Effective Teacher Practices Supporting the North Carolina

Foundations for Early Learning and Development

‘Instructional Practices Observed IN Teaching Standards’

For Teachers

Promoting Positive Relationships
Practice 1: When I call children by name and engage in brief and extended conversations throughout the day (routines, teacher-led activities, student-led activities, etc.), modeling conversational strategies that support relationship building and overall communication development….
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children demonstrate a positive sense of self-identity and self-awareness. (ESD-1)
  • Children form relationships and interact positively with familiar adults who are consistent and responsive to their needs. (ESD-3)
  • Children participate in conversations with peers and adults in one-on-one, small, and large-group interactions. (LDC-2)
What teaching standard am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse populationof students.

Practice 2: When I use and model strategies for joining children’s play that support their development of social interactions and assist them in expanding their ideas during play sequences…
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children engage in increasing complex play. (APL-3)
  • Children are willing to try new and challenging experiences. (APL-5)
  • Children use a variety of strategies to solve problems. (APL-6)
  • Children form relationships and interact positively with the other children. (ESD-4)
  • Children demonstrate the social and behavioral skills needed to successfully participate in groups.
(ESD-5)
  • Children participate in conversations with peers and adults in one-on-one, small, and larger group interactions. (LDC-2)
  • Children speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly. (LDC-4)
  • Children recall information and use it for new situations and problems. (CD-2)
What teaching standard am I demonstrating?
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students.

Promoting Positive Relationships
Practice 3: When Iuse and model a positive, calm, and supportive tone in conversations with children…
What early learning and development standard am I addressing?
  • Children form relationships and interact positively with familiar adults who are consistent and responsive to their needs. (ESD-3)
What teaching standard am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students.

Practice 4: When I respond to children’s comments and ideas by asking open-ended questions and by making comments that expand their learning and encourage critical thinking skills…
What early learning and development standard am I addressing?
  • Children form relationships and interact positively with familiar adults who are consistent and responsive to their needs. (ESD-3)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students.
  • Teacher Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students.

Practice 5: When I use and model alternatives strategies when communicating with children who are non-verbal, language delayed, or dual language learners (DLL) and assist other children in implementing these strategies for successful peer relationships…
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children understand communications from others. (LDC-1)
  • Children participate in conversations with peers and adults in one-on-one, small, and larger group interactions. (LDC-2)
  • Children identify and demonstrate acceptance of similarities and differences between themselves and others. (CD-8)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment: An environment in which each child has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults; treat students as individuals.
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students.

Promoting Positive Relationships
Practice 6: When I provide multiple and creative opportunities for families and caregivers to interact with the children and their families/caregivers in the classroom, including opportunities to participate in classroom activitiesand share cultural diversity …
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children demonstrate knowledge of relationships and roles within their own families, homes, classrooms, and communities. (CD-6)
  • Children recognize that they are members of different groups (e.g. family, preschool class, cultural group). (CD-7)
  • Children identify and demonstrate acceptance of similarities and differences between themselves and others. (CD-8)
What teaching standard am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment: An environment in which each child has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults; treat students as individuals

Practice 7: When I have a bi-directional process of communication with families/caregivers using a variety of methods (text, e-mails, phone calls, communication logs, and face-to-face) which support the families’ choice of communication and includes sharing information about classroom activities and celebrating children’s accomplishments…
What teaching standard am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment: An environment in which each child has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults; treat students as individuals

Practice 8: When I have open and supportive communication with other staff members and support their understanding of early childhood development by providing strategies on working with young children, planning classroom activities collaboratively, and recognizing and utilizing staff member’s contributions to the success of the classroom community…
What teaching standard am I demonstrating?
  • Standard I: Teachers demonstrate leadership.

Practice 9: When I use reflective strategies to question my own instructional practices in order to enhance, implement, and model nurturing, responsive, positive relationships within the classroom community…
What teaching standard am I demonstrating?
  • Standard V: Teachers reflect on their practice.

