Imagine you are a mentor to a newly hired NC PreK teacher in a public school. Their classroom was assessed by ECERS and your role as mentor is to help the teacher create a plan to improve the environment.

Imagine you are a mentor to a newly hired NC PreK teacher in a public school. Their classroom was assessed by ECERS and your role as mentor is to help the teacher create a plan to improve the environment.
The classroom has 18 children. Three children are identified with learning or physical needs. You have one child with behavioral needs, one child dual language learner, and one child identified with Autism.
Use the ECERS-R Profile and the individual score sheet to help you determine what changes and actions should take place in the classroom to meet the needs of the children.
ECERS Profile.PNG download
SCORE SHEET EXPANDED VERSION Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale – Revised Thelma Harms, Richard M. Clifford, and Debby Cryer-1.pdf download
If you need the individual scales, a scanned ECERS is posted in the module to help you analyze each section.
Consider the role of the teacher and the different aspects of the environment. Use the chart below (template download) to help you plan for each aspect of the environment. There have not been any changes made to the environment or materials since the assessment-so that will help inform the type of materials you may need to request or room arrangements you may want to change.
What do you need to Provide?
What can you Modify?
How will you Enrich?
What needs your Support?
Where will you Supervise?
What must Adapt?
Physical
(Indoor & Outdoor)
Cognitive
Emotional
Social
Temporal
Self-reflection
Before submitting this assignment, please reflect on the following in a few sentences and submit with your assignment:
What were you trying to get out of this assignment? What did you learn? What was successful? What was less successful? Why? What might you do differently? What would you like help with?
OPTION 2 (Revised assignment – June 6, 2021)
REVISED Environmental Assessment Case Study
NOTE: This template was revised based on correspondence from several students in HDFS 4702 in Summer 2021. The goal is to make this assignment more clear. (Revised June 6, 2021) – Word document with guidelines – REVISED Environmental Case Study .docx download
Imagine you are a newly hired NC PreK teacher in a public school. Your classroom was assessed by ECERS at the end of the previous year. As part of your plan to get acclimated to your new classroom, you review the results of the assessment.
Your classroom will have 18 children next year. 3 children are identified with learning or physical needs. You have one child with behavioral needs, one child dual language learner, and one child identified with Autism.
Use the ECERS-R Profile (ECERS Profile.PNG download) and the individual classroom score sheet (SCORE SHEET EXPANDED VERSION Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale – Revised Thelma Harms, Richard M. Clifford, and Debby Cryer-1.pdf download) to help you determine what changes and actions should take place in your classroom to meet the needs of the children.
Consider the role of the teacher and the different aspects of the environment. Use the chart below to help you plan for each aspect of the environment. There have not been any changes made to the environment or materials since the assessment-so that will help inform you the type of materials you need to request or room arrangements you need to change.
Steps to complete assignment:
Become familiar with the ECERS-R.
Many of you are very familiar with the ECERS-R from being assessed or part of an assessment, providing technical assistance, attending training, or from other ways. If you are not familiar, here is an ECERS webinar you can review to get oriented: Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale Webinar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG0JYUs4GfU&feature=youtu.be (Links to an external site.)
Review the ECERS-R items as needed to be more familiar with them (LINK: ECERS).
Review the classroom assessment results (LINKS:ECERS Profile.PNG downloadand SCORE SHEET EXPANDED VERSION Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale – Revised Thelma Harms, Richard M. Clifford, and Debby Cryer-1.pdf download).
Make note of the ECERS items and indicators the classroom did not score a “7.”
Complete the table to describe changes you could make based on item scores and areas for improvement (see page 2 of assignment guidelines in Word document, this is the table). You may not need information in each box. Fill in the areas you feel need to be addressed based on the classroom information provided.
Answer self-reflection questions.
ECERS-R Subscales
What items could be targeted for improvement?
Based on the indicators and scores, what can you provide to make changes for improvement (e.g., new materials, basic changes in current room arrangement)?
Based on the indicators and scores, what can you modify or what might you need to adapt (e.g., modify or adapt what is already there that changes the function of a material or area)?
Based on the indicators and scores, what will you need to do to enrich, support, or supervise (e.g., what might you need to be more aware of, say more, or do more)?
Space & Furnishings (1 – 8)
Personal Care Routines (9 – 14)
Language-Reasoning (15 – 18)
Activities (19 – 28)
Interactions (29 – 33)
Program Structure (34 – 37)
Parents and Staff (38 – 43)
Self-reflection
Before submitting this assignment, please reflect on the following in a few sentences and submit with your assignment:
What were you trying to get out of this assignment? What did you learn? What was successful? What was less successful? Why? What might you do differently? What would you like help with?
