# Checklist for Effective Friendship Practices

Teachers foster a culture of friendship when they promote helpfulness and cooperation among children while intentionally and explicitly focusing on the formation of friendships. This checklist can help teachers ensure they are implementing effective friendship practices in their classroom.

## Practice Never Sometimes Often Always

### 1. I assess children’s classroom friendships through observation,

I ask children about their friendships, and I ask family members and teaching staff about children’s friendships.

### 2. I communicate with families about children’s friendships.

### 3. I model friendship skills with other adults and children.

### 4. I teach children friendship skills (e.g., help, share) by using a variety of materials and strategies.

### 5. I read books about friendship.

### 6. I discuss characteristics of good friends, including examples of friendships and of children who are using friendship skills.

### 7. I provide materials and design centers that are made for two to encourage partner play (e.g., balls, tandem bikes, two chairs at the computer center).

### 8. I know the shared interests (e.g., preferred toys) among children and I plan opportunities for children to engage in these interests together.

### 9. I allow opportunities for children to choose who they would like to sit by across the school day.

### 10. I provide time for children to work with partners of their choosing.

### 11. I occasionally place children together to support their formation or maintenance of a friendship.

### 12. I keep some groupings (e.g., partners, small groups) consistent so that children have multiple opportunities to work together.

### 13. I use peer-mediated interventions (e.g., Stay-Play-Talk).

### 14. I encourage reciprocity in relationships by supporting children as the helper if they often are the recipient of a peer’s help.

### 15. I provide children with ideas about how to enter play with peers. When necessary, I enter children’s play to extend and promote positive peer interactions.

### 16. I provide positive descriptive feedback to children who are using friendship skills.

### 17. I provide families with information and strategies for the promotion of friendship skills at home and in the community.

### 18. I partner with families to develop individualized strategies to strengthen a child’s friendship skills at home and in the community.

Adapted from Chapter 12 of Unpacking the Pyramid Model: A Practical Guide for Preschool Teachers edited by Mary Louise Hemmeter, Ph.D., Michaelene M. Ostrosky, Ph.D., & Lise Fox, Ph.D. © 2021 Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.