Vision
Social-emotional development is foundational for learning and development in young children, and California is committed to promoting and supporting healthy social-emotional development in all of its children
The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) is a national center focused on strengthening the capacity of child care and Head Start programs to improve the social and emotional outcomes of young children. The Center has developed and disseminated evidence-based, user-friendly information to help early childhood educators meet the needs of the growing number of children with challenging behaviors and mental health challenges in child care and Head Start programs. The Teaching Pyramid is a systematic framework developed by CSEFEL that incorporates Early Childhood Positive Behavior Support (EC-PBS) through promoting social-emotional development, providing support for children’s appropriate behavior, preventing challenging behavior, and addressing problematic behavior. For a more extensive description of the Teaching Pyramid framework as adapted for California, see WestEd’s Case Study Final Report (PDF) conducted after implementation of the Teaching Pyramid framework in the First 5 LA School Readiness programs.
Through a partnership with CSEFEL, WestEd is able to offer the comprehensive, program-wide Teaching Pyramid Framework to districts and organizations. There is a preschool version as well as a version for infant/toddler programs. An early elementary version (K-3) will be available soon. Professional development packages offered are individualized and tailored to the needs of the school district, program, or cohort of programs, but must include all of the recommended Teaching Pyramid components.
Outcomes from the Teaching Pyramid Professional Development
Programs that implement WestEd’s comprehensive program-wide approach to the Teaching Pyramid will have a successful and sustainable approach for ensuring healthy social and emotional development of the children they serve. At the conclusion of the training, technical assistance and coaching programs strive for and can expect:
- An effective leadership team that continues to meet regularly, serves as a guide for implementation of Teaching Pyramid concepts, and champions and supports implementation and sustainability.
- Competent, well-trained staff who understand the Teaching Pyramid concepts, are equipped with Teaching Pyramid tools, and strive to implement the practices.
- Staff who are able to reflect on and adjust as needed their use of Teaching Pyramid practices in the classroom through support from coaching and competent internal coaches who can support staff in reflecting and implementing Teaching Pyramid practices in the classroom.
- Staff who are trained to facilitate sessions for parents who subsequently are then able to implement Teaching Pyramid concepts at home.
- Children who are socially competent and emotionally literate. They are able to talk about their feelings, regulate their strong emotions, solve their own conflicts, and model the language and tools of the Teaching Pyramid.
