Karen M. La Paro, Ph.D., is Associate Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Dr. La Paro teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in theory and research as well as supervises practicum students in early childhood classrooms. Her areas of research relate to issues of quality in early childhood classrooms and the development of effective teachers. This work addresses critical needs in supervision, support, and reflection of preservice teacher development, and she has authored several peer-reviewed manuscripts in these areas. Dr. La Paro works on both research and community projects focused on professional development for both in-service and preservice teachers utilizing innovative strategies for supervision, coaching, and mentoring. She spent several years as research faculty with The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care as well as the National Center for Early Development and Learning at the University of Virginia.
Introduce teachers to the 8 dimensions of the CLASS (TM) Toddler tool with the Spanish version of this concise quick-guide, which includes practical teaching tips for strengthening each of the areas assessed with the popular observational tool. This guide is used with the bestselling CLASS observational tool that measures interactions between children and teachers-a primary ingredient of high-quality early educational experiences. With versions for infant programs, toddler programs, and pre-K and K- 3 classrooms, the reliable and valid CLASS tool establishes an accurate picture of the classroom through brief, repeated observation and scoring cycles and effectively pinpoints areas for improvement.