Using the Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool to Support Professional Development Experiences in Public 4 K Settings

Area of Science:

• Early Childhood Education
• Educational Psychology
• Social-Emotional Learning

Background:

• Many schools in the Coastal Plains region serve children in poverty, necessitating effective socio-emotional practices for four-year-olds.
• The Key Practices in the Pyramid Model Framework provides guidelines for developmentally appropriate socio-emotional strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the alignment of school groups' socio-emotional practices with the Pyramid Model Framework.
• To investigate the impact of ongoing, individualized professional development on teachers' socio-emotional practices.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool-Research Edition (TPOT) for baseline data collection.
• Implemented longitudinal observations following tailored professional development sessions based on identified needs.
• Compared pre- and post-intervention TPOT scores to measure changes in practice.

Main Results:

• Professional development interventions led to significant increases in TPOT scores for most participating school groups.
• Individualized professional development, tailored to specific group needs, proved effective in enhancing socio-emotional practices.

Conclusions:

• Ongoing, individualized professional development is a viable strategy for improving early childhood socio-emotional practices.
• The findings support the efficacy of the Pyramid Model Framework and the TPOT tool in guiding and measuring improvements.