The Early The Early Childhood Childhood

Environmental Environmental Rating Scale-Rating Scale-

RevisedRevised

ECERS-RECERS-R

ECERS-R:ECERS-R:

Evaluate the physical Evaluate the physical environmentenvironment

Assess process qualityAssess process quality

((Harms, Clifford and CryerHarms, Clifford and Cryer Environmental Rating Scales)Environmental Rating Scales)

Quality Components Quality Components

Health & Safety needsHealth & Safety needs

Positive relationshipsPositive relationships

Opportunities for stimulation & Opportunities for stimulation &

experiential learning experiential learning

Kenneth A. Wesson, PhD Kenneth A. Wesson, PhD Neuroscience, Stanford Neuroscience, Stanford

University:University: We have discovered more in the past 10 We have discovered more in the past 10

years about the brain than we had years about the brain than we had learned in all of our prior human historylearned in all of our prior human history

No future conversation about learning No future conversation about learning should ever take place unless the brain should ever take place unless the brain is the centerpiece of that discussionis the centerpiece of that discussion

Life experiences sculpt a child’s brainLife experiences sculpt a child’s brain Relevance dictates attentionRelevance dictates attention Immobility is incompatible with complex Immobility is incompatible with complex

learning experienceslearning experiences

““No longer do we consider the No longer do we consider the first five years of life to be a vast first five years of life to be a vast cognitive wasteland, during cognitive wasteland, during which the brain undergoes an which the brain undergoes an arrested development. The arrested development. The neural networks by which all neural networks by which all future complex learning will be future complex learning will be based are forged during this based are forged during this crucial early period and by a crucial early period and by a specific series of vitally important specific series of vitally important brain processes” (Wesson).brain processes” (Wesson).

“ “Young learners in particular should not Young learners in particular should not be forced to sit almost motionless for be forced to sit almost motionless for extended periods of time during the extended periods of time during the school day… The traditional classroom school day… The traditional classroom in which all students must remain in which all students must remain silent, in neat little rows, prohibited silent, in neat little rows, prohibited from moving, listening to a sometimes from moving, listening to a sometimes monotonous voice and seldom allowed monotonous voice and seldom allowed to talk, all present requirements that to talk, all present requirements that run counter to optimal learning run counter to optimal learning environments in which the human environments in which the human brain learns best.” (Wesson)brain learns best.” (Wesson)

“ “Sustained immobility in the Sustained immobility in the classroom is as incompatible with life classroom is as incompatible with life as it is incongruous with human as it is incongruous with human growth and human learning. growth and human learning. Suppressing the natural excitement Suppressing the natural excitement of human learning by preventing, of human learning by preventing, ignoring, and even punishing the ignoring, and even punishing the brain’s natural inclinations obstructs brain’s natural inclinations obstructs our mission for learners of all ages.” our mission for learners of all ages.” (Wesson)(Wesson)

Jean PiagetJean Piaget

Play is the serious business Play is the serious business of all childhood learning.of all childhood learning.

“ “Over the past 50 years, no place in Over the past 50 years, no place in society has changed less than our society has changed less than our schools have.” (Renate Caine, PhD, schools have.” (Renate Caine, PhD, Professor Emeritus, California State Professor Emeritus, California State University at San Bernardino)University at San Bernardino)

“ “Our contemporary schools are based Our contemporary schools are based on a model that is approximately 140 on a model that is approximately 140 years old.” (Wesson) years old.” (Wesson)

Why WV Uses the ECERS-RWhy WV Uses the ECERS-R

• Provides a framework for consistent Provides a framework for consistent program quality program quality

• Research-basedResearch-based• Reliable / valid (observer-contingent)Reliable / valid (observer-contingent)• Enhance QualityEnhance Quality• Quality environments enhance Quality environments enhance

learninglearning

Supports WV Early Supports WV Early Learning StandardsLearning Standards

Does not supercede policy Does not supercede policy 25252525

Overview of SubscalesOverview of Subscales

Space & FurnishingsSpace & Furnishings Personal Care RoutinesPersonal Care Routines Language – ReasoningLanguage – Reasoning ActivitiesActivities InteractionInteraction Program StructureProgram Structure Parents & StaffParents & Staff

ECERS-RECERS-R

Designed to assess group programs Designed to assess group programs for preschool through kindergarten for preschool through kindergarten aged children (2 ½ through 5 years aged children (2 ½ through 5 years of age)of age)

Total scale consist of: Total scale consist of: 7 subscales7 subscales 43 items43 items 470 indicators470 indicators

“ “It is the It is the average total average total scorescore that is related to that is related to positive child positive child development, but not any development, but not any of the single requirements of the single requirements by themselves.”by themselves.” (All About (All About the ECERS-R, xii)the ECERS-R, xii)

Observation timeObservation time

Teacher interviewTeacher interview

Observer/child Observer/child interactioninteraction

Administering the Administering the ECERS-R is aECERS-R is a

‘‘TEAM EFFORT’ TEAM EFFORT’

““Combining mobility with Combining mobility with hands-on learning in a hands-on learning in a cooperative learning setting, cooperative learning setting, where learners communicate where learners communicate their ideas with one another, their ideas with one another, appears to be the best appears to be the best equation for yielding the equation for yielding the greatest learning results” greatest learning results” (Wesson).(Wesson).