Ten Workshops in Understanding and Using Head Start Child Outcomes

All Head Start programs have to record how each child is doing using the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework. Outcomes tell how ready the individual child is for kindergarten and school.

Teachers must plan interactions and activities for each outcome domain and assess each child’s progress in all domains. The PRISM requires staff to describe how outcomes are part of the assessment process for individual children and for the overall program.

These workshops will help staff understand and use the outcomes domains, domain elements and indicators. The workshops focus on developmentally appropriate individual and group experiences and activities.

About the Workshops

There are ten workshops. The workshops help Head Start staff and parents to understand the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework. Each workshop provides activities which teachers can use to support children’s development in each domain. Teachers learn how to gather and use outcomes data for individualization. Staff learn to use outcomes information for program self-assessment and planning.

All workshops are interactive. During the workshops, staff review which activities support progress in domains. Handouts give suggestions for planning activities and interactions in specific domains. Using anecdotal records and children’s work samples to show progress is explained.

Each workshop takes one half day. Two workshops can be combined for a full day of training. Workshops are individualized to meet your specific program needs and training objectives.

Outcomes Workshops Offered

1. Outcomes Overview Workshop

This workshop is an overview of the Head Start Outcomes and how outcomes support a program’s curriculum and assessment. Using outcome indicators, teachers learn how current practices help children progress in domains. Workshop activities using indicators help teachers increase the quality and complexity of classroom interactions and experiences. Assessment ideas for gathering information about outcome progress are described and how to share this information with parents.

Activities Supporting Outcomes

The overview workshop describes all outcomes briefly, these workshops focus on each specific domain. Workshop activities help staff understand how progress in domains and domain elements supports school success.

Teachers are given information about planning activities and interactions in each domain. For example teachers need to support the domain element book knowledge; so during daily book reading, teachers need to use left to right sequencing; point out title, author and illustrator; and ask children to make predictions based on illustrations or text information. Assessing progress in each domain is also explained.

Domain Workshops

  2. Communication

  3. Literacy

  4. Math

  5. Science

  6. Creative Arts

  7. Social - Emotional Development

  8. Approaches to Learning

  9. Physical and Health

10. The 13 Mandated Domain Elements and Indicators

There are thirteen congressionally mandated outcome elements and indicators. This workshop explains the mandated elements and indicators. Staff plan activities and interactions using the mandated items. Collecting and reporting information on the mandated items is described.

Workshop Leader

Melissa Werner, Ph.D., has worked with Head Start programs for twenty years as a presenter, director and education manager. Her workshops for teachers, parents and administrators focus on all aspects of Head Start program quality. She is working on a book, Activities for Outcomes . She has served as a validator, mentor and commissioner for NAEYC’s Accreditation Program and lives in Birmingham, Alabama. For further information, for a fee schedule or to schedule workshops please call 205-979-6282 or 205-706-5566 (cell) or e-mail: mwerner@bellsouth.net

Other Workshops

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