Running Head: Mentoring and Coaching for Early Childhood

A Mentoring and Coaching Program for Early Childhood:

A Plan for Kids Safari Learning Center
Robin Reisdorf
UW-Milwaukee

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Abstract
The field of early childhood education is consistently criticized, and its educators are undermined as professionals. In effort to create a paradigm shift in our society that understands and
believes that education begins at birth, I have developed a mentor/coaching program that targets
the heart of the field: high-quality teachers.
With inconsistent measures of qualifications and educational requirements for early care
and education teachers, there is little value to our knowledge base and expertise as a field. This
plan creates the opportunity for early childhood educators to become reflective practitioners and
enhance their intentional teaching practices through professional development goals. These goals
will be supported and nurtured in a learning environment that encourages the individuality of
what each teacher brings to the team. Over time the professional development of early childhood
teachers will encourage higher educational requirements that are recognized by our society and
create the paradigm shift we desire.
Although kindergarten teachers are required to have a minimum of a bachelors degree,
most preschool teachers have little more than a high school diploma and are not required to have
much training in early childhood education. Compounding this issue further are the inadequate
wages and conditions that characterize the work of teaching young children. Minimal salaries are
common-place and the field has a higher concentration of poverty-level jobs than almost any
other occupation in the United States. These inadequate conditions are manifested in a staff
turnover that averages one-third each year, and that offers few incentives for teachers to enter the
profession, let alone undertake professional development opportunities (Ryan & Hornbeck,
2004).

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The addition of this mentor/coaching program creates a stepping stone toward the excellence and success we want for our field, and it begins with us! You cannot run a high-quality
program without high-quality teachers. Similarly, you cannot be a high-quality teacher without
high-quality professional development and training. Investing in your own personal and professional development will yield you the greatest return: increased self-efficacy.
Since the recommended mentor/coaching program focuses on providing a supportive and
nurturing environment for the teachers, it is likely that this program will also lead to a positive
school community, enhance teachers confidence and performance, and improve the learning environment for our youngest learners.
Just as a quality preschool education begins with teachers, so does the on-going development and improvement of practice. When preschool teachers are valued for their experiential
wisdom and have opportunities to shape policy ideas into actual practices, in partnership with
mentors who are supported and trained to lead change efforts, then the more likely it is that children will receive the quality early education they deserve (Ryan & Hornbeck, 2004).
It is my intention that Kids Safari Learning Center will pilot this mentor/coaching program and share its success with other centers who are interested in implementing their own mentor/coaching program, which could be the one I have developed. The development of a Mentoring and Coaching Credential would be beneficial for the training and education of mentor/coaches, provide universal instruction, and contribute to the professional development of the leaders
within our field.
Keywords: mentor, coach, professional development, teachers, high-quality, self-reflection

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A Mentoring and Coaching Program for Early Childhood:
A Plan for Kids Safari Learning Center
Robin Reisdorf
Problem Statement
Will a mentoring and coaching program in early childhood programs enhance teachers
confidence and performance, build a stronger school community, and improve individual professional development goals?
Definition of Terms
Mentoring: A relationship-based process that supports and nurtures the personal and professional
awareness of an individual through observation, reflection, and action.
Coaching: A relationship-based process designed to identify and develop specific professional
skills and behaviors for an individual through goal-setting and professional development.
Early Childhood Programs: Full-Time or Part-Time care and education for children between the
ages of birth and five years old.
Teacher: An individual who cares for and educates young children, either full-time or part-time.
Confidence: The belief in ones own knowledge, strength, and abilities.
Performance: The ability to demonstrate ones own knowledge and skills.
School Community: The emotional interconnection between administration, teachers, staff, students, and students families who share mutually trusting relationships and aim toward reaching
shared goals.
Professional Development: Facilitated learning opportunities that provide the knowledge and
skill set necessary to improve ones practice.

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Purpose of the Program
The purpose of the mentoring program at Kids Safari Learning Center (KSLC) is to establish an on-going system of support for teachers, create a sense of community among teachers
and administrators, and enhance the intentional practices of teachers through individualized professional development goals.
Goals of the Program
Sherman, Voight, Tibbetts, Dobbins, Evans, and Weidler (2000) suggest twenty-eight
mentoring goals from the nine programs they studied. I have consolidated them into eight goals
and created two of my own which appropriately reflect the desired outcomes of this program.
The development of this program emphasizes a collaborative approach that values the ideas and
input of all involved parties, including the Leadership Team, teachers and staff. The goals listed
below are suggestions and can be used to facilitate discussion and final decision-making of the
mentoring and coaching program for KSLC:
-To enhance critical thinking and reflective practice skills among teachers
-To develop an on-going system of support for teachers
-To reduce isolation and stress for new teachers
-To facilitate new teachers integration into the organization
-To strengthen skills of experienced teachers
-To address individual practitioner needs
-To create a sense of community among teachers and administrators
-To increase teachers awareness of the importance of professional development and to
customize a professional development plan for individual staff members

