Are you where you thought you’d be by the end of 2022? Is it where you wanted to be by this time? How are things going in your classroom? During this season, we’ve brought you conversations with people who offer their perspectives that may give you new ideas for things to try out in your classroom, ways to enrich yourself professionally, and inspiration to take care of yourself. In today’s episode, we’ll look back over the previous podcast episodes of the season and ahead to the coming year. 
Listen in to take a walk down memory lane as we remember the things we learned talking to Mr. Chazz, Marnetta Larrimer, Jacob Stewart, and others!
Topics Discussed in This Episode

[00:01:19] The season kick-off with Mr. Chazz
[00:01:39] Deirdre Harris with team vision and planning
[00:02:09] Managing thoughts and behaviors with Dr. Angela Searcy
[00:02:37] Observation day with Marnetta Larrimer
[00:03:25] Classroom setup with Alisha Saunders-Wilson
[00:04:10] Learning about advocacy with Jacob Stewart
[00:04:54] Teacher influencers Miss Redacted and Mrs. Frazzled
[00:05:15] Looking forward to next year: goals and special occasions
[00:07:58] Re-establishing and reconnecting
[00:09:03] Avoiding burnout and moving forward

Resources
Kate Cline
 

The Mid-School-Year Reset

TikTok influencers come from a variety of backgrounds, but some of the popular influencers out there are teacher influencers. What are the responsibilities of teacher influencers, and what’s their role in the current conversations about education? 
In today’s episode, we listen in as Marnetta Larrimer talks to Arielle, a teacher known on TikTok as Mrs. Frazzled, and Miss Redacted, a teacher influencer who left teaching. The two of them host a podcast together called Teacher Quit Talk. Listen to the episode to hear their thoughts about what’s controversial on TikTok – it’s not what you might expect – what the role of social media influencers is when it comes to their impact on diversity and equity, and what some of the inequities that occur in school are. 
Topics Discussed in This Episode

[00:00:22] Teacher influencers and their role in the conversation on education
[00:00:54] Miss Redacted’s introduction
[00:01:22] Arielle, aka Mrs. Frazzled’s introduction
[00:02:10] The responsibilities of teacher influencers
[00:04:34] The most controversial Tik Tok, given the current climate 
[00:08:22] The role of social media influences on the topic of diversity in education
[00:13:09] The Addison Rae controversy
[00:17:12] Equity projects that Miss Redacted and Mrs. Frazzled are involved with now
[00:17:15] Student equity by region
[00:20:35] How inequity is insidious
[00:22:10] How social media influencers are impacting the teacher shortage 
[00:26:20] What to say to teachers who decided to stay 
[00:29:36] What policymakers and lawmakers should listen to and what they should do
[00:35:06] How they feel about not coming back to teaching in the fall 

Resources
Marnetta Larrimer
Mrs. Frazzled
Miss Redacted
Teacher Quit Talk
 

The Role & Responsibility of the Teacher Influencer

Los comportamientos desafiantes son incidentes muy frecuentes, especialmente en niños muy pequeños. Es importante estar preparados para abordar estos incidentes de la manera apropiada para poder darle a los niños las herramientas que le permitan interactuar con su entorno, autorregularse y construir un autoconcepto positivo.
Para hablar de todos estos temas, tenemos a Sandra Ampudia. En este episodio, Sandra nos comparte algunos conceptos básicos sobre el comportamiento, el aprendizaje y algunas estrategias para abordar los incidentes dentro del salon de clases. 
[01:10] Conociendo a Sandra
[03:04] Saber identificar los incidentes de conducta
[08:15] Como manejar un incidente de conducta
[15:22] Que hacer cuando un niño muerde a otro
[19:42] Guiar el comportamiento con frases positivas
[28:29] Los sentidos en el aprendizaje
[34:01] Resumen de la conversación
Recursos 
Conecta con Sandra en LinkedIn
Conecta con Monica en LinkedIn
National Association for the Education of Young Children
Zero to Three                                            
Center of the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning                                                                     
Únete a CLASS Learning Community para continuar la discusión con miles de educadores.
 
