DEVELOPING A MODEL

PRE-K PROGRAM:

THE MNPS-PRI ITERATIVE

PARTNERSHIP

Presentation to MNPS Directors and Coaches

July 15, 2015

*Revised for MNPS-PRI Partnership Website on 9/22/16

2015

2016

September October December

May

Posttest

Child

Assessments

Pretest Child

Assessments

Classroom

Observation 1

(new teachers

only)

Classroom

Observation 3

(all teachers)

January February March April

November

Assessment &

Observation 1

Results

Goal

Setting/

Coaching

Observation 2

Feedback

(all teachers)

Preview of Project Timeline

August

Observation 2

(returning

teachers)

Observation 2

New teachers

Goal

Setting/

Coaching

Child Assessments

• In the Fall (mid-August–September) and Spring

(mid-April–May), children will be individually

assessed in two sessions.

• Each session will be approximately 35 minutes.

• Teachers will also complete ratings for each child

in the Fall (late September) and Spring (May).

Child Assessments

Self-Regulation

Social-Emotional SkillsLanguage & Literacy Mathematics

Peg Tapping Task preLAS WJ-III Applied Problems

NEPSY-II Statue Task

WJ-III Letter Word

Identification WJ-III Quantitative Concepts

Cooper-Farran Behavioral

Rating Scale

WJ-III Spelling Subitizing Dot Enumeration

Task

Peabody Picture Vocabulary

TestTools for Early Assessment

in Math

Renfrew Language Scales:

Bus Story Test

Session 1, Session 2, Teacher Ratings

Self-Regulation & Social-Emotional Skills

• Peg Tapping Inhibitory Control Task

– Children are asked to tap a wooden peg once when the

examiner taps twice or tap twice when the examiner taps

once.

• NEPSY-II Statue Resistance to Distractibility Task

– A child has to stand, one hand on the table, the other raised

for 75 seconds with eyes closed ignoring distractors provided

by the examiner.

• Cooper-Farran Behavioral Rating Scale

– Teacher ratings of children’s work-related (independent work,

compliance with and memory for instructions) and

interpersonal skills (how well children get along with peers

and with their teacher).

Language & Literacy

• preLAS

– Screens for children’s English language proficiency.

• Woodcock-Johnson-III Letter Word Identification Subtest

– Assesses children’s ability to identify and pronounce letters and words.

• Woodcock-Johnson-III Spelling Subtest

– Assesses children’s prewriting skills and spelling orally presented

words.

• Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test

– Assesses children’s deep understanding of vocabulary.

• Renfrew Language Scales: Bus Story Test

– Assesses children’s receptive and expressive oral language using

narrative retell.

Mathematics

• Woodcock-Johnson-III Applied Problems Subtest

– Assesses children’s ability to solve numerical and spatial

problems.

• Woodcock-Johnson-III Quantitative Concepts Subtest

– Assesses children’s quantitative reasoning and math

knowledge (e.g., number identification, sequencing, shapes).

• Subitizing Dot Enumeration Task

– Assesses children’s ability to know the how many items are

presented without counting the them. Assessed for small

number of items.

• Tools for Early Assessment in Math (TEAM)

– Assesses children’s understanding of numbers, sequencing,

patterning, and shapes.

Classroom Observation

• Two full-day classroom observations (3 for new teachers)

– Mid September (new teachers only)

– Early November (returning teachers) and early December (new teachers)

– April

• Observation will include:

– Narrative Record

– Children’s Observation in Preschool System (COP)

– Teacher’s Observation in Preschool System (TOP)

– Prekindergarten Classroom Dynamics Rating Scale

• After each observation, the results will be reported back to

directors and coaches within 1-2 weeks to be used in their

coaching and goal-setting sessions with teachers.

Narrative Record

• Observational protocol similar to the one used in the

evaluation of the TN Voluntary Pre-K.

• Additional elements added for MNPS ELCs include:

– Content specific competencies being taught

– Complexity of classroom language and conversations

– Cognitive-demands of classroom activities and tasks

– Organization and descriptions of classroom centers

Narrative Record Example Snippet

10

OBSERVATION TOTAL: 55 minutes

• TRANSITION TOTAL: 25 minutes (45%)

• WHOLE GROUP TOTAL: 30 minutes (55%)

• MATH CONTENT TOTAL: 10 minutes (18%)

COP & TOP

• A protocol that describes the pre-k classroom environment

in terms of individual children’s (COP) and teachers’ (TOP)

behaviors.

• Snapshot coding scheme that begins with observers first

coding the teacher, and then the assistant(s), followed by

each individual child in the classroom before starting the

process anew.