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-To encourage teachers to target specific areas of reflection and improvement
-To provide resources that help teachers meet their goals
Principles of Quality Mentoring Systems
As professionals in early childhood education, we understand that children need a safe
and nurturing environment that is supportive of their individual growth and development. It
makes sense that if adults are to nurture children, they must also experience nurturing. Chu
(2014) suggests that, adults working in early care and education settings benefit from the power
of consistent and supportive relationships guiding their professional growth. The proposed program for KSLC supports a relationship-based mentoring and coaching process that utilizes a reflective style.
Positive relationships are an essential component in any quality mentoring and coaching
program. In order to have a trusting and supportive relationship between the mentor/coach and
teacher, there are specific qualifications a mentor/coach must demonstrate. The Texas Early
Learning Council (2013) identifies four qualities of a mentor/coach: a firm understanding of early childhood development and care, sound knowledge about how children learn, successful
teaching experience with the same age group, and an ability to connect and share their experiences with other adults regardless of starting place. Additional qualities mentioned by Nolan
(2008) include: good interpersonal skills, self-confident, patient, compassionate, flexible, and a
good listener. Chu (2013) recommends that mentors must be: caring and accepting, professional,
respected and respectful, curious, reliable, responsive, and communicate in many ways. Chu
(2013) also refers to the relationship between a mentor/coach and teacher as a learning relationship. She provides a table that illustrates the requirements of building a learning relationship,

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how a mentor might respond, and actions to avoid while mentoring (See Appendix A). With a
healthy combination of these qualities, mentor/coaches will be able to foster a nurturing relationship with the teachers they work with.
As with any program changes, support from administration is a key ingredient. The Texas
Early Learning Council (2013) says, clear commitment from program administrators matters
because teachers are more likely to be on board if they know leaders believe in the power of
mentoring. They also suggest that administrators should demonstrate an interest in a quality
mentoring program since mentoring activities can improve a practitioners core competencies.
Sherman et al. (2000) say, program commitment and support are crucial for mentoring to get off
the ground and be successfuladministrators must provide leadership and support for mentoring. Such support can occur by: integrating mentoring into the professional development system,
and allocating staff and time for mentoring. The proposed mentoring and coaching plan emphasizes collaboration between administration, mentor/coaches, and teachers.
Li and Chan (2007), note that administrative support is a contributing factor of the success for the mentor/coaches, Their effectiveness increases when other school staff members
support them and make a commitment to achieve the goal of instructional improvement. The
collaborative approach and supportive relationship between The Leadership Team and the mentor/coaches can lead to greater success for the program and contribute to creating a positive
school community.
Quality mentoring programs have positive mentoring and coaching environments. Li and
Chan (2007) identify seven factors that are critical to creating a positive coaching environment.
The proposed plan for KSLC focuses on five of these factors: giving free hands to coaches and

Mentoring and Coaching for Early Childhood

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teachers to construct the coaching model, constant adjustment of roles between coaches and
teachers, providing nonjudgmental feedback, starting small, and constant reflection of professional growth.
Program Design
There is an overwhelming amount of research that emphasizes the biggest challenge with
any early childhood mentoring program is mentors face the challenge of finding enough time to
balance their responsibilities as leaders with those of the classroom (Ryan & Hornbeck, 2004).
They continue, mentors are viewed as instructional leaders, this leadership is often organized as
part of their daily work responsibilities and in response to the particular needs of those being
mentored. In effort to develop a successful mentor/coaching program for KSLC, I am recommending two mentors: one Infant/Toddler mentor, and one Preschool mentor.
The mentor/coaches will follow an observe, reflect, apply system while working with
teachers. The mentor/coaches will keep their activities focused on the purpose of the program by
establishing an on-going system of support for teachers, creating a sense of community among
teachers and administrators, and enhancing the intentional practices of teachers through individualized professional development goals.
Establish an On-Going System of Support for Teachers. Many early childhood programs
have an orientation process for new teachers to complete, but once that new teacher is in a classroom full-time, it is difficult to maintain effective mentor/coaching due to the daily responsibilities involved within the classroom. This mentor/coaching program is individually planned
around the needs of each practitioner. While a new teacher may request time with his/her mentor/
coach three times a week, an experienced teacher may only request time with their mentor/coach

