Adaptability and Resilience in Early Childhood Education During a Pandemic: Meeting Challenges, Maintaining Quality, and Creating Networks of Support
In 2019, a team of early childhood education directors and staff, psychologists, research staff, and early childhood education coaches began working together on implementing Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in 11 early childhood education centers. PBIS is a systematic framework based on the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning pyramid model to support social and emotional development in schools (Fox & Hemmeter, 2008; Muscott et al., 2009; National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations, 2021; Pennsylvania Positive Behavior Support, 2021). PBIS practices building relationships among staff, students, and families; creating positive classroom atmosphere; sharing center-wide and developmentally appropriate classroom expectations; and creating structured classroom environments as core elements of implementation (Pennsylvania Positive Behavior Support, 2021).