Author: RWS Developer

CLASS Training to Increase Your Instructional Support Scores

High CLASS scores in each of the domains are a must in Head Start. High scoring classrooms are a great indicator of positive teacher/child interactions as well as effectively supporting children’s learning and development. This leads to successful CLASS Reviews as well as best practices in the classroom.

Most Head Start programs score lowest in the Instructional Support domain.  This is understandable as some of the indicators within Concept Development, Quality of Feedback and Language Modeling are complex.  We offer hands-on, practice-based CLASS training designed to increase instructional support scores.

Effective CLASS training consists of keeping the teaching staff highly engaged by utilizing a “learning by doing” approach. It’s based on the principles of adult learning, which results in high impact learning. This hands-on strategy allows the teachers to take back the information that they learn in the training and implement it in their classrooms. Adult learning is most effective when the participants can see, feel and experience the information that is being presented.

Our CLASS training includes showing video clips that demonstrate the interactions and teaching strategies that you want your teachers to display. We will take each dimension within Instructional Support and show videos of what it should look like and should not look like. We take time to discuss the video clips and talk about what the teaching staff saw and how they can deliver high scoring behaviors in their classrooms.

Our hands-on training includes specific examples and strategies in terms of the Head Start classroom. The training participants will have many opportunities to see what high-scoring Instructional Support look like. A variety of learning styles will be utilized, such as:

  • Small group activities;
  • Video clips;
  • Practice scoring;
  • Pair and share;
  • Question and answer sessions; and
  • Interactive exercises.

Are you looking for highly interactive & practice-based CLASS training? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

Policy Council and Board of Directors Training: Building a Strong Governance Team

The Policy Council and Board of Directors play an important role in your program. The Policy Council is responsible for the direction of your Head Start program and the Board of Directors has a legal and fiscal responsibility to administer and oversee your Head Start program. It’s critical that you provide comprehensive training for your Policy Council and Board of Directors so that they can successfully fulfill their role.

Our highly interactive training for Policy Council & Board of Directors includes topics such as:

  • Roles & Responsibilities – A key element of a successful Head Start program is having a Policy Council & Board of Directors that is knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities. This includes the new Head Start Program Performance Standards as well as the Head Start Reauthorization regulations. Shared governance is another important part of their role.
  • The history and vision of Head Start – Just as it’s important for staff to be familiar with the history of Head Start, it is important that the Policy Council and Board of Directors are familiar with it as well. Knowing where Head Start came from and where it’s going is critical information as they carry out their governing duties to your program. The mission, vision and guiding principles of Head Start are valuable information to share as well.
  • A strong partnership with the Management Team – It’s essential that your Policy Council and Board of Directors receive training on the value that comes from a strong partnership with the Management Team. Good communication, transparency and trust are key components to creating a successful partnership. A strong partnership will result in a system of effective and efficient governance of the Head Start program.

Our training will inspire your Policy Council and Board of Directors to be fully engaged and invested in your Head Start program. We will explore what your Policy Council and Board of Directors would like to achieve for your Head Start program while they are a part of the governing body. This will show your Policy Council and Board of Directors the tremendous value that they bring to your agency.

Are you looking for highly interactive & engaging training for your Policy Council & Board of Directors? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

Making the Most Out of CLASS Observations

CLASS observations are a critical piece of the puzzle in achieving success in Head Start.  The data that comes from CLASS observations is invaluable… as long as the observations are conducted by objective observers and the CLASS tool is implemented with fidelity.

CLASS observations can provide you with a tremendous amount of data – data to prepare for a successful CLASS Review, data to improve teacher practices, data to make decisions about professional development as well as data to provide mentor coaching services, just to name a few.

We conduct comprehensive CLASS observations that include all of the following items:

  • As outside observers, we have the objectivity needed to observe classrooms without the possibility of bias.  We have English-speaking and bilingual (English/Spanish) observers.
  • We will debrief with each teacher after the observation in order to give them some immediate feedback (strengths & opportunities for improvement).
  • At Essential Elements, we offer the opportunity for your Education Coordinator or Mentor Coach to sit in on the debriefings that we do with teachers – for continuity purposes.
  • We offer the opportunity for your Education Coordinator (or other CLASS-reliable staff person) to join us for dual coding on a couple of classrooms.
  • We will debrief with you (and your Management team if you wish) to discuss the results of the observations.
  • At Essential Elements, we will provide you with CLASS scores, a summary of each classroom observed and a list of program-wide issues that are causing lower CLASS scores as well as recommendations to address and correct those issues.

Are you looking for an outside observer to conduct your CLASS observations & provide you with valuable data? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

Creating Your Program’s Full Community Assessment: Data-Driven Decision Making

As a Head Start or Early Head Start program, you are required to have a Community Assessment that is comprised of comprehensive data of the communities in your service area. The new Head Start Program Performance Standards designate specific data that must be included in the Community Assessment to describe community strengths, needs and resources.

Comprehensive data about your service area is one of the essential elements in your program. It is a cornerstone to program planning and is needed to meet programmatic requirements. Community Assessment data is also needed for your Refunding Application, for other grant applications and for the Recompetition grant application.

