Walking Up the CA Teaching Pyramid: Tools to Support Children’s Return

• • In order to support children, it is important that you take care of yourself. In these uncertain times, it is natural to feel stressed and overwhelmed. Consider activities that help you feel calm and implement them within the classroom routine on a more frequent basis.
    • Yoga
    • Art
    • Music
    • Increase time outside
    • Meditation or breathing activities
    • Help Us Stay Calm (PDF)
      • Spanish Translation: Help Us Stay Calm (PDF)
    • Taking Care of Yourself (PDF)
    • Taking Care of Ourselves (PDF)
      • Spanish Translation: Taking Care of Ourselves (PDF)
    • Put Your Own Oxygen Mask On First

• Be comfortable asking for help from your Team/Administration as needed.
• If you are leading a program, consider ways to support teachers such as:
  • Clear, consistent communication especially surrounding new policies/procedures
  • Team building activities and opportunities to collaborate between teaching teams
  • Encouraging emails
  • Thank you cards in mailboxes
  • More frequent breaks
  • Time for reflection with administration to problem solve challenges as a team
  • Establishing a process for requesting support
  • Promoting Teacher Retention (PDF)
  • The Leadership Team’s Guide for Re-Opening Programs (PDF)

• • Make sure you find new ways to develop, maintain, and deepen relationships with families
    • Plan to connect with families as you transition back – Transitioning Back to the Program: Connecting with Families (PDF)
  • If you don’t currently have a family wall or family book, ask families to send in pictures of important people in your child’s life that you can have available for children to view during the day.
    • Consider multiple methods for on-going communication with the family – Communicating with Families: Helpful Suggestions (PDF)
    • Gather information on what the time home has been like for the families – My Teacher Wants to Know (PDF)
      • Spanish Translation: My Teacher Wants to Know (PDF)
      • Vietnamese Translation: My Teacher Wants to Know (PDF)
    • Strengthen your partnership with Families – Nurturing Positive Family and Professional Partnerships (PDF)
    • Share information with families about coping with the Pandemic – Tips for Supporting Yourself During the Pandemic
      • Spanish Translation: Tips for Supporting Yourself During the Pandemic (PDF)
    • Share information with families about self-care – Taking Care of Ourselves
      • Spanish Translation: Taking Care of Ourselves (PDF)
    • Share strategies that can support the families to have a good day – Help Us Have a Good Day! Positive Strategies for Families
      • Spanish Translation: Help Us Have a Good Day! Positive Strategies for Families (PDF)
    • If parents need a way to explain the coronavirus to their children – How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus
      • Spanish Translation: How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus
  • Focus on building relationships with children.
    • Create points of connection throughout the school day.
      • Greet children when they enter the classroom (PDF)
      • Add an emotional check-in with the daily health check/screening – Morning Health Check (PDF)
        • Chinese Translation: Morning Health Check (PDF)
        • Spanish Translation: Morning Health Check (PDF)
      • Plan check-in points throughout the day.

• Focus on supporting secure relationships
  • Make emotional deposits frequently – Moving from Praise to Acknowledgement (PDF)
    • Chinese Translation: Moving from Praise to Acknowledgement (PDF)
    • Spanish Translation: Moving from Praise to Acknowledgement (PDF)
  • Get to know children and their interests/dislikes by engaging in extended conversations.
  • Scan for Success! – Tell Me What To Do Instead (PDF)
    • Chinese Translation: Tell Me What To Do Instead (PDF)
    • Spanish Translation: Tell Me What To Do Instead (PDF)
• Share a picture with families of the child’s teacher in a mask (can be shared via, app, Facebook, website, etc.) – Toddlers and Masks (Video)
• If you are wearing a mask, you need to think about your facial cues/expressions – Helping Children Understand Emotions When Wearing Masks (PDF) Be mindful of your:
  • Tone of voice
  • Eye contact
  • Proximity
  • Gestures
• Scripted Story: Wearing Masks (PDF)

• • 1. Expectations for Behavior
       • Provide intentional instruction on the posted previously established and new behavior expectations and examples.
         • In large and small group activities
         • With individual children as needed
         • Demonstrate, take new photos of children for posting
       • Provide positive descriptive acknowledgement to children on meeting expectations.
         • Comment frequently on appropriate child behavior linking the behavior to the posted expectations.
         • If you need to remind a child about the expectation, remember to follow-up with PDA.
       • Update the examples for the expectations based on the new ways of being together – Behavior Expectations Matrix (DOC)
         • Chinese Translation: Behavior Expectations Matrix (DOC)
         • Spanish Translation: Behavior Expectations Matrix (DOC)
         • Healthy and Safe
           • We make sure there is space between us when we play
         • Respectful
           • We keep our materials in our own bin
         • Friendly and Kind
           • We wait until the teacher tells us we can use the toys
    2. Schedules & Routines
       • Consider there will be new or unfamiliar routines for young children especially related to safety as well as state, and CDC guidelines.
         • Teach/re-teach the sequence of activities and routines with the visual schedule and add in new routines (hand washing, toy washing, drop off routines).
         • Consider making posted visuals of new routines that might be happening throughout the day.
         • Schedule cards can be used to teach new routines. Consider having these cards on a key ring to help support the transition from family to classroom
         • Send home classroom schedule for families to review with children (visual schedule).
       • Create scripted stories for the classroom and for families to review any altered routines (drop off/pick up, playground time, lunchtime, other groups activities that may have changed) – I Can Be Safe and Healthy by Washing My Hands! (PDF)
         • Spanish Translation: I Can Be Safe and Healthy by Washing My Hands! (PDF)

