Resources for Educators
Resource Guides for School Success in Early Learning
The New York State Prekindergarten, Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade Resource Guides for School Success in Early Learning are grade-specific resources that consolidate all learning standards into one comprehensive document that provides a uniform format to make them easily accessible for teachers, specialists, administrators and parents. From a planning perspective, these documents highlight the importance of addressing children’s development and learning across all developmental domains.
These resources are not a curriculum, assessment, or set of teaching strategies but rather, resources for the learning that students should accomplish by the end of prekindergarten, kindergarten, first, and second grade. Users are encouraged to also review the full articulations of the New York State Learning Standards.
NYSED Office of Early Learning Video Series
A Guide for Educators Serving Children in Prekindergarten through 2nd Grade
The New York State Education Department values play as an instructional strategy in the early childhood classroom. This video series includes examples of purposeful, play-based instructional strategies that assist children in developing critical foundational skills.
Pre-K to Third Grade Learning Continuum
Early childhood education spans across children’s lives from birth through age 8 and is broadly recognized as a coherent and important developmental period that warrants special attention. The P–3 approach comprises a range of practical activities and policies designed to align early education within the K–12 system. Teachers, principals, and instructional support staff can use these resources to increase the use of effective, equitable P–3 instructional strategies designed to improve learning and close well-documented achievement gaps.
Play-Based Learning
Play is an important part of a child’s development. Play helps build children’s brains and bodies, and they learn about everyday life. Participating in your child’s play helps build strong bonds between you and your child. Explore these resources for providing play-based learning experiences. It’s fun to play together!
Collaborating with Community-Based Organizations
New partnerships are forming and growing between Head Start programs, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and school districts to provide prekindergarten programs. To be successful, these partnerships require stakeholders to have a clear and shared understanding of high quality early childhood education and care; community-wide benefits of the partnership; how to implement comprehensive services; differing policies and regulations that each partner operates under and how to coordinate these differences ; and how to manage, monitor and coordinate the partnership and associated services. The Office of Early Learning and the Council on Children and Families have provided resources for understanding and planning these collaborations.
Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework
The CR-S Framework helps educators create student-centered learning environments that: affirm racial, linguistic and cultural identities; prepare students for rigor and independent learning, develop students’ abilities to connect across lines of difference; elevate historically marginalized voices; and empower students as agents of social change. It is intended to help education stakeholders create student-centered learning environments that affirm cultural identities; foster positive academic outcomes; develop students’ abilities to connect across lines of difference; elevate historically marginalized voices; empower students as agents of social change; and contribute to individual student engagement, learning, growth, and achievement through the cultivation of critical thinking. The framework was designed to support education stakeholders in developing and implementing policies that educate all students effectively and equitably, as well as provide appropriate supports and services to promote positive student outcomes.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), social emotional learning “is the process through which children, youth and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to: understand and manage emotions; set and achieve positive goals; feel and show empathy for others; establish and maintain positive relationships; and make responsible decisions.”
Research shows that students who received SEL instruction exhibited the following results:
- achievement scores are 11-13 points higher;
- improved attitudes and behaviors, including motivation to learn, commitment to school, and engagement in the classroom;
- fewer negative behaviors, including disruptive classroom behaviors, non-compliance, aggression, and disciplinary referrals; and
- reduced emotional stress, including student depression, anxiety, and social withdrawal.
The resources outline benchmarks and frameworks for educators to implement Social Emotional Learning practices in their schools and classrooms. Now available on NYSED’s website are the New York State Social Emotional Learning Benchmarks for voluntary implementation and Social Emotional Learning: Essential for Learning, Essential for Life, a framework explaining SEL concepts, and the need for and benefit of SEL in NY. Social Emotional Learning: A Guide to Systemic Whole School Implementation provides resources and tools to support districts, schools, and individual educators in their work to create schools that effectively prepare all students to succeed in school and in life. Systemic whole school implementation of SEL encourages safe, supportive school communities in which all young people are valued. The Guide is designed as a reference to be used in whole or in part, depending on the role and needs of the reader, school or district.
Pyramid Model
Children need positive relationships, and for over 15 years, The Pyramid Model has worked to support social and emotional development in early childhood classrooms. Through evidence-based research, innovative techniques, and global reach, we empower children, birth to 5 years, to succeed in school and life. Decision makers, caregivers and service providers have developed an enhanced awareness of, understanding of, and ability to use evidence-based practices to improve the social-emotional outcomes for young children with, or at risk for, delays or disabilities.
Suggested Websites for Educators
Explore a selection of online resources for educators, including links to the Office of Children and Family Services and the Council on Children and Families.