Members of TATS staff welcome you to the start of the 2024-25 school year. Many staff members supported early childhood students in summer programs; many engaged in professional learning opportunities; and many planned their classroom arrangements, activities and lessons.

Rock Your Classroom is a collection of suggestions for implementing evidence-based practices in early childhood programs. It is comprised of seven topic areas, each sub-divided into focus components. Rock Your Classroom provides descriptions of quality indicators for Early Childhood classrooms along with resources for addressing universal, individualized and intensive levels.

The Rock Your Classroom section for “Classroom Spaces” provides information for class arrangement, using visual supports as well as selecting and organizing materials.

Link here to take a look at the strategies and resources in Classroom Spaces.

Important informational documents included in Rock Your Classroom are linked below:

• Tips: Essentials for Young Children
• Overview of Individualized Supports
• Tips to Consider when Addressing Challenging Behaviors
• Breadth of the Three Child Outcomes from Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA)

Teachers Conduct Ongoing Progress Monitoring

• COS Connections: Progress Monitoring  
• Resources for Progress Monitoring – TATS page
• Progress Monitoring – Tips for Teachers of Children with Disabilities (Head Start)
• Progress Monitoring Flow Chart

Scaffolding/Universal Design for Learning practices are demonstrated

•  Individualizing Instruction (Head Start)
• Overview of Individualized Supports and Accommodations
• Embedding Individualized Instruction, Modifications, Adaptations

Accommodations or Modifications are Used as Needed

• Overview of Individualized Supports
• Supporting Various Ages and Developmental Levels
• Supports and Adaptations – Special Education Interventions – TATS Talks
• Embedding Individualized Instruction, Modifications, Adaptations

Varieties of group sizes and length of activities are used.

• Collaborative Planning for Addressing Individual Needs
• Sample Group Activity Matrix
• Curriculum Modification Planning Form

 All Children have Opportunities to Participate with Peers

• Early Childhood Building Blocks – Universal Design for Learning – Resources for Early Childhood
• Supports and Adaptations – Special Education Interventions – TATS Talks

Teaching Expectations

• Developing and Displaying Rules
• Providing Rule Reminders and Positive Feedback
• General Classroom Rules with Visuals
• Rules for Specific Activities with Visuals
• Examples of Visual Displays of Rules
• Developing Individualized Rules

Direct Instruction

• Activities that Encourage Sharing and Cooperating
• Calming-down and Self-regulation Strategies
• Visuals to support Social Skills and Social Communication

Supporting Behavior

• Developing Supports for Schedules and Routines
• Individualized Rules and Self-Monitoring
• Supporting Social Behavior
• Social Solutions Cue Cards

Transitions 

• Teaching and Supporting Transitions
• Preparing Children for Transitions
• Specialized Visuals for Daily Routines

Providing Choices

• Supporting Decision-making Skills
• Visuals to Support Play Skills
• Teaching Problem Solving

Nurturing Environment

• Giving Positive Attention
• Activities that Encourage Cooperation
• Communicating Expectations in Positive Terms

Rock Your Classroom Observation Guide Checklist

Rock Your Classroom Entire Document

Essentials for Supporting Young Children

Supports and Accommodations for Specially Designed Instruction

Overview of Individualized Supports and Strategies

Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards 2017

Essentials for Social Development and Emotional Competency

Tips to Consider when Addressing Challenging Behaviors

Breadth of the Three Child Outcomes

Classroom Connections to COS

Click on  links  below for references, resources, and TATS brief documents. These quick link documents are described in the corresponding sections of “Rock Your Classroom.”

Visual Schedules

• Introduction to Developing Visual Schedules (TATS brief)
• Flow Chart – Process for Teaching Children How to Use a Visual Schedule
• Classroom Schedules (TATS brief)
• Visuals for Supporting Routines (TATS brief)
• Specialized Schedules (TATS brief)
• Individual Schedules (TATS brief)
• First-Then Schedules and Statements (TATS brief)

Supporting Transitions and Rules

• Displaying Classroom Rules (TATS brief)
• Specialized and Individualized Rules (TATS brief)
• Individualized Social Scripts and Self-Monitoring (TATS brief)
• Visuals for Teaching and Supporting Transitions (TATS brief)
• Specific Activity Rules from Vanderbilt Peabody College
• General Classroom Rules from Vanderbilt Peabody College

Child-centered Displays

• Accommodations for Supporting Children’s Art (TATS brief)
• Visuals for Supporting Participation in Art Center (TATS brief
• Visuals for Supporting Children’s Projects (TATS brief)

Learning and Instructional Supports

• Visuals to Support Social Communication (TATS brief)
• Visuals for Supporting Play (TATS brief)
• Visuals for Supporting Instruction (TATS brief)

Classroom Set-up and Arrangement

• Using Labels in Preschool Classroom (TATS brief one page)
• Defined Areas (TATS brief one page)

The TATS Topic of the month is Lesson Planning.

The Lesson Planning section of TATS Rock Your Classroom provides helpful resources for developing strategies for incorporating supports into daily lessons and activities. Resources include examples of forms for lesson plans and daily schedules, along with examples of progress monitoring forms. Resources also include ideas for individualizing instruction and implementing classroom activities related to lessons.

