The Pyramid Model Project

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The Pyramid Model is a comprehensive, multi-tiered framework of evidence-based practices that promote young children's social, emotional, and behavioral development. The Pyramid Model focuses on promoting positive behavior and addressing challenging behavior (Hemmeter, Ostrosky, & Corso, 2012).

The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations Website assists states and local programs with the implementation of the Pyramid Model to support social-emotional competence in infants and young children within early intervention and early education programs through web-based resources and in-person coaching and training. The primary focus of the Pyramid Model is to promote the social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of young children, aged birth to five, by reducing the use of inappropriate discipline practices, promoting family engagement, using data for decision-making, integrating early childhood and infant mental health consultation, and fostering inclusion.

Video: The Pyramid Model Overview

Pyramid Model Contact

Arizona Pyramid Model Implementation Site Application

An effective workforce is necessary for all practices within the Pyramid Model and its structures. It is to ensure that systems and policies are built and supported with evidence-based practices. The following materials are supportive of developing an effective workforce in early childhood programs:

Nurturing and responsive relationships are key components of building healthy social development and include working with the child, his or her family, and team members.

To promote social, cognitive, and language development in children, high-quality supportive environments are essential. It includes providing inclusive early care and educational environments and support at home.

Social-emotional support delivered during explicit instruction that promotes social-emotional development in areas such as self-regulation, expressing and understanding emotions, problem-solving solving, and developing social relationships are represented by the following resources:

Individualized intensive interventions may be needed for a small number of children with persistent challenges working in conjunction with families.

Twenty-one (21) asynchronous courses are now available for multiple aspects of the Pyramid Model. Select the links below to register.

Introduction to the Pyramid Model

This module introduces the Pyramid Model framework to participants and should be used before the other modules. Topics include: the relationship of the Pyramid Model to prevention science, equity, inclusion, trauma-informed care, anti-bias practice and the use of data for decision-making, understanding child behavior, and the research that provides an evidence-based for the use of the Pyramid Model.

Infant-Toddler Module 1: Introduction and Understanding Social-Emotional Development

As the first training module in the Pyramid Model Infant-Toddler Module Series, Understanding Social-Emotional Development will acquaint participants with the Pyramid Model, introduce important terms that will be used throughout the Pyramid Model training modules, and lay a foundation to better understand the role caregivers play in young children’s social-emotional development.

Infant-Toddler Module 2: Focusing on Relationships

In Focusing on Relationships, a module of the Pyramid Model Infant-Toddler Module Series, participants will explore the importance and complexities of developing relationships between caregivers, families, and children. Participants should leave understanding that social-emotional development takes place within the context of relationships, so strategies to support development must prioritize building relationships. This training covers topics such as reflecting on participants’ past and current relationships, as well as addressing issues related to culture, diversity, race, equity, risk, and protective factors.

Infant-Toddler Module 3: Responsive Routines, Schedules, and Environments

In Responsive Routines, Schedules, & Environments, a module of the Pyramid Model Infant-Toddler Module series, participants will learn how being intentional about establishing daily routines and setting up the environment can: help young children feel confident and secure, paving the way for social-emotional growth; promote children’s active and safe exploration and learning; and facilitate positive child-peer and adult-child interactions.

Infant-Toddler Module 4: Understanding Behavior

Working with infants and toddlers is rewarding, but it can also sometimes be challenging. In Understanding Behavior, a module of the Pyramid Model Infant-Toddler Module Series, participants will learn how to use observation to better understand child behavior. We will look at the many influences affecting behavior and use this knowledge to examine our own beliefs. We will practice reframing our thoughts to better respond to challenging situations.

Infant-Toddler Module 5: Teaching About Feelings

In Responsive Routines, Schedules, & Environments, a module of the Pyramid Model Infant-Toddler Module series, participants will learn how being intentional about establishing daily routines and setting up the environment can: help young children feel confident and secure, paving the way for social-emotional growth; promote children’s active and safe exploration and learning; and facilitate positive child-peer and adult-child interactions.

Infant-Toddler Module 6: Promoting Positive Peer Interactions

In Positive Peer Interactions, a module of the Pyramid Model Infant-Toddler Module Series, participants will gain knowledge on how to facilitate positive peer interactions and support the development of social and friendship skills, learn about the developmental stages of social and play skills, and apply that knowledge to classroom practices.

