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Using C-PM Data to Guide Instruction

This hands-on, highly interactive session will help teachers understand how to evaluate and plan small group instruction based on the results of CIRCLE Progress Monitoring.

In the cycle of effective teaching and learning, assessment is what drives instruction. Assessment serves as a tool to identify the skills and abilities of students so teachers are able to improve instruction and student learning. These types of improvements only happen when teachers take time to evaluate and plan effective instruction from the data collected.

CIRCLE Progress Monitoring provides teachers with several different types of reports to help with the evaluation process. During this training, teachers will be shown how to analyze each report to glean valuable information about the strengths and needs of the class. They will be shown specifically how to determine which skills need to be retaught during whole group or small group. Teachers will also learn how to use the Class Groups Report to group students in an intentional way for small group instruction.

Once teachers determine the needs of the class, they can begin planning direct instruction. Effective instruction assists students in learning new skills and moving information successfully into their long-term memory. To assist with this goal, teachers are shown how to plan and implement instruction that follows a lesson cycle with key components.  Teachers will be shown how to use the CIRCLE Activity Collection as a planning tool and resource to ensure all lessons follow the lesson cycle and include hands-on activities.

Prerequisite: Participants must be current CLI Engage Users.

CIRCLE Progress Monitoring for Administrators

This 1.5 hour session, is a condensed version of the full-day CIRCLE Progress Monitoring (C-PM) training for Prekindergarten teachers. C-PM is a research-based assessment for prekindergarten students. The results of C-PM inform teachers and administrators how students are performing on specified skills at three time points during the academic year.

C-PM for Administrators provides a clear understanding of each skill assessed, how it is assessed, why it is assessed in the way that it is, and how it is beneficial to student learning. Administrators will learn that student scores are based on cut points of what is expected at each time point for the age of the child. Ample time will be dedicated to understanding the various reports available through CLI Engage. Administrators will leave with the knowledge of what each report is and how it is useful when making academic decisions for students. Time will be devoted to learning about two additional tools: CIRCLE Activities Collection and eCourses.

Click here to contact us for more information.

CIRCLE Activity Collection

The CIRCLE Activity Collection translates the best early childhood development research into practice through a wide variety of activities that teachers can implement in the classroom. Available in English and Spanish, the collections include activities that support skill development in language, literacy, social-emotional, mathematics, and science. Each activity is structured around a standard lesson cycle, with teacher tips and extensions to enrich implementation. Scripting is included, providing example dialogue for what a teacher might say to introduce the activity, model the objective, and scaffold children’s responses.

Many activities include a demonstration video for teachers to see the activity in action. These high quality implementation examples serve a powerful professional development resource for educators. Filmed in real classroom environments, each video is then edited and overlaid with annotations that help viewers identify and understand the instructional strategies that are being used.

The Children’s Learning Institute believes that children should be exposed to new concepts multiple times and across a variety of contexts in order to solidify their understanding. These quick and easy to implement activities help teachers connect and reinforce concepts across multiple areas of development. Our activities can be used during large group, small group, and one-on-one instruction.

The activity collection is integrated to work directly with the CIRCLE Progress Monitoring System (Pre-K) and the Texas Kindergarten Entry Assessment (TX-KEA) tools. Data collected through these assessments is used to automatically suggest activities that will strengthen learning in areas where students have the greatest needs. Teachers have the added options of selecting their favorite activities and adding comments they can reference for future use.

Click here to learn how you can gain access to the CIRCLE Activity Collection.

Unlocking Understanding

Unlocking Understanding comprehension trainings include practical approaches teachers can implement in their classrooms immediately. These interactive and engaging trainings help build excitement and confidence for teaching students how to implement comprehension strategies successfully.

Each training focuses on a specific strategy and is customized for specific grade level audiences: K-2, 3-5, and 6-12. Training sessions are designed to guide teachers through a set of instructional approaches shown by research to be effective in classrooms across grade levels. Scaffolds, model lessons, instructional materials, and time for planning are included in each session.

