felt when she

received a compliment She repeated what TJ said so the children could understand what he said

How should Doyle change or adjust instruction for the group? What might be the next steps for this activity? Expand into different types of compliments that are not tangible Look for ways to encourage students to use compliments throughout daily centers and routines Children use compliments independently without encouragement or modeling.]

Slide 29: Formative Assessment-Individual

Now, think about TJ as an individual child with individual learning targets for this activity.

At your tables, discuss:

What might be learning targets for TJ in the red box activity?

How might Doyle have defined success for TJ in this activity? What would she have observed to show whether or not TJ was successful in meeting the learning target(s)? What did you see him do? What is his skill level in offering a peer a compliment?

What feedback did Doyle give TJ? What other feedback might she have given him?

How should Doyle change or adjust instruction for TJ? What should be TJ’s “next steps” -- or how could she scaffold TJ to the next skill level?

[Give groups time to discuss, then bring them back together and ask groups or individuals to report their responses. Prompt as needed to include:




What were the clear learning targets for TJ?LDC – 2: Children participate in conversations with peers and adults in one-on-one, small, and larger group interactions.ESD – 4: Children form relationships and interact positively with other children.

What were the criteria for success for TJ?LDC-2e: Respond to and initiate dialogue with another person.LDC-2g: Engage in short dialogues of a few turns.LDC-2k: With prompting and support, make comments and ask questions related to the topic of discussion.ESD-4k/p: Demonstrate social skills when interacting with other children (turn-taking, conflict resolution, sharing).ESD-4n: Approach other children easily, expecting positive interactions.ESD-4o: Show ease and comfort in their interactions with familiar children.

What could be documentation of TJ’s success? Engages in conversations: TJ is able to engage in brief back-and-forth exchanges with others. Uses social rules of language: TJ uses acceptable language and social rules while communicating

with other children with some reminders (takes turns, regulates volume of voice, looks at the other person, pauses after statements, etc.).

Establishes and sustains positive relationships: TJ can initiate simple conversations with friends during circle time with support from an adult.

What clear descriptive feedback did Doyle offer TJ? Doyle assists TJ by verbally modeling classmates’ names correctly. Doyle assists TJ by emphasizing physical characteristics of the other child when they state they

are ‘happy.’ Doyle assists TJ by offering him step-by-step instructions on completing the activity. Doyle repeats TJ’s verbal interactions with children to assure there is an ongoing communication

loop that supports the social interaction. Doyle asks open-ended questions that encourage the children to think about offering and

receiving compliments and how that makes people feel.

How could TJ’s instruction be adjusted? Engages in conversations: TJ will initiate and attend to brief conversations with others. Uses social rules of language: TJ will use acceptable language and social rules during

communication with others at a variety of times/situations throughout the day (outside time, center time, lunch time, etc.).

Establishes and sustains positive relationships: TJ will initiate, join, and sustain positive interactions with peers throughout the school day.

What are some scaffolding strategies Doyle could use to support adjusted instruction for TJ? Use appropriate conversational and other communication skills:

o The teacher will build on the child’s existing language, rephrase what the child said, and then extend the sentence.

Establish and sustain positive relationships:




o The teacher will plan specific experiences (outside of circle) where the children will be encouraged to talk and use other communications skills.] This would support TJ in establishing and sustaining positive relationships.]

Slide 30: Relationship with families/caregivers

In the previous video activities you were able to observe the instructional practices that support positive relationships with young children. Now let’s think about other relationships that are just as important to a successful classroom.

Look at Instructional Practice #7. [Ask a participant to read the practice aloud.]

‘The teacher has a bi-directional process of communication with families/caregivers using a variety of methods, which supports the families’ choice of communication and includes sharing information about classroom activities and celebrating children’s accomplishments.’

This instructional practice has a great impact on the success of the child – and can be documented through artifacts and teacher report. The impact is considered so crucial by the Head Start community that they have developed a framework for engaging families at all levels with the ultimate purpose being readying children for school and sustaining development and learning through elementary school. The Head Start Parent, Family, Community Engagement Framework (PFCE) can be found at this URL: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/family/resources.html.

Engagement activities are grounded in positive, ongoing, and goal-oriented relationships with families that are built in to all areas of operation. Head Start also encourages concerted efforts by education professionals to respect the diverse language, culture, and life experiences by understanding family culture as the most important influence on a child’s learning and recognize it as a bridge to help children succeed in school.