 

Respondiendo a Comportamientos Desafiantes: Rabietas, Crisis, Morder

To be an effective teacher and classroom presence, the adults have to work together as much as or more than the students do. Classrooms work best when co-teachers understand each other and work together. How can teachers ensure that they’re in sync with each other, and how can CLASS help? 
In today’s episode, you’ll hear a fun conversation between Kate Cline and return guest Deirdre Harris. Learn about parallel processes for adult behavior, making a lesson plan with other team members, and how team agreements can be made to improve the way the classroom runs and ensure a shared vision. 
Topics Discussed in This Episode

[00:01:20] Thinking about sticky situations in the classroom 
[00:04:00] Parallel processes for adult/adult behavior
[00:06:15] Planning a lesson plan with feedback from other team members
[00:08:05] Making the lesson plan visible
[00:09:20] Quality of feedback 
[00:11:43] How team vision can lead to team agreements
[00:15:00] Documenting a shared vision
[00:17:23] Focus areas for the agreement
[00:17:44] Adding expectations
[00:21:33] Why adding signatures matters
[00:22:23] How to handle a lead teacher whose approach you disagree with 
[00:26:55] Getting on the same page as a co-teacher

Resources
Kate Cline
Deirdre Harris

Classroom Teams: Handling Sticky Situations with CLASS

As an educator, how are you using your voice? Not in the classroom but outside of it, to make a difference for the educational system, your students, your colleagues, and yourself as well. Advocacy plays an important role in bringing education into the spotlight and making sure that educational issues get the attention they deserve. And as an educator, you are in the primary position to know what you need in classrooms, schools, and districts, as well as for your own life and well-being, so your voice is an important one. 
Today’s episode is about advocacy for educators and how educators can participate in it. You’ll hear from Jake Stewart, the Director of State Government Relations at the Early Care & Education Consortium. In today’s podcast, he discusses his journey from the classroom to his current position, what the starting points of advocacy are, and what topics teachers should be looking for. 
 
Topics Discussed in This Episode

[00:01:25] Introducing Jake Stewart
[00:02:06] How Jake got to where he is now
[00:05:12] The starting points of advocacy
[00:08:04] Whether one teacher speaking up makes a difference
[00:10:29] How to help teachers participate
[00:12:01] Who keeps track of calls and letters
[00:15:08] What to do when an educator doesn’t feel knowledgeable enough about the subject to speak up
[00:18:12] What educators need to both teach and support themselves
[00:20:58] Current hot topics that educators should be looking out for
[00:25:43] How to find out about things happening at the local and state levels
[00:29:00] The importance of advocacy at the state level
[00:30:20] Good times to speak up
[00:34:18] Worries about speech that gets teachers in trouble
[00:38:01] Other ways to get involved
[00:40:28] Making the most of this point in time
[00:42:56] Why informal advocacy can be a game-changer
[00:45:48] Jake’s big takeaways for listeners

 
Resources
Kate Cline
Jake Stewart

Advocacy for Educators

Setting up a classroom for a new school year can be exciting! It’s hard not to get excited at the prospect of a fresh start. But that doesn’t mean you always know what’s best to do. How do you set up the classroom to facilitate a successful year?
In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Alisha Saunders-Wilson, a Teachstone CLASS Specialist who has experience coaching other teachers in many things, including setting up classrooms. Listen in as she and Kate discuss classroom organization, behavior management, what materials to put out and when to rotate them, and what to do when materials are sparse. 
 
Topics Discussed in This Episode

[00:01:20] Introducing Alisha 
[00:02:14] What excites Alisha about setting up a new classroom in a new school year
[00:02:46] How Alisha came to the ECE field and what she does with teachers these days
[00:04:04] What to keep in mind when it comes to classroom organization
[00:06:07] Questions teachers should ask themselves about behavior management
[00:07:29] What and how many materials to put out
[00:08:40] What to do if the children aren’t engaging with a particular set of materials
[00:10:27] Setting up the classroom with emotional support in mind
[00:12:53] What to do when you notice negativity popping up in a space
[00:15:07] What to do when materials are sparse
[00:17:24] Rotating materials
[00:19:03] How classroom setup supports things like language development and problem-solving
[00:22:09] Three major takeaways from the conversation 
[00:23:48] Encouragement for classroom teachers

 
Resources
Kate Cline
Alisha Saunders-Wilson
 

Setting up your Classroom for Success

El aprendizaje por medio del juego es una herramienta que permite a los educadores facilitar el interes y la atención por parte de los niños. Obteniendo así mejores resultados en el contexto de un acercamiento flexible de la enseñanza.
En el episodio de hoy, tenemos con nosotros a Maria Cristina Caro, quien es consultora en el espacio educativo en edades temprana y quien además de tener una brillante trayectoria en el espacio de la educación tiene también una formación profesiona excepcional.
Escucharas la conmovedora experiencia de María Cristina Caro en el mundo de la educación desde una edad muy temprana, así como también muchos consejos sobre cómo y por qué utilizar el juego como vehículo del apredizaje.
 
