The Early Childhood Coaching Handbook

Second Edition

by Dathan D. Rush, Ed.D., CCC-SLP Family, Infant and Preschool Program (FIPP) Morganton, North Carolina and M’Lisa L. Shelden, P.T., Ph.D. Wichita State University, Department of Physical Therapy Kansas

Introduction to Coaching

Once upon a time, long ago, a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and a physical therapist (PT) were happily working in their chosen professions. The SLP worked primarily with children ages 2–8 years to conduct comprehensive speech-language evaluations and then remediate identified articulation and language disorders within a clinic-based setting. Parents usually waited in the reception area while he worked directly with the children.

Little did he know that only a few years earlier, Congress passed the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986 (PL 99-457) and created the Part H early intervention program, now referred to as Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments (IDEA) of 1997 (PL 105-17). Since that time, the state had been working to create its own legislation to ensure that all eligible children from birth to 3 years of age with a developmental delay or a diagnosed syndrome or condition would receive comprehensive supports that were based on Part C of IDEA.

In Fall 1989, the SLP became the first SLP in the state to start providing services under these new federal and state laws. He was not enthusiastic when he learned that his services were to be provided in the children's "natural environments," meaning that he would be going to their homes to provide services and would be working with a team of other professionals.

He first encountered her, the PT, as she dashed into the new team’s meeting—late—wearing overalls that were short enough to show her creatively colorful stockings. They shared a driving need to get interventions right for the children and families who they were being paid to serve.

This book summarizes their journey related to interaction with the adults in young children's lives for optimum success. Their research found that therapists or educators in early intervention should serve as coaches to important adults in young children's lives.

Coaching Approaches

Various approaches to coaching have conflicting paradigms, depending on the intent of the coach and coachee. Some coaching types described in the literature are behavioral, humanistic, cognitive, goal-focused, and adult learning focused.

Coaching can be defined as a collaborative helping relationship, where coach and coachee engage in a systematic process of setting goals and developing solutions with the aim of facilitating goal attainment, self-directed learning, and personal growth.

Coaching is a relationship-based process that builds the coachee’s capacity for specific professional dispositions, skills, and behaviors.

Five Key Characteristics of Coaching

1. Joint Planning - Agreement on the actions they'll take or practices to develop new skills.
2. Action/Practice - Opportunities to practice, refine, or analyze skills in real-life situations.
3. Reflection - Analysis of strategies to determine their effectiveness and possible modifications.
4. Feedback - Information from the coach designed to expand the coachee's understanding and support.
5. Observation - Examination of actions that the coachee can use to develop new practices.

Recipients of Coaching

In early childhood intervention, parents, caregivers, child care providers, and early childhood teachers often benefit from coaching relationships. Coaching helps them develop skills to support children's learning and development.

Conclusion

The purpose of this book is to define coaching and assist the reader in applying the research-based characteristics of coaching practices in early childhood contexts. It provides clear, actionable insights into how coaching can be operationalized effectively.