The information in Lesson Planning is especially helpful for TEACHERS.  Some of the many resources include the following:

• Lessons for Developing Basic Skills
• Supporting Children in Art and Projects
• Strategies to Support Emergent Literacy
• Overview of Individualized Supports

The following important documents are included on each Informational page of Rock Your Classroom. These documents are useful in the development of IEP goals and objectives and in identifying and planning for individual strategies to support development and learning.

>>> TATS Talks about Supports and Adaptations (information related to implementation of varying levels and types of supports) and >>> ECTA’s Breadth of the Outcomes.pdf (examples of functional skills within the three child outcomes)

Check the TATS Calendar for upcoming opportunities for professional development.

Plan to join us for TATS Monthly Learning Community interactive meetings. The topic for September Learning Community is Essentials for Supporting Early Childhood and Classroom Spaces. Each Learning Community meeting will be offered twice on the scheduled day to accommodate busy schedules.  The date for September Learning Community is September 18th and the times are 12:30 – 1:00 pm ET and 3:30 – 4:00 pm ET. Please select the time that is convenient for your schedule and click the calendar “Link to Join” to participate.

Following are resources related to helping children during events such as hurricanes:

• Supporting Children During and After a Hurricane (TATS brief)
• Supporting Families Experiencing Disasters (from Division of Early Learning – pages related to Hurricanes).
• Center for Disease Control (CDC) Factsheet: Helping Children Cope during Disasters.

Educators, along with all staff members in Early Childhood programs continue to support students and families during summer programs. Their dedication continues to be exhibited during July in their interest and work in getting classrooms ready and planning lessons and activities in preparation for programs resuming in August.

The resources listed below are helpful in supporting students who will be transitioning to Kindergarten or to other classrooms to begin the 2023-24 school year. Resources for teachers, staff, and families include the following related to various situations:

• TATS Summer Activity Calendar
• Summer Reading Activity Kit – Just Read Florida
• Family Strategies: Help Us Have a Good Day (infographic)

TATS Rock Your Classroom Guide to Evidence-based Practices provides descriptions of quality indicators for Early Childhood classrooms along with resources for addressing universal, individualized and intensive levels. The section linked below provides ideas for classroom set-up, including use use of visual supports for children.

• Focus on Classroom Spaces

Check the TATS Calendar for upcoming opportunities for professional development. Register for training opportunities at the calendar link in the top menu bar of TATS website.

TATS Talks to Families about School

TATS supports families in gaining knowledge and understanding of policies and procedures that promote their full participation in the education of their children who have unique needs.

Briefs for families of young children with unique needs:

• TATS Talks: Pre-K and Disabilities
• TATS Talks: Pre-K Programs and Services
• TATS Talks: Individualized Educational Plan (IEP)
• TATS Talks: Transition
• TATS Talks: Kindergarten Transition and Services
• Helping Your Child with Kindergarten Transition and Readiness

Additional Resources for families are listed below:

Family Child Outcome Summary (COS) Brochure  – A guide for families with descriptions of the Child Outcomes Summary process and information about families’ participation.

Early Learning Resources (Division of Early Learning) 

Importance of Pre-K – Information for Families

Transition to Kindergarten from FL Division of Early Learning

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Strategies for Teachers and Service Providers

TATS and FIN Talk about Universal Design in Early Childhood  magazine – a collaborative project of TATS and Florida Inclusion Network (FIN)

Sections of TATS and FIN Talk about Universal Design:

• Volume 1: Focus on Early Childhood
• Volume 2: Overview of UDL in Early Childhood
• Volume 3: Applying UDL in Early Childhood
• Volume 4: Providing Individualized Services 
• Volume 5: Progress Monitoring

Resources from Head Start Center for Inclusion:

• Educator Resources – Tools and Supports (Head Start)
• Classroom Visuals and Instructional Supports

Supporting Integrated Therapy: 

• Integrated Therapy – TATS Talks to Professionals
• Data Sheet – includes setting and level of supports
• Tip Sheets from Head Start Inclusion Center

Your time, effort, knowledge and dedication have contributed to the successes and progress of Early Childhood programs this school year. Thank you!

Many students will be transitioning to Kindergarten or to other classrooms to begin the 2023-24 school year. In addition, students might attend Extended School Year programs or various recreational or childcare programs during the summer. Resources for teachers, staff, and families include the following related to various situations.

• FL Voluntary Prekindergarten Program Fact Sheet (FL Division of Early Learning)
• Transition to Kindergarten Resources (FL Division of Early Learning)

The previous month’s resources focused on providing information related to summer activities that encourage families to interact in meaningful, fun, and enriching ways to enhance their children’s development. A list of those resources is included here so that this outreach to families may continue.

• TATS Summer Activity Calendar
• Summer Learning is Child’s Play – FL Division of Early Learning
• Summer Reading Activity Kit – Just Read Florida
• Family Strategies: Help Us Have a Good Day (infographic)
• Family Strategies: Spanish version of Help Us Have a Good Day (infographic)

Check the TATS Calendar for upcoming opportunities for professional development. Register for training opportunities at the calendar link in the top menu bar of TATS website.

TATS Rock Your Classroom Guide to Evidence-based Practices provides descriptions of quality indicators for Early Childhood classrooms along with resources for addressing universal, individualized and intensive levels.