1. Early Childhood Education
Roadmap to Results: A Focus on School Readiness School Readiness Plan Update
Early Childhood Education

2. Goal is for lifelong learning and success.

3. TMC’s School Readiness Definition
Upon school entry, children who participated in TMC’s programs will demonstrate age-appropriate cognitive development, physical and health development, language and literacy development, social and emotional development, and development in their approaches to learning.
TMC believes that all children are born ready to learn. It is TMC’s responsibility to nurture every child’s continual growth by engaging them in developmentally appropriate learning opportunities. TMC also recognizes parents as their children’s first teachers and respects every child’s first language and culture as the foundation upon which to build success and effectively prepare them for school.
Program’s responsibility:
-nurture children’s learning
-provide opportunities for growth & development
-believe SR focuses on progress and not specific expectation of what children should know and be able to do

4. School Readiness Frameworks
Based on OHS Child Development
and Early Learning Framework
(HSCDELF)
Based on OHS Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework (PFCE)
CDELF – 11 domains, 37 domain elements; building blocks important for child school and long-term success
PFCE – effective family engagement outcomes result in healthy school ready children; positive and goal-oriented relationships
FSA’s – FP Coordinators are to discuss: “Families as Lifelong Educators” and “Families as Learners”

5. STRATEGY # 2: Effective Teachers
Indicators of Success
Understand purpose of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
Participate in:
on-going professional development in emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support
Implement curricula and address the HSCDELF domains, including English Language Development
Identify, track, and monitor children’s progress and adjust routines and instruction as needed
Intro to Strategy #2:
For children to progress towards school readiness, they need effective teachers that are both positive and nurturing. Teaching staff need to relate positively with children. Effective teachers need the following for children growth in the school readiness domains: organize the learning environment conducive to learning, plan daily instructional activities, implement curriculum best practices and monitor children’s progress to plan individually.
Ongoing for responsiveness to specific needs of dual language learners, pg. 9 reference

6. STRATEGY # 3: Effective Leaders and Mentors
Indicators of Success
CMs and CDAs become CLASS reliable
Monitor progress towards school readiness goals across all service areas
Review teacher progress and develop individualized strategies and tailor professional development opportunities
Encourage parent engagement on student progress
Intro to Strategy #3:
Summary of all bullets under indicators of success are listed here. Discuss that different personnel at all levels will have the responsibility/role of ensuring that these processes are implemented. Following slides will focus on how you approach accomplishing these indicators. Creating positive relationships with staff using the Strengths Based Approach at all levels:
Director of Children and Families
Program Area Directors
Regional Administrators
Child Development Coordinators
Center Managers
Child Development Advocates
Teachers

7. STRATEGY # 3: Effective Leaders and Mentors
Indicators of Success, cont’d
Assess preschool teachers using the CLASS assessment tool (3X) per program year; assessed (2X) per program year, centers in operation 120 days or less
Model effective teaching strategies in the classroom using mentor/coaching approach
Intro to Strategy #3:
Summary of all bullets under indicators of success are listed here. Discuss that different personnel at all levels will have the responsibility/role of ensuring that these processes are implemented. Following slides will focus on how you approach accomplishing these indicators. Creating positive relationships with staff using the Strengths Based Approach at all levels:
Director of Children and Families
Program Area Directors
Regional Administrators
Child Development Coordinators
Center Managers
Child Development Advocates
Teachers

8. STRATEGY # 3: Effective Leaders and Mentors
One must:
be partners with your staff
continually lift and support co-workers
ask and solicit feedback from staff
seek the answer… not always saying you “know” the answer
use purpose to inspire commitment and outcomes; it’s not about the requirements, it’s about why we are here
focus on the process and results
get the best from people
Shift the perception that leadership mostly consists of nitty-gritty management issues of administering a program to that of a broader view – a vision of what you want the program to become in order to improve child outcomes. This brings about organization change. Positive organizational climates create the context that supports higher quality interactions and educational practices at the classroom level.
This is a current practice in one of our Austin leadership projects called Taking Charge of Change. Participants undergo both a professional and personal growth which encourages them to make changes in the centers/classrooms which contribute to higher quality and school ready practices

