Childcare Resources Offers Early Educators Support, Motivation with Community of Practice

Childcare Resources Early Education Coach Todd Morrow, center, hosts a CLASS Assessment Workshop with local early educators from Asbury UMC Vero Beach, Bridges Early Learning Center, Kid City USA, Learning Nest/Tiny Treasures, and Vero Beach Preschool.

Local early educators are gearing up once more to meet for an evening of laughter and collective learning at Childcare Resources of Indian River. Community of Practice, an integral part of Childcare Resources’ early educator coaching program, will bring together a small group of devoted teachers of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers to engage in collaborative learning while also offering a support network for the challenges each face in the classroom.

These monthly meetings, funded through Indian River County Children’s Services Advisory Committee, will be hosted by Childcare Resources Early Education Coach Todd Morrow. A retired public-school principal, Mr. Morrow understands how crucial each educator’s role is.

Childcare Resources Early Education Coaches Amanda Gooch (left) and Todd Morrow (right) pose with early educators Erica Spells and Erica Maselbas, both of Global Learning.

“Early educators are some of the most important teachers out there because they’re building a foundation for what’s to come,” he noted. Mr. Morrow wants the Community of Practice meetings to feel like family get-togethers, allowing the educators to get to know one another while brainstorming, so that they will return to their classrooms instilled with fresh insight.

(L-R) Coach Todd Morrow, Grace Torrent, Jennifer Glass, Coach Amanda Gooch, and Principal Deborah Irish of St. Helen Catholic School.

Cognitive and language development will be a primary focus at this year’s meetings. “It all has to do with the interactions between teacher and child, and between child and child,” he explained. “Bringing these interactions and conversations up to a higher level is essential for each child’s growth.”

Mr. Morrow hopes to individually visit each educator’s classroom between Community of Practice meetings in order to observe, motivate, and encourage. “I can guarantee you that these educators will leave with intentional plans that have been created utilizing the knowledge-base and experience of everyone in the group.”