Overview
Pyramid Model and Coaching
Pyramid Model Consortium strives to support all components of high-quality implementation and one of the most important components is the utilization of coaching.
A coach is someone who guides another person to develop a new skill or build competence and expertise. Coaching is a partnership that occurs because both parties are willing and agree to work together.
Coaching is…
- A collaborative and iterative process
- Focused on building skills and competencies
- Reliant on observation and feedback
- Goal-directed
- Outcomes driven
We acknowledge that the term coach can be used in a number of different ways in early childhood settings. There are two types of coaches guiding Pyramid Model implementation: Program Implementation Coaches and Practitioner Coaches.
Explore the differences between Program Implementation Coaches and Practitioner Coaches
Program Implementation Coach
Program/Community Level
Provides coaching and guidance to the Program Leadership Team and Practitioner Coach.
Supports program-wide implementation.
Provides updates to the State Leadership Team about programs and their implementation needs and progress.
Practitioner Coach
Classroom Level
Uses Practice-Based Coaching (PBC) to support practitioners in their implementation of Pyramid Model practices.
Collaborates with practitioners to identify needs and set practice implementation goals.
Program Implementation Coaching
Role of the Program Implementation Coach
The Program Implementation Coach (PIC) has an important role in the statewide implementation and scale-up of the Pyramid Model.
- Coaches leadership teams (Program and Community) to implement the Pyramid Model program-wide or community-wide.
- Provides coaching and guidance to a program’s practitioner coach.
- Provides updates to the State Leadership Team (SLT) about the implementation needs and progress of communities and programs.
- During scale-up, the SLTs and PICs continue to focus on sustaining the high-quality implementation at all programs while scaling to new communities and programs.
As communities, states, and countries build cross-sector Pyramid Model implementation, the need for training PICs has become an important step in sustainability. PMC provides two layers of support for this level of coaching: training and on-going collaboration.
Program Implementation Coach Training Recommendations
Whether an individual is new to coaching or has been at it for years, we can provide guidance to becoming a Pyramid Model Program Implementation Coach.
To get started, PICs should attend a 2-part series (10-hour commitment) to learn about the role of the Program Implementation Coach in Pyramid Model implementation. Participants will discuss the basic components of implementation science and how it relates to the development of sustainable systems while also learning new strategies and skills to support the forming of implementation site leadership teams. Participants will also learn about the Early Childhood Benchmarks of Quality and identify strategies for its facilitation as they learn about each critical element in depth.
Program Implementation Coaches are also encouraged to participate in additional training to fully support Program-wide Implementation. The grid below outlines the training and professional development a PIC needs to support a program through implementation. This training schedule is typically completed in year one of implementation.
Program Implementation Coach training schedule by sector
| Preschool | Infant Toddler | Family Child Care Homes | Early Intervention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Program Coach Training | Program Coach Training | Program Coach Training | Program Coach Training |
| Preschool Modules | Infant Toddler Modules | Family Child Care Modules | Early Intervention Modules |
| Infant Toddler Module Overview | Preschool Module Overview | Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Families | |
| Practice-Based Coaching | Practice-Based Coaching | Practice-Based Coaching | Practice-Based Coaching |
| Data as a Foundation | Data as a Foundation | Data as a Foundation | Data as a Foundation |
| TPOT Reliability | TPITOS Reliability | Coming Soon! | EIPPFI |
| PIDS Training | PIDS Training | PIDS Training | PIDS Training |
| BIRS Training | BIRS Training | BIRS Training | |
| Program Coach Collaboration Calls | Program Coach Collaboration Calls | Program Coach Collaboration Calls | Program Coach Collaboration Calls |
| Approx. 12 Days of PD | Approx. 12 days of PD | Approx. 9 days of PD | Approx. 9 days of PD |
Other Pyramid Model professional development topics can be completed in addition to the trainings listed in the grid, but we recommend PICs complete these core trainings to support high-quality program-wide implementation.
Program Implementation Coach Collaboration Calls
Staying connected and collaborating with other coaches can make a major difference in the success in coaching a program around implementation. PMC offers communities, states, provinces, and countries the opportunity to host monthly calls with identified Program Implementation Coaches to continue professional development, problem-solving, reflection and a space to celebrate program successes. These 1-hour, monthly calls are facilitated by a National Consultant or Mentor Coach.
Practitioner Coaching
Role of the Practitioner Coach
Practitioner Coaches, sometimes called Instructional Coaches or Internal Coaches, use Practice-Based Coaching (PBC) to support practitioners in their implementation of Pyramid Model practices.
PBC is a cyclical process for guiding practitioners’ use of evidence-based practices for promoting positive child outcomes. Practice-based coaching involves the following components:
- collaborative partnerships
- shared goals and action planning
- focused observation
- reflection and feedback
Coaching Resources
Guided Action Planning
Coaching Tools
Group Coaching Approach
Training Modules
Videos & Webinars
General Resources
Coaching Across Settings
Practitioner Coaches can provide individual or group coaching to the programs or providers they support. The options below will allow you to explore additional resources to support your coaching efforts.
Group Coaching
Group Coaching is an effective and efficient way to deliver Practice-Based Coaching on Pyramid Model Practices in a group context.
Coaching for Early Intervention
Definitions of Early Intervention Practitioner Coaching Strategies
PMC offers Practice-Based Coach training for both Practitioners Coaches and Program Implementation Coaches.
Coaching Data
Coaching logs
Coaching logs support the data-decision component of coaching. These logs support both levels of coaching – Program and Practitioner.
Program Coaches
Classroom Coaching Contacts
Early Intervention Practitioner Coaching Contacts
The impact of coaching!
When you combine Discussion, Training, Practice, and Coaching you will see the use or practices in classrooms jump to 95% compared to only 5% when Coaching is not included in support to practitioners.
Mentor Coaching
An Extra Layer of Support!
Supporting Program Implementation Coaches (PICs) as they grow into mentorship roles is key to sustaining strong coaching practices across the Pyramid Model. This collection of tools helps states, programs, and PICs build effective mentoring relationships — from defining the mentor role itself, to structuring meaningful conversations with mentee PICs and the Leadership Teams they support. Resources include a sample PIC Mentor job description, agenda-planning guides for mentor and Leadership Team meetings, and sample agreements for establishing clear expectations at the outset of coaching and mentoring relationships. Each tool is designed as a flexible starting point, ready to be adapted to reflect the unique priorities and benchmarks of your program.
