# Unpacking the Pyramid Model ## A Practical Guide for Preschool Teachers edited by **Mary Louise Hemmeter, Ph.D.** Vanderbilt University Nashvillle, Tennessee and **Michaelene M. Ostrosky, Ph.D.** University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Champaign, Illinois and **Lise Fox, Ph.D.** University of South Florida Tampa, Florida #### With invited contributors --- # Unpacking the Pyramid Model ## Introduction ### CREATING A FRAMEWORK OF ### EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES: BUILDING THE PYRAMID MODEL Teaching young children is rewarding, inspiring, fun, meaningful, exhausting, and challenging! Teachers of preschool children have the responsibility for providing a welcoming, engaging, and nurturing classroom that fosters early academic skills and promotes social-emotional competence. In addition, early educators need to be prepared to guide the development of children from a variety of backgrounds, and with diverse interests and abilities. The Pyramid Model for Promoting Social Emotional Competence In Infants and Young Children was developed to provide early educators with guidance on the research-based practices they can use to promote the social-emotional competence of all children, prevent social-emotional delays in children who are at risk for emotional and behavioral issues, and intervene effectively with the few children who engage in ongoing, persistent challenging behavior. --- ## Guiding Assumptions The Pyramid Model was developed based on several assumptions about young children’s social-emotional development. These assumptions are grounded in research and are recommended practices in the fields of early childhood and early childhood special education (DEC, 2014; NAEYC, n.d.). The Pyramid Model focuses on promotion and prevention, rather than being reactive and concentrating primarily on intensive interventions. In other words, the emphasis is on enhancing social-emotional skill development and preventing challenging behavior through the careful and intentional arrangement of early childhood environments that are inclusive, developmentally appropriate, and validating of the different lenses teachers, children, and families bring to the classroom. --- ## The Development of the Pyramid Model Although we developed the Pyramid Model in response to concerns about children’s challenging behavior, we wanted to develop a model that would address the needs of all children in inclusive early childhood programs, including those who are developing typically, those who are at risk for developing social, emotional, or behavior challenges, and those who engage in persistent challenging behavior. The Pyramid Model includes the following tiers of practices: 1. Nurturing and Responsive Relationships 2. Supportive Environments 3. Targeted Social and Emotional Supports 4. Intensive Interventions --- # The Pyramid Model Practices ## Tier 1: Universal Practices Tier 1 involves two sets of practices: responsive and nurturing relationships and high-quality, supportive environments. Responsive and nurturing relationship practices include practices that are designed to build relationships between children, between children and teachers, and between adults. High-quality, supportive environment practices are designed to promote engagement and provide structure and predictability to early childhood classrooms. ## Tier 2: Targeted Social-Emotional Supports This tier of the Pyramid Model is focused on supporting children’s development of social-emotional competence by providing high-quality instruction that includes increasing levels of support to meet the needs of all children. ### What to Teach In the Pyramid Model, we focus on teaching a variety of social skills and emotional competencies that will help children learn to interact with peers and adults in socially appropriate ways. These skills include rules and expectations, friendship skills, social problem solving, anger management, and calm-down strategies. ## Tier 3: Intensive Interventions This tier of practices is designed for children whose challenging behavior is persistent and not responsive to the practices implemented in the other tiers of the Pyramid Model. Intensive interventions are developed by a team that includes the family, the teacher, and a behavior support person. --- ## Family Engagement The foundation of the Pyramid Model—nurturing and responsive relationships—includes the development of strong relationships with families as a key component. Working in partnership with families is part of each tier of the Pyramid Model and all the key practices. Strategies for sharing information about children’s social-emotional development between teachers and families are emphasized. --- ## Frequently Asked Questions 1. **Is the Pyramid Model a curriculum that I can purchase?** The Pyramid Model is not a curriculum; rather it is a conceptual framework of evidence-based practices for promoting young children’s social-emotional development. 2. **Can I use the Pyramid Model with children who have special needs?** Yes, the Pyramid Model includes practices that promote the social-emotional competence of all children, including those with special needs. 3. **I am interested in reducing challenging behavior in my classroom. Will the Pyramid Model help with that?** Yes, we have found that implementing the promotion and prevention practices in the Pyramid Model helps teachers manage classrooms and reduce challenging behavior. --- ## Conclusion Throughout this guide, we will embrace the Pyramid Model framework and work diligently with your team and families in your program to support preschoolers’ social-emotional competence and prevent challenging behavior.