Please take a few minutes to look at this instructional practice again and underline or highlight important words. Then share with other participants what these words imply when building a positive relationship with families/caregivers. Think ‘out-of-the-box’ and brainstorm creative ways that will promote bi-directional communication and will support the needs of individual families/caregivers. Please consider families/caregivers that may include: single parents, grandparents, families with languages other than English, foster families, families with multiple jobs, families with limited literacy skills, families that do not have electronic devices or families that depend on electronic devices.

[Give groups time to discuss. Then ask participants to share any creative strategies they learned that go beyond the typical modes of communication with families.]

[Trainer note: Suggested ideas to solicit from participants: Did you consider some creative strategies that went beyond the more typical modes of communication? What about texting, having a family night, using Skype or making home visits? Encouraging your facility to host parent support groups or meetings where community members share available resources? During the upcoming weeks initiate a few of these strategies and see if they seem to better meet the needs of your families.]



http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/family/resources.html


Family engagement is an intentional, holistic, integrated, and systemic process where parents are invited to both teach and learn about their children. Other ways to engage parents might be for them to lead as a facilitator for a meeting or ask parents what information they want or need.

Slide 31: Relationships with staff members

Staff member-to-staff member relationships directly impact the children

[Ask a participant to read Instructional Practice #8 aloud.]

Instructional Practice #8. The teacher has open and supportive communication with other staff members and supports their understanding of early childhood development by providing strategies for working with young children and planning classroom activities collaboratively, and recognizing and utilizing staff member’s contribution to the success of the classroom community.

In addition to working with the children and families to form nurturing and responsive positive relationships, the picture is not complete unless we have open and supportive communication with all staff members involved in the classroom. This encompasses the teacher assistants, therapists (physical, occupational, speech, etc.), and specialty teachers (music, art, physical education, etc.). The classroom teacher is the leader of the classroom and, as such, part of his or her job is to educate, model, and mentor other staff members in applying what we know about early childhood education.

In this picture, Doyle Woodall from Johnston County is congratulated for receiving a letter of commendation from Vanderbilt University for being the first national demonstration site for Social-Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (SEFEL). We also see a group of visitors who came all the way from Singapore to observe best practices for preschool in Johnston County!

Slide 32: Picture of “reflective thought”

Throughout this presentation we have focused on building and maintaining nurturing and responsive relationships with children, families/caregivers, and other staff members. The final instructional practice is #9: The teacher uses reflective strategies to question their own instructional practices in order to enhance, improve, and model nurturing, responsive relationships within the classroom community.

Slide 33: Post -Learning ActivityWhen there is a barrier that challenges nurturing and responsive relationships, teachers have to look to themselves for change. Taking an honest look at how you implement recommended practices will allow you to become a reflective practitioner.

[Trainer tip -- the following activities may be used in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) or other follow-up sessions with participants.]

1. Using Formative Assessment Reflection: Select a child in your classroom who is having difficulty forming relationships with other children (such as difficulty entering play, turn taking, sustaining play with peers, etc.). Observe the child interacting over multiple days and sessions and record descriptive notes on your observation of the child. Use these notes to document the skill level of the child in a specific area of relationship building. Record the skill and determine the ‘next steps’




in the learning progression in order for this child to move to the next skill level. Record several strategies and/or activities that could assist the child in acquiring the next skill(s).

2. Family Engagement and Communication: Once you have completed the formative assessment reflection, communicate this information to families and caregivers. Share your observation, explain why this skill is critical for overall development and, in collaboration with the family, develop targeted activities that will help the child develop skills that can be used at school and at home. Agree to share information with the family using a bi-directional form of communication that will support family input and document the child’s development of these skills in his or her naturally occurring settings.

3. Communication with Staff Members: After strategies have been developed with the family, communicate with staff members about the child’s skill you are targeting, why the skill is important, and what behavior could be observed in the classroom to document the development of the skill. Determine ways you and other staff members will collect data that document the child’s development of the targeted skill. Data collection strategies may include observations, video clips, pictures, etc. Agree to share and discuss with all staff members, on a daily or weekly basis, the information and artifacts you’ve collected that demonstrate the child’s progress.

Slide 34: Conclusion

In this session we have focused on building and maintaining positive relationships. Remember, relationships are the foundation of the pyramid of strategies for social-emotional development. The overall success of the classroom is dependent on the relationships that form between children, staff members, and families. How will you take the strategies you learned in this session and put them in action?