Mentoring and Coaching for Early Childhood

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once a week. It is important to remain flexible and adapt the structure of the program as needed
for each individual teacher. At the minimum, each mentor/coach and teacher will meet bi-weekly
to provide time for reflection and planning the next actions based on the reflections. The mentor/
coach will be active in supporting the teachers professional goals, which will drive the focus for
the observation and reflection activities. The mentor/coach will be the first resource for teachers
when seeking answers, requesting help, and sharing celebrations of their successes.
Create a Sense of Community Among Teachers and Administrators. When discussing the
orientation of new teachers, Souto-Manning & Dice (2007) say, Learning the culture of a school
and becoming socialized into the teaching profession is an important step for beginning
teachers. Maintaining a positive school community for all staff is just as important. We know
that collaborative partnerships aim to create social change, but first, we need to create collaborative partnerships. When discussing successful mentoring programs, Andrews & Lewis (2002),
say, the most effective implementation occurred when both teachers and administrators took
responsibility for the program and it was seen as a collective opportunity to improve the educational experience of children. Essentially, it is creating the mindset that we are all in this together, and together we can achieve more!
Dierking & Fox (2012) also highlight the importance of a positive school community
through the use of Professional Learning Communities (PLC). In a community of learners,
teachers are inclined to count such learning as more authoritative and authentic than any other
and to think of such learning as the proper aim of their own instruction. They therefore become
determined to turn their own classrooms into learning communities, where respect for the intelligence of every learner is the starting place for all activity, where every member is seen as a

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source of knowledge and expertise, and where all learners are expected and required to take responsibility for their own learning, as well as assisting others to learn. Developing a Professional Learning Community is a future goal of this program. This mentor/coaching model serves as a
pre-requisite to developing a PLC by helping educators understand the value of their own professional development and develop the skills necessary to successfully share that information with
others.
Enhance the Intentional Practices of Teachers Through Individualized Professional Development Goals. With the requirements of Professional Development Goals initiated by Young
Star, there is a lot of discussion around this topic, however, the application of professional development by teachers needs more support. The current form used by Young Star focuses on an end
result and wants all goals to be accomplished within twelve months. I would like to see more of a
process approach to professional development plans and allow teachers to make long-term goals
with short-term benchmarks.
Sullivan (2012) says, As early childhood professionals, we know that children learn best
when they are following their own interests, making their own choices, having their own handson experiences, and interacting with others. Adults learn best under the same circumstances, and
this type of learning environment is also best for leadership development. By mentoring and
coaching educators on how to become self-confident, reflective practitioners who meet their own
professional development goals, and are actively engaged in a positive school community, we
will naturally create additional teacher-leaders within KSLC. But first, we need to help educators
understand the value of their own professional development and how it can influence our
youngest learners.

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Li & Chan (2007) emphasize the use of coaching to enhance the professional development of teachers and recommend a top-down approach for setting goals and implementing a plan
for teachers. I reversed Li & Chans process to begin with the teacher and their own self-reflection and end with communicating their plan with administration. This process is illustrated in
Appendix B.
Research suggests that student motivation, task engagement, and learning are influenced
by how teachers interact with students, how they encourage participation, and how they acknowledge the students needs, interests, concerns, and preferences (Souto-Manning & Dice,
2007). This research emphasizes the importance of professional development and training and
the effects it has on student learning. It also recommends the need for on-going support in positive guidance strategies.
Rudd, Lambert, Satterwhite & Smith (2009) say, In no other profession is the importance of education and training more important than in the care of our youngest children. Overwhelmingly the research has shown a correlation between caregiver education and training and
outcomes for young children in their care. The professional development of early childhood educators supports the Content Areas 10 and 11 in the Wisconsin Core Competencies. In a followup study, Rudd et al. (2009) found that teachers who received side-by-side coaching demonstrated a higher degree of professional development implementation. It is our responsibility as leaders
within the field to create a shared understanding with teachers about the value of their own professional development. We can begin this process through valuing and training teachers on how
to become reflective practitioners.

