Implementing the pyramid model in a turnaround elementary school

Abstract

Intervention efforts in turnaround elementary schools in the U.S. have focused on academic interventions, missing the important link between students’ social emotional competence and academic outcomes. The current study describes implementation of a multi-tiered approach to support young students’ social emotional competence in an urban turnaround elementary school primarily serving students of color. Details regarding how the approach was rolled out in the school’s early childhood classrooms are offered. Lessons learned are described and discussed as part of large-scale efforts to turn around chronically underperforming urban elementary schools through a focus on improving young children’s social emotional competence.

Keywords:

• Early childhood
• social emotional competence
• turnaround schools

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jermall D. Wright

Jermall D. Wright is the Superintendent for the Mississippi Achievement School District, Yazoo City & Humphreys County, MS. His scholar-practitioner interests are transformation of underperforming school districts and the role of early childhood education in the transformation process.

Elizabeth A. Steed

Elizabeth A. Steed is a professor at the University of Colorado Denver. Her research is focused on inclusion, supporting young children’s social emotional competence, and culturally responsive practices in early childhood education.