Teachstone

Proven-effective models increase learning

susan.feild — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:59:09 +0000

Read Teaching Children Well: New Evidence-Based Approaches to Teacher Professional Development and Training, written by Robert Pianta for the Center for American Progress. Includes research findings and implications for teachers, schools, states, and higher ed.

Link CLASS data to professional development!

susan.feild — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:36:45 +0000

View slides from the NAEYC presentation.

Teachstone is growing!

susan.feild — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:18:40 +0000

Interested in joining the team? Be sure to check out the new job openings on the Careers page.

NAEYC Conference Presentations

susan.feild — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:17:16 +0000

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Conference is being held in Orlando, Florida, November 2-5, 2011. Teachstone will be presenting two sessions on the CLASS™ tool and will be in the Exhibit Hall at Booth 759. If you would like to schedule a meeting with a Teachstone representative while you are at NAEYC, please email Rebecca Berlin. We look forward to seeing you there!

Using the CLASS™ Tool and CLASS™-Based Professional Development to Improve Teacher-Child Interactions

Date: Thursday, November 3, 2011, 8:00 AM-9:30 AM
Location: Orange County Convention Center, Room W311F
Presenter: Marla Muntner, Education Director, Teachstone

Come learn more about teacher-child interactions and how to link CLASS™ observation scores to teacher professional development. Participants will increase their knowledge of the tool and discuss several options for professional development focused on supporting effective teacher-child interactions.

Session Overview: The presenter will provide a brief overview of the CLASS™ and discuss several models for linking CLASS™ scores to teacher professional development. The presenter will share our experiences of helping communities implement CLASS™ and CLASS™-based professional development at scale, and provide ample opportunity for discussion and participation from attendees. Attendees at this session will (1) develop an understanding of the importance of teacher-child interactions to child development and why it is important to improve these interactions through professional development; (2) examine several options for linking CLASS™ observation scores to professional development; and (3) discuss the exciting opportunities and lessons learned through our extensive work with community partners across the country.
Toddler CLASS™: Measuring Teacher-Child Interactions for Children from 15 Months to 3 Years Old

Date: Friday, November 4, 2011, 4:30 PM-5:30 PM
Location: Orange County Convention Center, Room W207B
Presenter: Sara Diamond, Lead Staff Trainer, Teachstone

Come learn about the Toddler Classroom Assessment Scoring System™ (CLASS™) and the importance of caregiver-child interactions to the development of young children. Participants will learn about the Toddler CLASS™ tool and best practices related to its use.

Session Overview: Caregiver-child interactions are a key aspect of quality in early child care. The Toddler CLASS™ observation tool focuses on these important interactions by looking at Emotional Climate, Behavior Guidance, and Language Modeling within early care settings. Attendees at this session will: 1) develop an understanding of why effective, supportive interactions are important for toddlers; 2) learn about the Toddler CLASS™ tool and what it measures; and 3) discuss how the Toddler CLASS™ tool can be used to support early care professionals in their work with young children.

Teacher-Coaching Boosts Secondary Scores, Study Finds

susan.feild — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 19:51:55 +0000

Teacher-coaching linked to the CLASS™ tool paid dividends for student achievement in the secondary grades, according to a study published today in Science magazine.

QRIS and the CLASS™ Tool Webinar

susan.feild — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:39:12 +0000

For those who missed the webinar, the recording is available here. Frequently asked questions from the webinar have been posted here. If you have additional questions, feel free to contact us or join our facebook discussion.

The QRIS National Learning Network and the BUILD Initiative will host the following webinar:

QRIS and the CLASS™ Tool: Emphasizing Effective Teacher-Child Interactions to Improve Child Outcomes

Date: August 17, 2011
Time: 1pm EDT

Participants will learn about the CLASS™ tool and hear from several states that have integrated CLASS™ into their quality rating and improvement systems.

How to build a better teacher

susan.feild — Mon, 02 May 2011 21:26:56 +0000

Read Bob Pianta’s article in the Richmond Times Dispatch about the CLASS™ tool: How to build a better teacher

SRCD Conference – Attend CLASS™ tool-related sessions

susan.feild — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:32:31 +0000

The 2011 Biennial Conference of the Society for Research in Child Development is being held in Montreal, Canada, from March 31 to April 2. There will be a lot of sessions on child care quality, teacher-child interactions, and Quality Rating and Improvement Systems. Below, we’ve compiled a list of sessions that discuss the CLASS™ tool – there may be some that we missed! If you’re going to the conference, be sure to check out a few of these sessions.

