Participant Reflections on the Impact of Coaching

• “This has been the most positive learning experience I have had in all my years of teaching. The coach/mentee model has helped me grow so much. I have felt challenged and supported every step of the way. Reflection on my part has increased, and I've let that steer me even more in my teaching.”

 “I have absolutely LOVED my immersion in the PBL Kindergarten Cohort. I feel I could embrace the core of my educational philosophy of the whole child and developmentally appropriate practices, with permission and encouragement from my building administration. I grew so much in letting students make choices in their learning and relinquishing my need to control and give them more of a sense of ownership. The natural, mostly positive social interactions I was able to observe between students was incredible and endearing. My students were given the opportunity to be joyful learners as they deserve to be!”

In-person coaching visits were highly beneficial and gave me an opportunity to observe your interactions with students as well as ask questions relating to play and experiential learning.”

Teacher B said the coaching experience was most beneficial because she was able to see play-based learning in action when her coach visited during guided play. ‘You can read it in a book, but it all becomes clear when you see it happening in front of you.’ The coach pointed out things Teacher Y was doing all along that, when fine-tuned, led to richer learning experiences through play.”

• “Teacher H said that observing her coach interacting with her students, modeling exploration of materials and leading whole group meetings about play were the most helpful aspects of the program for her.”