Pre-K teaching times, Vol. 7, Issue 1 (Aug. 2010)

Pre-K Teaching Times

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 1

BACK TO SCHOOL 2010

SPOTLIGHT ON
Organization Changes CLASS Assessment Resources

WELCOME BACK
Can you believe another school year is here already with new families, new children, new faces, new smiles, and new challenges? The first few weeks of school are never boring. We know you are busy learning about your children, creating engaging activities, and helping families settle into a new school year. Big things are happening in your classroom!
Bright from the Start welcomes all new Georgia's Pre-K teachers and assistant teachers. We hope your first year in Georgia's Pre-K Program is a rewarding experience. Thank you for helping us provide a quality learning environment and sound, developmentally appropriate instructional practices for Georgia's Pre-K children.
We also welcome back our returning lead and assistant Pre-K teachers. We know that you will be as excited as we are about the direction in which Georgia's Pre-K is moving.
This newsletter focuses on exciting changes in Georgia's nationally recognized Pre-K

MISSION ORGANIZATION

THE PAPERWORK
This year teachers will use a three-ring binder to organize required documentation for lesson planning. Place monthly tabs in the binder and behind each tab insert the weekly lesson plans as you write them. This year you will be required to choose a lesson plan template from our website and to organize your lesson plans according to the Instructional Guide for Instructional Planning, also found on our website.

THE CLASSROOM
Organize your classroom in ways that help maximize time and space. Many teachers sort and store materials by topic, e.g., all materials related to farms in one box or on one shelf ( books, puzzles, manipulatives, stamps, stencils, file folder games, puppets, tractors or other farm vehicles, dramatic play clothing, etc.). Or you could sort and store materials according to the academic discipline the materials are used to teach, e.g., science, math, social skills, etc.

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GEORGIA'S PRE-K HAS CLASS

2010-2011 will be a year of exciting changes in Georgia's Pre-K Program!

Introducing the CLASS
Georgia's Pre-K Program has a new tool to help new and experienced teachers become more effective. The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) is an observational tool developed at the University of Virginia that focuses on the effectiveness of classroom interactions among teachers and children. These daily interactions promote children's social and cognitive development. Children thrive when teachers

create nurturing, well managed settings and provide frequent and engaging learning opportunities. The CLASS is divided into three domains: Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support. Under each domain are ten distinct dimensions.
During the 2010-2011 school year, Pre-K consultants will collect baseline data by conducting CLASS observations in all Pre-K classrooms. This baseline will be used to identify strengths and

weaknesses across the state. The scores will not be used to evaluate individual teachers at this time.
We will provide additional information about the dimensions in upcoming newsletters. Georgia State University will feature an online module directly related to the CLASS.
To learn more about CLASS, visit www.class.teachstone.org.

Positive teacher student interactions build relationships and foster children's social-emotional development and academic growth..

Pre-K Consultants
This year Georgia's Pre-K Consultants will continue to be a resource for you. They will:
monitor program quality using the Grant Requirement Checklist and other Instructional Quality (IQ) guides; Provide support to returning and newly funded programs in their assigned region; and conduct observations in Pre-K classrooms using the CLASS instrument.
Ask your Project or Site Director for the e-mail address for your Pre-K consultant and contact her/him when you have questions or need support throughout the year.

PRE-K TEACHING TIMES

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Setting teachers up for success.... Georgia's Pre-K provides lesson plan templates for teachers.

More Changes for 2010-2011

What is happening with the PQA and Scoring, Clarifications and Defini-

tions?

?

The PQA and Scoring, Clarifications and Definitions that have been instrumental in

supporting a quality classroom environment will no longer be used. However, many of the

PQA components have been incorporated into new checklists for teachers and directors

to use. REMEMBER: if you have copies of old PQA and Scoring, Definitions and Clarifica-

tions, do not use them this year.

