A Practical Guide for Teachers and Providers
Unpacking the Infant–Toddler Pyramid Model
Early Childhood

The highly anticipated follow-up to Unpacking the Pyramid Model, this one-of-a-kind book is the first to provide a comprehensive, step-by-step overview of the widely used Pyramid Model Practices for infants and toddlers from birth to three. With this accessible training guide, teachers and providers will use research-based practices to meet the unique needs of infants and toddlers—and boost their social-emotional development in the critical first years of life.

Contains Companion Materials
Paperback
Coming Soon!$49.95
Qty:
STOCK NUMBER ISBN
58591 978-1-68125-859-1
COPYRIGHT PAGES
2025 232
AVAILABILITY
Not Yet Published

The highly anticipated follow-up to Unpacking the Pyramid Model, this one-of-a-kind book is the first to provide a comprehensive, step-by-step overview of the widely used Pyramid Model Practices for infants and toddlers from birth to three. With this accessible training guide, teachers and providers will use research-based practices to meet the unique needs of infants and toddlers—and boost their social-emotional development in the critical first years of life.

Created by the Pyramid Model developers and experts with extensive training experience, this book gives readers a complete introduction to the framework, plus in-depth guidance, evidence-based practices, and helpful checklists for implementing all levels of the Pyramid Model: universal, targeted, and individualized. Teachers and providers will learn how to:

  • Address their own well-being to prepare for their important work
  • Build positive partnerships with families and colleagues
  • Develop predictable and responsive schedules, routines, and transitions
  • Promote children’s social skills and emotional competencies
  • Support children’s active engagement with their environment and peers
  • Create an anti-racist and inclusive early care environment
  • Meet the needs of young children who have experienced trauma
  • Understand, prevent, and effectively respond to challenging behavior
  • Provide individualized support for children with persistent needs related to social-emotional development and behavior
  • Use data to monitor Pyramid Model practice implementation and effects

Ideal for use in preservice and inservice training, this book will expertly prepare infant–toddler teachers and providers to give the youngest children a strong foundation of social-emotional competence.

PRACTICAL MATERIALS: Checklists of Effective Practices for each main topic covered; tools for observation, planning, and reflection; vignettes and photos illustrating classroom examples.

About the Downloads

About the Authors

About the Contributors

Foreword

Acknowledgement


Chapter 1 Introduction and Overview

Kathryn M. Bigelow, Amy Hunter, Tweety Yates, Mary Louise Hemmeter, and Lise Fox


Chapter 2 Overview of the Pyramid Model

Mary Louise Hemmeter, Michaelene M. Ostrosky, Amy Hunter, and Kathryn M. Bigelow


Chapter 3 Caring for Yourself to Be Your Best Infant Toddler Teacher

Julia Sayles, Kelli McDermott, and Neal M. Horen


Chapter 4 Creating an Anti-Racist and Inclusive Early Care Environment

Rosemarie Allen and Amy Hunter

Appendix 4.1 Checklist of Effective Practices: Creating an Anti-Racist and Inclusive Early Care Environment

Appendix 4.2 A Family Handout


Chapter 5 Building Positive Relationships with Infants and Toddlers

Lindsay Allard Agnamba and Jennifer Caldwell

Appendix 5.1 Checklist of Effective Practices: Building Positive Relationships with Infants and Toddlers

Appendix 5.2 The Relationship Reflection

Appendix 5.3 Temperament Profiles


Chapter 6 Building Positive Relationships with Families

Kristin Tenney-Blackwell and Gounah Choi

Appendix 6.1 Checklist of Effective Practices: Building Positive Relationships with Families


Chapter 7 Building Positive Relationships with Colleagues

Abby L Taylor and Tara Lynn

Appendix 7.1 Checklist of Effective Practices: Building Positive Relationships with Colleagues


Chapter 8 Creating and Maintaining Predictable and Responsive Schedules and Routines

Jun Ai, Kathryn M. Bigelow, Mallory M. Eddy, and Dwight W. Irvin

Appendix 8.1 Checklist of Effective Practices: Routines


Chapter 9 Transitions

Crystal S. Williams and Jessica K. Hardy

Appendix 9.1 Checklist of Effective Practices: Transitions

Appendix 9.2 Developmental Skills Chart


Chapter 10 Environments that Support Infants and Toddlers

Alana Schnitz and Sarah Behrens

Appendix 10.1 Checklist of Effective Practices: Environments


Chapter 11 Understanding Behavior

Alana Schnitz, Gospel Kim, Sarah Feldmiller, and Kathryn M. Bigelow

Appendix 11.1 Understanding Behavior


Chapter 12 Teaching Social Skills and Promoting Emotional Competencies

Sarah Behrens, Abby Taylor, Tweety Yates, Marina Velez and Michaelene M. Ostrosky

Appendix 12.1 Checklist of Effective Practices: Teaching About Feelings and Regulating Feelings


Chapter 13 Supporting Active Engagement with the Environment and Peers

Angel Fettig, Kathryn M. Bigelow, Kathleen Artman-Meeker, and Michaelene M. Ostrosky

Appendix 13.1 Checklist of Effective Practices: Supporting Engagement with the Environment and Peers


Chapter 14 Understanding, Preventing, and Effectively Responding to Challenging Behavior

Ashley MacNish and Erin Barton

Appendix 14.1 Checklist of Effective Practices: Understanding, Preventing, and Effectively Responding to Challenging Behavior

Appendix 14.2 Teacher Observation Card


Chapter 15 Implementing Individualized Behavior Support with Infants and Toddlers with Persistent Challenging Behavior

Kelli McDermott, Julia Sayles, and Lise Fox

Appendix 15.1 Checklist of Effective Practices: Implementing Individualized Behavior Support with Infants and Toddlers with Persistent Challenging Behavior


Chapter 16 Putting it All Together: Using Data to Monitor Pyramid Model Practice Implementation and Effect

Kathryn M Bigelow, Dwight Irvin, Alana G Schnitz, Judith Carta

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