Chapter 1 Homework This is the first of four chapters examining how to support the learning of early

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Chapter 1: Relationship-Based Professional Learning

Summary

This is the first of four chapters examining how to support the learning of early childhood

teachers based on fostering responsive and respectful interactions over time. The four chapters

are grouped together under the first section of the book titled, Relationship Based Professional

Development.

Chapter 1 explores what it takes to have a successful professional-mentoring relationship. The

chapter poses the question, “How does mentoring fit into professional development that

strengthens early-childhood teaching and program practices?” This chapter examines this

Relationship

Based

Professional

Learning

model the

power of

reflection

understand

terms &

purposes

clarify roles

& functions

identify

goals &

ground

rules

value RB

qualities &

characteristics

consider

RBPD

competencies

Outline

This chapter supports the adult’s growing capacity to

• experience the power of reflection;

• define the terms and purposes of relationship-based (RB) professional development (PD);

Learner outcomes

• Students will experience the process of reflection in order to consider

how they learn best and how they might support others to learn.

Suggested group discussion and teaching activities

The following questions and discussion topics may be used face-to-face or in an online

discussion board. If the course is a hybrid of the two modalities, it is effective to begin with a

1. Model the Power of Reflection

Listening to others is a powerful activity. Read this quote describing a group PD session on child

guidance from the beginning of the first chapter.

“With a focus on building relationships and learning, teachers were more willing to

2. Clarify Roles and Functions of Mentoring

Ask the group to brainstorm their own group ground rules from the list in this chapter. The

reason to do this after a few other discussions have occurred is that the participants may now feel

more comfortable to share what is important to them.

Next, compare your brainstormed lists with Table 1.1 in chapter 1 and consider the following

questions:

• What did you write that should be included in the table?

• Do you disagree with anything in the table? Why?

• What are the areas that you excel in? What do others notice about you that would support

the role of mentor?

• Which ideas in Table 1.1could you use more information about or more practice in

doing?

3. Mentors and Supervisors

Ask the group to turn to another person and discuss the characteristics of mentors and

4. Mentoring Qualities and Characteristics, Goals and Ground Rules

Support students to apply what they read about mentoring qualities and characteristics, goals and

ground rules to this scenario involving a crisis in a child care center. Read and debrief it

afterward.

____________________________________________________________________________

Silence falls over the group of 10 teachers at the monthly staff meeting as they see the early-

childhood education coach enter the room.

Hi, everyone. As you know, your director invited me here today to discuss some issues identified

during your program’s annual performance review. I know these are not the conditions that you

wanted to see me about. In the past, you have chosen the professional development areas to

focus on.

The goal for our meeting tonight and for the follow-up coaching sessions in the next several

weeks is to create and then implement a written plan with these sections:

2. Proposed timeline to meet all health and safety requirements.

4. Documentation plan to address the changes that will put the program in

compliance with health and safety standards.

But before we get started, does anyone have any comments or suggestions?

Mary: Yes. I think they are way too picky about these things, but I am willing to learn.

Sue: I agree, but since I want the parents to know that we are doing everything we should, I

think this will be helpful. You can never be too safe when young children are involved.

—————————————-——————–——————————————————-

Ask the group in class or assign them to journal about the following:

• How did this coach set the boundaries (ground rules) on planned learning goals while still

respecting these teachers as adult learners who need choices?

5. Relationship Based Professional Development Competencies

Arrange the group or ask them to arrange themselves into seven groups and read the directions

below.

Directions: Jot down the competencies you feel you currently have in one of the following

areas described in the chapter. Next put a check mark next to the ones you want to learn

more about. Finally add any competencies you feel are also important for promoting teacher

learning in a professional learning relationship.

Assessment and Planning

Professional Development

Professional Relationships

6. Mentoring Goal Statement

Optional: An advanced activity to support a student group who already has experience

mentoring and coaching other adults is to plan to use the mentor competencies discussed in this

Scenario

• Tell the group they are mentors assigned to work with an early childhood teacher

preschool teacher to increase her or his skills in child guidance (or choose another area of

your choice).

o Relationship-based PD competency area to focus on (for example: adult learning,

building relationships, the process of change, communication, assessment, etc.)

o a specific activity such learning what the teacher goal is very specifically

Read this example of a mentoring goal statement that would fit this scenario:

The mentor is able to demonstrate the ability to build relationships (competency area)

through goal setting (specific activity)

by taking anecdotal notes (way to gather evidence)

of the weekly dialogue with the teacher and director (observable behaviors).

Debrief with the students the rationale for your choices by sharing:

• “build relationships” was chosen because it was a first visit.

• “goal setting” was chosen as a mentor-teacher activity because before any plans are

made, the mentor must understand what the teacher want to learn.

If the group has some experience working with adults, then encourage participants to work

together in small groups to try to plan for the second visit of this same scenario by choosing to

fill in the mentor goal statement blanks with:

• another competency area (adult learning, building relationships, the process of change,

communication, assessment, etc.)

The mentor or coach is able to demonstrate the ability to _________________(competency area)

______________________________________________________________ (specific activity)

by _______________________________________________________(way to gather evidence)

of ________________________________________________________(observable behaviors).

Debrief the exercise

Debrief to explain that it is important to plan for their mentoring activities and to document

how they are able to demonstrate these abilities. By planning and documenting the