Coaching with Powerful Interactions Second Edition

By Judy Jablon, Amy Laura Dombro and Shaun Johnsen 

From the authors of the bestselling book Powerful Interactions comes a guide crafted especially for coaches and all professionals supporting the work of early childhood teachers.  

When the quality of interactions improves, relationships become deeper and stronger, which in turn leads to more effective learning and growth. Taking the three-step Powerful Interactions framework—originally created to enhance the interactions between children and their teachers—this resource applies it to the interactions between teachers and coaches.

 This new edition offers

Coaching principles, strategies, and stories to inspire and motivate your practice  

Insights about developing a strengths-based coaching stance

Information and ideas for building respectful, trusting relationships that evolve into mutual learning partnerships

You can set in motion ripples of positive change that extend to teachers and, ultimately, to young children and their families.    

• Language: English
• Publisher: The National Association for the Education of Young Children
• Release date: Dec 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9781952331244

Judy Jablon

Judy Jablon, MS, is an educator and author with more than 30 years of experience in early childhood and primary education. A former teacher, Judy is grounded in theory and practice that emphasize child development, observation, critical thinking, and experiential learning. Judy provides facilitation, leadership coaching, and training to a wide range of educational institutions and agencies. She has coauthored numerous publications including Observation: The Key to Responsive Teaching,The Power of Observation and The Work Sampling System.

Book preview

Cover: Coaching with Powerful Interactions: A Guide for Partnering with Early Childhood Teachers, Second Edition by Judy Jablon, Amy Laura Dombro, and Shaun Johnsen

Coaching with

Powerful

Interactions

A Guide for Partnering with

Early Childhood Teachers

SECOND EDITION

Judy Jablon, Amy Laura Dombro, & Shaun Johnsen

National Association for the Education of Young Children

Washington, DC

National Association for the Education of Young Children

1401 H Street NW, Suite 600

Washington, DC 20005

202-232-8777 • 800-424-2460

NAEYC.org

NAEYC Books

Senior Director, Publishing & Content Development

Susan Friedman

Director, Books

Dana Battaglia

Senior Editor

Holly Bohart

Editor II

Rossella Procopio

Senior Creative Design Manager

Charity Coleman

Senior Creative Design Specialist

Gillian Frank

Creative Design Specialist

Makayla Johnson

Creative Design Specialist

Ashley McGowan

Publishing Business Operations Manager

Francine Markowitz

Through its publications program, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) provides a forum for discussion of major issues and ideas in the early childhood field, with the hope of provoking thought and promoting professional growth. The views expressed or implied in this book are not necessarily those of the Association.

Permissions

NAEYC accepts requests for limited use of our copyrighted material. For permission to reprint, adapt, translate, or otherwise reuse and repurpose content from this publication, review our guidelines at NAEYC.org/resources/permissions.

Purchasers of Coaching with Powerful Interactions: A Guide for Partnering with Early Childhood Teachers, Second Edition, are permitted to photocopy the forms in Appendix C and in Appendix D for educational or training purposes only. Photocopies may be made only from an original book.

Photo, Illustration, and Video Credits

The photos in the e-book are courtesy of the authors, Diana Courson, and Getty Images. The illustrations in the e-book are by NAEYC. The videos belong to the authors.

Coaching with Powerful Interactions: A Guide for Partnering with Early Childhood Teachers, Second Edition. Copyright © 2024 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023938498

ISBN: 978-1-952331-24-4

Item: e2452

Contents

List of Videos

About the Authors

Acknowledgments

Preface

Welcome

What Is Coaching?

What Is Coaching with Powerful Interactions?

Your Coaching Stance

It’s All About the Children

It Can Be In Person or Virtual

It’s Simple and Affordable and Applies to All of Us

Coaching Is About Relationships

Thoughts About Coaching with Powerful Interactions

Chapter 1: An Introduction to Powerful Interactions Between Coach and Teacher

What Is a Powerful Interaction Between a Coach and a Teacher?

Step One: Be Present to Coach

Being Present Leads to More Effective Coaching

Step Two: Connect as a Coach

Connecting and Building Trusting Relationships Lead to More Effective Coaching

Step Three: Coach to Extend Learning

Extending Learning and Continuing to Learn Lead to More Effective Coaching

The Three Steps: A Cumulative Effect

Chapter 2: The Five Principles for Coaching with Powerful Interactions

Principle One: A Strengths-Based Perspective Searches for and Highlights Competence

A Strengths-Based Perspective Makes You a More Effective Coach

A Strengths-Based Perspective in Practice

Principle Two: Articulation Encourages Repetition of an Action with Greater Intentionality

Using Articulation to Promote Intentionality Makes You a More Effective Coach

Articulation in Practice

Principle Three: Individualizing Supports the Development of Respectful, Trusting Relationships Needed for Learning

