Curriculum Learning Communities

Our goals

To build on previous quality improvement initiatives. To empower programs and teachers by building

onsite capacity through innovative strategies, systematic training and support

To develop curriculum specialists and a pool of curriculum trainers in Miami-Dade

To improve fidelity and accountability for curriculum implementation through job embedded professional development

To assist centers in making progress in their quality rating/star level 

Challenges

Many curriculum trainings teach content and participants can pass a test, but their teaching BEHAVIOR and SKILLS in classroom do not change significantly

For curriculum training to be most effective it must take place over time, provide opportunities to try out the information, and forums to come back and share successes with peers

No one in the field has figured out how to consistently, on a large scale, significantly improve the teaching skills of the workforce

Our Strategy

Combine: Best practices from the comprehensive,

research-proven early childhood curricula High/Scope Creative Curriculum

Best practices and lessons learned from the successful Ready Schools work and job-embedded master’s program

Best practices and lessons learned from other curriculum implementation trainings

Create a cost-effective, efficient, and scalable model for curriculum training

Learning Communities

Learning Communities

How?Through the creation of

curriculum learning communities early childhood program staff can: learn a new curriculum focus on teacher

practice share experiences create relationships

and gather adequate

support for implementation

Onsite Learning Communities - OLC

Participating early childhood programs will create their onsite learning communities of existing staff to support curriculum implementation

Trained peer facilitators (one Infant/Toddler, one Preschool) will guide the process as teachers learn and implement the curriculum

Onsite meetings and peer observations will be used to support implementation in the classroom

Curriculum Learning Community - CLC

Curriculum Learning Community - CLC

A group of 8-10 early childhood programs close to each other that are implementing the same curriculum be grouped into a Curriculum Learning Community to facilitate exchange and modeling of best practices

Curriculum Learning Coordinator: early childhood program that meets curriculum standards and will serve as host, coordinator and guide to other early childhood programs

Implementation will start with 4 CLCs - 2 North, 2 South, 2 High/Scope, 2 Creative Curriculum.

Peer Facilitators Learning Community - PFLC

Peer Facilitators Learning Community - PFLC

Peer facilitators will develop skills to facilitate curriculum implementation in their early childhood programs

Training up front and over time on: implementing learning

communities the particular curriculum used

Peer facilitators will form a PFLC and meet to share/give feedback on their experiences implementing the curriculum

Training

Training

Training and work between trainings to strengthen the different roles: orientation session for early childhood program directors Facilitating Learning Communities training for peer facilitators up front; 2-day

training deepening facilitation skills around month 6 curriculum overview for all teachers specialized curriculum training sessions for peer facilitators over 10-12 months on-site Learning Community and homework for staff to complete between

trainings PFLC will work together to assess what worked/didn’t and provide feedback to

trainer Peer facilitators will work with peers on-site on curriculum implementation

Roles and Responsibilities

All participating programs will: Embrace curriculum philosophy Understand requirements and expectations for

implementation Know that there will be challenges

Curriculum Learning Community (CLC) Coordinator

Participates in required trainings Hosts/facilitates Peer Facilitator Learning

Community (PFLC) meetings Models facilitation of learning communities Showcases learning experiences in own

center

Peer Facilitators

Participate in required trainings and in PFLC Engage in reflective practice, serve as role

model and provide curriculum support to peers

Lead the On-site Learning Community (OLC) as collaborative effort, provide constructive feedback, and support inquiry process of peers

Devote 5-10 hours per week with peers onsite

Roles and Responsibilities (cont.)

Center Director Participates in required trainings Nurtures and supports OLC by providing

time away from classroom and guidance/support to staff

Participates and motivates staff to participate in planned learning community activities

Teachers and Assistants

Participate in trainings Engage in reflective practice, seek and

provide support and feedback among peers; Participate in OLC with enthusiasm and

open mind and share new knowledge and experience;

Participate and contribute to planned learning community activities such as Learning Showcases.

Learning Showcases

All staff of all early childhood programs in a Curriculum Learning Community come together twice a year to showcase their learning/curriculum implementation and problem solve together

Learning Showcase

Learning Communities

The ELC and its partners will provide:

All training and orientation sessions; Curriculum materials; Learning materials to improve implementation; Incentives to participating centers to cover staff

time; Support of all learning communities to ensure

successful implementation and adjust strategies as needed;

Ongoing coordination and follow up.

Potential Participants

Quality Counts programs 4 and 5 star programs may serve as “coordinator” sites

Other Quality Counts programs United Way Director Institute participants ELC Curriculum recipients and participants in

training initiatives Programs in the existing Ready Schools feeder

pattern VPK providers

Implementation Timeframe

February Selection Process

March Overview Orientation Pre-test data collection for evaluation

April Initial Peer Facilitator Training Creative Curriculum and High/Scope Curriculum

training begins at four locations (2 North, 2 South)

Population served in first round

32-40 early childhood programs

160-200 teachers 64-80 Peer facilitators 3200-4000 estimated

children

Evaluation

Pre-post assessments using: ARNETT (infant classrooms) CLASS (preschool classrooms) PQA (High/Scope programs) Creative Curriculum Implementation Checklist

(Creative Curriculum programs) Program culture survey (all staff) Focus groups (directors, teachers and trainers)

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS