---
title: A CLASS Primer for Teachers
description: Learn about our newest, A CLASS Primer for Teachers, and how it can help your teachers improve their interactions with children.
image: https://info.teachstone.com/hubfs/woman-and-children-playing-with-blocks.jpg
---

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    - [What is CLASS](https://teachstone.com/class/)
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          - [CLASS Group Coaching Transition Training](https://teachstone.com/class-group-coaching-transition-training/)
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- The CLASS Framework
  
    - [What is CLASS](https://teachstone.com/class/)
    - [CLASS 2nd Edition](https://teachstone.com/class-2nd-edition/)
    - [For Leaders](https://teachstone.com/leaders/)
    - [For Observers](https://teachstone.com/for-observers/)
    - [For Coaches](https://teachstone.com/for-coaches/)
    - [For Educators](https://teachstone.com/for-educators/)
    - [For CLASS Affiliates](https://teachstone.com/for-class-affiliates/)
    - [For Head Start](https://teachstone.com/headstart/)
    - [Research](https://teachstone.com/research/)
- Products and Trainings
  
    - [Getting Started with CLASS](https://teachstone.com/getting-started-with-class/)
      
          - [CLASS® 2nd Edition Infant-Toddler](https://teachstone.com/class-2nd-edition-infant-toddler/)
          - [CLASS® 2nd Edition Pre-K-3rd](https://teachstone.com/class-2nd-edition-pre-k-3rd/)
          - [CLASS Overview for Leaders](https://teachstone.com/a-class-overview-for-leaders/)
          - [CLASS 2nd Edition Intro to Interactions for Educators](https://teachstone.com/intro-to-interactions-for-educators/)
    - [CLASS Environment](https://teachstone.com/class-environment/)
      
          - [CLASS Environment Observer Training](https://teachstone.com/class-environment/#environment-observer-training)
          - [CLASS Environment Overview for Educators](https://teachstone.com/class-environment/#environment-educator-training)
    - Observer Training & Certification
      
          - [CLASS Train-the-Trainer Affiliate Program](https://teachstone.com/class-train-the-trainer/)
          - [CLASS Affiliate Trainer Recertification](https://store.teachstone.com/trainer-recertification-new/)
          - [CLASS 2nd Edition Measurement Trainer Program](https://teachstone.com/class-2nd-measurement-trainer/)
          - [CLASS Observer Recertification](https://store.teachstone.com/observer-recertification-new/?showHidden=true)
          - [CLASS Observation Certification Training](https://teachstone.com/class-observation-training/)
    - [Transition Supports](https://teachstone.com/class-observer-supports/)
      
          - [CLASS Group Coaching Transition Training](https://teachstone.com/class-group-coaching-transition-training/)
          - [CLASS 2nd Edition Observer Transition Training](https://teachstone.com/class-2nd-observer-transition-training/)
          - [CLASS 2nd Edition Trainer Transition Training](https://teachstone.com/class-2nd-edition-trainer-transition-training/)
          - [CLASS Trainer Add-Ons](https://teachstone.com/trainer-add-ons/)
    - [Program Services & Support](https://teachstone.com/program-services-support/)
      
          - [CLASS Coding Support](https://teachstone.com/coding-support/)
          - [CLASS Quality Improvement Subscription **New!**](https://teachstone.com/myteachstone/)
          - [CLASS Observation Services](https://teachstone.com/class-observation-services/)
          - [Custom Events by Teachstone](https://teachstone.com/custom-events/)
          - [Meaningful Interactions at Home](https://teachstone.com/meaningful-interactions-at-home/)
    - Coach Trainings & Certification
      
          - [CLASS Group Coaching](https://teachstone.com/class-group-coaching/)
          - [1-1 Video Coaching](https://teachstone.com/1-1-video-coaching/)
          - [Instructional Support for Coaches](https://teachstone.com/coach-feedback/)
          - [Interaction Essentials Trainer Program](https://teachstone.com/interaction-essentials-trainer-program/)
    - [Professional Development for Educators](https://teachstone.com/professional-development-for-educators/)
      