Training series topics include:

All teachers, specialists, literacy coaches, and administrators are welcome to participate in this effective training series. Contact us to schedule an Unlocking Understanding training.

 

 

CLI Engage Access

CLI Engage is a comprehensive professional development, assessment, and quality improvement platform for early care and education programs. Through this digital delivery system, we disseminate a wealth of early childhood program improvement tools. CLI Engage provides an integrated resource suite that connects online professional development courses, to supplemental classroom curriculum, and highly targeted data collection and planning. Key resources included on the platform include the CIRCLE Progress Monitoring System, eCIRCLE Professional Development courses, CIRCLE Activities Collections, and quality improvement tools.

Screening, Progress Monitoring, & Observation:

  • CIRCLE Progress Monitoring System (PreK)
  • Texas Kindergarten Entry Assessment
  • Infant & Toddler Developmental Checklists

Online Learning & Professional Development:

  • Beginning Education: Early Childcare at Home
  • Core Competencies for Early Childhood
  • CIRCLE CDA Training Program
  • CIRCLE Infant & Toddler Teacher Training Series
  • eCIRCLE Professional Development
  • Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines Training

Activities & Materials:

  • Family CIRCLE Activity Collection
  • Infant & Toddler Classroom CIRCLE Activity Collection
  • Prekindergarten/Kindergarten Classroom CIRCLE Activity Collection

Quality Improvement & Innovation:

  • CIRCLE Classroom Environment Checklist
  • CIRCLE Classroom Observation Tool
  • Family Engagement Resources
  • Teacher Coaching Competencies

Select CLI Engage content is freely available to the public, while most Prekindergarten and Kindergarten tools have eligibility requirements for access. Organizations ineligible for free access can purchase affordable user licenses for their teachers and administrators.

Click here to contact CLI Solutions Group to learn how you can gain access to all of the resources on CLI Engage.

CIRCLE Pre-K Foundations

The CIRCLE Pre-K Foundations Training provides a comprehensive look at prekindergarten instruction to support kindergarten readiness. This 7-module training was developed to target key areas of prekindergarten learning and instruction.

Across the 7 modules, teachers will experience multiple demonstration lessons and will have numerous opportunities to practice lessons and activities which can be immediately implemented in the classroom.

Training may be offered over 2 full days, or by individual module. Best Practices should be provided first, but sequence is flexible after Best Practices has been completed. A total of 13 CPE Hours will be awarded if all modules are provided at one time.

MODULES:

  • Best Practices (approximately 140 minutes): Reinforces the importance of using research-based instructional approaches as a critical component of children’s emotional development and learning while engaging teachers in meaningful discussions, self-reflection, and planning.
  • Mathematics (approximately 90 minutes): Supports teachers in delivering playful lessons and activities that offer students opportunities to explore a wide variety of math concepts which are thoughtfully planned around learning guidelines.
  • Phonological Awareness (approximately 90 minutes): Clarifies the skills associated with phonological awareness and their importance. Teachers learn how these skills develop across a continuum and practice ways to teach phonological awareness throughout the day.
  • Alphabet Knowledge (approximately 90 minutes): Provides a deeper understanding of how letter knowledge contributes to literacy development and prepares teachers to provide meaningful experiences through targeted lessons using books, the letter wall, environmental print, and more.
  • Language Development (approximately 115 minutes): Discusses the importance of intentional language development by engaging students in meaningful conversations. Teachers will explore and practice ways in which language can be woven throughout all parts of the school day.
  • Book Reading (approximately 100 minutes): Prepares teachers to provide effective read-alouds that actively engage students through targeted before, during, and after reading activities that foster a love for books while also building comprehension and vocabulary.
  • Written Expression (approximately 100 minutes): Discusses the emergent stages of writing to help teachers establish reasonable expectations for writing in the prekindergarten classroom. Teachers will experience four approaches to writing instruction and learn the teacher’s role in scaffolding writing.