9. STRATEGY # 3: Effective Leaders and Mentors
Approach, cont’d
Make connections between what they learn and what they do at work
Receive feedback they want and need to improve performance
Feel valued and respected
Become more committed and motivated
Feel empowered to take initiative to improve and assume new challenges
Modeling is the best teacher and teachers that are valued will show school readiness outcomes because they understand the purpose to serving the whole child.  Happier staff leads to better parent relationships.  Parent relationships built with child care staff will serve as a foundation for the child’s entire educational experience. Emphasize the dedication and buy-in of the staff to school readiness
My angle here is to focus on how TMC will approach the way leaders and mentors in the organization accomplish the indicators of success outlined in the roadmap. The way we do this is by using the Strengths-Based Approach.

10. Welcome to Mentoring/Coaching in the Classroom
Charts: “What is mentoring/coaching?”; “Characteristics of a mentor” graph

11. Today we will… Explore the roles and characteristics of a mentor/coach
Examine the mentor-teacher
relationship
Plan for supportive classroom visits
Write effective classroom goals
Explore mentoring/coaching strategies for cognitive readiness
show slide

12. What is Mentoring/Coaching?
Mentoring/Coaching is a technique that builds a supportive relationship between a mentor and a teacher.
Chart “What is Mentoring/Coaching?”
Discuss responses from chart.

13. Characteristics of a mentor/coach
A mentor is…
A mentor is not…
*Chart Activity
Discuss responses from chart.
May discuss “A Mentor is”…. knowledgeable in early
childhood education; open and friendly
“A Mentor is not”…a supervisor, a boss

14. What is a Mentor/Coach?
Mentor/Coaches impact change by encouraging teachers to reflect upon their teaching practices, specifically in regard to a deeper understanding of content and developing warm, sensitive relationships with children.
Chart “What is a mentor/coach?”

15. When I Hear, I Forget When I See, I Remember When I Do, I Learn
When I Reflect,
I Improve
Ask: “So, Why should I mentor/coach?” after end of slide

16. So, Why Should I Mentor/Coach?
Because mentoring/coaching…
Enhances teachers skills and knowledge
Improves the quality of teaching in the classroom
Encourages teachers to reflect on their teaching practices

17. Mentor/Coach’s Roles include…
Observing:
teaching strategies
teacher/child interactions
children
classroom environment
strengths and areas of improvement of the classroom
small group activities
circle/center time activities
Individualization
cognitive instruction

18. Mentor/Coach’s Roles include…
Modeling:
reading to a small group of children
shared writing activities
transitional ideas
appropriate teacher/child interactions
teaching strategies
using a classroom management plan
interactive letter wall activities

19. Mentor/Coach’s Roles include…
Assisting with:
arranging rooms
incorporating CIRCLE activities
reviewing and modifying lesson plans
selecting appropriate materials
developing appropriate activities
evaluating LAP-3 assessment results (Red-e-Learner reports) for individualization
connecting centers and activities with the theme
providing resources and materials
curriculum implementation
developing a daily schedule
helping the teacher reflect on teaching practice

20. Where should I start?
In order to begin, mentor/coaches need to gather some basic information regarding their teachers and establish a system of keeping track of that information.
Ask: “Where do I start?”
For 1 minute make a list of where you would start. Getting organized
Discuss and have staff share how they got organized.

21. What is the mentoring/coaching schedule?
Mentor/coach complete monthly formal observations - at least 1 hr long.
Mentor/coach meets with teacher to reflect on strengths, areas of improvement, and together they develop a plan of action –at least 30 min to reflect on observation, provide feedback, and complete plan together.
Based on the needs identified and the plan of action, mentor/coach applies mentoring/coaching strategies during weekly informal classroom visits (this can be the side-by side coaching of a lesson, role modeling, developing questioning strategies and observing the application of them, Teachstone professional development resources, etc.).  
During the informal visits (mentor/coaching time), the mentor/coach and teacher discuss what is working and what is not and make changes if applicable (this is a part of the gradual release model).

