Tip sheets
Download our free, research-backed tip sheets by selecting a content area. Do you have an idea for a tip sheet you'd like to see? Email us at ceed@umn.edu!
Tip sheet: early childhood classroom observations Tip sheet: early childhood classroom observations
What is the purpose of classroom observations? What defines a high-quality observation? What are research-based observation tools, and how are they used? This tip sheet answers these questions and more.
Tip sheet: introducing infant and early childhood mental health Tip sheet: introducing infant and early childhood mental health
Infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) is a growing field that pulls from the science of early brain development as well as from research on attachment, school readiness, and trauma, among other areas of study.
Tip sheet: screening, assessment, and evaluation in early learning Tip sheet: screening, assessment, and evaluation in early learning
Early childhood professionals are often responsible for monitoring how children are growing and learning. Screening, assessment, and evaluation are different activities that can be part of that process.
Tip sheet: the authentic assessment cycle Tip sheet: the authentic assessment cycle
Authentic assessment is recommended practice because it allows educators to gain a holistic picture of a child’s development. This tip sheet explores the hallmarks of authentic assessment and outlines the authentic assessment cycle.
Tip sheet: using early learning guidelines for assessment Tip sheet: using early learning guidelines for assessment
This tip sheet discusses developmental milestones and Early Childhood Indicators of Progress (ECIPs). Developmental milestones and ECIPs are two different sets of early learning guidelines.
Tip sheets: executive function Tip sheets: executive function
These tip sheets explore key components of executive function and the role of co-regulation. They also dip into new research on how culture and context shape children’s behaviors in different environments.
Tip sheets: music and emotional regulation Tip sheets: music and emotional regulation
In partnership with MacPhail Center for Music, we created a set of tip sheets exploring music as a tool to help children build emotional regulation skills.
Tip sheets: music and inhibitory control Tip sheets: music and inhibitory control
Inhibitory control is one of our executive function skills. It’s the skill that allows us to resist an impulse.
Tip sheets: professional development and equitable practice Tip sheets: professional development and equitable practice
This set of tip sheets explores relationship-based professional development and its impact on equitable practice.
Tip sheets: reflective listening Tip sheets: reflective listening
Our reflective listening tip sheets delve into active listening and how reflective practice can transform it into reflective listening.
Tip sheets: storytelling and story acting Tip sheets: storytelling and story acting
This set of tip sheets explores storytelling/story acting as a way to help children build language and social-emotional skills.
Tip sheets: stress behaviors in young children Tip sheets: stress behaviors in young children
These tip sheets introduce causes of unmanageable stress in children, the role the brain plays, and the impact a child’s unmanageable stress may have on caregiving adults.
Tip sheets: the effects of trauma on young children Tip sheets: the effects of trauma on young children
These tip sheets introduce types of trauma that young children may experience, common ways that young children express traumatic responses, and protective factors that can help children recover from trauma.
Tip sheets: the importance of play Tip sheets: the importance of play
Children engage in different kinds of play at different stages. Play is fun, but it’s so much more: it supports children’s physical, cognitive, and social-emotional growth. Learn about encouraging children to take part in all kinds of play.
Tip sheets: theater exercises for social-emotional learning Tip sheets: theater exercises for social-emotional learning
We worked with the Children’s Theatre Company to bring you a set of tip sheets that present theater-based games and activities for use in your work with young children.