Training content is based on literacy development, curriculum implementation, math, mentoring, progress monitoring, and professional development research conducted at the Children’s Learning Institute at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

Contact us to learn more or to schedule a training.

Play & Learning Strategies (PALS) Certified Training

Play and Learning Strategies (PALS) is a research-based parenting program that helps parents support their young children’s social-emotional, cognitive, and language development. The program was developed to facilitate parents’ mastery of specific skills for interacting with their infants, toddlers, and preschoolers that lead to a strengthened bond between parent and child, and better child outcomes.

Parent Outcome Highlights from PALS studies:

  • 71% of parents used richer vocabulary with their children
  • 69% showed greater warmth and sensitivity to their children
  • 55% provided more praise to their children

Child Outcome Highlights from PALS studies:

  • 72% of children achieved higher motor skills scores
  • 64% achieved higher cognitive test scores
  • 64% showed greater expressive language skills
  • 61% showed more positive affect during parental interactions
  • 59% shower larger receptive vocabularies

The PALS program is facilitated by a trained parent educator who presents each session to the parent(s) and coaches the parent(s) in using specific techniques. In coaching sessions, PALS uses videotaped examples of real mothers and children to demonstrate each concept and allows the parent to critique these examples before practicing the new skills with her own child. Guided practice opportunities during each session help parents move from watching to doing.

The PALS Infant and Toddler programs, which includes PALS manuals, toy bags, and supplementary materials, are available for purchase in conjunction with training and certification provided by the Children’s Learning Institute. Materials are available in both English and Spanish.

Trainings:

  • PALS 1 Certified Coaching Training: Play and Learning Strategies (PALS)  is a preventive intervention program to strengthen the bond between parent and child from birth to 18 months. Through support of a certified coach, parents learn how to stimulate early language, cognitive, and the social development of their child.
  • PALS 2 Certified Coaching Training: Play and Learning Strategies (PALS) is a preventive intervention program to strengthen the bond between parent and child from 18 months to prekindergarten. Through support of a certified coach, parents learn how to stimulate early language, cognitive, and the social development of their child.
  • PALS 1 & 2 Combined Certified Coaching Training: This 5 day training, is for individuals who wish to become a certified trainer for both PALS 1 and PALS 2.

Contact us to schedule a training or click here to learn more about PALS.

 

Lisa Perronne, B.B.A.

Lisa joined the CLI Solutions Group in 2016 bringing with her over 15 years of experience in sales and marketing. She most recently worked for another University of Texas System organization, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, as a Volunteer Coordinator, Program Coordinator, and Program Supervisor. There, she was instrumental in increasing retail sales and volunteer contributions for the Children’s Art Project. Driven by her desire to assist children and be of service, she was drawn to the Children’s Learning Institute.

Here, Lisa serves as a Product and Services Specialist responsible for coordinating the marketing efforts for our team. Her role puts her at the forefront of new customer contacts, as she strives to expand adoption of CLI created products and services by educators across Texas, the nation, and internationally. Lisa leads our outreach efforts, identifies new marketing opportunities, prepares proposals for potential customers, and provides a wide array of customer support.

School Improvement Consulting

School improvement consulting provided by the CLI Solutions Group focuses on creating unique solutions that support areas of need or identified goals of your educational organization. We work in collaboration with key stakeholders to gain a thorough understanding of your operations and opportunities. With your objective in mind, we develop and implement a plan that addresses areas of concern and provides direction and support for reaching desired outcomes.

We form partnerships that transform teaching and learning. By sharing our educational expertise, we reimagine learning and create actionable knowledge that helps schools achieve their goals. Through our collaborative approach, we influence and empower a system of change that embraces possibilities. We support staff to become confident and competent in dealing with transformation, as well as the demands of new standards and initiatives.

For help achieving systematic improvement, contact the CLI Solutions Group.