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As Nolan (2008) has stated, reflective practice as a learned skill can be one of the richest
areas of learning and capacity-building. Participating in a reflective practice allows teachers to
provide input into their own learning processes. When asked open-ended questions by their mentor/coach, teachers are able to analyze and expand on what they have learned. While new teachers are able to use self-reflection as a tool for learning and improving their skills, experienced
teachers are able to do the same by associating their new learning experiences with previous experiences to enhance their learning potential. In some cases, the mentor/coach would use what
the teacher already knows and has learned from professional development trainings and help
them understand how to apply it to their practice.
Sykes (2014) discusses his experience with observing two teachers. Instead of leading the
discussion, Sykes asked a thought-provoking question that put the responsibility of reflection
back on to the teachers. He observed, through personal reflection, they were unearthing fundamental knowledge about themselves as human beings.
Within this mentor/coaching program, each individual will have specific roles and responsibilities to ensure the program strives for the agreed upon goals. Although these roles and
responsibilities will be created with the entire KSLC team, some recommendations have been
adapted from The Texas Early Learning Council (2013) and are outlined in Appendix C. The
general format of the mentor/coaching process will follow the five-step process suggested by The
Texas Early Learning Council (2013). It includes: initial contact between mentor/coach and
teacher, initial classroom observation, development of long-term goals, short-term activities, and
planning future observation and meeting times.

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Suggested Timeline
Nolan (2008) emphasizes the importance of planning when beginning a new mentoring
and coaching program, in an ideal situationat least six months should be devoted to the planning phase. Ryan & Hornbeck (2004) consider staff buy-in when they say, given that most
preschool teachers currently in the workforce have an average of nine years of experience and
have been used to creating their own curriculum, it is highly unlikely that they will consider new
policy initiatives if they are not part of the discussion. The average years experience of the staff
at KSLC is eleven. Because of these recommendations, I have outlined a one year plan for organizing and implementing a mentoring and coaching program at KSLC. It takes a collaborative
approach and allows all members of the KSLC team to contribute to its development.
Opportunities for discussion about the mentoring and coaching program will be available,
so that teachers are able to give input into, rather than a response to, the proposed program.
Eliciting teacher input would not only enable teachers to feel less mistrustful of top-down initiatives but also would provide administrators and policymakers with valuable information as to
some of the constraints they may face during the implementation phase (Ryan & Hornbeck,
2004). The proposed timeline can be found in Appendix D.
Following the initial meeting with the Leadership Team to share this plan, I will facilitate
a discussion and brainstorming activity that will help gather our group thoughts on what the roles
and responsibilities should be of a mentor/coach at KSLC (See Appendix E). The development
of this activity was based on Ryan & Hornbeck (2004), questions as to the kinds of mentoring
roles and activities that facilitate improved teaching practices, and the way this mentoring work
should be structured and organized, need to be addressed. They go on to say, The activities that

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constitute mentoring, such as professional development and technical assistance, need to be
clearly defined so that mentors and the classroom teachers they work with have similar interpretations of this leadership role. We will work as a team to ensure a shared understanding of the
direction of the program before moving forward.
Once the Leadership Team is on-board with the development of this program, we will
present it at the staff meeting in October to begin getting feedback and input from staff. From
there, we will work collaboratively as a staff to develop a shared understanding and goals for the
program. The Texas Early Learning Council (2013) says, studies show that mentoring programs
succeed best when everyone in the program shares common understandings, and program administrators, mentors, and teachers invest in the same goals. After three months of discussion and
development, there will be an opportunity for KSLC teachers to apply to become a mentor/
coach. The Leadership Team will accept all applications and hold interviews to determine which
teachers will become the mentor/coaches. Once decided, the mentor/coaches will begin reading
the suggested literature and registering for the recommended trainings.
It is suggested in April 2016, that an outside trainer will come to KSLC and train the entire staff on the roles and responsibilities of the mentor/coaches, as well as the teachers. In this
model, I am recommending that all teachers participate in the mentor/coaching program, but it
could be decided as a group that we would like to have a pilot group of teachers participate the
first year, before requiring all teachers to participate.
Additional training for all staff will take place in August 2016, and the mentor/coach program is suggested to begin in September 2016.
Training Requirements

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It is widely recognized that mentors need specialized training to make the shift from
child- to adult-educator (Ryan & Hornbeck, 2004). Although the goals of the program will be
the joint work of the entire KSLC team, the teachers participating in the mentor/coaching process
will also be required to participate in some training for this program. Recommended trainings are
made in Appendix F.
One of the recommended trainings is the suggested readings of four books related to
mentoring and coaching. The recommended reading materials include:
1. Supporting Teachers As Learners: A Guide for Mentors and Coaches in Early Care
and Education by Marcy Whitebook and Dan Bellm
2. The Early Childhood Coaching Handbook by Dathan Rush and MLisa Shelden
3. Mentor Coaching and Leadership in Early Care and Education by Mary Nolan
4. Developing Mentoring and Coaching Relationships in Early Care and Education: A
Reflective Approach by Marilyn Chu.
It is recommended that KSLC will purchase two copies of these books, one for each mentor, and
to be shared with the Leadership Team as needed.
There is an example of a training requirement in the future planning section of this plan
that combines some of the initial trainings that are recommended. However, since the future
training plan does not currently exist, I have outlined individual trainings that are recommended
for the initial mentor/coaches of this program.
Although it may sound like there is an abundance of training recommended to the mentor/coaches, Li & Chan (2007) emphasize the importance of the training and professional development of coaches, Given that the major role the coaches play is to bring about instructional