[01:06] Introducción al juego como vehículo de aprendizaje.
[03:04] Conociendo a María Cristina Caro – Una historia realmente inspiradora
[07:00] Ideas para iniciar el aprendizaje por medio del juego
[08:53] El interes y la atención como fundamento de los programas basados en el juego
[11:37] Desarrollo de una enseñanza mas intencional
[15:20] El rol de la flexibilidad y la creatividad en la enseñanza
[18:55] Los niños aprenden en el contexto de las relaciones que tienen con los adultos
 
Conecta con Monica Nassif-Puyol: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-pujol-nassif-974b68189/
Únete a CLASS Learning Community para continuar con la conversación con miles de educadores

Integración del Aprendizaje en Programas Basados en el Juego

The idea of being observed while performing a job can make anyone feel a little nervous. But understanding what CLASS observations are really about can help teachers relax and approach their classrooms with the same skill and attention they normally do. 
Marnetta Larrimer is today’s guest. She’s an early education professional and trainer who is currently a Professional Services Manager for Teachstone. In her conversation with Kate today, she’s going to talk about what a CLASS observation is all about. Listen to the episode to hear what she has to say about what she would be doing while observing a classroom, who she’s paying attention to, and what happens after an observation. The answers you hear will help you feel more confident the next time you’re being observed.
 
Topics Discussed in This Episode

[00:00:35] What a CLASS observation is all about
[00:02:48] What a CLASS observation actually is 
[00:04:01] What to expect during a CLASS observation
[00:06:10] What Marnetta would be doing during an observation, and for how long 
[00:07:58] What Marnetta’s doing when she’s coding
[00:08:54] What Marnetta is looking for from different age groups
[00:10:03] If there’s a team in the classroom, who is Marnetta looking for
[00:14:08] How a teacher and her team can prepare for an observation
[00:19:23] What would happen if there were an accident or something extreme that happened during an observation
[00:21:45] What happens after the observation
[00:24:25] What Marnetta would say to encourage a teacher

 
Resources
Kate Cline
Marnetta Larrimer
 

What to Expect When You're About to Be Observed?

Guiar el comportamiento positivo es un proceso de aprendizaje para los niños pequeños en el que se desarrolla la regulación el comportamiento, las emociones y el control de los impulsos.
 
En este episodio, discutiremos tres pilares de reflexión que debemos tomar en cuenta para ayudar a los niños en el desarrollo del comportamiento positivo, evitar el comportamiento desafiante y fomentar la autorregulación. Para discutir estos temas, tenemos con nosotros a Michelle Galindo, especialista en primera infancia, quien ha estado brindando capacitaciones dentro de sus 20 años de experiencia. Se ha inspirado para trabajar en estrecha colaboración con los educadores que apoyan el comportamiento positivo de los niños y enseña cursos de orientación conductual a nivel universitario que orientan a los futuros educadores sobre el comportamiento infantil.
 
Puntos de discusión en este episodio:
[00:00] Conociendo a Michelle Galindo
[03:21] ¿Qué es un comportamiento desafiante y que es ser autorregulado?
[07:57] Introducción a la autorregulación.
[11:15] El impacto que tiene en los niños el manejar nuestras emociones adultas.
[20:31] Crear un espacio seguro para practicar estrategias de autorregulación.
[25:00] Reconocer los sentimientos y establecer límites.
[28:08] Reflexión final.
 
Recursos:
Conecta con Michelle Galindo en LinkedIn.
Conecta con Mónica Pujol-Nassif en LinkedIn.
Únete a CLASS Learning Community para continuar la discusión con miles de
educadores.