COP

TOP

Prekindergarten Classroom Dynamics

Rating Scale• Behaviorally anchored rating scale completed at the end of

the full-day observations

• Includes items regarding:

– Overall Impression: General descriptive items about the

classroom, assistant, and children

– Classroom Management: Teacher behavior management style

and preparedness, and general child behavior

– Teacher Responsiveness: Teacher attentiveness to children

– Community: Child social interactions and behaviors

– Academic and Learning‐Related: Child behaviors during

academic activities

2014-15 CHILD ASSESSMENT &

CLASSROOM OBSERVATION

DATA REVIEW

Children's Readiness for Kindergarten:

Academic Skills

Children's Readiness for Kindergarten:

Academic Skills

Children's Readiness for Kindergarten:

Self-Regulation Skills

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Time 1 Time 2

Peg-Tapping

Inhibitory Control

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Time 1 Time 2

Statue

Resistance to Distraction

Children’s Readiness for Kindergarten

Preschool Activities

Provided to the Whole Class: Average Time in Minutes (Observations 1-3)

N Mean Min MaxWhole Group 26 61 18 98

Small Group 15 12 0 57

Small Group Centers 13 15 0 66

Centers 26 101 27 206

Specials 18 24 0 87

Indoor Gross Motor 11 9 0 53

Outdoor Gross Motor 10 12 0 61

Transitions w/ Instruct 15 3 0 21

Transitions w/o Instruct 26 64 15 130

Mealtime w/ Instruct 3 1 0 20

Mealtime w/o Instruct 26 34 13 67

Nap 26 84 54 136

Specific Content

Provided to the Whole Class: Average Time in Minutes (Observations 1-3)

N Mean Min MaxNone 26 181 116 255

Math 2 7 0 24

Reading Readiness 26 34 4 77

Science 21 12 0 71

Social Studies 19 8 0 48

Art 6 5 0 46

Music & Movement 24 14 0 50

Gross Motor 22 25 0 80

Fine Motor 4 2 0 25

Center Content 26 116 28 206

Mixed Content 19 17 0 86

TN-VPK Davidson County &

MNPS Early Learning Centers

• In State VPK evaluation, 2009 and 2010, 98 children and

14 MNPS classrooms were involved.

• Observed with some of the same measures used in ELC

evaluation

• Children assessed with many of the same measures

How do the two groups compare?

Instructional Setting (first 4 hours of day)

TN-VPK Davidson County MNPS ELCs

Content Covered (first 4 hours of day)

TN-VPK Davidson County MNPS ELCs

Academic Skills

EXAMINING ASSOCIATIONS

BETWEEN ELC ACHIEVEMENT GAINS

AND CLASSROOM PRACTICES

Background

• Variability among the classrooms in gains for children across

the year in different domains

• Variability among the classrooms in time spent and

interactions observed

• Goal: to examine relationships between gains and observed

classroom practices

• Procedure:

– Combine data from observations 1-3 to create summary

variables of classroom practices

– Use variables to predict gains in different pre-post domains

• 26 classrooms, meaning low power

• Subgroups of children can be examined (e.g., lower entering skills)

Predicting Gains for Total Group• Gains in Math

– More overall time spent in instructional activities

– Less overall time classroom spent in transitions

– Higher quality instruction

– More teacher listening to children

– More positive classroom climate (more positive tone, more

behavior approving, less behavior disapproving)

– Children observed engaged in mathematics – across the

day, combining time in centers and in whole/small groups

– Children observed learning in social interactions

(associative and cooperative)

Gains for Total Group (cont.)

• Gains in Knowledge of Letters and Sight Words

– Higher quality instruction

• Gains in Spelling/Writing

– Higher quality instruction

– Children’s engagement in sequential activities during

center time (writing is a sequential activity)

Gains for Total Group (cont.)

• Gains in Self-Regulation

– Higher quality instruction

– Children observed learning in social interactions

(associative and cooperative)

– Higher ratings for teacher responsiveness and

engagement

Much Stronger Effects on Gains for

Children With Lower Entering Skill Levels

• Gains Across Areas for lower skilled children predicted by

– Higher levels of instruction

– Higher levels of instruction during center time

– Amount of instruction by lead teacher

– More positive classroom climate (more positive tone, more

behavior approving, less behavior disapproving)

– Teacher rated responsiveness and engagement

Gains for Children With Lower Entering

Skill Levels (cont.)

• Gains in Math for lower skilled children predicted by

– More time children observed doing math learning

– Less time classroom spent in transitions

• Gains in Literacy for lower skilled children predicted by

– More time children observed in reading readiness learning

(knowledge of letters and sight words)

– More time teachers spent listening to children

– More time children spent in social learning activities during

centers

– More time children spent in sequential activities during

centers

– Children’s level of involvement in learning

Conclusions

• Data we are collecting from observations reveal important

dimensions of classroom practices related to children’s

gains in academic areas and self regulation

• Because they are descriptive, these data clearly indicate

dimensions of practice that could be worked on to bring

about changes in children’s learning

• These changes appear to be most important for children

who are entering your centers with lower skill levels.

• Children with higher skill levels may be less vulnerable.

The critical issue is whether coaches know how to help

teachers change their behaviors

Areas in immediate need of coaching and help

1. Reducing Transitions

2. Increasing Quality of Instruction

3. Creating More Positive Emotional Climate

4. Helping Teachers Learn to Listen to Children

5. Creating Sequential Activities in Center Time

6. Fostering Associative/Cooperative Interactions

7. Fostering Higher Levels of Involvement by Children

8. Creating More Math Opportunities During Centers and

Whole Group Instruction