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

Literacy; Graphics, Buddy Ready

Make-Believe Play and Play Planning

Story Labs

Math/Science