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Check out this cheat sheet for finding an Intentional Teaching Experience that aligns with each dimension!

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Check out this cheat sheet for finding an Intentional Teaching Experience that aligns with each dimension!

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How does your classroom environment allow children to make their own choices?

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How does your classroom environment allow children to make their own choices?

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Recall a time when you used a child's idea to inform a lesson or activity. How did it make the child feel?

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Recall a time when you used a child's idea to inform a lesson or activity. How did it make the child feel?

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What activities do you implement in your schedule that encourage children to share their ideas?

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What activities do you implement in your schedule that encourage children to share their ideas?

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Teachers show regard for their students when they:

Create an intentional learning environment by making room for children's ideas in activities and lessons throughout the day

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In what way have you needed to individualize for a child in your classroom? 

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In what way have you needed to individualize for a child in your classroom? 

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Regard for Student Perspective with Preschoolers

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Regard for Student Perspective with Preschoolers

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Class Chat # 3 Regard for Student Perspective

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Regard for Child Perspectives with Toddlers

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Regard for Child Perspectives with Toddlers

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2 Minute Toolbox: (Toddler) Regard for Child Perspectives

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The aim of instructional support is to provide teachers with instructional strategies that assist and improve child-teacher interactions. Why? Because research shows that interactions between students and adults are a primary mechanism for promoting student development and learning.

Therefore, by learning instructional support strategies and improving interactions, teachers are better able to support student success.

But that doesn't happen overnight. Small, incremental changes in teacher practices are what result in measurable increases in child learning outcomes , like greater social and academic gains over time.

From learning how to better understand a child's learning style to selecting and adapting learning materials to meet student needs, there are many instructional strategies that will help to deliver better learning outcomes within the classroom.

What are the Essentials of Instructional Support?

If you feel lost in the fog of instructional support , you're not alone. There is no magic formula for improving child-teacher interactions. Many of us didn't encounter great Instructional Support when we were young students ourselves, either. So it's no wonder Instructional Support can feel challenging and confusing!

The questions teachers often ask is how they can improve the quality of their interactions around Instructional Support.

The simple answer? By focusing on the HOW.

By focusing on the "HOW" of your interactions, you're able to learn better strategies and techniques for how you create more positive student outcomes through:

1. Improved Emotional Support. This means exhibiting behaviors such as warmth, positive communication, and sensitivity to children's needs.

2. More Effective Classroom Management. This includes the ways you optimize learning opportunities and maintain and build interest in learning within the classroom.

Three dimensions that act as a springboard for improving in these areas, outlined in depth in our article on 'How to Improve Your Instructional Support Interactions' , include:

Teacher Sensitivity. Teacher Sensitivity is not about being "nice" or "caring". Rather, it is about how a teacher effectively responds to children's current academic and emotional abilities and needs. By providing helpful feedback based on observation and a strong understanding of children's challenges with a particular task or concept, a teacher is better able to improve overall student outcomes.

Instructional Learning Formats. In order to maximize student engagement (especially in a world where attention spans are diminishing), providing students with a variety of Instructional Learning Formats helps improve their ability to learn. By being involved, actively commenting on student work and asking relevant questions, teachers are able to actively set the stage to facilitate children's engagement and encourage students' excitement.

Regard for Student Perspectives. This entails leaving room for including student ideas throughout the day. More on that below.

How Does Regard for Child Perspectives Impact Instructional Support?

A particular strategy that is often misunderstood, but can deliver powerful outcomes when implemented, is Regard for Student Perspectives. Considered a domain within the Emotional Support dimension of , Regard for Student Perspectives (RSP) is defined as:
"The degree to which the teacher's interactions with students and classroom activities place an emphasis on students' interests, motivations, and points of view and encourage student responsibility and autonomy."
In simpler terms? Regard means being comfortable letting go of a strict step-by-step curriculum and instead leaving room for incorporating ideas offered by students throughout the day. So whether you are a CLASS-trained educator or not, RSP is an effective instructional strategy for improving your classroom interactions.

But understanding how to effectively use Regard for Student Perspectives while managing everything else as a teacher (like a constructive learning environment) can be challenging.

Children want to know how the world works, how it fits together, and how that affects their perception of things. They're curious! In order for them to make sense of the big world around them, the things they're learning need to connect to things they already know, and what they're interested in.

That's where Regard comes into play. When teachers purposefully make room for student's ideas in activities and lessons throughout the day, they create an intentional learning environment. This connects learning more to what they know and are interested in, allowing children to feel like they have a welcomed place in the classroom.

There are 4 key areas to focus on when it comes to Regard:

1. Flexibility and Student Focus. Simply put, this means ensuring the student plays a role in developing the day! Whether that's incorporating the student's ideas into the planned lesson, or going along with student interest when it doesn't disrupt the lesson plan.

2. Student Expression. This is about showing genuine interest in how each the students sees and interprets the world, and subsequently encouraging them to express these thoughts.

3. Support for Autonomy and Leadership. Here, it's about allowing students to be as independent and autonomous as possible, in order to give them more responsibility during an activity. What may begin as a specific teacher-directed activity can transform into a student-led activity.