• 1. Transitions
     • Drop-off and Pick-up routines may be more complicated with new requirements for families.
       • Scripted Stories can be used to help teach the new routines/expectations for children returning to care.
       • Have children practice new routines like drop off by using dolls/stuffed animals. “Help the bear put on his mask”
       • When possible allow children to hold on to comfort items for a longer period/allow access during the day. Sometimes a laminated photo of a family member can be comforting.
       • Share resources for families to help them re-establish morning routines at home – How to Help Your Child Have a Successful Morning (PDF)
         • Chinese Translation: How to Help Your Child Have a Successful Morning (PDF)
         • Spanish Translation: How to Help Your Child Have a Successful Morning (PDF)
     • Children may need more transition cues and signals having been away from the classroom – Provide Transition Signals
       • Explore different types of signals –
         • Transition Signals (PDF)
         • Transition Visual Cards (PDF)
           • Spanish Translation: Transitions Visual Cards (PNG)
     • The steps of transitions should include activities to keep children engaged (wait times may be longer due to cleaning and sanitation requirements)
  2. Large/Small Group Activities
     • Have children help you set-up areas with defined numbers of children
     • The use of a check-in board may help keep smaller group sizes
     • Rethink large group activities: read stories with smaller groups, sing songs outside
  3. Physical Environment
     • Visual cues will be even more important as we help children keep a safe distance from other children
       • Think about simple tools to mark space such as painters masking tape, hula hoops, yarn, cardboard boxes (that can be used between children or children can sit in their own mini-box)
       • Keep looking for new “hot spots” (where there is conflict or children are too close) and “cool spots” (areas that work well for the children).
     • Do as much outdoors as you can.
     • Have a quiet space for children outside as well as inside
  4. Scanning for Success
     • Plan for PDA. Makes lists of behaviors you want to see and review the list often
     • Use as much PDA as you can when children are following one of the newer guidelines such as maintaining physical distance or wearing a mask.
     • Recognize small successes.
     • Alter the typical expectations for attention and behavior.
       • Provide multiple prompts, cues and re-directs followed by PDA and PDA Plus.

Friendship Skills

• There will be new ways to “share”, with an emphasis on keeping items separate.
• Nurture helping and cooperation skills
• I Can Be a Super Friend (PPT)
  • Chinese Translation: I Can Be a Super Friend (PPT)
  • Spanish Translation: I Can Be a Super Friend (PPT)

Emotional Literacy

• Emotion check in chart – Children can “check-in” by placing an indicator with their name or picture on how they are feeling throughout the day. This provides teachers with an opportunity to talk about how feelings can change and provide strategies to manage changing feelings – Feeling Faces: Large Cards (PDF)
• Use a mirror to teach children what eyes or body language look like with different emotions.
• Use scripted stories or children’s literature to support understanding of emotions.
  • Amy’s Book of Feelings (PPT)
    • Chinese Translation: Amy’s Book of Feelings (PPT)
    • Spanish Translation: Amy’s Book of Feelings (PPT)
  • Hailey’s Book of Feelings (PPT)
    • Chinese Translation: Hailey’s Book of Feelings (PPT)
    • Spanish Translation: Hailey’s Book of Feelings (PPT)
• Talk about emotions and use a variety of strategies to teach children to recognize emotions in themselves and others.
• Validate children’s emotions by labeling them (in a respectful way).
• Model and label your emotions.
• Provide opportunities for students to observe you use coping skills. “I wasn’t expecting to change classrooms today, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed, I’m going to take three deep breaths, does anyone want to breath with me? My body feels calm, I’m ready to change rooms.” Use visuals to help support these opportunities – Help Us Calm Down: Strategies for Children (PDF)
  • Spanish Translation: Help Us Calm Down: Strategies for Children (PDF)
• If you are wearing a mask (link to Wearing-Masks_Tipsheet ), you need to think about your facial cues/expressions – Helping Children Understand Emotions When Wearing Masks (PDF) Be mindful of your:
  
