Denver Preschool Program (DPP) and School Readiness

Research tells us that Phonological Awareness, Oral Language, Print Awareness and Alphabet Knowledge are the four predictors of young children’s later success in learning to read and write. Quality early literacy experiences are key to future academic achievement, higher graduation rates and increased productivity in adult life. This training explores each predictor in depth. Participants have many hands-on opportunities to investigate a variety of strategies and resources to support the development of early literacy skills. Suggestions, examples and demonstrations provide information on how to use age-appropriate activities throughout the day and in all areas of the classroom.

Children are born using science and math skills. They delight in exploration, experimentation and discovery. Early childhood teachers who are skilled in cultivating these natural abilities enable young children to build solid content knowledge, develop higher order thinking, solve problems creatively, and communicate and collaborate effectively – all skills needed as children enter the complex life and work environments of the 21st century. This course focuses on supporting the teacher’s understanding of the scientific process; that is, not having all of the answers but being able to ask good questions and facilitate discovery. Participants also have access to a wide range of materials and activities that can be used in their environments. They practice teaching strategies to help children link concepts across activities and apply them to their everyday lives.

Children in the 21st Century face very different opportunities and challenges. Plus, the face of our communities has become increasingly diverse. This training explores these dynamics, including foster-parent involvement, techniques to communicate effectively with all families and how to connect rich classroom experiences to the everyday activities children engage in at home.

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.

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.

This training explores all five components of the Qualistar Rating in detail. Participants receive a comprehensive “Getting Ready for Ratings” notebook prepared by Qualistar. The notebook and workshop offer helpful tools to prepare participants for their future Qualistar Rating.

This “learning lab” stresses the importance of teamwork in the Continuous Quality Improvement process, the components of the Qualistar rating, classroom arrangement, the why behind the ERS tools, practical experience and review of personal care routines associated with the ratings. We suggest taking this workshop in conjunction with “Getting Ready For the Ratings” before the Qualistar rating.

Interactions between children and teachers are critical in achieving positive outcomes for children across all developmental domains. The Classroom Assessment Scoring System™ (CLASS™) is an observation tool that can help teachers focus on interacting effectively with the children in their classroom to enhance each child’s learning. The CLASS™ is organized into three domains: Emotional Support, Classroom Organization and Instructional Support. There are three options for learning more about this tool and specific classroom practices that support children’s social/emotional development, analytical and thinking skills, and language and literacy skills by increasing learning opportunities throughout the day.