蜜桃影视

Stephanie Simon, program manager of , was on her way to a site visit when her phone rang.聽

鈥淚f you hadn鈥檛 answered the phone,鈥� sighed an early childhood teacher in an underinvested neighborhood of Philadelphia, 鈥淚 was walking out the door.鈥�

This was more than the usual bad day, recalls Simon, an educator with 34 years of experience. The caller 鈥� an award-winning master teacher 鈥� was on the brink. 鈥淚 was able to talk her off the ledge,鈥� she says.聽

This teacher has remained on the job, despite the challenges of working in a neighborhood beset by poverty and violence. Simon reports, 鈥淚 let her air out everything she needed to say. I responded, 鈥極kay. So what do we need to do to make sure you’re safe, that you have the support that you need? Because there are times when I may not pick up the phone. What’s in your toolkit?鈥� And we went right to what was in the safety plan we had developed together.鈥� The teacher realized that a failure to take time off (an understandable reaction to the stress all around her) meant taking on an unsustainable level of stress herself, which ultimately jeopardized her own well-being 鈥� and that of the children and family she serves.

鈥淪he is really engaging in soul care 鈥� that鈥檚 the alternative to self-care 鈥� and reminding herself why she chose this field in the first place.鈥澛�

Another educator had what Simon describes as a beautiful environment, but the program manager sensed, 鈥淪he didn鈥檛 understand the power of her own voice,鈥� which meant the teacher lacked influence in her own classroom. In this instance, aid came in the form of helping the educator to become embedded in the early childhood community.

In both exchanges, Simon took away important lessons that could be used for future coaching sessions. That is, while First Up鈥檚 experienced coaches are there for Philadelphia鈥檚 early learning workforce, the relationships they foster with educators are mutually beneficial.聽

The mentorship flows back and forth.

The Keystone to Quality

First Up supports educators through the (EQUIP), focusing on those who have two stars according to , Pennsylvania鈥檚 Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) and helping them move up to three or four stars.聽

According to the 2023 : 鈥淎s cities and states around the country consider how to make quality improvement a more equitable and sustainable process, the implementation of EQUIP can offer important insights into the value of relationship-based coaching. Across data collection efforts, coaches and providers in EQUIP consistently described the importance of their relationships to supporting programs in multiple dimensions of quality improvement.鈥�

QRIS programs across the country have come under scrutiny in recent years, with or even calling for their abolition. Lisa Schultz, First Up鈥檚 director of programs, says the organization is in the midst of an inquiry in how it defines quality.聽

鈥淚t involves interactions with the children,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the environment, it’s supporting families. A holistic approach to coaching drives EQUIP that goes beyond skill building.鈥� Emotional intelligence, she adds, corresponds with positive learning outcomes.聽

According to Schultz, a 24-year veteran of First Up, EQUIP grew out of the United Way鈥檚 Success By 6 project, which provides multi-tiered levels of supports for child care centers. First Up also supports educators in family child care settings.聽

鈥淲e’re often the gateway program that leads to additional supports,鈥� says Alyssa Cruz, manager of EQUIP and previously director at a Head Start program, citing (PRIDE), a University of Pittsburgh program for teachers, program directors, families and system leaders that recently completed an of racial disparities in the Philadelphia area.

The team at First Up also advocates for ways Keystone STARS can be more responsive to the workforce. Schultz believes in closer alignment with , while Simon would like to see Pennsylvania emulate .

Coaching for Reflection

Cruz credits by Judy Jablon, Laura Dombro and Shaun Johnsen for centering First Up鈥檚 coaching interactions on relationships.聽

The book outlines strengths-based, relationship-based coaching, as opposed to monitoring, which is about highlighting deficiencies. 鈥淐onnecting with directors and teachers is the most important component of being able to have powerful coaching interactions,鈥� she explains. 鈥淲hen our coaches foster respectful trust and relationships, they’re able to develop mutual learning partnerships.鈥�

鈥淩eflection is where the change happens,鈥� says Schultz. She describes a teacher who was struggling to hold children鈥檚 attention during circle time. 鈥淜ids were jumping all over each other,鈥� she recalls. 鈥淲hen the time came to reflect, I asked her, 鈥榃hat is it that you liked about the activity?鈥� So first we talked about what went well, and then I asked her what things were a challenge. And I didn’t have to tell her. She was able to tell me herself.鈥� These mutually trusting relationships allow for deeper engagement that transcends quality.

Simon summarizes: 鈥淓veryone has something they’re good at. We just have to be able to identify it. That helps me establish the trust. The moment you highlight what a teacher is doing well. Their bodies relax; the barriers come down.鈥�

This story originally published on Early Learning Nation and is now archived on 蜜桃影视. Learn more here.