Environment Rating Scales Training

This training explores why room design is important in a quality classroom and how it impacts children’s behavior. We discuss how to create an ample, organized classroom that allows for movement, independence and productive play. Participants also discover Lakeshore’s classroom designer on-line tool. You can design a classroom with assistance from the Environment Rating Scale team.

How do we as educators encourage children’s language and reasoning development? During this training we discuss simple language strategies, such as modeling, self- talk, parallel talk, imitating, facilitating play, and observe, wait and listen. These strategies can be immediately implemented into the classroom to encourage and expand children’s communication and concept development. Participants also role-play asking open-ended reasoning questions while using educational materials.

This interactive training reviews how to score a classroom or child care home using the Environment Rating Scale expanded score sheet. We review report-writing guidelines and give tips on how to produce a report that gives detailed, specific recommendations for quality improvement, as well as pointing out the provider’s unique strengths. Strategies and suggestions on how to have a positive, successful consultation with teachers, directors and administrators are also discussed. A report-writing disk is also distributed.

Review the criteria of Personal Care Subscale of the Environment Rating Scale Tools and resolve commonly encountered issues for programs. Together we also discuss why this subscale is important and discover current research regarding the health of students and staff in child care.

Examine how biases can affect your everyday life as well as how we look at early childhood classrooms. Discussion topics include describing yourself culturally, understanding why we are biased, identifying stereotypes, recognizing our own biases, looking at how these biases affect us both in life and with the use of the Environment Rating Scales, and other biases relating to the different types of child care programs. Participants leave with a better understanding of who they are and how they relate to their world, both as a person and as an evaluator.

This training is an in-depth study of the School-Age Care Environment Rating Scale tool and how it’s designed to increase quality in before- and after-school programs. We discuss the interpretation of specific indicators, the research and rationale for the requirements, and provide suggestions on how to meet the tool’s criteria. Participants engage in hands-on activities – like how to create welcoming, exciting environments in these school programs – and learn how individual indicators are scored and an overall score is derived.

This training is an in-depth study of the School-Age Care Environment Rating Scale tool and how it’s designed to increase quality in before- and after-school programs. We discuss the interpretation of specific indicators, the research and rationale for the requirements, and provide suggestions on how to meet the tool’s criteria. Participants engage in hands-on activities – like how to create welcoming, exciting environments in these school programs – and learn how individual indicators are scored and an overall score is derived.

Over the course of this training, participants learn about the Infant Toddler Environment Rating Scale tool, the interpretation of specific indicators, the research and rationale for the requirements and how to meet the tool’s criteria. Participants engage in hands-on activities – like observing and scoring video snapshots of early childhood classrooms – and learn how individual indicators are scored and an overall score is derived.

Over the course of this training, participants learn about the Infant Toddler Environment Rating Scale tool, the interpretation of specific indicators, the research and rationale for the requirements and how to meet the tool’s criteria. Participants engage in hands-on activities – like observing and scoring video snapshots of early childhood classrooms – and learn how individual indicators are scored and an overall score is derived.

This training is an in-depth study of the School-Age Care Environment Rating Scale tool and how it’s designed to increase quality in before- and after-school programs. We discuss the interpretation of specific indicators, the research and rationale for the requirements, and provide suggestions on how to meet the tool’s criteria. Participants engage in hands-on activities – like how to create welcoming, exciting environments in these school programs – and learn how individual indicators are scored and an overall score is derived.

Discover how to maximize your outdoor play space, and expand children’s play and learning while supporting their physical, emotional, cognitive and social development outdoors. We discuss how to implement nature-based learning areas into existing playgrounds using the Dimensions Educational Research Foundation’s 10 guiding principles for natural outdoor classrooms. Ideas for nature-based activities and opportunities to design outdoor play spaces are also included. We will also explore what type of classroom materials are needed in order to meet the requirements for the Environment Rating scale tools, and how to set up stimulating learning centers outside.

Discover how to maximize your outdoor play space, and expand children’s play and learning while supporting their physical, emotional, cognitive and social development outdoors. We discuss how to implement nature-based learning areas into existing playgrounds using the Dimensions Educational Research Foundation’s 10 guiding principles for natural outdoor classrooms. Ideas for nature-based activities and opportunities to design outdoor play spaces are also included. We will also explore what type of classroom materials are needed in order to meet the requirements for the Environment Rating scale tools, and how to set up stimulating learning centers outside.

ERS Meeting                                                                                                                                                   

Designed for family home providers, this “learning lab” reviews the sub-scales of the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale (FCCERS-R) through interactive activities and discussion. Participants learn about the most commonly missed indicators, and the facilitators give suggestions from “the field” on how to meet the criteria. Participants also learn how scoring works so they can then go back to their family child care homes and conduct self-evaluations.

Designed for preschool classroom teachers, this “learning lab” reviews the sub-scales of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS-R) through interactive activities and discussion. Participants learn about the most commonly missed indicators, and the facilitators give suggestions from “the field” on how to meet the criteria. Participants also learn how scoring works so they can then go back to their centers and conduct self-evaluations of their classrooms.

ITERS-R overview is an introductory training that explores the seven major subscales in the Infant Toddler Environment Rating Scale tool. Participants will learn how individual indicators are scored and how an overall score is derived. We discuss commonly missed indicators along with strategies and suggestions on how to create a quality environment in the classroom.