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change and to engage teachers in professional development activities that could enable them to
change, the ability and experience of the coaches would be crucial to the effectiveness in fulfilling his role. That may explain why coaches should receive training before they engage themselves in provision of support for teachers, and should also participate in continuous professional
development themselves.
Financial Requirements
As with the addition of any new program, there are financial requirements to consider.
Some of the initial requirements will be the cost of bringing in a trainer in April 2016 and August
2016 as noted in the Suggested Timeline in Appendix D. Additional costs will include the required trainings for the mentor/coaches and the associated costs of contracting the mentor/coaches with the TEACH program. Other costs to consider are wage increases for the mentor/coaches
for their added dedication to their own professional development, commitment to KSLC, and
increased responsibilities. Once the program is operating fluently, it will be necessary to provide
substitutes for the mentor/coaches to meet with the teachers during regularly scheduled hours.
Potential Barriers
There are a few potential barriers to the development of this plan. For starters, the initial
costs of trainings, recommended readings, and wage increases can be substantial; however, these
costs are an investment into the future of KSLC and retaining high-quality, highly-educated
teachers. The availability to provide substitutes for the mentor/coaches to meet with the teachers
during regularly scheduled hours is a variable that changes frequently due to staff shortage and
availability.

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It is possible that the Leadership Team and/or staff will not buy-in to this program, making it ineffective, unsupported, and impossible to implement at a high-quality level. Contradicting barriers could include either: not enough staff being interested in becoming mentor/coaches,
or the entire staff being interested in becoming mentor/coaches. Either option could influence the
successful development of this program.
And, of course, once the mentor/coaches are assigned to teachers, it is possible there will
be a personality clash and an unwillingness on either participants end to follow-through with the
mentor/coaching program.
Evaluation Process
Since this is a non-evaluative program, the evaluation process will use a reflective approach. Every participant will be provided with a reflection form, unique to their role in the mentor/coaching program. These reflection forms can remain confidential if participants prefer, but
since the relationship is based on nonjudgmental practices, it is encouraged to go over the reflection forms with the involved participants.
For example, the Leadership Team will review their reflection form with the mentor/
coaches, the teachers will review their reflection form with their mentor/coaches, while the mentor/coaches will review their reflection form with both the Leadership Team and the individual
teachers they work with. Included are example Reflection Forms for each participant, which are
adapted from questions used by The Texas Early Learning Council (2013). Teacher Reflection
Form, Appendix G. Mentor/Coach Reflection Form, Appendix H. Administration Reflection
Form, Appendix I.
Future Planning

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With the presumed success of this program, it is only responsible to think about the next
steps and how this program can be enhanced. Once the Infant/Toddler and Preschool programs
are comfortable and successful with the mentor/coach and teacher roles and responsibilities, I
would like to add a mentor/coaching piece to our School-Age program.
Looking three to five years into the future, I would like to add enough mentor/coaches to
allow one mentor/coach for every two classrooms. This would equal five mentor/coaches for our
Infant/Toddler and Preschool programs, plus two or three additional mentor/coaches for our
School-Age program. I would also like to develop a plan for these mentor/coaches to be our float
teachers, in the classroom, supporting the four lead-teachers they will work with. The addition of
the mentor/coaches to the classrooms will help develop and facilitate the professional learning
communities discussed earlier.
In addition to program design changes, I would like to work with WECA, TEACH, DCF,
The Registry, and UW-Milwaukee to develop a credit based credential for mentor/coaching. Similar to other credentials, this series of courses will include the combination of necessary trainings
and educational opportunities for mentor/coaches to be successful and effective. These courses
might include: communication, conflict resolution, adult learning, goal setting, observation and
record keeping, and using a collaborative approach, to name a few.
Conclusion
The use of mentor/coaching as a strategy for enhancing the intentional teaching practices
and professional development for early childhood educators is not a new idea. However, with
this implementation plan, new possibilities are created that can make mentor/coaching in early
childhood effective and affordable.

