I’m very excited to go to the Zero to Three National Training Institute next week in Texas. I’ve never been before, and I hear that it’s an energizing and inspiring conference. I’m especially excited for Nathan Fox’s plenary session on the developing brain. Dr. Fox is an amazing researcher who studies temperament and individual differences in infancy.
On Friday, I’ll be speaking about the Infant and Toddler CLASS measures with my good friend, Christine Hughes. The Infant CLASS measure, set for release in April, focuses on the interactions that are most important for babies from birth to 18 months. Unlike other age levels, the Infant CLASS tool has a single domain that the authors call Responsive Caregiving. The four dimensions are Relational Climate, Teacher Sensitivity, Facilitated Exploration, and Early Language Support. Together, they capture how caregivers provide babies with a secure base for exploration, respond to their needs in sensitive ways, and encourage early language development.
The Toddler CLASS measure covers children from 15 months to 36 months old. It focuses on how teachers help children navigate the choppy waters of toddlerhood—establishing some degree of autonomy, learning to manage their behavior, and beginning to make connections between things that they learn. I’ve been helping my own two-year-old through some of these challenges, so I have a renewed appreciation for teachers who do it well!
Christine Hughes will be taking the conversation a step farther, talking about how Miami-Dade County in Florida has implemented the CLASS in their QRIS. She has a lot of practical experience and advice to share.
We hope to see you there!
Zero to Three National Training Institute
Session Title: D4 – Understanding Teacher-Child Interactions from Four Weeks to Three Years Old
Friday, Dec. 13, 10:15 a.m. –11:45 a.m.
If you’re interested in staying up-to-date with the release of the Infant CLASS measure and related professional development and resources, please fill out this form.