4. Restriction of Movement. This doesn't mean keeping kids locked into one position all day long (obviously!), instead it's about setting clear behavior and movement expectations for the specified activity.

At our recent InterAct Now: Teacher Summit , I presented with Marilyn Rice on how the CLASS dimension Regard for Child/Student Perspectives relates to the domain of Instructional Support.

From understanding more thoroughly how to observe and respond to student expression, as well as the role of language and communication in the realm of Regard, you'll learn effective techniques for improved instructional support.

Watch the free recording to learn more about this important dimension and how you can use Regard to create better student outcomes in your classrooms.

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Regard for Student Perspectives: A Key Instructional Strategy for Improved Instructional Support

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Instructional Support looks at the ways in which teachers effectively support cognitive and language development. Explore how an emphasis on student's interests and motivations can support student learning.

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What child-led activities do you implement during your day? (i.e. leading circle, etc.)

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What child-led activities do you implement during your day? (i.e. leading circle, etc.)

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PRO TIP: Break it down or build it up? Some children might need additional scaffolding to engage in an activity successfully, while others may need a little challenge to further their thinking. Think about which children need different levels of support in order to both individualize and give each child the tools they need to participate.

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Check out 106 giving children responsibilities by having a child be the "teacher helper" as a daily job!

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Check out 106 giving children responsibilities by having a child be the "teacher helper" as a daily job!

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Increasing motivation and desire to learn by following children's lead 

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Increasing motivation and desire to learn by following children's lead 

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Increasing motivation and desire to learn by giving children Responsibilities 

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Increasing motivation and desire to learn by giving children Responsibilities 

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What is your favorite thing about family style meals?

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What is your favorite thing about family style meals?

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Check out 602 movin' and groovin' with their kiddos!

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Check out 602 movin' and groovin' with their kiddos!

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These teachers are showing regard for child perspective by engaging with and encouraging children to express themselves through movement and dance. Teachers are flexible as to where children are on the carpet and how they move their bodies.

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PRO TIP: Ways to show Regard for Student Perspective while practicing family style meals

give children the responsibility of setting up the table

give children autonomy in serving and passing food

give children opportunities to express themselves by encouraging conversation at mealtime

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It's such a delicate balance: you want to support children's independence and show genuine regard for their perspectives, but you're afraid that if you do, your class will get out of control. It's happened to me-I'm following one child's lead and suddenly the rest of the group is completely off track, or a child is leading a lesson and the rest of the class ignores him! So how do teachers give children genuine leadership opportunities, and still complete activities and maintain an organized classroom?The CLASS tool summarizes ways to do both-and our Video Library shows real teachers with strong Classroom Organization skills being flexible and student-focused, and supporting children's leadership and independence.

Start with clear behavioral expectations so that children know what to do, and be proactive

Do you want them to listen quietly to each other? Are there times when it's okay for them to call out and talk over each other? Will they be trying out each other's ideas? Be sure to let them know before each activity how you expect them to behave!

Think ahead! What activities and times of days are easier for you to be more flexible in your planning and scheduling? What about the more challenging times-how might you be flexible in small ways, such as giving children genuine choices, during these times?

Think about Productivity

What routines do you have in place or can you create so that children know what to do, even when the activity moves in an unexpected direction as you encourage children to take the lead?

How can you be prepared with materials, activities, and a plan-and still encourage children to be genuine partners in deciding throughout the day how the day goes?

Focus on following children's ideas and providing genuine leadership opportunities

Are you facilitating lessons to expand children's involvement in activities? This is a natural place to incorporate more regard for children's perspectives!

Are your learning objectives clear to children? How can you reorient them to these objectives when you're following their leads?

Try it out-and post about how it goes!

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in October, 2014, but has since been updated to incorporate more accurate data and to keep content fresh and engaging.

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Teacher Tips: Balancing Regard and Organization

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You want to support children's independence and show genuine regard for their perspectives, but if you do, your class may get out of control. What to do?

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Incorporate nutrition and mealtime into other classroom activities 

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Incorporate nutrition and mealtime into other classroom activities 

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How to create healthy and supportive mealtimes

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How to create healthy and supportive mealtimes

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Giving a toddler two choices during play

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Giving a toddler two choices during play

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When we provide children with positive choices we give them power in choosing their own action, yet we get the positive outcome that we are looking for.

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Adult Offers Toddler Two Choices During Play

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Choices: Building self esteem and willpower

The only person you can make change is yourself

Choices motivate from within, improve goal-achievement and facilitate self-regulation

Giving positive choices

Visual rules

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Use children's preferences to both inform your lessons and encourage participation!

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Use children's preferences to both inform your lessons and encourage participation!

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Ways to individualize for children who need more support or challenge  

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Ways to individualize for children who need more support or challenge  

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Esta página también está disponible en español.

Season 3, Episode 3: Supporting Inclusive Environments

Explore the resources on this page to learn all about how to make small changes that can have a big impact on children’s access and participation in the learning environment.

Watch episode 3 now!

Watch episode 3 of our professional development talk show to learn about curriculum modifications and environmental supports for both inside and outside the classroom.