22. Formal observations are documented on the monthly observation form.
1. Place your staffing, transition, field trip, etc. meeting dates on the calendar/grid 2. Review your list of teachers 3. Number each teacher 4. Then place the time of each visit on the calendar (if more than 5 teachers, add more than one visit per day) 5. Place the follow-up meeting times on the calendar/grid () T1
7:45-8:45 (Formal Observation)
(12:30 – Formal Reflection) T2
8:30-9:30(Formal Observation)
(3:00– Formal Reflection) T3
8:45-9:45(Formal Observation)
(12:30– Formal Reflection) T4
(12:45– Formal Reflection) T5
10:45-11:45 (Mentoring)
(12:30 – Informal Reflection)
11:00-12:00 (Mentoring)
(3:00– Informal Reflection)
8:30-9:30 (Mentoring)
(12:45 – Informal Reflection)
10:15-11:15 (Mentoring)
Field trip
(12:45– Informal Reflection)
7:45-8:45
(Mentoring)
(12:30– Informal Reflection)
Staffing
10:00-12:00
3:00-5:00
10:00-11:00
(12:00– Informal Reflection)
9:00-10:00
10:15-11:15(Mentoring)
10:30-11:30
Review difference between formal and informal classroom observations/visits.
Formal observations are documented on the monthly observation form.
Informal classroom revisits are for mentoring/coaching strategies to be applied as documented in the “plan of action” and is not documented. These are the “in between weeks” of formal monthly observations.

23. Planning Supportive Classroom Visits
Before the Visit
Schedule a time and be on time
Review the previous Formal Monthly Observation (classroom visits must be intentional and have a purpose for effectiveness)
During the Visit
Observe while mentoring/coaching in the classroom
Model appropriate teaching techniques
After the Visit
Schedule a follow up visit (preferably within the same day)
Follow up with discussion, reflection, information and/or material
Document the visit if it’s a Formal Monthly Observation
Informal classroom visits are for mentoring/coaching opportunities and reflect with teacher what is working, and what is not. Informal visits do not need to be documented.
Review difference between formal and informal classroom observations/visits.
Formal observations are documented on the monthly observation form.
Informal classroom revisits are for mentoring/coaching strategies to be applied as documented in the “plan of action” and is not documented. These are the “in between weeks” of formal monthly observations.

24. The Assessment Cycle ASSESSMENT Collecting Data TEACHING
Parent Information
Teacher Observations
Red-e-Learner Child Report
Red-e-Learner Class Summary
Lesson Plans
TEACHING
Bringing Learner to
New Understandings
EVALUATION
Determining Next
Learning Step
Implementation of Lesson Plan/Individualization
Child/Classroom Needs
This cycle can be adapted to help us think about working with teachers.
Assessment – While what we are doing is not assessing children to determine good or bad, we are collecting data to help us be more effective teachers, meeting children where they are.
Evaluation - Once we have gathered the data, we need to consider what our next step with the child(ren) will be. What does he/she need?
Planning – We then have to decide which instructional approach to use to assist the child
Teaching – And implement the plan we have constructed.
PLANNING
Choosing Resource
And Approach
Curriculum
Resources
Materials

25. The Mentoring Cycle ASSESSMENT Collecting Data TEACHING EVALUATION
Formal Monthly Observations
Red-e-Learner Class Summary
Lesson Plans
Classroom Environmental Checklist
TEACHING
Bringing Learner to
New Understandings
EVALUATION
Determining Next
Learning Step
This cycle can be adapted to help us think about working with teachers.
Assessment – While what we are doing is not assessing teachers to determine good or bad, we are collecting data to help us be more effective mentor/coaches, meeting teachers where they are.
Evaluation - Once we have gathered the data, we need to consider what our next step with the teacher will be. What does he/she need? The reflective process includes teacher and mentor/coach working together to identify needs based on data collected.
Planning – We then have to decide which mentoring/coaching approach to use to assist the teacher (modeling, side by side coaching, observation, conferencing, materials, resources, professional development)
Teaching –Implement the plan constructed.
Implementation of Plan
Teacher Needs
PLANNING
Choosing Resource
And Approach
Mentoring/Coaching Approach

26. Settings for Mentoring/Coaching Teachers
Side-by-Side Coaching
Mentor interjects briefly during teacher working with children
Teacher Reflective Follow-up Visit
1 on 1 follow up visit – guiding reflection, planning, setting goals, creating action plan
Mentor Modeling
Planned modeling of new concept or idea
Professional development
Discussions regarding content and teaching strategies

