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Teaching Profession Opinion

Trick or Treat, Smell My High-Quality Pre-k Instruction

By Sara Mead — October 29, 2010 1 min read
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I’ve been writing a lot* lately about instructional quality, particularly about new models with promise to help us both better measure and also improve the quality of instruction in early childhood settings. But I thought it might be helpful--and more engaging--if I actually showed you what I’m talking about here.

This video, from Teachstone’s CLASS Video Library, shows a pre-k teacher discussing a shared reading book with her students. This is just an example, but the CLASS Video Library contains dozens of similar videos, accompanied by text that describes the behaviors the teacher is using to provide high-quality instruction and create high-quality interactions with children. The combination of videos, text, and coaching that Teachstone also provides enables teachers to learn from these videos to improve their own classroom practices.

As an extra bonus, this video is a Halloween clip, as evidenced by the teacher’s shirt and the content of the story she’s reading the children. Listen to the language she uses. Look at how she uses questions to engage the students in discussion of the story. It’s ok if you get distracted by how cute the kids are.

Happy Halloween!

*Ok, scratch that: I haven’t been writing a lot about anything lately because an intensive travel schedule has made me a pretty sporadic blogger. I’m sorry about that, and you should see an increased frequency of posting in November.

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The opinions expressed in Sara Mead’s Policy Notebook are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.