Teaching Pyramid Infant-Toddler Observation Scale:

A Tool for Measuring Implementation of Social-Emotional Teaching Practices

Kathryn M. Bigelow, Judith J. Carta, Dwight W. Irvin
Mary Louise Hemmeter
Juniper Gardens Children’s Project at University of Kansas
Vanderbilt University

Background

In the U.S. today, thousands of young children are suspended or expelled from early childhood settings each year. Many young children receive their early care in settings that are lacking in the type of nurturing responsive interactions known to foster social and emotional development, and later self-regulation and executive functioning.

Teachers in many early childhood programs report feeling unequipped to meet the needs of children who have delays in social-emotional development or who have challenging behavior. Teachers equipped with the knowledge and skills for providing children with strong social-emotional foundations are much more likely to have the skills needed to prevent challenging behaviors from occurring, and know how best to intervene when challenging behavior occurs.

The Pyramid Model

The Pyramid Model was designed as a promotion, prevention, and intervention framework for guiding the implementation of evidence-based ! practices that have been demonstrated to ! support social-emotional development and prevent challenging behavior in high quality, supportive environments.

• Examine fidelity of practices over time
• Reinforce strengths
• Identify needs/priorities
• Engage in data-based decision making
• Demonstrate improvement over time

While many early childhood programs adopting the Pyramid Model include infants and toddlers, there is currently limited information available on how to adapt and align the Pyramid approach to meet the needs of children younger than 3 years. TPITOS data can be used to provide feedback in the context of coaching, and inform professional development for individual teachers or caregivers, classroom teams, or entire programs.

Using TPITOS to Support High Fidelity Implementation of Pyramid Practices

• Support greater staff confidence and morale

The TPITOS was initially developed as part of the Technical Assistance Center on Social-Emotional Learning (TACSEI). It was further developed and refined through collaboration with a nationwide network of early childhood education providers who participated in field-testing, and shared feedback via online surveys and regularly scheduled conference calls.

Structure of the TPITOS

The TPITOS is conducted based on a 2-hour observation with an individual teacher, and a brief follow-up interview. TPITOS Items are scored across typical daily routines: Free play, Structured Group, Care Routines, and Outdoors.

The TPITOS consists of:

• Thirteen observational or interview Items reflecting major categories of practices that promote social-emotional development.
• Eleven Red Flags, indicating areas in need of immediate attention or support related to social-emotional teaching practices.

Observational or Interview Items:

Items 1-7 are scored for each routine

• Each Item is made up of 2-9 "Indicators," for a total of 78 Indicators describing specific teaching practices. Observers score "yes" or "no" for Items 1-7, and scores are used to generate a total Item score.

TPITOS Data to Inform Coaching & Professional Development

• Red Flags reflect practices that are inconsistent with implementation of the Pyramid Model, and may compromise child social-emotional development.

TPITOS scores are entered into the TPITOS Excel Scoring Spreadsheet to generate graphed data summaries for individual teachers, teaching teams, classrooms, or whole programs, and to examine progress over time. Reports show teacher TPITOS data in graphed and table format.

Red Flags

1. PPI. Teacher Promotes Positive Peer Interactions
2. CAE. Teacher Promotes Children’s Active Engagement
3. CBE. Teacher Communicates & Provides Feedback about Developmentally Appropriate Behavioral Expectations
4. RDC. Teacher Responds to Children in Distress

• Graphed data are used to monitor progress when used in the context of coaching or professional development. Data can be used to determine strengths and needs, set coaching goals, and monitor progress over time in the context of data-based decision making.

Alignment with Professional Criteria

Instruction

• INS2 Practitioners, with the family, identify skills to target for instruction that helps a child become adaptive, competent, socially connected, and engaged and that promote learning in natural and inclusive environments.
• INS3 Practitioners gather and use data to inform decisions about individualized instruction.
• INS4 Practitioners plan for and provide the level of support, accommodations, and adaptations needed for the child to access, participate, and learn within and across activities and routines.
• INS5 Practitioners embed instruction within and across routines, activities, and environments to provide contextually relevant learning opportunities.
• INS6 Practitioners use systematic instructional strategies with fidelity to teach skills.

Zero to Three Critical Competencies for Infant-Toddler Educators Supporting Social-Emotional Development

1. Building Warm, Positive, and Nurturing Relationships
   • INT1 Promote social-emotional development by observing, interpreting, and responding contingently to the range of the child’s emotional expressions.
   • INT2 Promote social development by encouraging the child to initiate or sustain positive interactions with other children and adults during routines and activities.
   • INT5 Promote child’s problem-solving behavior by observing, interpreting, and scaffolding in response to the child’s growing level of autonomy and self-regulation.
2. Providing Consistent and Responsive Caregiving
3. Supporting Emotional Expression and Regulation
4. Promoting Socialization