All Things CLASS

Since family child care homes are usually mixed ages, those are my least favorite to observe. Because of the wide age ranges that may be present, teachers usually or should adjust their attention to the children who need them. For example, let's say that you are scoring a teacher using the Pre-K tool, but she needs to pay attention to an infant while she is feeding or changing a diaper. This impacts the preschoolers for those moments when they aren't getting her full attention, especially in Instructional Support. I'm constantly having to shift my "CLASS lens" in these instances, which is difficult for me. How do other observers manage this conundrum? Any suggestions?

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Stacy Greenwalt
Lakeland FL
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Good question! ​It certainly can be tricky. As you mentioned, Teachstone recommends that an observer alternates between the age levels, aiming ideally for three cycles at each age level. This approach allows the observer to capture the experiences of most of the children in the setting, but still produces independent scores for each age level. 

There's a great blog series that addresses a lot of the common concerns that come up with working in a FCC:

FCC Challenge: Coding with Multiple Adults Present
FCC Challenge: Maintaining Objectivity
FCC Challenge: Establishing Coding Consistency in Inconsistent Settings
We Are Family: What Makes FCCs Different

Family Child Care: There's No Place Like Home

I also attached the white paper that details the research done and the recommendations we have. Page 10 has a Q and A that specifically addresses your concern. 

I'm curious to hear if others have found strategies that work to making switches lenses easier! 

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Liz Savage
Community Manager
Teachstone
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