Classroom Design to Create Supportive Environments
Practice 1: When I arrange the classroom so that all children can move easily around the room…
What early learning and development standard am I addressing?
  • Children express positive feelings about themselves and confidence in what they can do (ESD-2)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students
  • Standard I: Teachers demonstrate leadership
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students

Practice 2: When I arrange the classroom so there are no wide open spaces where children can run…
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children express positive feelings about themselves and confidence in what they can do (ESD-2)
  • Children develop awareness of basic safety rules and begin to follow them (HPD-8)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard I: Teachers demonstrate leadership
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students

Practice 3: When I incorporate critical dimensions when arranging the environment (i.e. hardness/softness, simple/complex, high mobility/low mobility etc.)…
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children demonstrate the social and behavioral skills needed to successfully participate in groups (ESD-5)
  • Children explore the world by observing, manipulating objects, asking questions, making predictions, and developing generalizations (CD-15)
  • Children actively seek to understand the world around them (APL-2)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students

Practice 4: When I design learning centers that have clear physical boundaries…
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children form relationships and interact positively with other children (ESD-4)
  • Children develop awareness of basic safety rules and begin to follow them (HPD-8)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students
  • Standard I: Teachers demonstrate leadership

Classroom Design to Create Supportive Environments
Practice 5: When I Include an adequate number and variety of centers to promote interest and support the number of children allowed in each center…
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children demonstrate a positive sense of self-identity and self-awareness (ESD-1)
  • Children demonstrate initiative (APL-7)
  • Children actively seek to understand the world around them (APL-2)
  • Children engage in increasingly complex play (APL-3)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard I: Teachers demonstrate leadership
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students

Practice 6: When I ensure that the classroom environment, resources, and materials are representative of the classroom’s children and families…
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children demonstrate a positive sense of self-identity and self-awareness (ESD-1)
  • Children demonstrate the social and behavioral skills needed to successfully participate in groups (ESD-5)
  • Children recognize that they are members of different groups (family, preschool class, cultural group) (CD-7)
  • Children identify and demonstrate acceptance of similarities and differences between themselves and others (CD-8)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students
  • Standard IV: Teacher facilitate learning for their students

Practice 7: When I prepare activity materials and centers before children arrive at the center or activity…
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children demonstrate a positive sense of self-identity and self-awareness (ESD-1)
  • Children demonstrate initiative (APL-7)
  • Children actively seek to understand the world around them (APL-2)
  • Children engage in increasingly complex play (APL-3)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard I: Teachers demonstrate leadership
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students

Practice 8: When I communicate at eye levelwith the children almostallof the time…
What early learning and development standard am I addressing?
  • Children form relationships and interact positively with familiar adults who are consistent and responsive to their needs (ESD-3)
What teaching standard am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students

Behavior Expectations and Rules
Practice 1: When I establish and display no more than five rules for a given area (circle or center area, hallways, outdoor play areas, bathrooms, etc.), connecting them throughout the dayto the school’s or LEA’s behavior expectations…
What early learning and development standard am I addressing?
  • Children develop awareness of basic safety rules and begin to follow them (HPD-8)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard III: Teachers know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students

Practice 2: When I use and model rules/directions, oral and written, that are positivelyphrased, telling children what “todo” rather than what “not to do”…
What early learning and development standard am I addressing?
  • Children demonstrate the social and behavioral skills needed to successfully participate in groups
(ESD-5)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students

Practice 3: When I post rules with picturesor objects at eye level so that all children maysee them…
What early learning and development standard am I addressing?
  • Children develop awareness of basic safety rules and begin to follow them (HPD-8)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students

Practice 4: When I communicate and involve families/caregivers in understanding the importance of developing behavior expectations and rules and explain how success can be achieved when continuity and collaboration occur between home and school…
What teaching standard am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students