Replanteamiento del Comportamiento “Desafiante” y por qué es Importante Nuestra Respuesta

When was the last time you experienced strong feelings in your classroom? Probably every day. Working with children is demanding and can bring up a lot of strong feelings. 
Are you considering your own self-regulation needs as well as those of the children you’re working with? How can we process all of what we're feeling so we can move through challenging moments and make a difference for each child in our classrooms? 
Dr. Angela Searcy is with us in this episode to talk about how to deal with your own self-regulation in challenging moments. Dr. Angela Searcy holds a Doctorate in Education. Her research revolves around brain-based learning assessed by CLASS and its correlation to aggressive behaviors in preschool children. Angela who began as an educator in 1990 has experience in all levels of education. Currently, Dr. Searcy is an adjunct faculty member at Erikson Institute, a professional development provider for teaching strategies, a CLASS Pre-K affiliate trainer for Teachstone, and a Bureau of Education and Research trainer. Dr. Searcy is also the author of Push Past It!, a positive approach to challenging classroom behavior for Gryphon House Publishing. 
Topics Discussed in This Episode

[00:01:22] Today’s guest: Dr. Angela Searcy
[00:02:57] Angela’s background
[00:05:10] What Push Past It is all about
[00:11:44] How to get started after separating out negative emotions
[00:15:40] Processing, perspectives, and strategies
[00:19:59] Personal space
[00:20:24] How children respond when they’re in trouble
[00:23:50] What to do when you’re out of ideas
[00:26:51] Classroom support
[00:28:16] Wisdom for the move into the post-pandemic phase
[00:32:41] Where to find resources

 
Resources
Kate Cline
Dr. Angela Searcy
Dr. Angela Searcy at Gryphon House
Push Past It!
Werk It worksheet

Self-Regulation Before Co-Regulation - Supporting the Children in your Classroom

What would the perfect day look like in your classroom? When was the last time you spent time thinking about that? When was the last time you talked with your teaching team about creating a shared classroom vision? Those are big questions, and you may be wondering how to answer them. Today’s guest may be able to help. 
Today you’ll hear from Deirdre Harris. Deirdre serves as an educational coach for the Pyramid Model Consortium. Deidre’s worked in the early childhood field for over 25 years and has a special focus on teaching teams. Listen in to hear what she has to say about how she began to focus on teaching teams, what to do when conflict happens, and why you should write down team agreements. 
 
 
Topics Discussed in This Episode

[00:01:13] Today’s guest, Deidre Harris
[00:02:49] Why Deidre decided to focus on teaching teams
[00:04:13] What makes a teaching team strong
[00:05:15] How teaching teams can get started
[00:09:24] Plotting your perfect day and the parallels with CLASS
[00:12:42] What to do when conflict happens
[00:15:10] Options for resolving conflict when it happens 
[00:18:18] Fixing the situation when you make a big mistake
[00:21:08] The importance of writing agreements down
[00:22:27] What to do when you’ve never been on the same page with a specific person
[00:24:33] How to get people on the same page without forming cliques
[00:27:30] Supporting each other when things are going well

 
 
Resources
Kate Cline
Deidre Harris
 

Teaching Team Vision - Building Trust with Each Other

Chazz Lewis is an educational specialist who “teaches teachers to teach” in a chain of child development centers. He works closely with schools, teachers, and children.  He earned his master’s in executive leadership at American University. Mr. Chazz envisions a world where most people wake up every day, enjoying the process of becoming the best versions of themselves. He’s also well known on Tik Tok, Instagram, and his own podcast Get Vocal.
In today’s episode, Mr. Chazz explains how he got into teaching, why he decided to teach young children, and what kept him teaching. He also talks about building a community in the classroom and being the community you want to build.
 
Here are some tips that Mr. Chazz shared:

A classroom is a community. It’s important to think seriously about what kind of community I want to create in my classroom, and model it consistently. It all starts with me.
A sense of belonging is important in a community. I need to make sure all children have a sense of belonging in my classroom. I need to find ways to connect with children whose behavior is a cry for support, instead of excluding them which destroys their sense of belonging.
It’s okay to let go of being a perfectionist and be an improvenist instead.

 
This episode focuses on Regard for Student Perspective.
 
Topics Discussed in This Episode

[00:00:26] Today’s guest, Mr. Chazz
[00:01:36] Why Mr. Chazz decided to teach young children
[00:03:54] What’s kept Mr. Chazz teaching
[00:06:52] What it was like for Mr. Chazz when he started
[00:10:01] Spoken word for the classroom
[00:11:52] Building community in the classroom
[00:14:30] Setting a tone for the classroom
[00:24:33] How children can recognize insincerity
[00:27:17] Being the community that you want to build
[00:29:04] Encouragement for teachers

 
Resources
Kate Cline LinkedIn
Mr. Chazz LinkedIn
Mr. Chazz Tiktok
 
Join the CLASS Learning Community to continue the discussion with thousands of other educators. 
 

