Is your program expecting a PRISM visit in 2004-2005? I can provide a one-day, on-site workshop to help your education staff get ready for your PRISM monitoring visit.

Details about the PRISM Workshop

The workshop focuses on two areas, the PRISM observation instrument and the education interview questions. Using items from the “Classroom, Family Child Care, or Socialization Experience Observation Instrument,” teaching staff identify how the classroom environment and the activities of children and teachers address requirements in each observation area. The seven observation areas are teacher interactions and strategies; language and literacy development; math and science development; social and emotional development; physical development; and prevention and early intervention integrating health, nutrition, mental health, safety, and wellness.

The second part of the workshop is practice answering includes practice in answering PRISM interview questions. A focus child will be selected and education staff will practice answering the interview questions using the focus child and his or her education file. Staff will be asked to bring a copy of the curriculum, examples of assessment tools, copies of education files, and lesson plans/planning documents to the workshop.

Staff will practice explaining curriculum use, screening and assessment, and individualization. They will also describe how they communicate with parents and plan for individual children. Preschool Head Start teachers will show how they include the outcomes framework in their work.

Benefits and Scheduling of the PRISM Workshop

Programs who have had this workshop report that it has helped their education staff prepare for the review team visit. Practicing with someone from outside the program helped reassure teaching staff of their readiness for the visit and relieved some of the tension that accompanies federal reviews. You should schedule the workshop at least one month before the PRISM review. Teaching staff can then address any area that needs improvement.

Each workshop is individualized to meet the needs of your staff. For further information, for information on fees, or to schedule this workshop please call me at 205- 979-6282 or e-mail: mwerner@bellsouth.net.