Announcements

You likely know children in your schools and local neighborhoods who are dual-language learners—eager to explore and whose parents want the best opportunities for them in school and in life. But did you know dual-language learners in the U.S. make up 32% of children under the age of five?

As the Community Manager with Teachstone, I have been able to talk to many observers, trainers, coaches, and general CLASS lovers. I have found a common thread among these groups: a desire to connect with other CLASS users and put their CLASS knowledge to use.

We often hear from CLASS Observers that are interested in observing more classrooms. Meanwhile, many organizations—particularly smaller organizations or those doing research studies—don’t have Certified CLASS Observers and are in search of observers in their area.

There's a new and exciting way to contact Teachstone's Customer Support team - by text! You can text us at (866) 998-8352 between the hours of  8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. The service is also available for Spanish users from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. Use texting for all of your Customer Support needs (it's faster and easier).

Here are three ways our new texting service benefits you!

We're excited to share a sneak peek of just a few things you'll see at the 2019 InterAct CLASS Summit coming to Nashville April 15-16. In addition to everything you've come to expect (engaging sessions, interactive learning opportunities, delicious food, opportunities to network with other educators and thought leaders, and more), this year we're hosting a special free, pre-summit event! We're screening the film No Small Matter, the first feature documentary to explore the most overlooked, underestimated, and powerful force for good in America today: early childhood education.

On August 1 I joined Teachstone as Chief Impact Officer. If my name sounds familiar, it may be because I am one of the authors of the CLASS and a co-founder, with Bob Pianta, of Teachstone. For the last 20 years, I’ve spent my days researching ways teachers can best support children’s and adolescents’ development and learning. I’ve conducted many studies, written many papers, and trained doctoral and post-doctoral candidates who have gone on to do even more and better work in this area. Most of those 20 years I’ve worked at the University of Virginia’s Center for the Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning (CASTL) and have had the privilege of working with incredible colleagues at UVA and elsewhere. Honestly, it’s a dream job: getting paid to think, write, and travel to talk about our work and find inspiration in the ideas of others. So, not surprisingly, when I tell people about my new job, I get a lot of quizzical looks.

“This is my favorite training, out of all of them. We get ideas from the training and each other.”

Think about the biggest challenge you’re facing in your role today.

Perhaps it’s handling teacher turnover, managing your time while coaching over large geographic regions, or dealing with the disappointment of not seeing the results you thought you might see when you implemented that new professional development program.

 Facilitating a brand new training can come with a mix of emotions like anxiety, nerves, and excitement. I recently experienced every one of those emotions and then some as I prepared to deliver a new training. I wanted to ensure that I learned the new content to fidelity, so I spent hours reviewing and studying. I viewed the training videos. I prepared some awesome reflective questions to ask my participants. I brainstormed activities to engage the group, and I rehearsed my PowerPoint slides. My facilitator binder and manuals have never seen so many highlighter marks!

With preparation complete, it was go-time! I put on my “CLASSes” and knew that if I focused on the importance of interactions, it would all come together. And it did.

This weekend the city that Teachstone calls home was taken over by hatred. Some of us witnessed the violence first hand. Others watched from afar through social media and television willing that our friends and coworkers would be safe.