Title overview
- Gain a solid, workable understanding of how to use relationship-based mentoring strategies to promote professional learning. Ideal for all who work in roles facilitating the professional development of teachers of young children. (Location in text: In a model is presented in the Introduction and in Chapters 1 and 2, which examine associated values, goals, and roles.)
- See how to increase effectiveness in building professional development relationships with adults involved in improving early childhood program quality—and how to add to reflection and evaluation strategies for mentor-teacher partnerships. This is achieved through the book’s exploration of the power of mentoring interactions and the process of inquiry.
- Identify personal biases that can interfere with effective teaching and mentoring and ways to support the development of community- and culture-responsible mentoring. The author’s focus on valuing equity, diversity, and culturally relevant practices embedded throughout the book shows how.
- Apply adult learning theories and approaches to mentoring and coaching processes by:
- Using selected theories of adult development and learning to analyze the implications for fostering a responsive teacher-mentor relationship. (Chapter 4)
- Exploring reflective critical thinking practices and increasing understanding of when to use specific communication choices. (Chapter 3)
- Understanding how to differentiate interactions with a teacher. (Chapter 5)
- Initiate professional development leadership and planning for mentoring systems by identifying the steps that focus on specific teacher concerns, establishing bigger goals linked to desired child or program outcomes, constructing an overall professional development plan with mentees, and more.
- Define and improve the role of the supervisor and teacher-leader as mentor through the process of reflective supervision explored in Chapter 7. This chapter helps readers:
- Compare reflective supervision to the mentoring and coaching process.
- Transfer skills and abilities from supervision or teaching to mentoring and coaching.
- Meet situational needs by choosing technical or innovative strategies.
- Contribute to the growth of authentic mentors, coaches, and leaders.
Table of contents
Introduction
Section I: Relationship Based Professional Development
Chapter 1: Relationship Based Professional Learning
Chapter 2: Building Professional Development Relationships with Adults
Chapter 3: Communicating to Support Teacher Awareness
Chapter 4: Adult Learning and Planning for Teacher Development
Section II: Mentoring and Coaching for Inquiry, Reflection and Leadership
Chapter 5: Readiness for Change and Learning through Inquiry
Chapter 6: Coaching to Connect Curriculum, Assessment & Teaching
Chapter 7: Supervisors and Teacher-leaders as Mentors
Chapter 8: Mentoring and Leadership for Professional Development
Author bios
Marilyn Chu is an associate professor of early childhood education at Woodring College of Education, Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. Her teaching, writing, and consultation work focuses on infant/toddler development, partnering with families, and mentoring, coaching and leadership development in early childhood education. Her previous work directing family literacy and campus childcare programs, professional development with bilingual Head Start teachers and early primary school paraeducators has emphasized partnerships to develop culturally and linguistically relevant education programs for adults and children.