Community in the Classroom with Mr. Chazz

What’s the best way to teach empathy to an infant, toddler, or preschool aged child?
 
Joanna Parker joins the podcast to answer that question. Joanna has spent her entire career in early care and education. She’s worked with Head Start, Early Head Start, child care, early intervention, public PreK, and home visitation programs at the local, community, state, and national levels. 
 
Joanna explains that defining empathy in early childhood is all about understanding social-emotional development. Children will not display empathy the way adults do because they are still developing social-emotional skills. But educators can instill foundational skills for children to build upon as they mature. 
 
Here are Joanna’s 3 strategies to foster empathy in the classroom:

Positive climate: being in tune with children, respecting children’s emotions and needs, support friendship skills creating a sense of belonging and community
Teacher sensitivity: being responsive to children, narrating what children are feeling (emotional literacy) and explicitly individualizing
Regard: child focus and choice, providing opportunities for independence and autonomy promoting a sense of being capable and competent

 
Joanna also shares:
 

Ways empathy begins to appear in those early childhood years 


Strategies to help toddlers build friendships


Tips for educators to ensure that they are modeling acceptance and eliciting other perspectives throughout the day

 
 
This episode focuses on Responsive Caregiving, Behavioral Support, and Emotional Support.
 
Resources referenced in the episode:

Boy calming brother 
Theory of the Mind with Alan Alda 
Yale Infant Cognition Center - Can Babies Tell Right From Wrong?
Brené Brown on Empathy
Watch Mamie’s 3-year-old daughter teach her sister how to meditate, a skill she learned at preschool. 

 
Join the CLASS Learning Community to continue the discussion with thousands of other educators. 
 

Teaching Children Empathy

Burnout is at a whole new level within the last couple of years. Anyone who is a stakeholder feels certain levels of burnout, and there isn’t a magic cure or quick fix. On this week’s episode of Teaching with CLASS®, our guest Colleen Schmit returns to the podcast to help educators recognize and work through burnout.
Colleen shares these tips on combating burnout: 

Focus on your why: Write your why on a sticky note where you will see it, feel it, and remember it. If you didn’t love what you do, or have interest in what you do, you wouldn’t keep showing up, and this job is challenging! Physically, mentally, and emotionally, so being grounded in your why can really help get through the day-to-day. 
Find your people: find positive people who will support you! Surround yourself with positivity and people who will empathize with you. Be mindful of who you are interacting with and how you’re responding. 
Focus on joy and relationships: One of the biggest perks of working in early childhood education is that you get to work with young children, have fun, and be silly. You get to go and focus on joy and building relationships. Sometimes it is more important to pause your lesson plan and go with what you know works, or what should be addressed at that moment. Relationships impact all of the learning outcomes you’re trying to achieve. 
Put yourself on the list: There is no program or regime for self-care, it is different for everyone. It can feel difficult to make time for yourself, but just do your best to be mindful of the things that will take care of your physical and mental health. It all boils down to things that you do to take care of you in a way that makes you feel more like yourself. Also, if you aren’t engaging in self-care, don’t be too hard on yourself. Be gentle with yourself and do what you can to prioritize your needs.
Advocate for yourself and your students: It’s not just about being a voice for the voiceless of your children, but also yourself, the families, your co-workers. It’s a big job, but when you are advocating for everyone but yourself, you will burn out.

Learn more about combating burnout on our website:
How I Found Joy in Teaching after Losing Focus on What Matters
Interactions at the Heart of Healing - A trauma-informed CLASS® professional development series
More good reads:
Stress Levels of School Administrators and Teachers in November and January 
If You Feel Like You’ve Hit A Teaching Wall, You’re Not Alone
Why is November so stressful?

Combating Burnout

Meltdowns or tantrums in the classroom can be a frustrating experience for both the educator and the child. However, it's important for educators to support children through their development of essential social and emotional capabilities.
 
