Childcare Resources Early Education Coach Amanda Gooch recently achieved certification as an Early Learning Certified Coach from the University of Florida’s Lastinger Center. Established in 2002, the Lastinger Center seeks to improve the quality of teaching, learning, and childcare.
Developed for early childhood leaders, the eight-month job-embedded certificate program kicks off with a multi-day intensive institute. Following the institute, monthly virtual sessions focus on high-impact, teacher-centered coaching.
To help coaches better support early educators in the classroom, the program is divided into ten modules that explore the fundamentals of coaching. The modules include topics like developing and nurturing relationships, setting goals, modeling effective practice, collecting and using data, how to conduct coaching conversations, and providing effective feedback.
“Through obtaining my coaching certification, I have gained skills to deliver high-impact teacher-centered coaching support,” says Gooch, who conducted 305 site visits with twelve local early childhood educators during the last academic year. “The certification has also given the educators I work with peace of mind that they are working with a certified coach.”
Since 2016, the Childcare Resources Early Education Coaching program has impacted the community by connecting experienced educators with preschool teachers from local centers to provide technical assistance and help with classroom challenges. In the 2022-2023 academic year, the coaching program conducted a total of 534 site visits at early education centers in Indian River County.
“Amanda was a huge help to me as a director,” noted one coaching client. “Amanda is so knowledgeable in this field. I am greatly appreciative of her time and expertise.”