We create comprehensive Community Assessments for Head Start & Early Head Start programs as well as Community Action Agencies. They include all of the required items in the Head Start Program Performance Standards (and, for Community Action Agencies, the regulations of your CAP programs).  As all of our services are custom designed, we will include any additional data that you request.

Our Community Assessments include:

  • Aggregating and analyzing a multitude of data sources;
  • Comparing current data with past years’ data;
  • Colorful graphs and charts illustrating the data;
  • Key findings for each piece of data;
  • Highlights & considerations for each major section;
  • Survey results of your Staff, Parents, Board of Directors and Community Partners.

The Community Assessment will include an analysis of the data as well as a list of recommendations – in a user-friendly format. This will allow for data-driven decision making.

Are you looking for a Full Community Assessment in order to make critical programmatic decisions? Give us a call today at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

Using Motivational Interviewing to Build Effective Relationships with Parents

Family Service Workers and Home Visitors have an important role that includes creating effective working relationships with parents. They form a partnership with them to guide them on their path to self-sufficiency. Home Visitors and Family Service Workers work closely with parents to identify their strengths and needs, set family goals and provide opportunities for parents to be fully engaged in the life of their child.

Finding the right approach for effective work with parents starts with an ability to extend empathy… to understand where they are and where they want to go. We believe in engaging and building connections with families by initiating “rich” conversations. Create a safe environment for families to share their strengths and open up about areas of challenge. Take the time to work with parents to create solutions and offer support in a patient and helpful way. Discover what each family is all about and what is important to them – recognizing their strengths and needs.

It’s essential that Family Service Workers and Home Visitors have the needed skills in order to create successful relationships with parents. Motivational interviewing is one of those key skills.  Motivational interviewing is the process of helping people move through the stages of change. Motivational interviewing includes:

  • Learning how to collaborate and support change using specific skill-building techniques;
  • Improving how you show empathy through reflective listening.
  • Supporting a parent’s desire to change by learning how to establish discrepancy and rolling with resistance.

This practice-based training explores the principles and stages of motivational interviewing as well as motivators of change and transformation. Motivational interviewing is a great tool to have in your toolbox when establishing effective relationships with parents. Believing that a parent can change is powerful. However, supporting a parent’s belief that they can change themselves is empowering.

Are you looking for training on “Using Motivational Interviewing to Build Effective Relationships with Parents”? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

Mentor Coaching Training: The Building Blocks of Effective Mentor Coaching

Mentor Coaching is an important piece of professional development and has become a foundational element in Head Start and Early Head Start programs.  Mentor Coaching is ongoing, grounded in classroom practice, individualized, reflective and intensive.  It provides teachers with an opportunity to self-reflect, set goals, receive feedback and improve their craft.  Effective mentor coaching impacts teacher practice and improves outcomes for children.

We offer highly interactive & practice-based Mentor Coaching training.  It addresses the best practices of Mentor Coaching, including how Mentor Coaching works, coaching models, what good coaches do as well as resources & tools for Mentor Coaching.  Our Mentor Coaching training and Mentor Coaching services are based on the Practice-Based Coaching model.  This model includes (1) planning goals and action steps, (2) engaging in focused observations and (3) reflecting on & sharing feedback regarding teaching behaviors.

The Mentor Coaching training includes topics, such as:

  • Strategies to establish a collaborative partnership;
  • Coaching versus evaluating (coach vs. supervisor);
  • Finding the time to coach;
  • Coaching models;
  • The coaching cycle;
  • How to affect change through the mentor coaching process;
  • Adult learning principles;
  • How to share feedback effectively.

Our training also includes going into classrooms and “practicing” the Mentor Coaching services that were trained on the first day.  This day of practice coaching will include observations, reflection and feedback.

In addition to Mentor Coaching training, we also offer On-site Mentor Coaching Services as well as Long-distance Mentor Coaching Services.  We will custom design a Mentor Coaching plan for your program.

Are you looking for Mentor Coaching training, On-site Mentor Coaching services or Long-distance Mentor Coaching? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

Best Practices of Home Visiting

The goal of home-based services in Head Start & Early Head Start is to strengthen the relationship between children and their parents. Home visiting is intended to support parents in their role as the primary caregiver and for the parents to facilitate their child’s growth and development. We believe in strength-based practice as it pertains to home visiting… building on the individual strengths that each family has during home visits. High quality home visiting includes several key elements.

  1. The Role of the Home Visitor:  During the home visit, the Home Visitor acts in the role of a facilitator, coach and supporter. This allows the Home Visitor to partner with the parent to be their child’s first and most important teacher. The Home Visitor steps out of the spotlight and focuses on facilitating parent/child interaction. In the role as Coach, the Home Visitor uses daily routines and helps parents observe, reflect and adapt their behavior to meet their child’s needs.
  2. Facilitating Parent/Child Interaction:  During the home visit, the relationship between the parent and the child is the focus. We utilize strategies to facilitate parent/child interaction, including setting up the environment, affirming parent competence, providing developmental information, and modeling developmentally appropriate interactions. The Home Visitor coaches the parent and empowers them to support their child’s growth and development.
  3. The Home as a Learning Environment:  We often hear about Home Visitors bringing toys and materials into the home visit. While this is done with the best of intentions, we believe in using items found in each parent’s home. By using simple household items and everyday routines, it provides meaningful opportunities for children to grow developmentally. By utilizing things found in the home, parents can recreate these activities between home visits. This continues the learning and provides a great foundation for school readiness.

