About the CA Teaching Pyramid

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 its children.

The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) formerly operating as 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 concerns in child care and Head Start programs. The Teaching Pyramid is a systematic framework 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 across multiple partner site programs.

Through a partnership with NCPMI, WestEd, San Marcos Office (WestEd), is able to offer the comprehensive, program-wide CA Teaching Pyramid Framework to districts and organizations. There are versions for preschool, infant/toddler programs, family child care programs, home visitors and early elementary (K-2). 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 CA Teaching Pyramid components.

Outcomes from Teaching Pyramid Professional Development

Programs that implement WestEd’s comprehensive program-wide approach to the CA 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:

  1. An effective leadership team that continues to meet regularly, serves as a guide for implementation of CA Teaching Pyramid framework, and champions and supports implementation and sustainability.
  2. Competent, well-trained staff who understand the CA Teaching Pyramid concepts, are equipped with CA Teaching Pyramid tools, and strive to implement the practices.
  3. Staff who are able to reflect on and adjust as needed their use of CA Teaching Pyramid practices in the classroom through support from coaching and competent internal coaches who can support staff in reflecting and implementing CA Teaching Pyramid practices in the classroom.
  4. Staff who are trained to facilitate sessions for parents and family members who subsequently are then able to implement CA Teaching Pyramid concepts at home.
  5. 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 CA Teaching Pyramid.

How the CA Teaching Pyramid Works

When an early education setting commits to the CA Teaching Pyramid professional development, they start by establishing a Leadership Team. An internal coach is identified to work with the external, WestEd coach. Staff attend five all day trainings spread out over the course of six to nine months. Teaching staff apply what they learn after each module training with coaching support. It is a circular process. The early education setting staff attend module training, apply what they have learned through work with their internal and external coach, the leadership team makes recommendations for refining or adjusting the training or implementation based on the information from the coaches, staff makes adjustments, and they attend the next training.

The provided video illustrates how the components work together to support implementation of the CA Teaching Pyramid Practices.

Background

The Teaching Pyramid approach was first introduced to California through Head Start training and technical assistance providers. Comprehensive training in the full module approach came through the First 5 Special Needs Project in 2006. One of the objectives of the First 5 Special Needs Project was to promote strategies and practices that improve early identification and intervention for children from diverse backgrounds who have disabilities, behavioral/mental health concerns, and other special needs. Demonstration sites in San Diego, Merced, and Los Angeles Counties elected to receive comprehensive training from the National Center for Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) on the Teaching Pyramid framework to meet Special Needs Project objectives and to support social and emotional development and school readiness in their communities. Linda Brault, then Special Needs Project director and now CA Teaching Pyramid project director, collaborated with the National CSEFEL to provide comprehensive training. Thus began California’s first systematic training on the Teaching Pyramid and the relationship with National CSEFEL.

Teaching Pyramid Training Across California

The success of the programs in those first three counties led to requests for additional training in those sites and initial training in programs in other counties outside the Special Needs Project. Linda Brault and her staff trained with and were mentored by the National CSEFEL training team, thus building capacity for training within California. Since then, WestEd has provided or supported comprehensive program-wide CA Teaching Pyramid training to multiple sites in the majority of the counties in California. The sites include school districts, Head Start programs, Title V-funded programs, community-based organizations, private centers, family child care homes, and County Offices of Education.

California Collaborative for the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CA CSEFEL)

The Early Learning and Care Division (ELCD) of the California Department of Education (CDE) recognized the benefits of the National CSEFEL Teaching Pyramid framework and worked with WestEd to have California become an official partner state. WestEd and ELCD co-led the California Collaborative for Social-Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CA CSEFEL) Leadership Team. In July of 2020, the unit overseeing the work on the CA Teaching Pyramid (and other quality funded projects) moved to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), who now co-leads the Leadership Team. For more on the accomplishments of CA CSEFEL, visit the CA CSEFEL web page.

Research & Evaluation

In the spring of 2015, the California Department of Education (CDE) contracted with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) SRM Evaluation Group to conduct an evaluation of Teaching Pyramid professional development for early childhood education providers. The Teaching Pyramid, also known as the California Collaborative on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CA CSEFEL), provides a systematic framework for promoting healthy social-emotional development in young children and preventing challenging behaviors. The San Marcos Office of WestEd (referred to in this report as the WestEd Teaching Pyramid team) provides Teaching Pyramid professional development for early childhood education staff in California. The purpose of this evaluation was to better understand the impact of the Teaching Pyramid professional development on early education practitioners’ knowledge, practice, and attitudes. The evaluation questions addressed process and implementation as well as outcomes.

Conclusions and Recommendations

The goal of this evaluation was to assess the Teaching Pyramid professional development and its impact on early childhood education practitioners’ knowledge, practice, and attitudes. The evaluation results show that the WestEd Teaching Pyramid team provides high quality trainings and coaching. Teaching Pyramid professional development positively contributes to increased understanding and use of strategies to promote healthy social-emotional development and gives educators more confidence when dealing with challenging behaviors. Furthermore, site staff reported that applying the Teaching Pyramid resulted in more fulfilling and satisfying interactions with both children and co-workers.

Strengths of the California Teaching Pyramid Professional Development

  • Promotes the use of classroom strategies throughout California that foster healthy social emotional development in children and appropriately support children with challenging behaviors.
  • Provides high-quality training modules designed to engage early childhood education staff in meaningful learning experiences.
  • Provides strength-based follow-up coaching that facilitates teachers applying their learnings in the classroom.
  • Engages staff site-wide to promote sustainable change in classroom language, environment, and practice.
  • Provides wonderful networking and learning opportunities through its annual Symposium.

Success Stories

Program wide implementation of the CA Teaching Pyramid has had a positive impact on children, teachers, families and communities. Below are video clips from interviews with teachers that describes the changes that they’ve experienced.

Isauro Michael Escamilla, M.A.

Isauro Michael Escamilla, M.A. has taught in the San Francisco Unified School District for over 15 years. He is currently teaching at Las Americas Early Education School using the Project Approach. Here are some examples of his thoughts on the impact of the CA Teaching Pyramid:

Introduction

Length: 1:51 minutes

Teaching About Feelings

Length: 2:29 minutes

Solving Conflicts without Violence

Length: 3:52 minutes

Empowering Children with the Solution Kit

Length: 2:55 minutes

Importance of Families

Length: 2:46 minutes

Barbara Chisholm, San Francisco Unified School District

“The Teaching Pyramid gave me a set of tools and vocabulary to help teachers form trusting relationships with children.”

Trusting Relationships with Children

Length: 2 minutes

Growth Through Relationships

Length: 1 minute