  • Tone of voice
  • Eye contact
  • Proximity
  • Gestures

Managing Strong Emotions

• Teach acceptable ways for children to manage strong emotions in the classroom
  • Teach Calming Techniques – I Can Get Calm (PPT)
    • Chinese Translation: I Can Get Calm (PPT)
  • Taking a Break: Using a Calm Down Area at Home (PDF)
  • Relaxation Thermometer (PDF)
  • Self-Regulation Skills: Breathing Strategies (PDF)
    • Spanish Translation: Self-Regulation Skills: Breathing Strategies (PDF)
  • Tucker Turtle Takes Time to Tuck and Think at Home (PPT)
    • The Tucking Technique with Tucker Turtle (PDF)
    • Spanish Translation: The Tucking Technique with Tucker Turtle (PDF)
  • Sonia Snail Takes Time to Tuck and Think at Home (PPT)
    • The Tucking Technique with Sonia Snail (PDF)
    • Spanish Translation: The Tucking Technique with Sonia Snail (PDF)

Problem-Solving/Conflict Resolution

• Teach systematic way to solve problems and resolve conflicts –
  • Conflict Resolution Steps (PDF)
    • Spanish Translation: Conflict Resolution Steps (PDF)
  • Conflict Resolution Steps: School Age (PDF)
    • Spanish Translation: Problem Solving Steps (PDF)
• Problem Solving Steps: School Age (PDF)
• We Can Be Problem Solvers at Home (PDF)
• Solution Kit: Home Edition – Large (PDF)
  • Solution Kit: Home Edition – Small (PDF)
• Solution Kit (PDF)
  • Solution Kit Cue Cards (PDF)
  • Solution Kit Poster (PDF)

• Examine all of the tiers with this individual child in mind –
  • Tiered Plan of Action for Infant & Toddlers (PDF)
  • Tiered Plan of Action for Pre-K (PDF)
• Anticipate that children may misread social cues or exhibit previously unrecognized behavior. Children may come to the center with new challenging behaviors that weren’t there before – Strategies for Responding to Infant and Toddlers’ Challenging Behavior
  • Spanish Translation: Strategies for Responding to Infant and Toddlers’ Challenging Behavior
• Provide guidance and support to children who feel anxious in the classroom through the changes.
  • Make sure there is a primary person assigned to the child and a secondary as well
  • Be consistent and focus on emotional deposits and scanning for success (commenting with PDA)
  • Separation anxiety and other forms of anxiety could become present (fearfulness/withdrawal from activities).
    • Consider a personal a visual schedule (accessible to the child) to increase predictability
    • Review the visual schedule frequently throughout the day, including expectations for drop off routines and transitions
    • Allow and encourage transition objects and rituals
    • Create collages/family books with pictures of each child’s family members. Have collages/family books easily accessible for children to reference throughout the day.
    • Validate emotions – offer ideas of something they could do to feel better (Ex: draw a picture for mom, look at their family picture book, hold their transition object, etc.).
• Anticipate possible – But What Do I Do When He Hits? (PDF)
  • Regression of self-regulation or impulse control
  • Lower frustration threshold
  • More frequent tantrums
  • Power struggles and need for autonomy
• For those trained in Positive Behavior Support, collect Behavior Observation Reports and use the Routine-Based Support Guide to develop a plan – Applying the ABCs of Challenging Behavior (PDF)

Trauma-Informed Care

• • Understand the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) impact on children – Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) (PDF)
    • Understand the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) impact on children – Spanish Translation: Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) (PDF)

• Explore resources for Trauma-Informed Care
  • Implementation of the Teaching Pyramid is a good foundation for Trauma-Informed Care – Trauma-Informed Care and the Teaching Pyramid (PDF)
    • Infuse Trauma-Informed Practices in your work – Checklist of Early Childhood Practices that Support Trauma-Informed Care (PDF)
    • Examine all of the tiers with Trauma in mind – Tiered Plan of Action for Trauma (PDF)
      • Spanish Translation: Tiered Plan of Action for Trauma-Informed Care (PDF)
  • Connect with Mental Health Resources – Understanding Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation and the Teaching Pyramid (PDF)
    • Crosswalk of Early Childhood Mental Health Services (PDF)
    • Partner with Early Childhood Mental Health Specialists – All Hands on Deck (PDF)
  • Help children attend to sensory as well as emotional feelings – Listening to My Body: A Discussion and Activity Guide (PDF)
    • Spanish Translation: Listening to My Body: A Discussion and Activity Guide (PDF)
  • The Impact of Early Adversity on Children’s Development (PDF)
    • Spanish Translation: The Impact of Early Adversity on Children’s Development (PDF)
  • Toward a Better Understanding of Children’s Behavior (PDF)
    • Spanish Translation: Toward a Better Understanding of Children’s Behavior (PDF)