Presents principles and strategies for child care coaching and mentoring systems, including: (1) think in terms of a learning and empowerment process; (2) treat staff as you would have them treat children; (3) provide training for different needs and interests; (5) emphasize dispositions as much as skills and knowledge; and (6) build a community…

Focuses on recognizing key indicators for developing teamwork and collaboration among child care staff. Addresses communicating clearly, interacting respectfully, demonstrating trust, negotiating different perspectives, building on each other's strengths, and promoting reliability and responsibility. Identifies strategies to cultivate growth in…

Written for child care center directors, this book offers a framework for thinking about and organizing the director's work along with principles and strategies to cultivate the kind of thinking and activities that support a vision of early childhood programs as learning communities. Chapter 1, "Guiding Your Program with a Vision," offers a vision…

Presents a dialogue between two experienced teacher educators as they consider ways to encourage teachers to examine their talk with children and with fellow teachers. Proposed ideas include: repeat words back, build on the other's interests and ideas, give specific praise when appropriate, state rules and expectations clearly, and encourage…