In this episode, we are joined by Megin Ruston. Megin has worn various hats in the ECE field, from student to professional to educator and advocate. She started her career as a teacher. During this time, she began working as a Home Visitor in a parenting program supporting families with children ages 5 and under. After that adventure, she provided social- emotional interventions for school aged children identified as having increased risk factors. And now we’re very lucky to have her at Teachstone. Listen as Megin helps educators understand why tantrums and meltdowns happen and how to respond to them. 
 
Here are some tips that Megin shared:

With infants and toddlers, meltdowns and the other behaviors like biting and spitting are developmentally appropriate behaviors for those age groups. Meltdowns are a common response to frustration, sadness, and… emerging independence! Children outgrow this! As they develop that self control and self regulation, they DO outgrow these behaviors! 
Control your own emotions. 
Conventional wisdom to ignore a meltdown is actually not that effective and can be counterproductive, can prolong meltdowns, and doesn’t really teach what we think it’s teaching (This includes sending a child to a “quiet corner” by themselves to “calm down.”)

 
This episode focuses on Early Language Support, Behavior Guidance, and Teacher Sensitivity.
 
Learn more about learning through play and child-led activities on our blog:
3 Overlooked Opportunities for Facilitation of Learning and Development
Behavior Guidance Is as Easy as PB&J
 
Educators who earn the Child Development Association credential understand how to meet and nurture the emotional, physical, intellectual, and social needs of young children. Earn your CDA credential through our CDA with CLASS program. ​​CDA with CLASS provides educators with a unique online and high-quality professional education experience. 
 
More good reads:
Understanding and Responding to Children Who Bite
 
Join the CLASS Learning Community to continue the discussion with thousands of other educators. 
 
Subscribe and share this episode on Twitter

Behavior is Communication: Understanding and Responding to Tantrums and Meltdowns

One thing we have all heard is that children learn the best through play - but how can we fully integrate that into our classroom environments? In this episode, we speak with Devynn Thomas, owner/operator of Lakeside Friends Daycare, an at-home play-based daycare. She started her career in early childhood 10 years ago at a center-based child care center. Devynn is passionate about the connection between play and learning and how literacy, science and math can be explored through play. Listen along as we explore making the most of interactions during play and following the child’s lead in planning the curriculum.
Here are some tips that Devynn shared for teachers who want to do more child-led learning:

Watch and observe, see what comes up naturally, and notice what questions they are asking, what are they drawing when they color, what do they get excited about?
The only limit is your imagination, seek out inspiration by connecting with other educators, look on pinterest and instagram for fun ideas and tweak them to suit your children’s needs 
Throw out your check list/preconceived curriculum - “the children will seek out what they need” and you can address all areas of learning under a theme the children provide and it’s ok to have more than one “theme” going at a time.

This episode focuses on Regard for Student/Child Perspective. 
Learn more about learning through play and child-led activities on our blog:

What Does Regard for Student Perspectives Look Like in a Teacher-Directed Activity?
How to Increase Children’s Autonomy in the Classroom

More good reads:

Playful learning: Where a rich curriculum meets a playful pedagogy

 
Join the CLASS Learning Community to continue the discussion with thousands of other educators. 
 
Subscribe and share this episode on Twitter and Facebook!
 
Thanks for listening!

Integrating Learning in Play-based Programs

How can we shape innovators starting at a young age? Early childhood teachers have a big role in promoting confidence in problem solving. 
Dr. Lourdes Norman-McKay joins us to explain how teachers can get students comfortable with shades of grey in the discovery process and with not knowing the right answer.
Dr. Lourdes Norman-McKay is a professor at Florida State College and the author of a globally marketed undergraduate microbiology textbook with Pearson. She earned her baccalaureate degree from the University of Florida and her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. For the past 18 years, Dr. Norman-McKay has been teaching allied health students at the collegiate level. She also serves as a speaker for the U.S. Department of State's International Information Programs––a diplomacy outreach bureau––to promote STEM education, innovation, and women in STEM.
This episode dives into Quality of Feedback and Concept Development.
Actionable tips to try from this episode:

Ask more questions, give fewer answers
Increase questions on how children know things rather than on what they know
Focus on learning by experiencing and doing
See mistakes as opportunities

 
Learn more about promoting equity in critical thinking skills:

How to Help Girls Avoid the Trap of Perfectionism
How Do Integration and Connections to the Real World Contribute to Concept Development?
The Impact of Creating an Emotionally Supportive Learning Environment in Math Classrooms

 
Join the CLASS Learning Community to continue the discussion with thousands of other educators. 
Subscribe and share this episode on Twitter and Facebook!
Thanks for listening!