Individualizing Makes You a More Effective Coach

Individualizing in Practice

Principle Four: A Mutual Learning Partnership Promotes Shared Responsibility and Accountability

Building a Mutual Learning Partnership Makes You a More Effective Coach

A Mutual Learning Partnership in Practice

Principle Five: Modeling Matters—What You Say and Do Influences All Outcomes

Modeling Makes You a More Effective Coach

Modeling in Practice

Chapter 3: The Three Steps of Coaching with Powerful Interactions

Step One: Be Present to Coach

Do a Quick Me Check

Step Two: Connect as a Coach

Connect Strategy One: Be Trustworthy

Connect Strategy Two: Listen to Learn

Connect Strategy Three: Communicate to Form Partnerships

Step Three: Coach to Extend Learning

Extend Learning Strategy One: Focus on Goals You Set Together

Extend Learning Strategy Two: Notice Moments of Effectiveness

Extend Learning Strategy Three: Use Prompts and Questions to Think Together

Extend Learning Strategy Four: Document Plans and Progress Together

Closing Thoughts

Appendix A: Coaching with Powerful Interactions Steps and Strategies at a Glance

Appendix B: A Powerful Interactions Classroom Observation and Feedback Conversation

Appendix C: Rehearsing a Coaching Conversation

Appendix D: Planning for the Feedback Conversation

References

Index

List of Videos

Brief videos are used to illustrate important concepts throughout this book. You can access them by scanning this code or visiting NAEYC.org/coaching-powerful-interactions.

Video 1Michael on Ripples of Change

Video 2Diana on Supporting Teachers

Video 3Shanti and Irene Having a Coaching Conversation

Video 4Tychawn on Static

Video 5Diana on How Her Stance as a Coach Has Evolved

Video 6Tychawn on Establishing a Respectful Partnership

Video 7Diana on Learning to Articulate the Why

Video 8Tychawn on Learning Partnerships

Video 9Helena on Believing in a Teacher’s Strengths

Video 10Michael on Quieting the Static

Video 11Tychawn on Being Trustworthy

Video 12Helena on Supporting Children’s Cultures

Video 13Jill on Quieting Her Agenda

Video 14Tychawn and Helena on Communicating Effectively

Video 15Tychawn on Setting Goals

Video 16Helena on Repairing a Relationship

Video 17Sarah on I Notice Statements

Video 18Diana on Accountability Being a Two-Way Street

Video 19Clarissa and Jeanne on Next Steps

Video 20Sarah on What She Is Learning About I Notice Statements

Video 21Diana on Static

Video 22Michael on Taking Notes

Video 23Diana on Framing Questions

Video 24Diana on Using Questions to Lead to Problem Solving

Video 25Sarah on the Value of Pausing

Video 26Helena on a Teacher and Coach Documenting Their Work Together

Video 27Michael and Dana on Validating Teachers

About the Authors

Judy Jablon is the founder and executive director of Leading for Children, a national nonprofit with the mission of providing the best possible early learning experiences for young children while creating environments where educators thrive. Through her writing, video production, and professional development experiences, Judy encourages early childhood educators to draw on their own wisdom to have more meaningful interactions and opportunities for learning.

Amy Laura Dombro is an early childhood educator and documentarian who captures stories of change initiatives with the goal of supporting people who do their best work on behalf of children and families. Amy’s work serves as a mirror for busy educators and organizations, providing them with the opportunity to see and build upon what works, think creatively to overcome challenges, track progress, and plan next steps on their path forward.

Shaun Johnsen is a television professional with more than 25 years of experience in the field of education. He is a co-owner of Murray Hill Studios, a New York City–based video production studio, and uses his unique experiences as a producer, photographer, videographer, editor, and musician to create rich, meaningful content. Shaun has collaborated with Judy, Amy, and others to create videos that invite educators to view their own practice, identify moments of effectiveness, analyze and reinforce these moments, and strategize about how to apply these practices more extensively with greater intention.

Judy, Amy, and Shaun believe that creating ripples of positive change for young children and families requires that we first listen to and learn from teachers, coaches, and program leaders. We then illuminate their moments of effectiveness in professional development conversations, writing, and video.

Acknowledgments

Creating the second edition of Coaching with Powerful Interactions was a rewarding collaboration with colleagues with whom we continue to have Powerful Interactions that continually extend our learning. We express our deep respect and gratitude to each of you who helped us bring this new edition to fruition.

The wisdom of Charlotte Stetson, our friend and coauthor of the original Powerful Interactions book, is woven throughout this book. Nichole Parks, we are grateful to you for sharing your perspective that achieving equity happens through each interaction we have with others. To our colleagues in Arkansas, Diana Courson, Jill Gunderman, Sue Remfrey, and Shannon Newman, thank you for your commitment to coaching with Powerful Interactions and continuing to learn with us. To our friend and collaborator, Laura Ensler, thank you for the many ways you have contributed to our understanding of Powerful Interactions.

