Coaching Coaches to Guide Classroom Implementation of Pyramid Model Practices

Identifying effective professional development related to providing social–emotional support in early childhood classrooms is a critical need. We used a multiple probe across participants and behaviors design to examine the impact of external coaching support on classroom coaches’ use of coaching strategies with teachers in childcare programs. As secondary measures, we assessed the implementation of the Pyramid Model using a standardized tool and teachers’ perceptions of children’s engagement and behavior. Two classroom coaches increased their implementation of two Practice-Based Coaching components: (a) collaboration and planning and (b) reflection and feedback. Results from secondary measures were inconclusive. Our study extends the professional development research by focusing on increasing the implementation fidelity of evidence-based coaching strategies to improve teachers’ use of social–emotional teaching practices in early childhood classrooms.