First 5 Santa Clara County‘s Family Resource Centers are community settings where children, parents, and caregivers learn and grow together. Dedicated, caring staff and volunteers support families and help ensure that children are happy, healthy, and prepared for school and life. Our SEEDS of Learning™ for Family Child Care professional learning framework was piloted in First 5 Santa Clara County in 2012 and has been in use ever since.
In this blog we share insights about the use and effectiveness of SEEDS at First 5 Santa Clara County, taken from focus-group findings conducted by Applied Survey Research, a third-party organization.
First 5 Santa Clara County was a pioneer in moving through the SEEDS Gradual Release of Responsibility, a process designed to meet the needs of diverse partners while maintaining consistency and fidelity to the proven SEEDS model. The four phases gradually shift the cognitive load from SEEDS staff to internal, SEEDS-trained coaches and instructors in a purposeful and progressive pattern.
Every family childcare provider in the First 5 system is teamed with a SEEDS-trained coach to facilitate and utilize SEEDS strategies throughout the day.
Coaches support providers throughout their work, customizing approaches to meet the needs of each child in their care and ensuring their young charges will be ready for the next chapter in their literacy journey.
Focus Groups Gather Insights into SEEDS
In 2023-24, First 5 Santa Clara County engaged Applied Survey Research to conduct focus groups with coaches who were using the SEEDS framework, gather insight into the effectiveness of the work, and offer recommendations that would inform future planning.
“SEEDS has empowered me to be a better teacher and love my job.”
Program Participant, First 5 Santa Clara County
What First 5 Santa Clara County Family Childcare Providers Say About SEEDS
When family childcare providers and assistants were asked for feedback, there was overall agreement on the benefit of SEEDS, with children leaving the First 5 program knowing how to write their names and recognize numbers, letters, and colors, as well as possessing an enriched vocabulary.
Parents have expressed delight in how much their children are learning and enjoying the SEEDS materials, including their appreciation that children can also be taught in Spanish.
Family childcare providers and assistants note that formal training in early childhood education or background knowledge in child development is not necessary to benefit from the SEEDS framework, as it provides the necessary foundation and guidance to effectively work with and teach children.
Coaching was listed as a critical source of support and guidance, providing interpersonal connection and suggestions on implementation, and driving accountability.
“All of the components are helpful. Access to the coach has been the biggest plus for me.”
Program Participant, First 5 Santa Clara County
Feedback on In-Person and Virtual SEEDS Trainings
Coaches shared their thoughts on the benefits and drawbacks of in-person and virtual sessions.
Survey results showed that while both were productive ways for coaches to guide providers, in-person sessions allowed coaches to see and give feedback on the provider’s entire work area, promoted better personal connection than through virtual visits through a relaxed, less formal environment, and enabled coaches to give more effective feedback and support via “in the moment” opportunities.
Conversely, coaches appreciated the increased accessibility and flexibility offered by virtual coaching sessions. Not having to commute to various locations allowed them to save on fuel expenditures and time in their day. Coaches also appreciated that the virtual sessions allowed more providers to attend, as not all have the transportation means to attend in-person events.
Coaches believe that current training materials help them support SEEDS family childcare providers, highlighting the manual and specific tangible items such as flashcards as particularly beneficial.
Observation protocols and the data dashboard were also listed as valuable elements to track and measure accountability, observations, and achievement of goals. Ongoing professional development and learning communities are appreciated by coaches to increase effectiveness and share resources, strategies, challenges, and achievements.
“Continue [SEEDS] because it works, kids learn, and it has added a lot to our classroom area.”
Program Participant, First 5 Santa Clara County
A Powerful Partnership
Collaborative Classroom is tremendously grateful to First 5 Santa Clara County’s administrators and system of family childcare providers, coaches, and assistants for their ongoing support and implementation of SEEDS.
We look forward to continuing and strengthening our partnership to expand the impact of SEEDS on children, families, educators, and communities within the First 5 Santa Clara County organization.
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Read about the SEEDS of Learning professional learning framework.
Explore the evidence base: SEEDS was validated in a rigorous randomized control trial (RCT) study.