While PBIS has gained momentum and popularity in schools, the purpose of this post it to shed light on a specific version of this framework called The Pyramid Model. A framework adapted for early childhood education settings.
The Pyramid Model retains a lot of likeness to its origins but tunes further into the specificities of preschool settings. Primarily, the practices to be integrated by teachers are best suited for small children aged 2-5, though with adaptions available for toddlers. The implementation of these practices is facilitated by coaches using a model called Practice-Based Coaching (PBC), along with an observational tool called Teacher Pyramid Observation Tool (TPOT).
Recently, a randomized controlled trial focusing on the child outcomes of the Pyramid model was published. Pyramid Model training was given to 45 preschool classrooms with 47 classrooms acting as controls, meaning they went about their usual business. A total of 997 children were part of the study. Measurements were collected before and after implementation. After the intervention year, the increase in social skills (as rated by teachers using an instrument called Social Skills Improvement System) for intervention-classrooms was more than twice that of classrooms that didn’t receive training in the Pyramid model. Problem behaviors (rated using the same instrument) also decreased slightly in intervention-classrooms, while they slightly increased in the control group. The study also examined the effects on the children with the most difficulties (3 children per classroom). Here, the contrasts between the intervention and control group were more pronounced. For example, the observed number of social interactions in difficult situations increased by about 20% for the intervention group. In contrast, these interactions decreased by about 13% in the control group. In short, the Pyramid Model and PBIS show promise in supporting the development of social skills in early childhood education settings.
The study can be accessed here
