Pyramid Model
The Pyramid Model is a comprehensive multi-tiered framework of evidence-based practices for promoting young children’s healthy social and emotional development. The PM works in conjunction with the program’s curriculum by working alongside the child’s caregivers and peers within the natural environment and classroom setting. The framework supports all children at the universal level, decreasing the need for more intensive intervention.
Tier 1: Universal Supports
The first tier of the Pyramid Model is designed to be in place for all children and includes both nurturing and responsive relationships and high-quality, supportive environments. With these universal supports for all children in place, 80% of challenging behaviors can be addressed!
Tier 2:
The second tier focuses on targeted social-emotional supports to foster further development of social skills, problem-solving, anger management, and strategies to help children calm down.
Tier 3:
The third or top tier addresses intensive interventions for children with persistent challenging behavior who need additional support beyond the other tiers.
·Pyramid Model Preschool: Introduction to the Pyramid Mode (3 HRS Child Development)
This module introduces the Pyramid Model framework to participants. Best practice suggests completing this module first to set the foundation for further learning. Programs that feel they have incorporated SEFEL or other PM practices may choose to forgo this step based on the knowledge of their staff. Topics include: the relationship of the Pyramid Model to prevention science, equity, inclusion, trauma-informed care, anti-bias practice and the use of data for decision-making, understanding child behavior, and the research that provides an evidence-base for the use of the Pyramid Model.
Pyramid Model Preschool Mod 1: Nurturing and Responsive Relationships (7 HRS Child Development)
Establishing nurturing and responsive relationships within a caring community is the foundation of the Pyramid Model. This training focuses on practices for building relationships with children, promoting relationships between children, relationships with families that affirm family culture and identity, and relationships with team members.
Pyramid Model Preschool Mod 2: High Quality Supportive Environments (6 HRS Child Development)
This module focuses on the practices for establishing high-quality supportive classroom environments that promote social-emotional skill development and prevent challenging behavior. Practices related to schedules, routines, transitions, promoting engagement, expectations, and rules are addressed in the workshop.
Pyramid Model Preschool Mod 3: Teaching Social-Emotional Skills (6 HRS Child Development)
Promoting social-emotional development is core to the Pyramid Model. This module provides training on the practices for teaching friendship skills, emotional literacy, self-regulation, and problem-solving.
Pyramid Model Preschool Mod 4: Individualized Teaching of Social-Emotional Skills (3 HRS Special Needs)
This module guides practitioners in how to individualize instruction on social-emotional skills for children who need more targeted supports. Practices that are taught include: teaching systematically, peer-mediated intervention, planning for embedded instruction, and progress monitoring.
Pyramid Model Preschool Mod 5: Addressing Challenging Behavior (7 HRS Special Needs)
This module provides the practices for understanding child challenging behavior, how to respond to challenging behavior, becoming aware of bias in responding, de-escalating behavior, and the components of developing a behavior support plan for children with persistent challenging behavior.
Pyramid Model Preschool Mod 6: Overview of Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children (2 HRS Special Needs)
Designed for programs actively using the Pyramid Model as a comprehensive framework program-wide.
This module teaches practitioners about the steps of Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children (PTR-YC) and how it is used as a manualized process for conducting a functional behavioral assessment and
developing a behavior support plan.
