Robeson County Partnership for Children uses CLASS tool and My Teaching Partner Coaching to assist in ECE classrooms
| Robeson County Partnership for Children has been funding use of the CLASS tool and My Teaching Partner Coaching with teachers since 2013. My Teaching Partner is designed to address the complexity of being a classroom teacher working with young children. Effective teacher-child interactions are essential for children’s development and learning. My Teaching Partner Coaching (MTP) is a one-on-one video coaching model designed to improve the quality of the interactions between teachers and children using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) tool. The CLASS is a tool for observing and assessing the quality of the interactions between teachers and children. MTP video coaching provides teachers with a window to reflect on their teaching skills with a trained coach. Results show that teachers improved their interactions with children in dimensions such as relational or positive climate and teacher sensitivity, as well as in areas supporting children’s learning, such as facilitated exploration and early language support of infants; facilitation of learning and development, quality of feedback, and language modeling in toddlers; and concept development, quality of feedback, and language modeling in Pre-K. My Teaching Partner Coaching has made a positive impact on the quality of care provided to children in Robeson County as teachers have improved their knowledge and skills. One local child care center director has made it a requirement for her teachers to participate in MTP and can see the difference participating in MTP has made in the interactions teachers have with the children in their classroom. Teachers have noticed a positive change in the interactions they have with the children by participating in MTP. Read the positive quotes about MTP participation below! “I feel that I have grown as a teacher this year. I have tried to be more conscious of not just doing things to the infants but communicating my intentions such as telling them I am going to wash their hands. I am also trying to be more respectful. I have become more aware of and responsive to their cues. I have tried to follow their leads, allow them choices and be involved with the children.” — Robeson County Infant Toddler Teacher “I feel I have grown so much this year. I have changed from thinking that ‘teachers teach and children learn’ to allowing children to take the lead and really listening to what they have to say. I now ask more open-ended questions and ask more follow-up questions to keep the conversation going. I also learned that children really have a lot of knowledge/information to share if they are given the time to respond. This was a great experience and program that you all allowed me to be part of. Thank you!” —Robeson County ECE Teacher “I feel I had gained much needed guidance by participating in MTP this year. I was bringing in different teaching methods to help children learn as I gave them opportunities to answer questions and ask questions. I learned that I can teach as I travel from center to center interacting with and observing the children and not just at group time. I realized that there was more to work with and talk about with the children than just themes. I feel I provide the children more feedback as I now ask more open-ended questions, encourage the children’s thinking skills and engage them in more conversations. As a teacher my first priority should be the child and helping meet his or her needs to the best of my ability. I enjoyed MTP and felt it has enhanced my knowledge in every aspect of being a teacher.” —Robeson County Pre-K Teacher |
