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.

Fall 2022 - Spring 2023 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, email the corresponding trainer. Contact information found in each description. Thank you to our sponsors at the Lift a Life Foundation, Metro United Way, and the Family Child Care Network of Kentucky for making this a free opportunity for our early childhood community.

Learning in Bloom Community of Practice

  • Six-month Community of Practice: September 2022 - March 2023
  • Day and Time: Third Thursday of the month 12:30-2:30 pm
  • Location: Hybrid (virtual and in person sessions)
  • ECE-TRIS credit approved
  • Cost: Free

Description: Are you interested in being outside in a natural setting with children and not sure where to start? If so, this might be the perfect professional development for your teaching journey. This nature-rich Community of Practice will support educators in developing, planning, and executing a more holistic way of being with children in in the indoor and outdoor classroom setting. As we move through the seasons, learn how the changing setting provides new opportunities for learning and exploration. In this COP, resources (natural materials and teacher resources) will be offered to participants to support their time with children in nature. To learn more about this track and register, please contact Liz Walker at [email protected].

The Power of Teacher-Child Interactions -  Family Child Care Community of Practice

  • Six-month Community of Practice: September 2022 - March 2023
  • Day and Time: Second Tuesday of the month 6:00-8:00 pm
  • Location: Virtual
  • ECE-TRIS credit approved
  • Cost: Free

Description: Every day you interact with children. Your decisions about what to say and do make a difference in their lives. You can enhance children’s learning and your effectiveness as a teacher if your “everyday” interactions become intentional and purposeful. We will discuss what powerful interactions are and how to use them, the steps to creating powerful interactions, and the benefits they have for everyone. This monthly Community of Practice is designed specifically for Family Child Care providers. This Community of Practice will be facilitated in collaboration with Darice Hancock and Trish Kite-Hannon. To learn more about this track and register, please contact Darice Hancock at [email protected].

Emergent Curriculum & Your Teaching Journey Community of Practice

  • Six-month Community of Practice: September 2022 - March 2023
  • Day and Time: Second Thursday of the month 9:30-11:30 am
  • Location: St. Joseph Children’s Home Child Development Center 2823 Frankfort Ave. Louisville, KY 40206 (map)
  • ECE-TRIS credit approved
  • Cost: Free

Description: This six-part community of practice will offer insights and inspiration into how learning begins and continues throughout one's teaching journey. Early childhood educators need mentors-to cheer them on in their professional work and to help them remember the joys and inspirations in our field. Join the monthly in-person Emergent Curriculum Community of Practice to find a mentor or be a mentor! This Community of Practice is an invitation to think deeply and perhaps differently about curriculum and lesson planning from infancy through the pre-k years. These sessions aim to tackle the tough stuff of teaching. Over the next six months we will explore how play promotes learning for young children, how reflection changes the teaching experience, and how to implement emergent curriculum and authentic assessment in your early childhood settings. Wherever you are on your teaching journey, there will be a place for your growth, contribution, and collaboration within our community. This Community of Practice will be facilitated in collaboration with Cathy Ross and Lisa Branstetter. To learn more about this track and register, please contact Cathy Ross at [email protected].

In my first Community of Practice I learned that I am important and what I do is important. Childcare teachers do matter.
Preschool Teacher Training Attendee

I love having conversations with other teachers, hearing others’ perspectives on things.

Child Care Teacher Training Attendee

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.

Early Childhood Educator Community of Practice Participant