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Just as a quality preschool education begins with teachers, so does the on-going development and improvement of practice. When preschool teachers are valued for their experiential
wisdom and have opportunities to shape policy ideas into actual practices, in partnership with
mentors who are supported and trained to lead change efforts, then the more likely it is that children will receive the quality early education they deserve (Ryan & Hornbeck, 2004). This mentor/coaching plan suggests the collaborative work of the entire KSLC team, which will strengthen our school community and ensure that we are all working toward the same goals.
Dierking & Fox (2012) say, We believe knowledge can enhance feelings of power. And
power can strengthen self-confidence. Confident teachers are more likely to positively impact
students and instill within them better self-confidence (Dierking & Fox, 2012). A quality mentor/coaching program that supports and nurtures the individual development of teachers spreads
confidence, positivity, motivation, productivity, and success to teachers and their classrooms.
Rudd et al. (2009) agree that, The more training the caregivers had, the less authoritarian and
the more positive they were with the children in their care. I look forward to bringing this research to Kids Safari Learning Center and enhancing the quality of care for both educators and
children.

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References

Andrews, D. & Lewis, M. (2002). The experience of a professional community: Teachers

developing a new image of themselves and their workplace. Educational Research, 44(3),
237-254.
Chu, M. (2014). Developing mentoring and coaching relationships in early care and education:
A reflective approach. Boston: Pearson.
Dierking, R. & Fox, R. (2012). Changing the way I teach,: Building teacher knowledge,
confidence, and autonomy. Journal of Teacher Education, 64(2), 129-144.
Li, B. & Chan, S. (2007). Coaching as a means for enhancing english-language teachers
professional development: A case study. Journal of In-Service Education, 33(3),
341-358.
Nolan, M. (2008). Mentor coaching and leadership in early care and education. Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth.
Rudd, L., Lambert, M., Satterwhite, M., & Smith, C. (2009). Professional development +
coaching = enhanced teaching: Increasing usage of math mediated language in preschool
classrooms. Early Childhood Education Journal, 37, 63-69.
Ryan, S. & Hornbeck, A. (2004). Mentoring for quality improvement: A case study of a mentor
teacher in the reform process. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 19(1), 79-96.
Sherman, R., Voight, J., Tibbetts, J., Dobbins, D., Evans, A., & Weidler, D. (2000). Adult
educators guide to designing instructor mentoring. Washington, D.C.: Pelavin Research
Institute.

Mentoring and Coaching for Early Childhood

21
Souto-Manning, M. & Dice, J. (2007). Reflective teaching in the early years: A case for
mentoring diverse educators. Early Childhood Education Journal, 34(6), 425-430.
Sullivan, D. (2010). Learning to lead: Effective leadership skills for teachers of young children.
St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.
Sykes, M. (2014) Doing the right things for children: Eight qualities of leadership. St. Paul, MN:
Redleaf Press.
Texas Early Learning Center (2013). Partners in action: A mentoring toolkit for early childhood
providers. Houston, TX.

Appendix A

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Building a Learning Relationship

Building a learning
relationship requires:

Mentors might respond by:

Notice and consider the

consequences of a
mentoring process that is:

taking time to build trust,

comfort, and a positive
climate.

having a planned first

meeting and conveying
interest in what is shared.

trying to quickly solve

problems and offer help
without first understanding
the issues or contexts.

acting as a safe haven for the

teacher to share frustrations
and successes.

avoiding the role of the expert

at first and doing a lot of
listening and questioning.

assuming that everyone is

initially excited to have your
expertise and support.

establishing a clear purpose

or negotiating to be able to
answer the simple question,
Why are we doing this?

stating what is not the

purpose (i.e., evaluation
review) and taking the time to
come to shared agreements
about the focus and process.

assuming that all involved

understand the purpose and
the process and agree with it;
having fuzzy professional
boundaries and veering into
areas better left to a
supervisor.

demonstrating that the teacher

wondering, brainstorming, getting most information from
is valued as a colearner
listening to different points of
one person (i.e., lacking
through willingness to
view, and questioning in order
multiple perspectives) or
explore a work-based
to understand perspectives.
suggesting strategies that
dilemma.
have worked well in different
contexts before understanding
the current issue.
creating the opportunity to
think about observations and
the feelings that they cause,
without being judged.

paraphrasing back what a

teacher says and questioning
what that causes her to think
about.

sticking only to the facts or

only exploring feeling and not
integrating how a teacher
thinks, feels, and acts in a
situation.

considering influences of
program, culture, community,
and other contexts as assets.

drawing out what the teacher

is sharing to illustrate the
circles of influences on a
situation or program.

ignoring the influences of

culture and community or
speaking of them only when
problems occur (i.e., using a
deficit approach).

Appendix B

23

Teachers identify their areas of

strengths and weaknesses and
select an area they want to focus
on for their professional development goal.

