The Pyramid Model is an evidence-based comprehensive model focused on supporting social-emotional growth, as well as strategies for preventing and addressing challenging behavior in very young children. Pyramid Model training content was originally created by The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL), a national collaboration involving faculty and staff from Georgetown University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of South Florida, University of Colorado at Denver, Zero to Three.
Connected Beginnings has, since 2009, worked with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) and the Massachusetts Pyramid Model Statewide Leadership Team to bring Pyramid Model curriculum, training and coaching to the Commonwealth. We recognize that adopting even the very best curriculum does not guarantee good results. It is critically important that providers implement the curricula as intended. This includes utilizing associated assessment tools and having enough qualified coaches to work with programs who are ready to implement the curriculum program-wide. To this end, Pyramid Model materials and implementation strategies are highly “manualized” and provide concrete strategies and guidance about what to do to address the social-emotional and behavior support needs of young children. We firmly believe that a broad range of Massachusetts early childhood providers and family members can, will and have become successful in the implementation of Pyramid Model strategies.
We hope you will consider implementing this model in your community. Please contact Connected Beginnings to provide or coordinate implementation of the following Pyramid Model activities:
- Foundations of the Pyramid Model Training: a 15-hour, 6-session, CEU-bearing course that is based upon the Pyramid Model Modules for early education and care teachers, mental health consultants, program supervisors and administrators.
- Top of the Pyramid Skills (TOPS): a 16 hour training providing instruction in the best practice use of the Pyramid Model Approach to Positive Behavior Support as an intensive intervention to address challenging behavior in young children.
- Using the Pyramid Model in the Preschool Classroom: a 6-hour, .5 CEU training focused on translating the Pyramid Model to real-life early childhood classroom practices. Designed to expand on themes from the Foundations of the Pyramid Model course, this training focuses on the classroom environment.
- Parents Interacting with Infants (PIWI): a 6-hour training providing a hands-on orientation to the use of the Pyramid Model PIWI materials, providing companion parent/baby group and home-based approaches to CSEFEL’s comprehensive model for supporting social emotional growth and addressing challenging behavior.
- Positive Family Solutions / Pre-K Parent Modules: a 6 hour training providing a hands-on orientation to the use of the Pyramid Model modules for parents, providing a parent group curriculum and parent engagement resources as companions to CSEFEL’s comprehensive model for supporting social emotional growth and addressing challenging behavior.
- Working with Families in Supporting Positive Behavior: Using the Pyramid Model Family Modules: a two-day, 15-hour series based on the evidence-based, user-friendly Pyramid Model Parent Training Modules for professionals who work with parents and family members.
- Pyramid Model Train-the-Trainer: a three-day, 25-hour, intensive course that provides advanced early childhood practitioners the opportunity to become qualified Pyramid Model Trainers. The training includes instruction on theory, specific implementation strategies, and the use of reflection in the implementation of the Pyramid Model Infant Toddler and Preschool Training Modules, materials and resources as professional development tools.
- Pyramid Model Train-the-Coach: a 16-hour training in the Pyramid Model Coaching for professionals who have already participated in Pyramid Model Train-the-Trainer. This training employs instruction on theory, specific implementation strategies, and the use of reflection in order to provide Pyramid Model Trainers with the tools and expertise to fulfill the role of Pyramid Model Coach in early childhood education settings. The Pyramid Model Coach is able to provide support to programs with the goal of taking the Pyramid Model to fidelity.
- Pyramid Model Program-wide Implementation Training: a two-day training for Massachusetts programs with staff and leadership who have already participated in Train-the-Trainer, Train-the-Coaches and Foundations Training and who are ready to implement the Pyramid Model “to scale” in their agency, program and/or classrooms.
- Pyramid Model Higher Education Institute: a one-day seminar, intended for full-time and adjunct ECE faculty from both two and four-year institutions of higher education, featuring strategies for incorporating information from the Pyramid Model into existing early childhood education coursework for children birth to six.