Using Remote Strategies to Facilitate Effective Coaching Conversations with Infant and Toddler Teachers

Abbey is a toddler coteacher who works in a full-day Early Head Start program. The eight children in her class are between the ages of 18 and 24 months. Her program provides educators with language and literacy professional development opportunities. Each teacher considers their strengths, interests, and areas for improvement, and program leaders also offer insights to help link coaching with the program's goals and philosophy. This year, Abbey's program leader Identified that the children in Abbey's care would benefit if she used more language in the classroom. To address this, she has been paired with a coach, Ebone. Ebone worked directly with infants and toddlers for 10 years and had positive experiences with in-person coaching during that time. Abbey will be the first teacher she has partnered with in her new role as a coach. She is paired with Abbey during the COVID-19 pandemic. In-person meetings and observations have been put on hold. She is nervous and cautious about coaching remotely, but she wonders if there are benefits as well.