(1-045) Poster Session

Poster Session 2
Palais des congrès 220 CDE
Thursday 10:00am – 11:40am
60. The Association Between CLASS Domains of Quality and Change in Child Outcomes During the Prekindergarten Year
Teryn Mattox, Kimberly M. Hall, Katherine A. Fallin, Matthew D. Levinson, Universal Preschool Child Outcomes Project

(1-110) Paper Symposium

Child Care Quality Dosage, Thresholds, and Features and Child Outcomes: New Analyses of Data From National Studies
Palais des congrès 517 B
Thursday 12:30pm – 2:10pm
Chair: Ivelisse M. Martinez-Beck
Discussant: Deborah L. Vandell
2. Secondary Data Analysis Looking for Thresholds in Child Care Quality
Margaret Burchinal, Yange Xue, Hsiao-Chuan Tien, Anamarie Auger, Andrew J. Mashburn [Education: Child care/pre-kindergarten; Methods, History, Theory: Observational methodology]

(1-131) Poster Session

Poster Session 4
Palais des congrès 220 CDE
Thursday 2:10pm – 3:50pm
60. Risk and Resources: Are Certain Components of Quality More Important for Children With Socioemotional Risk?
Terri Walters, Daphna Bassok, Robert C. Pianta

(1-185) Poster Symposium

Developing the Next Generation of Preschool Outcome Measures: The Interagency School Readiness Measurement Consortium (ISRMC)
Palais des congrès 513 AB
Thursday 4:30pm – 6:10pm
5. Examining the Fit Between Teachers’ and Children’s Classroom Interactions Observed at the Classroom and the Individual Child Level
Amanda P. Williford, Jason Downer, Robert C. Pianta, Carollee Howes

(2-065) Paced Presentation Symposium

Child Care Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS): Research-Informed Practice and Practice-Informed Research
Palais des congrès 515 AB
Friday 10:20am – 12:00pm
Chair: Kimberly Boller
Discussant: Ivelisse M. Martinez-Beck
2. Best Practices for Measuring Observed Quality as Part of Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS)
Kelly Maxwell, Bridget K. Hamre

(2-087) Poster Session

Poster Session 8
Palais des congrès 220 CDE
Friday 12:10pm – 1:50pm
190. Quality and Stability in Fifth Graders’ Observed Relationships With Teachers and the Association With Their School Performance
Jennifer LoCasale-Crouch, Faiza M. Jamil, Robert C. Pianta

(2-113) Roundtable Discussion Symposium

Changing Classroom Processes and Practices to Improve Outcomes for Students: Intervention Strategies and Outcomes
Palais des congrès 510 B
Friday 12:30pm – 2:10pm
Chair: Edward Seidman
* Panelist 1: Robert C. Pianta, MyTeachingPartner
* Panelist 2: Susan E. Rivers, Emotional Literacy Skill-Building: The RULER Approach
* Panelist 3: Joshua L. Brown, The 4Rs Program

(2-152) Paper Symposium

Effective Approaches for Improving Quality and School Readiness
Palais des congrès 520 E, Friday 2:30pm – 4:10pm
Chairs: Robert C. Pianta, C. Cybele Raver
1. Coaching and Coursework Impacts on Preschool Teachers’ Interactions With Children
Robert C. Pianta

(3-058) Paper Symposium

Quality Rating and Improvement Systems: Validation of Rating Strategies and Linkages Between Ratings and Child Outcomes
Palais des congrès 520 B
Saturday 10:20am – 12:00pm
Chair: Kathryn A. Tout
Discussant: Kelly Maxwell
1.   Linking Quality Ratings and Children’s Outcomes in Minnesota’s Quality Rating and Improvement System
Kathryn A. Tout, Rebecca M. Starr, Tabitha Isner, Jennifer Cleveland, Margaret Soli, Katie Quinn
2.   Improving Child Care in Virginia: An Evaluation of the Star Quality Initiative
Terri Walters, Robert C. Pianta, Jason Downer, Yu Cao
3.   The Impact of Virginia’s Star Quality Initiative on Classroom Quality and Child Outcomes
Amanda P. Williford, Andrew J. Mashburn

(3-179) Paper Symposium

International Perspectives on Teacher-Child Interactions in Early Childhood Classrooms
Palais des congrès 520 B
Saturday 4:30pm – 6:10pm
Chair: Bridget K. Hamre
Discussant: Kimberly Boller
1.   Relations Between Classroom Quality and Children’s Skills and Motivation in Finnish Kindergarten Classrooms
Marja-Kristiina Lerkkanen, Eija Pakarinen, Anna-Maija Poikkeus, Jari-Erik Nurmi
2.   Measuring Classroom Quality in Chilean Classrooms: Positive Emotional Climate and Strong Classroom Organization Are Interrelated
Andrea Rolla, Diana Leyva, Catherine E. Snow, Hirokazu Yoshikawa, Ernesto Trevino, M. Clara Barata
3.   Teacher-Child Interactions in Early Childhood Education and Care: An Australian Study
Collette Patria Tayler, Karin Ishimine, Karen J. Thorpe, Daniel Cloney

Assessing Teacher Effectiveness – Bob Pianta speaks on NBC’s Education Nation

susan.feild — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 20:16:50 +0000

Dean Robert Pianta shares his thoughts on a new study by the University of Virginia, which highlights the importance of teacher interaction on a child’s classroom experience.

Watch the NBC Education Nation interview »

Looking at CLASSrooms – 20% Off

susan.feild — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:52:31 +0000

Enroll in Looking at CLASSrooms and receive a 20% discount through March 15, 2011. Learn more about the Pre-K CLASS™ tool using this self-paced, online program. Enter code wteach20.

Learn more about this program»