Teachers meet with their mentor/

coach to document their plan
and discuss what support will be
required of the mentor/coach in
order for the teacher to meet his/
her goal.

Mentor/Coaches communicate
the individual goals and plans of
the teachers with the Leadership
Team.

Appendix C

24
Role Responsibilities and Expectations

Leadership Team
Approve goals set by mentor/
coaches and teachers.

Mentor/Coach

Teacher

Set goals collaboratively with

Reflect honestly and assess
teachers and Leadership
your own strengths and needs.
Team.

Provide support for the

mentor/coaches.

Provide guidance and support

based on teacher needs.

Set goals collaboratively with

your mentor/coach.

Share resources and

encourage the professional
development of the mentor/
coaches.

Share information and

resources.

Invest time in observing,

listening, and reviewing
suggested resources.

Be open-minded about the

direction some mentor/coach
& teacher pairs will take.

Observe, share nonjudgmental

and non-evaluative feedback,
and listen actively.

Be willing to take risks and

try new behaviors.

Encourage the professional

development of the mentor/
coaches.

Act as a source of
encouragement.

Actively work on your

knowledge and skills as a
teacher and caregiver of
young children.

Maintain confidentiality.

Maintain confidentiality.

Maintain confidentiality.

Adhere to regularly scheduled Adhere to regularly scheduled Adhere to regularly scheduled

meetings and come prepared. meetings and come prepared. meetings and come prepared.
Complete required recordkeeping.

Complete required recordkeeping.

Complete required recordkeeping.

Provide constructive feedback

and collaborate with KSLC
team about any necessary
changes to the program.

Alert the Leadership Team if

problems occur.

Alert your mentor/coach if

problems occur.

Appendix D

25
Suggested Timeline for the Development of a Mentor/Coach Program
A One Year Plan

Date

Action

Involved Parties

Person Responsible

Date
Complete

Next Steps

August

Share Mentor/
Coach Plan with
the Leadership
Team at KSLC

Leighanne
Terra
Tim

Robin

August 28,
2015

Plan September
Meeting
Date/Time

Answer Mentor/
Coach Roles and
Activities questions and begin
gathering ideas
for program.

Leighanne
Terra
Tim

Robin as Facilitator

September
18, 2015

Develop an plan for

introducing this
program to staff and
gathering their
input.

Introduce program
at Staff Meeting &
provide handout
for feedback

Leighanne
Terra
Tim
Robin

2015

September
2015

October
2015

Robin

Robin

Leighanne
Terra
Tim

Robin- review
October Staff
Meeting Night feedback forms and

set up a date/time to
meet with
Leadership Team to
review

Robin

All Staff
November
2015

December
2015

January
2016

January 22,
2016

Begin developing
shared understanding and
goals for the program

Leighanne
Terra
Tim
Robin

Leighanne
Terra
Tim
Robin

All Staff

All Staff

Meet to review
progress, discuss
interest, and write
mentor/coach application.

Leadership Leadership
Team
Team
Possibly
Robin

Possibly
Robin

Finalize program
goals

Leighanne
Terra
Tim
Robin

Leighanne
Terra
Tim
Robin

All Staff

All Staff

Any staff
member who
meets the
qualifications
is eligible to
apply.

Leadership
Team Accepts Applications

Applications for
Mentor/Coach
Position are Due

November
Staff Meeting
Night

Set up a date/time
to write application
and interview
questions.

December
11, 2015

Finalize Application
and send it out to
staff.

January Staff
Meeting Night

Create a document
with the shared
understanding of
the program and
agreed upon goals.

January 22,
2016

Leadership Team
Reviews
Applications and
Schedules
Interviews

Appendix D

26
Suggested Timeline for the Development of a Mentor/Coach Program
A One Year Plan

February 1February
12, 2016

Interviews

Leadership
Team & Applicants

Leadership
Team

February 12,
2016

Leadership Team
selects Mentor/
Coaches

February

Mentor/Coaches
are announced at
Staff Meeting

Leighanne
Terra
Tim
Robin

Leighanne
Terra
Tim
Robin

February Staff
Meeting Night

Mentor/Coaches set
up time to meet
with teachers.

All Staff

All Staff

Mentor/Coaches
register for trainings. Begin reading selected
books.

Mentor/
Coaches

Leadership
Team

March 25,
2016

Mentor/Coaches &
Leadership Team
set up bi-weekly
meetings from
March to August

All Staff Training

on Mentor/Coach
Program

Leadership
Team

April 29, 2016

Create a Roles and

Responsibilities
agreement for all
teachers, mentors/
coaches, and
administration to
sign.

