In a Tools classroom:

• Teachers systematically scaffold children's movement along the continuum of self-regulation...from being regulated by others to engaging in shared regulation to eventually becoming "masters of their own behaviors."
• Children gain control of their social, emotional and cognitive behaviors by learning how to use a variety of "mental tools"
• Teaching of early literacy and mathematics emphasizes building underlying cognitive competencies such as meta- cognition and reflective thinking.
• Children practice self-regulated learning throughout the day by engaging in a variety of specifically designed, developmentally appropriate activities.
• Children learn to regulate their own behaviors as well as the behaviors of their friends as they enact increasingly complex scenarios in their imaginary play.

Activities

Opening Group

Large group Literacy; Graphics, Buddy Ready

Make-Believe Play and Play planning

Story Labs

Math/Science