Communities of Practice
An Innovative Approach to Training
Designed for early childhood educators who are ready to dig deeper and reflect on their teaching and leading methods, our Communities of Practice offer a new perspective on professional development.
Communities of Practice (COP) are formed by early childhood educators and leaders who share a passion for teaching children and engage in the process of learning how to do it better as they interact regularly and support one another. Most Communities of Practice meet monthly, with the same group of teachers or leaders attending over an extended period of time.
January - June 2022 Communities of Practice
4-C will be offering three COP topics that child care providers can choose to join. These sessions are free to attend and are approved for ECE-TRIS credit. To register for each session, click here to go to our training calendar.
The Joys of Teaching COP – This COP will meet monthly on the fourth Thursday from 4:30-6:30 pm EST. Discover or re-examine topics such as creating and sustaining meaningful interactions, schema theory, child development through play, and the joy of observing children. Thank you to our sponsors at the Lift a Life Foundation and Metro United Way for making this a free opportunity for our early childhood community.
Nature & Inquiry COP – This COP will meet monthly on the third Thursday from 12:30-2:30 pm EST. Learn and more deeply explore the importance that outdoor and natural learning plays in young children’s development. Topics include taking your classroom outdoors, creating green spaces in urban environments, and the impact of nature on social/emotional development. Thank you to our sponsors at the Lift a Life Foundation and Metro United Way for making this a free opportunity for our early childhood community.
Family Child Care COP - This COP will meet monthly on the third Tuesday from 6:00-8:00 pm EST. It is a monthly opportunity for in-home child care educators to meet, problem-solve and reflect on their teaching and business practices in a structured online setting. All are invited to identify and discuss common challenges related to working with mixed ages, family engagement, basic business practices and more. Over time, providers will use these meetings to motivate each other through friendly dialogue, build self-confidence, and implement new practices. Thank you to our sponsors at the Prichard Committee for making this a free opportunity for our early childhood community.
COPs in 2022 are being planned as virtual events with the potential for in person opportunities in the future. For a monthly schedule and to register, visit our training calendar. www.4cforkids.org/training
I love having conversations with other teachers, hearing others’ perspectives on things.
I’ve been in this field almost 28 years and I see how I have improved myself. I have different kind of skills working with the children.
