Scaffolded Programming Builds Stronger Early Learning
When REACH Early Learning at Fletcher Place Community Center first connected with ELI, the program was facing challenges with enrollment and staffing.
“As a team we were asking, ‘What can we do to make things better?’ and then we learned about some programming Early Learning Indiana was offering,” said Sally Rice, early learning director of REACH. “We talked about it—because we knew it would be a lot of work, but we also felt it was what we needed to do to become the center we’re aiming to be.”
Since then, the team has fully engaged with ELI’s offerings, including Classroom Ready, Building Impact, Boosting Early Language and Literacy and Expert Voices. They began by enrolling their new employees in the Classroom Ready Program, with three educators completing the program and already seeing positive results.
“It’s made a huge difference and helped our newer people have more confidence in the classroom because they knew what to expect and what was expected of them,” said Rice. “We’ve had two senior teachers serve as cooperative teachers and it’s also been a great opportunity for them to step up and be a mentor for someone new to the field.”
That momentum continued when they launched LENA in four classrooms through the Boosting Early Language and Literacy program.
Almost immediately, the team noticed changes in how teachers interacted with children, and the data showed an increase in language exposure. In fact, they saw an 80% increase for children who started out experiencing less talk than peers in their classroom.
“The response from our teachers has been really great,” said Rice. “They’ve loved seeing the reports and have adapted their interactions based on what they’ve learned.”
Encouraged by these results, they are preparing to begin another cycle of the program, expanding participation to all six classrooms.
Leadership development has also played a key role in the center’s progress. Over the past year, Rice has participated in ELI’s Building Impact program, using the experience to strengthen both her leadership skills and classroom practices across her site.
“I’ve loved it and it’s been a huge help for me as a leader and for my program because I get to bring all of this knowledge back and implement it in the classroom,” said Rice. “I’ve learned a lot about reflective practice and have been able to bring that back to my teachers. We did training in the fall and have seen a huge shift in their practices in the classroom.”
Looking back on the changes since partnering with ELI, Rice sees clear evidence of growth: increased interest in their program, improved teacher retention and a more cohesive, well-developed curriculum.
“We’ve taken these opportunities to train our people and to build strong environments. Now, we’ve seen this huge shift in our team and our lesson planning. It is more child-informed with more provocations in the classroom, and they’re inviting children to participate in different ways. They’re excited to share what they’re doing in the classroom.”
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