Pre-K CLASS Deb Norris March 12, 2021

Many early childhood education programs in Vermont now use the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) to support professional growth, improve their practice, and positively impact child outcomes. CLASS is a structured tool based on measurable observations of teacher and child interactions, and interactions between children, during a typical day. Assessors use a 1 – 7 Likert scale to assign a rating based on the frequency, duration, and intensity of the strategies they observe, while referencing the CLASS manual for children ages 3 to 5 years. Participants in this two-part overview of the Pre-K CLASS strategies will identify how effective teacher-child interactions help: - foster a secure, supportive base for preschool children’s exploration and learning - emphasize children’s interests, motivations, and points of view - maximize learning opportunities and engage children with a variety of modalities and materials - help preschool children develop language and cognitive skills Part I, on April 13, will address the first two Pre-K CLASS domains: Emotional Support and Classroom Organization Part II, on April 14, will address the third Pre-K CLASS domain: Instructional Support