Discusses mentoring programs in early childhood education, providing case studies and activities and covering such subjects as leadership, communication, planning, and accepting and working with change.

Developing Mentoring and Coaching Relationships in Early Care and Education is the ideal resource for anyone charged with guiding teachers as they encounter real world challenges in today's early childhood programs and can turn to this practical new resource as they work with supervisors and teacher-leaders to achieve greater professional effectiveness while bridging the gap between the vision for quality and actual practice. The book is packed with helpful reflective questions, illustrative mentoring and coaching scenarios, and ready-to-implement planning tools. The focus is on encouraging reflection on current practices in order to achieve quality programs, meet teaching standards, and promote positive outcomes for children in these times of rising standards and, in many cases, lower levels of support.

This book provides an introduction to the theory and practice of mentoring, coaching and supervision in the context of early childhood education and care. Written by a team of scholars from the UK, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and the USA the book includes a range of annotated case studies to exemplify important issues from around the world. The chapters are organized around four key principles: · Embedding professional one to one support within the setting · Maximising performance and professional development · Self and collaborative reflection for leadership · Managing and leading change Topics covered include discussion of the differences and similarities between mentoring, coaching and supervision; management and leadership in early childhood settings; safeguarding and child protection. Alongside the annotated case studies each chapter also includes a summary of key points and questions for further discussion.

This practical guide argues that both mentor coaching and supervision be mandated by the professional coaching bodies as part of coaches’ continuous professional development. Mentor coaching is not just for those coaches seeking a credential: it is for lifelong professional development for every coach, at every level of the profession. You are the best coaching tool there is. Tools need to be oiled, sharpened, repaired and protected to keep them in tip top condition. That’s what mentor coaching and supervision do – they keep coaches sharp and fit for purpose. The reader will learn how to develop as a coach using mentor coaching, as well as how to develop as a mentor coach, to support other coaches to develop. Clare Norman explains what mentor coaching is, why it is so important and the competencies for mentor coaching. How coaches show up in the room is more important than how much we know about the theory behind coaching. Clare Norman’s concise book is important reading for all practising coaches, as well as coaches and mentor coaches in training.

Leadership in Early Childhood is a practical resource for early childhood practitioners who want to understand how to create successful childcare and early education settings. Leadership in the early years has moved on in the way it is organised, and this fourth edition has been fully revised and updated to reflect the changes affecting leaders in early childhood. This rapid change in the field over the past few years includes moves to professionalise the workforce generally, and this edition recognizes the implications of these developments and revisits some of the concepts and messages. Praised for its excellent overview of early years leadership, accessible writing style and clear links between theory and practice, the fourth edition also includes: Thorough discussion of the leader’s role in moving towards leading/best practice. Reconceptualised coverage of team building to consider working collaboratively as a team at service level, multi disciplinary teams and integrated service provision through multi agency working. A chapter which considers the essential characteristics of leadership in terms of personal qualities, skills and timing related to effective leadership.

The knowledge base about mentoring and coaching in education has grown considerably worldwide in the last decade. The very many definitions of mentoring and coaching demand an evidence base to assist with understanding the convergence and distinctions between these concepts, and with situating them in relation to learning. This Handbook is a leading source of ideas and information. It covers national and international research on schools, higher education, and disciplines within and beyond education. The editors draw together contributions and present evidence bases and alternative worldviews in which concepts are both untangled and substantiated. Unique in its coverage, this handbook maps current knowledge and understanding, values and skills underpinning educational mentoring and coaching for learning. Contributors who are leading scholars and practitioners address issues of theory and practice in school, higher education, and other educational contexts, and they set out practical applications of coaching and mentoring for practitioners and researchers. Contributors also address social justice issues, such as those involving traditional and technical forms of mentoring and coaching, democratic and accountability agendas, and institutional and historical patterns of learning. The SAGE Handbook of Mentoring and Coaching in Education is an essential reference for practitioners, researchers, educators, and policymakers. Dr Sarah J Fletcher is an international Educational Research Mentoring and Coaching Consultant and she convenes the Mentoring and Coaching SIG for the British Educational Research Association. Carol A Mullen is Professor and Chair, Educational Leadership and Cultural Foundations Department, at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina, USA.

Support new and veteran principals through coaching-based professional development! How can a coach support a school leader in mastering the professional and emotional challenges of school leadership in a manner that has a positive impact on students? This book provides practical skills and strategies for leadership coaching explicitly tied to the needs of principals and other school leaders. An indispensable resource for improving principal retention, teacher satisfaction and student achievement, this ready reference contains: Real-life examples Reflective prompts Practical exercises Comprehensive resources, including worksheets, sample forms, and assessments