What is it?
Child care coaching is a type of professional development or technical assistance provided to early childhood educators to build professional capacity and improve teaching quality. It is sometimes referred to as mentoring or consultation. Coaching is usually an ongoing and relationship-based process between an expert coach and early childhood educator. The overall goal of coaching is to improve classroom quality and child outcomes; however, the specific purpose varies based on the individual educator’s strengths and needs. Coaching usually begins with joint planning and goal setting between the coach and educator, followed by classroom observations and a feedback session.
What is the evidence base?
Educators who participate in coaching gain confidence in their leadership skills and develop a greater sense of professionalism. They also have lower stress levels about children’s behaviors and a deeper understanding of how to improve instructional practices.
