Seeing myself interact: Understanding interactionswith children by embedding

the CLASS in professional development

Marilyn Chu, WWU – ECE FOCUS on Children

11:20 – 12:50 - February 2, 2013

How do we define and measure quality?One tool to use is the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS). Understanding the underlying concepts of CLASS as part of professional development will allow you to focus on teacher-child and child-child interactions in a group setting. This tool is used by DEL (Early Achieversr) and Head Start.

How do we facilitate improvements?Professional development has the potential to strengthen emotional and instructional interactions and relationships with young children when teachers become more aware of their actual teaching practices.

.

More specifically…What experiences for learning and

development are offered to children in group settings?

Do interactions with teachers and experiences in classrooms matter for students?

Can we define and assess teacher quality in terms of actual performance?

Taking A Look Inside Preschool & K-3

Classrooms: What kinds of opportunities for

learning are children experiencing?

Results of large-scale observational studies National-level studies

National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCEDL)

NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development

Up to 1,000 settings observed at preschool, K, 1, 3, 5 – more than 4,000 classrooms

Largest set of systematic standardized classroom observations in U.S. schools

All teachers credentialed/certified

How do students spend time? High-levels (30%) of “business/routine” activity

Pk-5: managing materials, routines

High levels of “basic skills” focus

7:1 in pk-1; 14:1 in 3-5

Ratio of listening, sitting, watching: Doing

10:1 across grades

Rating interactions: What is the CLASS? Focus on teachers’ interactions with students What the teacher is doing to promote the

positive emotional, social, and academic development of students in the classroom

Three broad domains, consistent pk-5:Emotional SupportOrganization / Management Instructional support

Classroom ratings: CLASS PK-5 Positive climate Negative climate Teacher sensitivity Regard for student perspectives

Effective behavior management Learning formats/engagement Productivity

Concept development Evaluative feedback Language modeling

EmotionalSupport

InstructionalSupport

Organization/Management

DO

MA

INS

DIM

ENSI

ON

SIN

DIC

ATO

RS

InstructionalSupport

EmotionalSupport

Classroom Organization

Relationships, Affect, Respect, Communication

Punitive, Sarcasm/ disrespect, Negativity

Aware, Responsive, Address problem,

Comfort

Flexibility, Autonomy, Student expression

Clear expectation, Proactive, Redirection

Maximize time, Efficient routines and transitions

Variety, Promote student interest, Clarity, Engaging

Analysis/reasoning, Creativity, Integration

Feedback loops, Encourage responses, Expand performance

Conversation, Open-ended, Repeat/extend,

Advanced language

Positive emotional climate

Productivity

Quality of feedback

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Features of teacher-student interaction

Profiles of classroom quality: First grade

Qua

lity

31% 23% 29% 17%0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Emotional

Instructional

Highly uneven classroom experiences across and within grades – 10% of children have repeated access to high quality

Overall quality not high, particularly for instruction

Lack of alignment on curriculum, quality of child experiences, and teacher-child interactions

Teacher-child interactions and transition from pre-K to K-3

Associations with Child Learning and Development:

Do These Interactions Matter?

Stronger effects for different groups of children (approx. .5 s.d./year)Low maternal educationAdjustment problems in KPoor

Links between teacher-child interactions and children’s performance

Predicting student development in pre-k

Changes in children’s

development from beginning

to end of preschool

Mashburn, et al. (in press)

Emotional Support

Instructional Support

ECERS-R Total

Receptive Language Expressive Language Rhyming Letter Naming Math Skills Social Competence Behavior Problems

Gains in grade 1 achievement in instructionally supportive classrooms

Standardized tests of

achievement adjusted

Low Moderate High

1st Grade Instructional Support

9899

100101102103104105106107

High educ.

Low educ.

Gains in grade 1 achievement in emotionally supportive classrooms

Standardized tests of

achievement adjusted

Low Moderate High1st Grade Emotional Support

Kindergartenadjustmentproblems

9899

100101102103104105106107

No problems

Multiple problems

Implications for P-3 programs Focus regulation and training on teachers’

interactions with children—standards and measures

Strive toward moving instructional dimensions and implementation “up” the scale of quality interactions

Develop training and support approaches that address teachers’ interactions with children

An aligned PK-3 professional development curriculum and classroom assessment metric

Improving Quality in P-3 Programs:

We know what matters, how do we move forward?

Support for high-quality interactions

Professional development/ training

Resource allocation

Evaluation

Curriculum

Social and academic outcomes for children

Improved teacher outcomes

CLASS InstructionalOrganization

Emotional

Observational Assessment

FOCUS ON TEACHER

INTERACTIONS WITH CHILDREN

myteachingpartner.net

Teacher-child interactions and relationships are the means by which the curricula are implemented Increase teachers’

observation skills in identifying interactive behaviors and cues related to CLASS

Increase teachers’ skills in identifying alternative responses to children's’ cues – create opportunity

Quality teaching videos: PK-3

myteachingpartner.net

MENTOR-COACH PROCESS SUGGESTEDMy Teaching Partner

myteachingpartner.net

Classroom video recordingat an established time

1

Teacher reviews clipsand reflects on practice

3

Consultant reviewsand edits video clips

2Teacher and consultant

meet and discussteaching practices

4

Effects of MTP support: Summary Teachers receiving consultation show greater

increases in quality of instructional interactions Children with teachers in consultancy show greater

gains in tests of early literacy and language development; lower levels of problem behavior

Consultation reduces effects of poverty Early career teachers who are who have greater

exposure to either condition show gains in interactions and child outcomes

Teachers report high levels of satisfaction, motivation, and lower isolation.

In closing…Standardized observation of interactions:

Are feasible, reliable and valid—A scalable language and lens for classroom settings

Include three domains (Emotional, Organizational, Instructional) that appear valid across grades

Should be linked to teacher professional development and preparation programs, which in turn increase setting quality and child outcomes

Can create alignment and serve as a common goal in prekindergarten through elementary classrooms