Promoting Equity in Critical Thinking Skills

It's not uncommon for teachers in early education to need to strike a balance between following children's leads and sticking to the classroom schedule. We know that intentional teachers are aware of their responsibility to assess student progress, understand skill mastery, and plan accordingly to provide opportunities for children to grow. However, many times, as teachers begin a specific teacher-directed activity, it is unsettling when students begin to veer from the step-by-step plans the teacher has worked hard to implement.
 
Teacher and coach, Colleen Schmit, will share how teachers can strike the balance between following the lesson plans and giving children freedom of choice and flexibility in the classroom. 
 
Learn more about regard for student's perspective on our blog:

What Does Regard for Student Perspectives Look Like in a Teacher-Directed Activity?
Regard for Student Perspectives: A Key Instructional Strategy for Improved Instructional Support

 
 
Join the conversation in the CLASS Learning Community!
 
Subscribe and share this episode on Twitter and Facebook!
 
Thanks for listening!

Encouraging Voice and Choice in the Classroom

Many programs struggle with family engagement—particularly with engaging families in helping children with reading and homework at home. Educators may sometimes live in fear of complaints from caregivers and that can lead to a lack of trust between teachers and caregivers. In this episode, we’ll speak with Heather Sason, an early childhood professional who's been supporting families since she was 15. Now she has a child of her own and a community based playroom where families and children are invited to play and interact with other families. Heather is passionate about the topic of family engagement and will share some tips that educators can use to keep families involved in their children’s learning.
Here are some tips that Heather shared on how teachers can develop relationships and build trust with families, both in remote learning and in-person settings:

Teachers should be themselves! Showing your true self as a teacher, will make parents/caregivers feel more at ease.
Bank time with the parents to build those relationships. This helps tremendously, especially at conference time.
In remote settings, invite parents/caregivers to join the first few minutes of each session if they can, and take this opportunity to bank a few moments with each of the parents. 
In remote settings, also take the time to schedule virtual parent/caregiver gatherings every few months. Let them talk and get to know one another, and you better. 
For in-person settings, invite parents/caregivers to volunteer in the classroom, and drop by anytime they want. Also, invite them to special events such as parties or special visitors coming to the classroom.
If your center permits it, send pictures to the parents/caregivers during naptime of what their children have been doing that day. 

Learn more about family engagement on our blog:

Engaging ECE Families in Remote Learning
Interactions at the Core: The Power of Interactions In Any Setting

Check out Heather’s Little Fish Playroom and her blog: How to Set Up Infant & Toddler Learning Spaces to Facilitate Exploration. 
To see more photos of Little Fish and learn more, go to facebook.com/littlefishplayroom and www.littlefishplayroom.com
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Keeping Families Engaged in the Early Childhood Years

Guiding positive behavior is a learning process for young children as their brains are growing and developing the ability to regulate behavior, emotions and manage impulses. Creating safe, warm and supportive environments motivate children to learn and practice positive behaviors when adults are responsive and consistent. As a Specialist in Early Education with 6 years of experience as a CLASS coach, Michelle Galindo has supported many educators in classrooms with infants, toddlers and preschool children with positive behavior strategies. Here are three she shares in this episode:
Modeling Composure to support self regulation

Being aware of Adult emotional triggers or strong emotions and practicing regulating and managing them by deep breathing and using positive self talk. Remaining calm yet intentional during interactions to respond to children’s needs vs. reacting by impulse or emotional trigger.

Creating a safe space to release strong emotions 

A physical space where children can independently process emotions that is visible to adults for close supervision. Create a space with children’s input for safely expressing strong emotions using: mirrors, soft objects, family photos, feelings charts and other visuals displaying emotions.

Acknowledging Feelings while stating a boundary: 

Naming the feeling/emotion during a conflict and narrating the action or behavior that was unsafe or unhealthy. Labeling the feeling through verbal affirmations or physical safe touch while stating the boundary (unsafe or unhealthy action/behavior)

Learn more about Behavior Guidance on our blog:

Behavior Guidance Is as Easy as PB&J
Behavior Management in the Classroom
More Behavior Guidance Strategies

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