Community of Practice

What is a Community of Practice (CoP)?

Learn all about it with this Infographic! 

Communities of Practice (CoP) are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly. A community of practice is meant to strengthen teamwork, reduce feelings of professional isolation, improve professional practice, and provide personal growth for members. Communities of Practice provide ongoing and individualized support that actively engages practitioners even after formal sessions are over. Gillaspy, K., Vinh, M. E., Surbrook-Goins, N., & Nichols, S. (2019)

Current CoP Opportunities:

Early CHOICES hosts several CoPs on topics such as a leadership, practice based coaching for inclusion, and high quality inclusive practices.  These CoPs are open to programs with which we have a signed collaborative agreement to improve access to inclusion. To learn more you can reach out through email at inclusion@eclre.org

In 2023-24 we are also offering What Makes Inclusion Work.

Building a sustainable inclusive early childhood program requires a collaborative effort among stakeholders. This series guides participants in facilitated inquiry regarding key practices that support inclusive schools, as identified in the What Makes Inclusion Work framework and associated resources.

Previous Communities of Practice

Community of Practice for Professional Development Providers

This cross-systems group of professional development providers met regularly to collaborate and delve into practices related to inclusion.  Virtual gatherings focused on sharing knowledge and creating strategies to support inclusion of all young children.  Read the evaluation report to learn all about the 2021 COP: Inclusion for PD Providers.