In the words of a well-known developmental psychologist, Urie Bronfenbrenner, “In order to develop normally, a child requires progressively more complex joint activity with one or more adults who have an irrational emotional relationship with the child. Somebody’s got to be crazy about that kid. That’s number one. First, last, and always.” (Bronfenbrenner, 1994)

Slide 35: Questions

The following are ideas to use for summary of the module content: Write three things you just learned. Draw a star by the most important. Three applications: Write three ways you can use or apply what you’ve just learned. Circle the one

you plan to do first. Write one sentence explaining what you learned in the last 5 minutes? Write one question that you have about what you’ve heard? Wow/How About: On a sticky note write a “WOW” something you learned that was important to

you. On another sticky note, write “HOW ABOUT”? for other ideas you might have. Have participants post their notes on flip charts labeled “WOW” and “HOW ABOUT” debrief the charts.]

References




Alexander, K. L., Entwisle, D. R., & Dauber, S. L. (1993). First grade classroom behavior: Its short-and long-term consequences for school performance, Child Development, 64(3), 801-814.

Bandura, A. (1994). Self-efficacy. In V. S. Ramachaudran (Ed.), Encyclopedia of human behavior (pp. 71-81). New York, NY: Academic Press.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1994). Who cares for the children? In H. Nuba, M. Searson, D.L. Sheiman (Eds.), Resources for Early Childhood: A Handbook. New York, NY: Garland.

Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/

Dombro, A., Jablon, Johnson, & Ensler. (2015). Powerful Interactions. Retrieved from http://www.powerfulinteractions.com/

Ginsburg, K. R. (2007). The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1), 182-191.

Hamre, B. K., & Pianta, R. C. (2001). Early teacher –child relationships and the trajectory of children's school outcomes through eighth grade. Child Development, 72 (2), 625-638.

Luby, J., Belden, A., Botteron, K., Marrus, N., Harms, M.P., Babb, C., Nishino, T., Barch, D. (2013). The Effects of Poverty on Childhood Brain Development: The Mediating Effect of Caregiving and Stressful Life Events. JAMA Pediatrics, 167(12), 1135-1142. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.3139

Noddings, N. (2014). The ethics of care and education. London: Innovation in Youth Work Conference.

NC Division of Child Development and Early Education. (2014, May 14). North Carolina Approved Early Childhood Formative Assessment Tools 2013. Retrieved from ncchildcare.nc.gov/general/whatsnew.asp.

NC FALCON. (n.d.). North Carolina’s formative assessment learning community’s online network. Retrieved from https://center.ncsu.edu/ncfalcon/

North Carolina Foundations Task Force. (2013). North Carolina foundations for early learning and development. Raleigh, NC: Author. Retrieved from http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/pdf_forms/NC_foundations.pdf

Perry, B. D. & Pollard, R. (1997). Altered brain development following global neglect in early childhood. Society for Neuroscience: Proceedings from Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA. Retrieved from http://www.juconicomparte.org/recursos/Altered_brain_development_ruu6.pdf

Pianta, R. B. (2008). Classroom effects on children's achievement trajectories in elementary school. American Education Research Journal, 45(2), 365-397

Ritchie, S. &. Gutmann, L. (Eds.). (2014). FirstSchool: Transforming PreK-3rd Grade for African american, Latino, and Low-Income Children. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.



https://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.3139


Shonkoff, D. J. (2000). From Neurons to Neigthborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development in 2000. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, and Office of Head Start. (2011). The Head Start Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework. Arlington, VA: Head Start Resource Center. Retrieved from: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/family/resources.html

Resources

Bailey, D. B. (2000). I Love You Rituals. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Bailey, D. B. (2001). Conscious Discipline. Oviedo, FL: Loving Guidance, Inc.

Gainsley, S. (2016). Building Friendships in Preschool. HighScope Extensions, 27(1). Retrieved from http;//casel.org/wp-content/uploads/CASEL_Summary-9-20.pdf

Girl Scouts. (n.d.). Facilitating Adult Learning Handbook. Retrieved from http://www.gsuniv.org/wp-content/uploads/Facilitating-Adult-Learning-Handbook-FINAL.pdf

Special Needs Inclusion Project (SNIP). (2013). SNIP training toolkit part 6 Let’s play: Activities that strengthen peer relationships. Retrieved from http://www.snipsf.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Inclusion-Tool-Kit-Part-6_Lets-Play_-Activities-That-Strengthen-Peer-Relationships.pdf

Vanderberg, L. (n.d). Facilitating adult learning: How to teach so people learn. Retrieved from http://od.msue.msu.edu/uploads/files/PD/Facilitating_Adult_Learning.pdf



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