Relationship Between Devereux Early Childhood Assessment Program Reflective Checklists

DECA & ECERS-R Relationship Between Devereux Early Childhood Assessment Program Reflective Checklists and Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised

Early childhood program staff often ask us to compare the content of the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) Program Reflective Checklists to the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised. We explain the similarities and differences as follows:

There are five Reflective Checklists, each covering a program element: environment, daily program, activities and experiences, supportive interactions, and partnerships with families. Each checklist provides examples of developmentally appropriate practices used by teaching staff to support children’s social and emotional development.Teachers can use the checklists for self- assessment and supervisors can use them to review current practices and determine areas of need.

The ECERS-R is a reliable, valid instrument for measuring the quality of early childhood settings. There are seven sub-scales: space and furnishings, personal care routines, language-reasoning, activities, interaction, program structure, and parents and staff. This tool can be used for self- assessment and for program monitoring and improvement.

Because both the Reflective Checklists and the ECERS-R are based on characteristics of high quality early childhood programs, many of the items are related to each other. The charts that follow show how the items on each reflective checklist are related to ECERS-R Items. We hope you will find them useful as you plan ways to implement the DECA Program along with your use of the ECERS-R.

Environment

DECA Program Reflective Related ECERS-R Items Checklist Items 1. Set up well-stocked interest areas 4. Room arrangements for play that reflect children’s current skills and interests. 2. Establish clear traffic paths and 4. Room arrangements for play boundaries around interest areas. 3. Display toys and materials on low, 4. Room arrangements for play open shelves within children’s reach. 4. Create a simple system to limit the Not addressed specifically, but could number of children who can use an be part of 4. Room arrangement for area at one time. play. 5. Provide a few be-by-myself spaces 5. Space for privacy that are private, but still visible to teachers. 6. Provide storage areas (a shelf or Not addressed specifically, but could cupboard) to keep and protect be part of 6. Child-related display. unfinished projects. 7. Provide space to store and display Not addressed specifically, but could individual work and belongings. be part of 6. Child-related display. 8. Include in the classroom Not addressed specifically, but is arrangement a large area for implied in 36. Group time. meetings, read-aloud sessions, and music and movement activities. 9. Maintain a soothing and relaxing Not addressed specifically, but could atmosphere with appropriate noise be a preventative practice for31. and activity levels. Discipline. 10. Create a home-like atmosphere 28. Promoting acceptance of diversity that reflects children’s families, cultures, and home languages. 11. Include a range of open-ended Not addressed specifically, but could materials, from simple to complex, be part of 35. Free play. that offer different levels of challenge. 12. Include items that support 28. Promoting acceptance of diversity children’s development of a sense of self. 13. Provide materials that promote Not addressed specifically, but could cooperation and group play. be part of 35. Free play. 14. Offer materials that encourage Not addressed specifically, but could children to explore and express their be part of 35. Free play. feelings. 15. Provide materials that 24. Dramatic play accommodate a range of dramatic play skills. 16. Provide materials, equipment, and 8. Gross motor equipment space for indoor gross motor play. 17. Offer duplicates of favorite items. 31. Discipline 18. Include supplies and equipment 10. Meals/snacks 1 for personal care and clean-up. 2. Toileting/diapering 13. Health practices Daily Program

DECA Program Reflective Related ECERS-R Items Checklist Items 1. Maintain a predictable and 34. Schedule consistent schedule. 2. Adjust the schedule when 34. Schedule appropriate to respond to children and circumstances. 3. Provide time to expend energy and 34. Schedule time to relax. 4. Offer indoor and outdoor choice 35. Free play times several times each day. 5. Include enough time for routines 34. Schedule and transitions. 6. Involve children in carrying out 34. Schedule routines and transitions. 7. Plan a consistent approach for Not addressed specifically, but could carrying out group routines. be part of 34. Schedule. 8. Follow an individualized approach 34. Schedule for carrying out personal routines. 9.Provide advance notice of 34. Schedule transitions and explain what happens next. 10. Use an individualized approach Not addressed specifically, but could during transitions. be part of34. Schedule. 11. Help children and families cope Not addressed specifically, but could with separation at arrival and be part of 38. Provisions for parents. reunions at the end of the day. Activities and Experiences

DECA Program Reflective Checklist Items Related ECERS-R Items 1. Divide the class in half for meetings, story Not addressed specifically, but time, and other group events. could be part of36. Group time. 2. Plan and lead a few small group activities 36. Group time during choice time. 3. Make small group activities open-ended to Not addressed specifically, but reflect a range of skills and interests. could be part of36. Group time. 4. Read and discuss books about feelings 31. Discipline with the group and with individuals. 5. Encourage children to initiate their own Not addressed specifically, but activities, alone or with others. could be part of 33. Interactions among children, 35. Free play, and/or 36. Group time. 6. Teach children relaxation techniques. Not addressed specifically, but could be a preventative practice for31. Discipline. 7. Offer activities and experiences that 33. Interactions among encourage cooperation. children 8. Offer physical activities that use large 8. Gross motor equipment 29. muscles and expend energy. Supervision of gross motor activities 9. Provide many opportunities for children to 15. Books and pictures 16. build language skills. Encouraging children to communicate 17. Using language to develop reasoning skills 18. Informal use of language 10. Teach children problem solving skills and 31. Discipline encourage them to use their skills to resolve conflicts. Supportive Interactions

DECA Program Reflective Related ECERS-R Items Checklist Items 1. Help children learn the skills and 33. Interactions among children behaviors used to play and learn with others. 2. Maintain realistic expectations for 31. Discipline children’s behavior that match individual and developmental characteristics. 3. Involve children in setting a few Not addressed specifically, but could important rules and guidelines. be a preventative practice for 31. Discipline. 4. Give each child the opportunity to Not addressed specifically, but could build a trusting relationship with a be part of32. Staff-child interactions. caring adult. 5. Support children’s growing 30. General supervision of children independence and competence. 32. Staff-child interactions 6. Help children understand their 33. Interactions among children feelings and those of others. 7. Tailor positive guidance strategies 31. Discipline to fit the child and the situation.

Partnerships with Families

DECA Program Reflective Related ECERS-R Items Checklist Items 1. Learn about each child’s family, Not addressed specifically, but is culture, and community. implied in 28. Promoting acceptance of diversity. 2. Use children’s home languages at Not addressed specifically, but is the program. implied in 28. Promoting acceptance of diversity. 3. Establish an ongoing system for 38. Provisions for parents exchanging information about each child with his or her family. 4. Give families information about 38. Provisions for parents typical developmental skills and behaviors of young children. 5. Use a variety of communication 38. Provisions for parents strategies to keep families informed about the program. 6. Incorporate family involvement in 38. Provisions for parents the program design. 7. Reduce and/or avoid adding to a Not addressed specifically, but is family’s stress. implied in 38. Provisions for parents. 8. Support each child’s relationship Not addressed specifically, but is and connection with both parents. implied in 38. Provisions for parents.

*Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale, Revised Edition, Thelma Harms, Richard M. Clifford, and Debby Cryer (New York:Teachers College Press), 1998.