Tools of the Mind Fidelity

The Tools of the Mind Fidelity (TAP) (Vorhaus & Meador 2010) captures the specific Tools of the Mind curriculum activities that occur within a prekindergarten classroom observation period along, with information about the specific implementation steps that occur and mediators that are used.  In addition, the curriculum developers furnished a list of behaviors that “should not” happen during each activity that are also captured by observers. The Tools of the Mind Fidelity Measure provides an in-depth look at the degree of curriculum implementation across the year within experimental classrooms.  TAP was used with the Narrative Record (See Classroom Observation Measures) to document the amount of time activities occurred in the classroom.

Click to view a sample of the tablet version of the TAP

Training materials for the TAP are available upon request. This includes:

• A power point training module including clips of the different Tools of the Mind Activities and use of the tablet version of the measure
• A Mediator Manual that gives descriptions of the mediators that are used within the Tools of the Mind Curriculum

Environmental Scan and Checklist

The Environmental Scan and Checklist (Vorhaus, Meador, & Farran, 2010) is an observational tool designed to gauge a classroom’s environment, themes, and materials. It is derived from a list of early childhood materials the Tools of the Mind developers indicate should be available in the classroom. The checklist focuses on the play centers and materials accessible to children.

Click to view the Environmental Scan and Checklist manual

Click to view the tablet version of Environmental Checklist