27. Writing Goals and Objectives
Goals are the things that you would like to happen over a long period of time.
Objectives are the smaller steps you take to make progress toward your goal.
Goals and objectives should be SMART:
___pecific- what needs to happen?
___easurable-did I achieve this objective?
___ttainable-is it realistic and do-able?
___esult-oriented-will it help to meet my
goal?
___ime limit-when is it due?
Show discuss and have them complete the page

28. Observations Areas to address: Curriculum Cognitive instruction
Progress monitoring
Professional development
Teacher-Child interactions
Classroom Environment

29. Strengths & Areas of Improvement General versus specific statements
General: Great Classroom!
Specific: All centers are labeled with words and pictures including places for children’s names.
Areas of Improvement:
General: Work on your letter wall.
Specific: Choose words from your read alouds, place word and picture on a sentence strip and have children involved in placing them under the correct letter.

30. Reflective Follow Up Build on teacher strengths
Ask for teacher to identify what went well
What would be the steps to improve
Develop Plan of Action
Discuss and Reflect
Plan for informal classroom visit (mentoring/coaching time)

31. Strengths and Areas of Need
Teacher: Diana Smith Date Center:___XXXX__________ Room 14 Strengths: You did a fabulous job with your letter wall, it is appropriately placed at the child’s eye level with all of the children’s names and pictures on name cards! You used a variety of activities to make the letter wall interactive. (including pointers and matching games) Areas of Improvement: Include a variety of word cards on your letter wall, including words and pictures from your next theme and from appropriate books. Plan of Action: This week you will review your next theme and select 25 appropriate words. Cut out pictures that reflect the 25 words that you have selected. Write the words on the sentence strip and add the appropriate pictures. Involve children in placing them under the correct letter. Mentor/Coach will provide sentence strips. My next visit will be Monday, November 9, 2013

32. Ms. Smith’s lessons plans are generic and do not follow the research-based curriculum. There are individually selected “topics” like “apples” or “colors” that are not the curriculum themes.
How would your follow-up visit look?

33. Ms. Hernandez is not doing any phonological awareness activities except an occasional rhyming activity. How would your follow up visit look?

34. Ms. Rubio teaches 4 year old children and every day they do the same circle time activities. The activities are rote and do not include any higher order thinking activities.
How would your follow-up visit look?

35. Change 2 things about yourself!!
Ask: “What 2 things would you change about yourself in order to become effective mentor/coaches?”

36. Change
does not
happen over
night!!!

37. Use the mentoring/coaching cycle to develop a step by step plan for this teacher.

38. Successful mentoring/coaching depends on:
Building trusting relationships
Being a good resource
Empowerment
Building on a person’s expertise
Reflective conversation
Asking the right questions
Listening

39. Planning ensures that the Mentor/Coach starts off on the right foot.

40. Jigsaw Activity
Materials and resources in the centers do not reflect the lesson plan or curriculum.
The teacher is only providing 1.5 hours of cognitive instruction.
The letter wall is not being used. There are no vocabulary words and no children’s names.
Circle time was 40 minutes long as teacher reviewed weather, days of the week and months, colors, and ABC song.
The children rotate to a different center every 20 minutes.
Children are not provided with opportunities to interact with peers as activities and instruction are teacher driven.
The teacher has not made any changes to the Pretend and Learn center and it is November. The teacher is unsure of what to do.
Jigsaw Activity:
Each group will have 1 scenario
Develop plan of action and implement mentoring strategies.
Use the mentoring/coaching cycle to develop a step by step plan for this teacher.

41. Write SMART goals and objectives

42. Give immediate feedback!
Feedback should be provided within 36 hrs or less from formal observation and/or informal mentoring/coaching classroom visit.

44. Desired Outcomes Improve teacher outcomes;
Build capacity of reliable staff;
Monitor all preschool classrooms;
Engage in regular classroom observations;
Support social and academic outcomes of children;

45. Desired Outcomes Cont.
Align professional development to CLASS data results and formal monthly classroom observations;
Evaluate curriculum, instructional programs and strategies;
Use data to analyze individual, classroom, and programmatic;
Promote family engagement and provide a seamless transition;

46. Discussions/Questions