Download your copy!

To learn more about creating inclusive environments through environmental supports, individualizing, and understanding accessibility and fairness, download the print version or view the magazine online.

Dive into Books…with this booklist that supports inclusion

The Black Book of Colors by Menena Cottin
Espanol: El libro negro de los colores por Menena Cottin

Baby Loves Sight by Ruth Spiro

Baby Loves Hearing by Ruth Spiro

Off to the Park by Stephen Cheathams

We’re All Wonders by R.J. Palacio
Espanol: Wonder. Todos somos únicos por R.J. Palacio

Keisha’s Doors by Marvie Ellis
Espanol: Las puertas de Keisha por Marie Ellis

Ian’s Walk by Laurie Lears

Don’t Call Me Special by Pat Thomas

Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari

King for a Day by Ruksana Khan

Helpful Resources—Season 3, Episode 3: Supporting Inclusive Environments

This 15-minute in-service suite is the introduction to a set of suites about curriculum modifications. Visit the ECLKC to access a suite on each type of modification. Each suite contains a PowerPoint, videos, learning activities, tools for supervisors, and tips for educators on evidence-based teaching strategies.

For children that need additional support beyond the foundation take some time to assess them to figure out what supports to provide next. This form helps you get clear on what the classroom expectations are, provides a space to collect data, and you can use the data to inform the child’s level of performance.

Curriculum modifications are one way you can individualize to meet a child’s learning goals. This 15-minute in-service suite on individualizing is full of information on how to observe, collect data, modify, and plan for meeting individual needs.

This site contains visual supports to use throughout your learning environment. These tools are designed to be able to print and go with quick and easy explanations. They are also editable files so you can make them your own.

This is the inspiring website from our guests Paige Reischl and Shawn Rundell who are working to create an inclusive park in their community.

TRANSLATION NOTE: Please be aware that there might be slight discrepancies and minor differences between the posted, printed, or electronic text in English and the corresponding Spanish translation, due to the editing and updating of the different versions.

Contact Us

Please contact us at cultiv8@uw.edu if you have questions about Circle Time Magazine. Like Cultivate Learning on Facebook and Instagram to stay connected to our latest work.

Want more of Circle Time Magazine?

We've got whole collection of episodes for you to dive into. Check out more of Season 3.

Stay Connected

cultiv8@uw.edu   |   (206) 221-0569
909 NE Boat St Seattle, WA 98105   |   UW Box # 354238

Find us on social media

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Inclusion, Episode 3: Supporting Inclusive Environments - Cultivate Learning

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Esta página también está disponible en español. Selecciona un idiomaEspañolInglés Explore the resources on this page to learn all about how to make small changes that can have a big impact on children's access and participation in the learning environment. Watch episode 3 now! Watch episode 3 of our professional development talk show to learn...

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Small changes, BIG impact!

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Modifying materials so that a child can participate as independently as possible.

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simplify a complicated task by breaking it down or reducing the number of steps

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Follow children's lead!

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special equipment and adaptive devices allow a child to participate or increase the level of participation.

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Teacher engagement is key to increasing child's participation

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Jobs provide children an opportunity to build self-worth and responsibility, and allow them to contribute to the school family in a meaningful way.

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Every child in a Conscious Discipline classroom has a job. These jobs provide children an opportunity to build self-worth and responsibility by contributing to the School Family in meaningful ways. The School Family Job Board provides a management system for your class jobs.

Create a list of the classroom routines, rituals and duties you conduct every day in class. From this list, select the jobs that are most important and can be done by your students. You will have one job for every student.

Display your jobs in such a way that every child can visually see his or her job and read the job title. Supply props as needed, like providing a kindness tree (younger) or notebook (older) for the Kindness Recorder. Teach how to do each job, and then rotate on a weekly basis. When it is time for the jobs to rotate, each child teaches his job to the next child.

The School Family Job Set provides a sturdy job board, job cards, detailed instructions and helpful job descriptions to simplify setting up your classroom job system. Chapter 11 of Creating the School Family provides information, activities and a list of possible jobs for your classroom. "Jobs Matter" on Kindness Counts and "I'm a Helpful Person" on Songs for I Love You Rituals Volume 2 support the Job Board.

Video Examples: Job Board in Shubert's Classroom

Photo Examples: Job Board in Shubert's Classroom

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Every child in a Conscious Discipline classroom has a job. These jobs provide children an opportunity to build self-worth and responsibility by contributing to the School Family in meaningful ways. The School Family Job Board provides a management system for your class jobs.

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CLASS in IMIL (I am moving, I am Learning)

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CLASS in IMIL (I am moving, I am Learning)

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Check out these examples of ways you could show Regard for Student Perspective during movement activities

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Check out the open ended art from room 601!

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Check out the open ended art from room 601!

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These types of activities support children's creativity through developmentally appropriate art experiences. Child expression is encouraged and the art is focused on the exploration of techniques, tools, and materials rather than the finished product.

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Open ended art in a preschool classroom 

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Open ended art in a preschool classroom 

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In this example a variety of material is accessible for children to gather on their own. There is very little teacher preparation required as material is left to be used in an open ended manner.