The “Best Practices of Home Visiting” training includes topics, such as:

  • The Home Visitor as the Coach
  • Utilizing the Home as a learning environment
  • Establishing boundaries
  • Building strong relationships with families
  • Safety & Awareness
  • Strategies to engage fathers
  • Working with challenging families
  • Adult education techniques
  • Successful socializations
  • Caring for yourself in order to care for families

Are you looking for highly interactive & practice-based training on “Best Practices of Home Visiting”? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

Teaching with Intentionality

Effective learning is achieved when children are fully engaged. This occurs when children are actively involved and energized by what is being presented. The classroom environment should be one that captures children’s inquiry, promotes creativity and encourages problem-solving skills. Equally important is the intention on the part of the teacher.

Intentional teaching is always thinking about what you are doing and how it will foster children’s development.  In everything that teachers plan and implement in the Head Start classroom, it’s essential that they are highly intentional. That is, they need to work with children’s outcomes in mind and seek out every opportunity to help children progress on their road to school readiness. This is accomplished through the learning experiences that teachers plan, the ways they interact with children and how teachers individualize for all children.

We believe that children need playful learning and meaningful play. It’s important that teachers intentionally integrate learning opportunities throughout the daily schedule. Intentional planning is the cornerstone to engaging interactions.

This highly interactive training will address how to teach with intentionality, including strategies to:

  • Be highly responsive to children and intentionally build relationships;
  • Integrate instructional interactions throughout the classroom centers and routines;
  • Match content with students’ developmental levels and emerging abilities;
  • Organize the classroom environment and closely monitor children’s experiences;
  • Maximize learning time through carefully planned transitions and routines; and
  • Use effective teaching strategies throughout the school day.

Are you looking for highly interactive & practice-based training on Teaching with Intentionality? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

Hands-On CLASS Training

Are you looking for CLASS training that is relevant to your Head Start classrooms and that inspires your Head Start teachers? Are you looking for CLASS training that is highly interactive and fully engages your Head Start teachers in practice-based learning?

As you know, it’s important to have and maintain high CLASS scores. High scoring classrooms are a great indicator of positive teacher/child interactions that effectively support children’s learning and development. This leads to successful CLASS Reviews as well as best practices in the classroom.

Effective CLASS training consists of keeping the teachers highly engaged by utilizing a “learning by doing” approach. It’s based on the principles of adult learning, which results in high impact learning. This hands-on strategy allows the teachers to take back the information that they learn in the training and implement it in their classrooms. Adult learning is most effective when the participants can see, feel and experience the information that is being presented.

We offer highly interactive and practice-based CLASS training designed to increase CLASS scores. The training will be custom designed to meet the specific needs of your Head Start program. It can cover all of the domains and dimensions – or it can focus on specific domains or dimensions. This hands-on training will include specific examples and effective strategies in terms of the Head Start classroom. The training participants will have many opportunities to see what high-scoring domains and dimensions look like.

Our CLASS trainings include showing video clips that demonstrate the interactions and teaching strategies that you want your teachers to display. We take each domain and dimension and show videos of what each dimension should look like and should not look like. We take time to discuss the video clips and talk about what the teachers saw and how they can deliver high scoring behaviors in their classrooms.

Are you looking for highly interactive & custom designed CLASS training? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

EHS Training: Baby Steps to School Readiness

School readiness is the first step to ensure that no matter where a child starts, it will not determine how far they can go. How can your high quality infant-toddler classrooms maximize learning? This highly interactive training looks at how Early Head Start programs can unlock children’s potential and provide them with a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

The first three years are critical in a child’s social and cognitive development. Responsive caregiving is the key to providing high quality infant/toddler care. Research shows that infants and toddlers who have been nurtured in caring, individualized environments produce the greatest positive outcomes.

We offer custom designed training will share practical strategies to provide responsive caregiving. We will clarify what school readiness means for programs serving infants and toddlers. Utilizing recent research on brain development and infant-toddler CLASS, caregivers will learn valuable skills to enhance the learning environment. Participants will engage in hands-on activities to strengthen their capacity to provide high quality teacher-child interactions.

This on-site, practice-based training will include:

  • The Early Head Start expectations regarding school readiness for infants and toddlers;
  • Strategies to provide teacher-child interactions that are high quality and based on current brain research;
  • How to design learning environments that promote cognitive development and foster social/emotional skills; and
  • Opportunities to develop an action plan to increase awareness and responsiveness to all children within the classroom.

Are you looking for highly interactive & custom designed training on “Baby Steps to School Readiness” for your Early Head Start staff? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.