All Things CLASS

Hello,

My team and I were discussing how to score Flexibility and Student Focus during free choice when the teachers are not involved. If the children are in free choice and able to move about and use materials in their own way but the teachers do not interact with them (such as when they focus on completing managerial tasks), can they still score in the high range, or would we need to see the teachers actively following their lead in play? Reading through the mid-range, it talks about the classroom being "moderately teacher-regimented", which doesn't seem to fit this scenario. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thank you for your time!

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Jenny Byrdy
Fountain Hills, AZ
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I have the same question for 2.0

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Bonnie Baruch
CA
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Great question-this is a common scenario and a great one to unpack!

For Flexibility and Student Focus, high-range scoring typically requires that teachers actively support autonomy-by following children's lead, being flexible, and engaging meaningfully in their play. If children are engaged and using materials freely, that's a strong foundation. But if teachers aren't interacting-such as when focused on managerial tasks-it's unlikely to justify a high score on that indicator alone.

That said, this is just one indicator, and coders should always consider the full definition, scope, and all indicators of the dimension. For example, high levels of choice, child-led play, and a relaxed structure that allows children to make decisions about where and how to play can shift the overall range higher. It's really about how all the pieces come together to reflect support for autonomy.

Great discussion-and I'd be happy to share examples of what high-range looks like during free choice if that's helpful!

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Liz Savage
Sr Marketing Manager, Community and Events
Teachstone
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