Strengthening STEM in Early Childhood Education: A Collaborative Coaching Approach 

In our recent STEMIE Higher Education Cohort blog, we discussed the importance of building positive attitudes toward STEM in young children as well as the importance of supporting early childhood educators in becoming more comfortable and confident in teaching STEM. 

To move this mission forward the STEMIE Early Childhood Center Cohort team has launched a parallel coaching process with early childhood leaders at two school sites across the United States. Through a series of Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, the STEMIE team is working side-by-side with administrators to deepen their understanding of STEM learning trajectories. Administrators are then empowered to coach teachers at their sites on implementing learning trajectories in their classrooms. 

Our first step with each site was to co-create goals centered on inclusive STEM learning. While the goals differed slightly between sites, both coaching cycles focus on trying out new instructional strategies rooted in the learning trajectories approach. These include using guided child observations to drive planning as well as providing instruction tailored to children’s level of thinking.  

To support these goals, the STEMIE team has provided professional development (PD) focused on learning trajectories and coaching practices more broadly. Ongoing support includes: 

• PD on STEM domains and learning trajectories 

• Reflection on classroom implementation of STEM through video review 

• Ongoing coaching cycles to support continued learning and growth for teachers and administrators 

The STEMIE cohort team has also worked with administrators to assess their strengths and needs regarding accessibility and inclusion in their centers by using ECTA’s Indicators of High-Quality Inclusion. Each administrator has set short- and long-term goals to improve their existing inclusion practices. The coaching cycle for each site involves reviewing these goals and providing additional PD resources as needed, such as supporting engagement and communication for students with complex needs, including those who are non-speaking. 

We’re currently recruiting for our next round of STEMIE Early Childhood Center Cohorts! If you’re passionate about early STEM education and inclusion and would like to transform your early childhood program, we invite you to explore our call for applications.