Infant-Toddler Module 7: Individualized Teaching

In Individualized Teaching, a module of the Pyramid Model Infant-Toddler Module Series, participants will learn how to identify and address delays in social-emotional development. The module provides an overview of the screening and assessment process and guidance on how to develop a systematic plan to provide individualized teaching to children who have delays.

Infant-Toddler Module 8: Challenging Behavior

In Challenging Behavior, a module of the Pyramid Model Infant-Toddler Module Series, participants will: identify and define challenging behavior, and work to understand why challenging behavior happens; discuss how to gather data and implement strategies that will prevent challenging behavior; and discuss strategies to address or respond effectively to challenging behavior when it is present.

Building Relationships and Creating Supportive Environments (English Birth-5 Module 1)

Content Includes:

Understanding the Relationship between Challenging Behavior and Social-Emotional Development
What is social-emotional development?
Considering the foundation nature of early relationship experiences.
Forming and maintaining relationships with your young children, families, and co-workers.
Identifying responsive caregiving strategies adults can use to support infants and toddlers.
Examining Our Attitudes about Challenging Behaviors
Designing the Physical Environment
Schedules, Routines, and Transitions
Planning Activities that Promote Engagement
Giving Directions and Teaching Classroom Rules
Ongoing Monitoring and Positive Attention

Social Emotional Teaching Strategies (English Birth-5 Module 2)

Content Includes:

Identifying the Importance of Teaching Social-Emotional Skills
Identifying ways a high-quality supportive environment can promote social-emotional development in infants and toddlers.
Targeted strategies to enhance the social-emotional well-being of infants and toddlers.
Understanding the positive impact of responsive caregiving routines
Developing Friendship Skills
Enhancing Emotional Literacy
Controlling Anger and Impulse
Developing Problem-Solving Skills
Individualizing Instruction
Partnering with Families

Individualized Intervention: Determining the Meaning of Behavior and Developing Appropriate Responses (English Birth-5 Module 3)

Content Includes:

Overview of Positive Behavior Supports
Reviewing the dimensions of communication: Form and function
Considering behavior, including challenging behavior as communication
Providing an introduction to Functional Assessment
Understanding the development of Behavior Support Planning

Practice-Based Coaching

Practice-Based Coaching (PBC) is a research‐based coaching framework for supporting early childhood practitioners’ use of evidence‐informed teaching practices. In these modules, we will explore why coaching has become a popular professional development support, what exactly Practice-Based Coaching is, and how PBC can be delivered to support the implementation of effective practices.

This course will:

Introduce the Practice-Based Coaching model
Describe characteristics of collaborative partnerships
Identify practices that are the focus of Practice-Based Coaching
Identify key features of and practice goal setting and action planning
Identify key features of and practice focused observation
Identify key features of and practice supporting reflection and providing feedback

Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Families

This ePyramid course will explore the Prevent Teach Reinforce progress for families. In this course, paired with the PTR-F manual, you’ll discover how to take on the role of PTR-F facilitator to meet each family’s unique needs, and you’ll get a clear 5-step process for guiding families as they promote their child’s positive behavior. With this comprehensive, adaptable model of behavior support, you’ll strengthen family engagement, set each child on the path to healthy social-emotional development, and improve quality of life for the entire family.

Help Families with the 5-step PTR-F process:

Initiating the process. Establish a partnership with the family, and then work together to set individualized goals and develop a vision for the child’s future.
Assessment. Guide the family through the steps of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) to uncover the triggers and functions behind the child’s behavior.
Intervention. Using the results of the FBA, help the family choose from a menu of intervention options to build a behavior support plan that meets their specific needs.
Coaching. Conduct meetings with the family, acting as cheerleader and coach and guiding the family to implement the behavior support plan with fidelity in home and community settings.
Monitoring. Review behavioral data with the family to monitor how well the plan is being implemented and whether the child is making progress.

Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children

This ePyramid course will explore the Prevent Teach Reinforce progress for preschool teams. Prevent‐Teach‐Reinforce for Young Children (PTR‐YC) is a research‐proven, family‐centered approach used in preschool settings nationwide to resolve persistent challenging behaviors. This course, along with the PTR-YC manual, introduces the five steps of the PTR‐YC model: 1) teaming and goal setting; 2) data collection; 3) functional behavioral assessment; 4) development and implementation of a behavior intervention plan; and 5) using data, arranging for generalization, and next steps. During this course, you’ll get instructions for conducting all five steps, case examples from real‐world experience, and the tools and assessment instruments you need to implement the steps effectively.

Pyramid Model Practices in Early Intervention

These modules will guide the user through the Early Intervention Pyramid Model Practices Training. They will help you identify and understand the Pyramid Model practices within the context of early intervention/Part C. The knowledge you acquire from these modules will help you build an awareness of what the Pyramid Model practices in early intervention are, and how to use them with more intention throughout your work with families. The modules are for anyone who is working with and coaching families with infants and toddlers. The practices identified in this training are aligned with the Early Interventionist Pyramid Practices Fidelity Instrument, also known as the EIPPFI, which is a tool that can be used by early interventionists and coaches when building staff capacity in using Pyramid Model practices with fidelity. 

Reducing Implicit Bias

This module will focus on the importance of culturally responsive practices in enhancing outcomes for all children, especially those from diverse backgrounds. The role of implicit bias will be discussed. Participants will be offered a variety of activities for implementing the 7 principles of culturally responsive practices that help us recognize and identify implicit bias. Additionally, participants will be offered ideas for how to use the values of the family and community to inform teaching and learning through the lens of the Pyramid Model. The development of this module (2 hours) was partially supported by the Pyramid Equity Project in collaboration with the University of South Florida, the University of Colorado Denver, and the PBIS Center with Preschool Development Grant national activity funding.

Trauma-Informed Care & the Pyramid Model

Benefits of Trauma-Informed Care & the Pyramid Model:

Assists teachers to understand the impact of trauma on young children and their families to recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma in young children.
Ensures teachers understand the assumptions and principles of trauma-informed care. 
Builds a foundation to support children's resilience and recovery. 
Supports implementation of specific practices for teachers and families to implement Trauma Informed Care Pyramid Model practices in early childhood.

Cursos de Modelo Pirámide en Español

Construcción de relaciones y Creación de ambientes de apoyo favorables (Español Nacimiento-5 Módulo 1)

El contenido incluye:

Comprender la relación entre los comportamientos difíciles y el desarrollo Socioemocional
¿Qué es el desarrollo socioemocional?
Considerando la naturaleza fundamental de las relaciones tempranas
Formar y mantener relaciones con sus niños y niñas pequeños, familias y compañeros de trabajo.
Identificar estrategias que brinden atención receptiva que los adultos pueden usar para apoyar a los bebés, niños y niñas pequeños.
Examinar nuestras actitudes sobre los comportamientos difíciles.
Diseñar el entorno físico
Rutinas, horarios y transiciones
Planificar actividades que promuevan la participación
Dar instrucciones y enseñar las reglas de la clase.
Monitoreo continuo y atencion positiva

Estrategias de enseñanza socioemocionales (Español Nacimiento-5 Módulo 2)

CEl contenido incluye:

Identificar la importancia de la enseñanza de habilidades socioemocionales
Identificar formas de apoyo de los entornos de alta calidad para el desarrollo de los bebés, niños y niñas pequeños
Estrategias dirigidas a mejorar el bienestar socioemocional de bebés, niños y niñas pequeños.
Comprender el impacto positivo de relaciones responsivas positivas
Desarrollo de habilidades de amistad
Mejorar la alfabetización emocional de los niños y niñas pequeños
Regular la ira y los impulsos
Desarrollar habilidades para resolver problemas
Individualizar la instrucción
Colaborar con las familias

Intervención individualizada: Determinación del significado del comportamiento y desarrollo de respuestas adecuadas (Español Nacimiento-5 Módulo 3)

El contenido incluye:

 Descripción general de apoyos para un comportamiento positivo
Revisar las dimensiones de la comunicación: Forma y Función
Consideración del comportamiento como medio de comunicación
Proporcionar una introducción a la evaluación funcional
Comprender el desarrollo de la conducta para una planificación de apoyo

Additional Options:

Page revised April 11, 2024