Thriving Together: A Facilitator’s Guide to Nurturing a Community of Practice in Early Childhood

Professional learning is most effective when it is collaborative, reflective, and grounded in real-world experiences. Thriving Together: A Facilitator’s Guide to Nurturing a Community of Practice in Early Childhood is a practical, research-informed resource designed to help early childhood leaders, facilitators, coaches, and trainers create and sustain meaningful communities of practice (CoPs) that foster connection, shared learning, and lasting professional growth. Authors Kathi Gillaspy, EdD, and Nancy Goins, MA, draw on decades of experience in early childhood systems, technical assistance, and professional development to provide tools that support authentic collaboration and sustainable change.

Discover how to:

• Design and facilitate communities of practice that support meaningful adult learning
• Foster engagement, accountability, belonging, and shared leadership among participants
• Distinguish between communities of practice, professional learning communities (PLCs), and working teams and determine which structure best fits your goals

As a companion to the widely respected Growing Together, this essential guide offers actionable strategies for facilitating engagement, accountability, and shared leadership within adult learning communities. Whether you are leading a statewide initiative, mentoring educators, facilitating professional development, or supporting coaching and technical-assistance systems, Thriving Together offers the tools and insights needed to cultivate stronger professional learning communities across early childhood settings.