All Staff

Organize a
Guest Trainer
for this
process. Meet
with him/her
beforehand to
discuss KSLC
mentoring
goals.

Check-In with
Mentor/Coach
Program at Staff
Meeting

Leadership
Team

Leadership
Team

Monthly Staff
Meetings

Purchase Reflection
Journals for all
teachers & mentors/
coaches. Plan
Reflection Training
for August.

Reflection Training
for All Staff

Leadership
Team

Leadership
Team, or
Outside
Trainer

August 18,
2016

Mentors/Coaches
set up initial
meeting and
observation time
with teachers for
September.

2016

March
2016

April
2016

Mentor/
Coaches

Mentor/
Coaches

May, June
& July 2016

August 2016

All Staff

All Staff
September
2016

Mentor/Coach
Program Officially
Begins!

Leadership Leadership
Team
Team
Mentor/
Coaches

Mentor/
Coaches

All Staff

All Staff

*Possibly a
weeknight
training
On-Going

Set up monthly
meetings between
Mentor/Coaches &
Leadership Team
Plan on-going observations/meetings
between Mentor/
Coaches & Teachers.

Appendix E

27
Mentor/Coach Roles and Responsibilities

What activities constitute the work of a mentor/coach?

What strategies could the mentor/coach use in effort to facilitate quality improvement?

How can we use mentor/coaching to enhance the professional development of teachers?

How can we use mentor/coaching to improve the intentional teaching practices of our staff?

How can we use mentor/coaching to strengthen our school community?

What role would the Leadership Team play in mentor/coaching?

What forms of communication would be necessary to keep the Leadership Team connected
with the mentor/coaches and teachers?

What types of training are available to mentor/coaches?

Can we support a non-judgemental, non-evaluative mentor/coaching program at KSLC?

Appendix F

28
Suggested Mentor/Coach Trainings

Training

Date/Time

Location

Cost

Leadership
Credential

Begins September
2016*

UW-Milwaukee

10% Tuition Cost

with TEACH
Scholarship

WI Pyramid Model
for Social Emotional
Competence
Training

Begins April 2016*

3 hours/week
8 week training

4-C
5 Odana Court
Madison, WI 53719

$60/person

Constructive
Conflict
Management

March-August 2016

UW-Independent
Learning, On-Line

$981/3 credits

Coaching &
Mentoring for
Leadership Success

July 2016*
9:00am-4:00pm

Appleton, WI

$199.00/person

Suggested Readings

Mentor/Coaching
Workshops as
Available

Independent Reading, but could set up

discussion times with Mentor/Coaches &
Leadership Team between February 2016 &
August 2016
TBD

About $145/set of 4
books.
KSLC purchase 2
sets.

TBD

TBD

*Based on the 2015 schedule

Suggested Teacher Trainings
Training

Date/Time

Location

Cost

What to Expect
from Mentor/
Coaches

April 2016
Weekend or
Weeknight Evening

KSLC

Cost will vary based

on the trainer. KSLC
will cover the cost of
the trainer.

Reflection Training

August 2016
Weekend or
Weeknight Evening

KSLC

Free: Leadership
Team can lead this
training

Appendix G

29
Teacher Reflection Form
Mentoring/Coaching Program Evaluation

Name:
Classroom:
Mentor/Coach:
What is working well?

Have there been any barriers in this program

for you?

What would you like to have more time to

do?

What would be a helpful resource?

Is there anything you have wanted to try out

that hasnt been possible?

Do you feel you are getting too little, too

much, or just the right amount of time with
your mentor/coach?

Are there any parts of the mentoring program

that could be eliminated?

Are there any parts of the mentoring program

that could be improved?

Appendix H

30
Mentor/Coach Reflection Form
Mentoring/Coaching Program Evaluation

Name:
Age Group:
What is working well?

Have there been any barriers in this program

for you?

Are the expected mentoring activities taking

place?

What would be a helpful resource?

Is there anything you have wanted to try out

that hasnt been possible?

Is there adequate administrative support for

the program?

How are your relationships with the teachers

developing?

Are teachers making changes based on the

observation, reflection, action process?

What would you like to have more time to do?

Appendix I

31
Administration Reflection Form
Mentoring/Coaching Program Evaluation

Name:

What is working well?

Have there been any barriers in this program

for you?

Are the expected team meetings taking place?

What would be a helpful resource you could

provide for the mentor/coaches?

Is there anything you wanted to see happening Is there adequate communication between
that hasnt been possible?
administration and mentor/coaches?

What would you like to have more time to do? Are mentor/coaches making changes based
on the observation, reflection, action process?