January 20, 2015 Emerging Leader Award Review Panel Child Care ...
Educational Consultant
January 20, 2015 Emerging Leader Award Review Panel Child Care Exchange Dear Reviewers, I’m pleased to write this letter of recommendation for Monica Brinkerhoff who has been nominated for the Exchange Press Emerging Leaders Award. I first met Monica in 2013 in Arizona during a project with Quality First/First Things First. I was a member of the consulting team facilitating learning about Powerful Interactions with coaches and supervisors. Monica’s leadership stance was immediately apparent as she posed analytic questions during workshops and helped others to make connections. She has a unique ability to make connections and integrate different research and conceptual frameworks. She is a voracious reader with deep knowledge about early care and education principles and practices. She is committed to issues related to diversity and equity and applies her extensive knowledge base in everything she does. I got to know Monica better as I began working closely with the United Way of Tucson and asked her to contribute her ideas about coaching in our e-‐book, Coaching with Powerful Interactions. From my extensive interactions with her, I witnessed how she applies knowledge and experience with passion for high quality early childhood education to improve teaching in her community and state. She has deep knowledge of early childhood practice and excellent insights about effective strategies to support adult learners. Monica skillfully uses the book Powerful Interactions: How Teachers Connect with Children to Extend Learning with teachers from multiple Districts and types of classrooms. Her enthusiasm for the book inspires excitement in others and leads to their willingness to try out new strategies in their classrooms. As a coach, she is a learning partner, encouraging teachers to take risks, try out ideas, and learn from their own mistakes. Too often coaches are “fixers” and meet with resistance from teachers. Monica’s collaborative leadership style inspires openness and motivation. In her role as Community of Practice (COP) Coordinator, critical to her success as a coach and learning facilitator was Monica’s ability to draw upon her prior experiences as teacher and Director. An important aspect of leadership perspective taking: Monica could literally put herself in the shoes of the teachers she was working with because she had been there. Monica is a systems thinker who has had first hand experience all levels of the systems in
500 Melrose Place
South Orange, NJ 07079
973.761.4118
[email protected]
judyjablon.com
Educational Consultant
which teachers work. This enables her to communicate effectively when coaching teachers supporting them in the change process. Monica is an exemplary leader with passion, curiosity, intelligence, and empathy. The field of early care and education is fortunate to have someone like Monica as a leader and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to be her colleague and friend. It is with pleasure that I recommend Monica for this award. Judy Jablon
500 Melrose Place
South Orange, NJ 07079
973.761.4118
[email protected]
judyjablon.com
January 20, 2015 Emerging Leader Award Review Panel Child Care Exchange Dear Reviewers, I’m pleased to write this letter of recommendation for Monica Brinkerhoff who has been nominated for the Exchange Press Emerging Leaders Award. I first met Monica in 2013 in Arizona during a project with Quality First/First Things First. I was a member of the consulting team facilitating learning about Powerful Interactions with coaches and supervisors. Monica’s leadership stance was immediately apparent as she posed analytic questions during workshops and helped others to make connections. She has a unique ability to make connections and integrate different research and conceptual frameworks. She is a voracious reader with deep knowledge about early care and education principles and practices. She is committed to issues related to diversity and equity and applies her extensive knowledge base in everything she does. I got to know Monica better as I began working closely with the United Way of Tucson and asked her to contribute her ideas about coaching in our e-‐book, Coaching with Powerful Interactions. From my extensive interactions with her, I witnessed how she applies knowledge and experience with passion for high quality early childhood education to improve teaching in her community and state. She has deep knowledge of early childhood practice and excellent insights about effective strategies to support adult learners. Monica skillfully uses the book Powerful Interactions: How Teachers Connect with Children to Extend Learning with teachers from multiple Districts and types of classrooms. Her enthusiasm for the book inspires excitement in others and leads to their willingness to try out new strategies in their classrooms. As a coach, she is a learning partner, encouraging teachers to take risks, try out ideas, and learn from their own mistakes. Too often coaches are “fixers” and meet with resistance from teachers. Monica’s collaborative leadership style inspires openness and motivation. In her role as Community of Practice (COP) Coordinator, critical to her success as a coach and learning facilitator was Monica’s ability to draw upon her prior experiences as teacher and Director. An important aspect of leadership perspective taking: Monica could literally put herself in the shoes of the teachers she was working with because she had been there. Monica is a systems thinker who has had first hand experience all levels of the systems in
500 Melrose Place
South Orange, NJ 07079
973.761.4118
[email protected]
judyjablon.com
Educational Consultant
which teachers work. This enables her to communicate effectively when coaching teachers supporting them in the change process. Monica is an exemplary leader with passion, curiosity, intelligence, and empathy. The field of early care and education is fortunate to have someone like Monica as a leader and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to be her colleague and friend. It is with pleasure that I recommend Monica for this award. Judy Jablon
500 Melrose Place
South Orange, NJ 07079
973.761.4118
[email protected]
judyjablon.com
