Early Childhood Coach Credential Scholarship
Why become an early childhood coach?
In the 2019 Colorado Shines Brighter (Colorado’s Preschool Development Grant) Needs Assessment, one of the top priorities for the state was to “Continue Investing in Quality-Enhancing Professional Development Opportunities and Workforce Recruitment and Retention Across the Early Care and Education Landscape” and to “Continue to Develop a Diverse Early Childhood Workforce.” A potential avenue for the advancement, retention, and recruitment of early childhood professionals is through free and accessible professional development opportunities, including coaching. Increasing access to coaching provides opportunities for professionals to have more individualized access to knowledge specific to their individual needs and career supports. To make this opportunity possible, there needs to be credentialed coaches to meet the needs of the early childhood professionals.
Studies have shown coaching to be one of the most effective ways to support adult educators in learning new knowledge and skills (Joyce & Showers, 2002).
In partnership with the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), the Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance (ECCLA) is offering a scholarship opportunity for early childhood professionals seeking an Early Childhood Coaching Credential. Applicants may choose between several CDEC-approved coaching programs.
Contact Us
Sarah Goldman, Director of Coaching & Navigator Support
Ph: (720) 296-0633
Em: sarah@ecclacolorado.org
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Resources
Eligibility Guidelines
Participants must meet the following criteria and be enrolled in a coaching credential program by June 2023:
- Applicant is a Colorado resident
- Applicant currently works in or is seeking employment in an early childhood related field
- Applicant is registered within the Professional Development Information System (PDIS)
- Applicant holds or will apply for an Early Childhood Professional Certificate 3.0 and earns a level 3 or higher
Scholarship Commitment and Expectations
If awarded, Applicant commits to:
- Complete 8 hours of Reflective Supervision (RS) a year; totaling 24 hours of RS every 3 years to meet the coaching credential renewal guidelines
- Enroll in a CDEC approved coaching credential program that is currently partnering with ECCLA (see list)
- Enroll in an approved coaching credential program no later than June 2023
- Apply for the coaching credential through PDIS upon completion of the coaching course
Early Childhood Coach Credential Requirements
- Complete a CDEC-approved coaching specific training
- Complete your coach self-assessment and individualized professional development plan in PDIS
- Apply for the Early Childhood Professional Credential 3.0 in PDIS and earn a level 3 or higher
- Apply for Early Childhood Coach Credential in PDIS
- The coach credential must be renewed within PDIS every three years. To maintain the credential, a coach must complete at least 8 hours of Reflective Supervision a year, which equates to 24 hours of Reflective Supervision needed by the renewal period
Supports Offered to the Recipient
- Support in enrollment, registration, and coaching credential application
- Support with meeting Reflective Supervision hours
- 1:1 support to ensure progression toward the completion of your credential
- Support with connecting to coaching resources and networks
The Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance (ECCLA) is an equal opportunity scholarship provider. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, military status, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression in any of its activities or operations. Advancing Students for a Stronger Economy Tomorrow (ASSET) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students are welcome to apply!
For more information, keep reading or contact Sarah Goldman, Director of Coaching & Navigator Support at (720) 296-0633 or by email.
Approved Coaching Courses
- All programs are offered virtually unless otherwise stated.
- While some programs may offer a year-long, 3-part CERTIFICATE program in Early Childhood Coaching, ECCLA’s scholarship program covers the cost for Part 1 which satisfies the eligibility requirements for an EC Coach CREDENTIAL.
- Click here for a full list of Colorado Department of Early Childhood approved coaching programs.
- Course title: Transformational Coaching
- Course Description: The Transformational Coaching Course offers coaches, professional development specialists, mentors and leaders ‘principles to practice’ on how to effectively facilitate change, to broaden and deepen professional practices of educators or administrators, and intentionally support sustainable habits of reflection, problem solving and lifelong learning. This course is based on Constant Hine’s book Transformational Coaching for Early Childhood Educators (2019 RedLeaf Press).
- When: February 15, 2023 – April 27, 2023
- Registration deadline: February 1, 2023
- Course title: Intro to Relationship-based Mentoring and Intro to Relationship-based Mentoring Techniques
- Course Description:
Mentoring is helping people to develop more effectively. It is a relationship designed to build confidence and support the mentoring partner so they are able to take control of their own development and work. Mentoring is listening and asking questions that will challenge the mentoring partner to identify the course of action they need to take in regard to their own development.
- When: February 15, 2023- May 3, 2023
- Registration deadline: February 1,3 2023
- Course title: Coaching Early Childhood Professionals – Foundations
- Course description: Coaching has been shown to have a major influence on early childhood professional practice that, in turn, improves program quality and child growth outcomes in early childhood settings. Quality relationship-based teaching and learning is instrumental to positive early childhood experiences. The coach and coaching partner relationship focuses specifically on maximizing the human potential of professionals in the field. The Foundations course focuses on learning, understanding and using relationship- and evidence-based coaching skills in early childhood settings. Students will practice the fundamentals of coaching using a systematic, individualized, reflective approach, and sharing experiences with others in the course.
- When: January 17, 2023 – April 25, 2023
- Registration deadline: January 14, 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
About Coaching
Early childhood coaching is an interactive, strength-based approach used to support educators in implementing high quality teaching practices and to continuously improve the quality of early learning programs. The Colorado Early Childhood Coaching Competencies define coaching as “a co-learning process based on a collaborative relationship that is intentionally designed to promote sustainable growth in necessary attitudes, skills, and knowledge to effectively implement best practices for the development of young children.”
An early childhood coach is a professional who works in partnership with early childhood educators to implement high quality teaching practices and engage in continuous improvement of the early learning environment. Early childhood coaches support educators with setting and accomplishing goals through reflection, discussion, and observation.
Reflective supervision is a relationship-based approach that includes regular reflection and utilizes supervision as an opportunity for learning and development. Reflective supervision can take place individually or within a group setting, and encourages providers to reflect on their practices, assess and evaluate situations, and set goals. As stated by Zero to Three, the three building blocks of reflective supervision are reflection, collaboration, and regularity (2016).