Rubric
Case Study 1 Rubric
Case Study 1 Rubric
Criteria Ratings
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePhysical Environment
Proficient
Addresses each role of the teacher question. Evidence of accurate analysis of ECERS Score sheet and classroom profile. Evidence of addressing at least one of the identified children’s need. Plan goes beyond ECERS recommendation and shows thoughtful reflection and planning
Competent
Addresses each role of the teacher. Some evidence of use of ECERS Scoresheet/Classroom profile in plan. Evidence of addressing at least on of the identified children’s need. Plan uses ECERS to inform, but does not expand beyond into reflective practice.
Novice
Fails to address each role of the teacher. Little to no evidence of analysis of ECERS scoresheet/classroom profile. Little to no evidence of addressing at least one of the identified children’s needs. Plan does not indicate that a reflective approach was taken to analyze assessment information.
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeCognitive Environment
Proficient
Addresses each role of the teacher question. Evidence of accurate analysis of ECERS Score sheet and classroom profile. Evidence of addressing at least one of the identified children’s need. Plan goes beyond ECERS recommendation and shows thoughtful reflection and planning
Competent
Addresses each role of the teacher. Some evidence of use of ECERS Scoresheet/Classroom profile in plan. Evidence of addressing at least on of the identified children’s need. Plan uses ECERS to inform, but does not expand beyond into reflective practice.
Novice
Fails to address each role of the teacher. Little to no evidence of analysis of ECERS scoresheet/classroom profile. Little to no evidence of addressing at least one of the identified children’s needs. Plan does not indicate that a reflective approach was taken to analyze assessment information.
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeEmotional Environment
Proficient
Addresses each role of the teacher question. Evidence of accurate analysis of ECERS Score sheet and classroom profile. Evidence of addressing at least one of the identified children’s need. Plan goes beyond ECERS recommendation and shows thoughtful reflection and planning
Competent
Addresses each role of the teacher. Some evidence of use of ECERS Scoresheet/Classroom profile in plan. Evidence of addressing at least on of the identified children’s need. Plan uses ECERS to inform, but does not expand beyond into reflective practice.
Novice
Fails to address each role of the teacher. Little to no evidence of analysis of ECERS scoresheet/classroom profile. Little to no evidence of addressing at least one of the identified children’s needs. Plan does not indicate that a reflective approach was taken to analyze assessment information.
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeSocial Environment
Proficient
Addresses each role of the teacher question. Evidence of accurate analysis of ECERS Score sheet and classroom profile. Evidence of addressing at least one of the identified children’s need. Plan goes beyond ECERS recommendation and shows thoughtful reflection and planning
Competent
Addresses each role of the teacher. Some evidence of use of ECERS Scoresheet/Classroom profile in plan. Evidence of addressing at least on of the identified children’s need. Plan uses ECERS to inform, but does not expand beyond into reflective practice.
Novice
Fails to address each role of the teacher. Little to no evidence of analysis of ECERS scoresheet/classroom profile. Little to no evidence of addressing at least one of the identified children’s needs. Plan does not indicate that a reflective approach was taken to analyze assessment information.
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeTemporal Environment
Proficient
Addresses each role of the teacher question. Evidence of accurate analysis of ECERS Score sheet and classroom profile. Evidence of addressing at least one of the identified children’s need. Plan goes beyond ECERS recommendation and shows thoughtful reflection and planning
Competent
Addresses each role of the teacher. Some evidence of use of ECERS Scoresheet/Classroom profile in plan. Evidence of addressing at least on of the identified children’s need. Plan uses ECERS to inform, but does not expand beyond into reflective practice.
Novice
Fails to address each role of the teacher. Little to no evidence of analysis of ECERS scoresheet/classroom profile. Little to no evidence of addressing at least one of the identified children’s needs. Plan does not indicate that a reflective approach was taken to analyze assessment information.
Submission
Submitted!
Jun 6 at 5:03pm
Submission Details
Download Environmental Assessment Case Study I.docx
Grade: Complete (0 pts possible)
Graded Anonymously: no
Comments:
Cathy, this is a good start. It is unclear whether or not your suggestions come from the scorer ECERS provided. Did you use the information provided to complete the table? Also, the suggestions you provide for children with various needs are helpful. Many of the suggestions you provided could be helpful for a wide range of children, not just those with disabilities or dual language learners.