A child's early teachers and caregivers play a vital role in supporting social-emotional development-and that's why more and more center-based infant and toddler programs are adopting the evidence-based Pyramid Model for Promoting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children. If your program is one of them, TPITOS (TM) is the essential tool you need to ensure that infant-toddler teachers are using the Pyramid Model practices with fidelity. Modeled after the Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool (TPOT (TM)) for Preschool Classrooms, TPITOS is for early childhood settings caring for infants and toddlers from birth to 3 years of age. Focusing on teacher practices and classroom environment variables, TPITOS measures how well your program's staff is fostering responsive, nurturing relationships with children and promoting strong social-emotional development in their earliest years. How It Works : A trained TPITOS administrator conducts a 2-hour classroom observation, followed by an interview with the teacher being observed. The observer completes three types of items: 1) Observational Items (practices and environmental factors noted during the observation), 2) Interview Items (practices scored based on the teacher's responses during the interview), and 3) Red Flags (practices that are not consistent with the Pyramid Model). Results of TPITOS show your program which Pyramid Model practices are being implemented effectively-and what teachers need to focus on to ensure positive social-emotional outcomes for infants and toddlers.
