Why Interactions Matter: From Graduate Research to the CLASS Tool

While earning my master’s degree in Child Development, I had the privilege of being advised
and taught by Dr. Lynda Stone—an expert in teacher-child interactions with decades of research
in the field. Her work inspired me to conduct my own research on how teachers interact with
students, specifically while teaching reading comprehension.

Under Dr. Stone’s guidance, I focused on how my communication with students influenced their
learning outcomes. What I discovered through my research was clear: the way I interacted with
my students made a difference. I saw firsthand how thoughtful, responsive communication
helped my students make meaningful progress in their reading comprehension skills.
After completing my degree, I continued to deepen my understanding by receiving training in the
CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System)—a research-based tool developed to
measure the quality of teacher-child interactions and their effect on student development and
learning.

Curious to know more, I explored how the team at the University of Virginia’s Center for
Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning developed the CLASS tool and the research that
supports it. I’ve come to appreciate just how vital both teacher-child and peer interactions are in
creating high-quality learning environments.

In my next post, I’ll dive into the key elements of the CLASS Assessment tool and how it’s
being integrated into early learning programs that receive funding support. Stay tuned—it’s a
conversation worth having.

Information gathered from
CLASS information on the web.
My thesis.