? What will be used in place of the PQA and what resources exist
for teachers? This year all program directors are required to complete a Grant Requirement Checklist that will be used to ensure that all classrooms continue to meet Georgia's Pre-K Guidelines and maintain quality in classrooms. The checklists will ultimately be used as communication tools for project/site directors and teachers; monitoring tools for Georgia's Pre-K consultants; and data reporting pieces for state level reporting. The following resource documents are available on the BFTS website at www.decal.ga.gov

Instructional Quality (IQ) Guide for the Learning Environment Instructional Quality (IQ) Guide for Daily Schedule Instructional Quality (IQ) Guide for Instructional Planning FAQ for Instructional Practices Instructional Quality (IQ) Guide for Assessment Work Sampling System Instructional Quality (IQ) Guide for Assessment Work Sampling Online (for teachers who have been trained to use the WSS online assessment)

Lesson Plans Made Easy
Required lesson plan templates are an important change. WOW, this is great news!
This year teachers will be required to use one of the lesson plans templates found on our website. The templates can be manipulated so you can reorder your day, but no other additions or changes should be made. Each template contains space for lesson planning, small group planning, supplemental planning, changes to the learning environment as well as requirements and space for assessment planning.
The lesson plans provide teachers with an easy-to-manipulate template that will support them in documenting the required instructional activities and that have been correlated to the required Instructional Quality Guide for Instructional Planning mentioned above.
Lesson plan templates are anticipated to be posted on the website by July 24, 2010.

PRE-K TEACHING TIMES

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Work Sampling System
With all the changes for the 2010-2011 school year, you may wonder if or how assessment is changing. The C6 Scoring Guide and the old timeline format have been combined into a more user-friendly tool to support teachers and directors. The new tool is the IQ Guide for Assessment.
Two versions of the guide exist. The IQ Guide for Assessment (Work Sampling System) was designed for teachers using the traditional method of data collection. The IQ Guide for Assessment (Work Sampling Online) is for teachers who have been trained on and are implementing Work Sampling Online. The new tool will help ensure that WSS is set up correctly and meeting timeline expectations.

Georgia's Pre-K Assessment

Begin using the IQ Guide for Assessment during the preplanning to start gathering appropriate documentation. This valuable documentation will provide the information you need to ensure that your instructional planning is based on the needs of the students in your classroom.

In your classroom set up a large bin containing a set of eight hanging folders for each child labeled with the WSS domains. Remember to file documentation on a weekly basis and take observational notes daily to prevent falling behind in assessment.

Planning, instruction, and assessment are linked in effective Pre-K classrooms. As you assess, you gain knowledge about what activities you should plan to meet your children's needs. Your planning drives your classroom instruction and activities. Then the data you collect during classroom instruction and through observation becomes your child assessment. For more information, download the IQ Guide for Assessment (Work Sampling System) or the IQ Guide for Assessment Online from our website.

Assessment

Planning

Instruction

These three things are interconnected by learning standards

PRE-K TEACHING TIMES

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Documenting Changes to the Learning Environ-
Changes to the learning environment refers to the times when you rotate materials as the topic of instruction changes; as children's interests change; and as the developmental needs of your students progress throughout the year.
The Changes to the Learning Environment Form is a part of the required lesson plan templates, located on the BFTS website. Complete the form and keep it in the organizational notebook with lesson plans. You should update the form weekly as a part of your planning process. The amount of time a topic should remain a focus in the classroom is based on student interest. Some topics of interest may last only a week or two, while others may last longer because children's interest is high, and the information they want and need can be enhanced by extending the time in the classroom.

What's In A Name?

Why is it important to teach using students' names? To a child, nothing is more important than his or her own name. Using

names to teach letters and name recognition is a powerful teaching

tool. Names are meaningful to children; therefore, they are eager to learn to identify the letters in their own names

first. It is empowering and motivating for them. A child who is eager, motivated, and empowered about his or her own

learning is going to learn more quickly and retain more than a child who is not.

Sort names by first letter Sort names by length (number of letters in the name) Look for names or letters of names in books
Make an autograph book

Sarah

Braxton Ethan

Make an address book
Compare and contrast two names: How are they the same? How are they different?

Nicolas

Molly

Go on a name hunt in the classroom (How many names can you find?) Put children's names and pictures on the word wall Match names to pictures of people

Connor

Play name concentration Make class books with student names; use pictographs for names

Madison

Teacher Resources: Where to find the answers ? Call the BFTS office and

The Pre-K staff at Bright from the Start is here to support you in ways that will enhance the quality of the environment and the instructional practices in your class-

Pre-K Consultant on duty at 404-656-5957.

room. Another resource: the Bright from the Start website. On the homepage, click on the "For Teachers" tab for access to many valuable resources. Also on the website: current monthly newsletters posted to provide you with updated information; an-

Pre-K Consultant contact information also can be found on the website.

swers to questions; and ideas for instructional practices and topics of study. News-

letters from past years are available for additional creative and interesting classroom topics of study.

www.decal.ga.gov

PRE-K TEACHING TIMES