Practice 5: When I utilize a variety of strategies (role play, stories, etc.) to demonstrate and assist children in understanding the rules and behavior expectations …
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children actively seek to understand the world around them (APL-2)
  • Children demonstrate the social and behavioral skills needed to successfully participate in groups (ESD-5)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students

Behavior Expectations and Rules
Practice 6: When I use naturally occurring opportunities to facilitate discussions which will allow children to think critically about the importance of following behavior expectations and rules in the school environment…
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children form relationships and interact positively with other children (ESD-4)
  • Children demonstrate the social and behavioral skills needed to successfully participate in groups (ESD-5)
  • Children ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood (LDC-3)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students

Practice 7: When I review and facilitate learning of posted behavior expectations and rules with children prior to and during individual-, small-, large-group activities, and during transitions …
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children demonstrate the social and behavioral skills needed to successfully participate in groups (ESD-5)
  • Children participate in conversations with peers and adults in one-on-one, small, and large group interactions (LDC-2)
  • Children ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood (LDC-3)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment: An environment in which each child has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults; treat students as individuals
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students

Practice 8: When I use reflective strategies to enhance their own instructional practices and ensure the learning and understanding of rules and behavior expectations in order to promote a safe environment...
What teaching standard am I demonstrating?
  • Standard V: Teachers reflect on their own practices.

Effective Schedules and Routines
Practice 1: When I post a daily schedule with visuals and review throughout the day so that children are aware of the activity sequence …
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children use a variety of strategies to solve problems. (APL-6)
  • Children demonstrate the social and behavioral skills needed to successfully participate in groups. (ESD-5)
  • Children develop independence in caring for themselves and their environment. (HPD-7)
  • Children develop book knowledge and print awareness. (LDC-10)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard I: Teachers demonstrate leadership.
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students.

Practice 2: When I ensure that teacher-directed activities are shorter than 20 minutes and ensure that children are actively engaged most of the time …
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children are willing to try new and challenging experiences. (APL-5)
  • Children maintain attentiveness and focus. (APL-8)
  • Children form relationships and interact positively with other children. (ESD-4)
  • Children participate in conversations with peers and adults in one-on-one, small, and larger group interactions. (LDC-2)
  • Children develop interest in books and motivation to read. (LDC-8)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students.
  • Standard V: Teachers reflect on their practice.

Practice 3: When I include a balance of both child-directed and teacher-directed activities as well as large and small group activities throughout the daily schedule …
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children engage in increasingly complex play. (APL-3)
  • Children form relationships and interact positively with other children. (ESD-4)
  • Children demonstrate the social and behavioral skills needed to successfully participate in groups. (ESD-5)
  • Children engage in active physical play indoors and outdoors. (HPD-2)
  • Children participate in conversations with peers and adults in one-on-one, small, and larger group interactions. (LDC-2)
  • Children use their senses to construct knowledge about the world around them. (CD-1)
  • Children explore concepts connected to their daily experiences in their community. (CD-9)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard I: Teachers demonstrate leadership.
  • Standard III: Teachers know the content they teach.
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students.

Practice 4: When I prepare children when changes to the schedule occur …
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children identify, manage, and express their feelings. (ESD-6)
  • Children understand communications from others. (LDC-1)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students.
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students.

Practice 5: When Iprovide individual and/or whole class warnings prior to transitions …
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children demonstrate the social and behavioral skills needed to successfully participate in groups. (ESD-5)
  • Children identify, manage, and express their feelings. (ESD-6)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?
  • Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students
  • Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students

Practice 6: When Iuse transition strategies that ensure children are actively engaged in the transition …
What early learning and development standards am I addressing?
  • Children maintain attentiveness and focus. (APL-8)
  • Children form relationships and interact positively with other children. (ESD-4)
  • Children demonstrate the social and behavioral skills needed to successfully participate in groups. (ESD-5)
  • Children develop independence in caring for themselves and their environment. (HPD-7)
  • Children explore concepts connected with their daily experiences in their community. (CD-9)
What teaching standards am I demonstrating?