Michael Luft engaged with us in the process of learning through video and allowed us to capture his voice for others to learn from. We have profound respect for Tychawn Johnson, Helena Pereira, and Sandy Lighter-Jones because of their willingness to be transparent about learning to coach with Powerful Interactions, which helped us to articulate the ideas in this book.

We wish to acknowledge the people and programs who welcomed us and, most important, joined us in conversations about coaching with Powerful Interactions. Our appreciation goes to Diana Courson, Clarissa Wallace, JoAnn Nalley, Eudora Hardin, Jeanne Duffie, Connie Hicks, Lisa Gaddy, and Megan Bennings from Arkansas State University Childhood Services and affiliated early childhood programs; Tara Evenson, Michael Luft, Lucy Galante, and Dana Miuccio from Montclair State University in New Jersey; Irene Garneau, Sarah L. Williams, Jill Naraine, Shanti Lipscomb, Wendy Haller, Amy White, Jenny Levinson, Sue Pike, and Jen Treado from Connecticut; Sandy Lighter-Jones, Shelli Aiona, Terry Kelly, Deidre Harris, Sally Yuza, and the staff of the early childhood program of the Kamehameha School in Hawaii; Helena Pereira, Karen Cerabone, and Jaquie Onifer from New Jersey; and Susan Jacobs, Monica Brinkerhoff, Dana Mulay, Lauren Clark, Angela Zilch, Alan Taylor, Ginger Ward, and our colleagues from Arizona. To our colleagues in Alabama—Tara Skiles, Ami Brooks, Amy Dunn, Verlene Texas, Lori Mann, DeAundra Ford, and many others—we are grateful for your commitment and learning with us.

Conversations with colleagues are crucial, and they shaped our thinking as we wrote. We wish to acknowledge these individuals for their rich insights and thought-provoking questions: Mark Louis Romei, Jessica Sether, Danielle Yamello, Morgan Casella, Jerlean Daniel, Lisa Rogoff, Jamie Ashton, Heidi Ham, Jacky Howell, Jacquie Gross, Karen Young, Audrey Lassiter, Grace Radice, Gabriel Guyton, Jonathan Fribley, Serene Stevens, Christine Shrader Ast, and Michael Amaral. Sarah Zawacki, thank you for your flexibility in supporting us through the second edition process.

For your assistance with photography, videography, and editing, our gratitude goes to Sandy Lighter-Jones, Helena Pereira, Karen Cerabone, Michael Griffin, and Bob Harris. Gretchen Henderson, thank you for your ability to always support a process with the shortest distance between two points. We appreciate the organization and persistence of Angela Dutton.

Our colleagues at NAEYC provided invaluable support to us throughout the process of creating this book. Thank you to Kathy Charner, Derry Koralek, Edwin Malstrom, Liz Wegner, Stephanie Morris, and Doug Morrison. And for this new edition, we thank Rossella Procopio, Dana Battaglia, Makayla Johnson, Gillian Frank, and Charity Coleman.

We want to acknowledge the Powerful Interactions we shared together throughout the process of creating this book. We took turns quieting our own and each other’s static, staying focused on maintaining positive relationships, and connecting with all of the people who helped us bring this work to life. We are grateful for the many ways we stretched each other’s learning over many years of friendship and collaboration.

PREFACE

In 2020, NAEYC published the second edition of Powerful Interactions: How to Connect with Children to Extend Their Learning. We are excited to share the second edition of Coaching with Powerful Interactions with you too.

Our original intent in writing this book was to offer coaching principles, strategies, and stories to inspire and motivate you as you build on your strengths and make your practice even more effective. While this remains true, our understanding has deepened about how Powerful Interactions extend not only children’s learning but also that of the adults who care for and educate them. In coaching relationships, Powerful Interactions support mutual learning partnerships, strengthen adult-adult relationships, and lead to exchanging stories that expand perspectives and promote equity.

Judy, with colleagues at Leading for Children (LFC), has deepened our understanding of learning partnerships by focusing on equity and mutual learning. When both people in a coaching partnership recognize the value of mutual learning and are willing to do the work of sharing power, everyone benefits. Both coach and teacher learn more, and so do children. Healthy networks of adult relationships shape children’s experiences of the world. We share some of LFC’s thoughtful work with you in these pages and hope you will visit their website at www.leadingforchildren.org to learn more.

Stories and videos are at the core of this book. As in the first edition, we hope they serve as a mirror and help you to recognize and build upon your strengths as a coach and mutual learning partner. We encourage you to observe how stories amplify voices and how they also promote the communication and connection vital for building trusting relationships and Powerful Interactions. To