          - [Banking Time: Investing in Relationships](https://teachstone.com/banking-time/)
          - [CDA with CLASS](https://teachstone.com/cda-programs/)
          - [Instructional Support Essentials for Teachers](https://teachstone.com/instructional-support-essentials-for-teachers/)
          - [Interaction Essentials for Educators](https://teachstone.com/interaction-essentials-for-educators/)
    - [CLASS Supplies](https://teachstone.com/class-supplies/)
      
          - [CLASS Dictionary](https://store.teachstone.com/class-dictionary/)
          - [CLASS Interactions Dimension Guide](https://store.teachstone.com/class-dimensions-guide/)
          - [CLASS Manuals](https://store.teachstone.com/class-2nd-edition-pre-k-3-manual-options/)
          - [CLASS Observation Score Sheets](https://store.teachstone.com/score-sheets/)
          - [CLASS Strategy Cards](https://store.teachstone.com/class-strategy-cards/)
          - [CLASS Support Kits](https://teachstone.com/class-support-kits/)
- Resources
  
    - [Resource Library](https://teachstone.com/resources/)
    - [Blog](https://info.teachstone.com/blog)
      
          - [Blog (Spanish)](https://info.teachstone.com/blog-en-esp?hsLang=en-us)
          - [Blog (French)](https://casiope.org/categorie/class/)
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# A CLASS Primer for Teachers

 April 13 2018 by [Matt Owens](https://info.teachstone.com/blog/author/matt-owens)

- [Implementation](https://info.teachstone.com/blog/topic/implementation)
- [Products and Trainings](https://info.teachstone.com/blog/topic/products-and-trainings)

![](https://info.teachstone.com/hs-fs/hubfs/woman-and-children-playing-with-blocks.jpg?width=519&height=300&name=woman-and-children-playing-with-blocks.jpg)

 

## **A Simple Solution to a Common Problem**

*If you only had one day to get teachers excited about CLASS, what would you do?* We know how important it is to introduce teachers quickly to CLASS. And we know CLASS implementation goes nowhere without teacher buy-in.

The basic idea that began with our work on A CLASS Primer for Teachers is that for educators to *really* get excited about CLASS, we need to help them:

- Fit CLASS into their current understanding of what helps children learn and grow
- Use CLASS and experience the positive benefits firsthand

## **If It Were Easy, We’d Have Done It Already**

While we were pretty confident in our idea, it was, after all, just an idea. We needed a training. And it needed to be different from previous efforts that didn’t do enough to get teacher’s excited about CLASS. Since we were approaching a new goal and using increasingly interactive instructional methods, we wanted to test our training and see how it worked for real teachers.

As with any good test, we made sure it wasn’t too easy to pass. We set high standards for learner engagement, satisfaction, demonstration of understanding, likelihood to integrate what they learned, and more.

## **Try and Try Again**

While showing some promise, the first version of our training failed our test. We had always expected our rough and early version of the training to need improvements. And as we returned to Charlottesville, looking closely at the data we collected from the test, we started to notice patterns, such as sections of the training where engagement lagged and activities during which teachers asked high rates of follow-up questions.

The patterns suggested that the core of the training was solid, but we needed to significantly update some language, facilitation methods, pacing, and materials. We had a lot of work to do. But we were confident we were working on the right things.

## **Same Test, New Training**

As we watched the updated version of A CLASS Primer run through a second test, we were delighted with what we saw. The improvements were paying off, and the teachers and leaders were happy with their experiences.

Teachers found the training “useful in giving language to discuss classroom interactions” and an opportunity to feel “connected with others who are involved in the care of children.” They were engaged, thoughtful, and left with intentions to both continue learning and to apply what they’d already learned.

## **The Reward**

A CLASS Primer for Teachers is a simple, fun, and effective way to get teachers genuinely excited about CLASS. It makes CLASS language accessible and CLASS strategies approachable.

> *This is my favorite training, out of all of them. We get ideas from the training and each other.”    
> -* ECE Teacher who participated in A CLASS Primer for Teachers
> 
> *“I need to take this back to all the teachers—I mean every teacher should go through this. I thought this was going to be boring, but no … this is so good. Thank you for this.”-* Program Leader who participated in A CLASS Primer for Teachers

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