- Effective Practice
- Transition to Kindergarten
- Teacher Development
- Higher Education
Framework for Effective Practice
Supporting School Readiness for All Children
This house represents four integral elements of quality teaching and learning: engaging every day interactions with children (the foundation); choosing and implementing a strong curriculum (first pillar); using regular assessment of children's skills (second pillar), and individualized teaching (the roof). These elements--when connected with one another--form a single structure that fosters children's learning and development.
Mouse over each section of the house to reveal its description.
Select a section of the house for more information.
The Roof:
Highly Individualized Teaching and Learning
Effective instruction for all children requires specialized teaching and learning opportunities to access, participate, and thrive in the preschool classroom.
The First Pillar:
Research-Based Curricula and Teaching Practices
A high-quality, research-based curriculum provides learning goals and activities in key areas of children's development that reflect support for school readiness goals.
The Second Pillar:
Ongoing Child Assessment
Ongoing assessment is integral to curriculum and instruction. Our goal is to help children achieve school readiness and individual learning goals. We need to keep track of the children’s progress and use assessment to guide our teaching.
Foundation:
Engaging Interactions and Environments
Effective, engaging interactions and environments are the foundation for all learning in early childhood classrooms. High-quality preschool classrooms include a well-organized and managed classroom, social and emotional support, and instructional interactions and materials that stimulate children's thinking and skills.
Decision-making Tools
- Framework for Effective Everyday Practice: Supporting School Readiness for All Children English [PDF, 326.70KB] En Español [PDF, 422KB]
- A Guide to Resources for Developing School Readiness Goals [PDF, 214KB]
- School Readiness Goals for Preschool Children in Head Start Programs: Examples from the National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning English [PDF, 151KB] En Español [PDF, 257KB]
Last Reviewed: December 2012
Last Updated: February 11, 2013