Welcome to Coach’s Corner

Coach’s Corner is a DIEEC blog dedicated to providing fresh ideas for your practice. Meghan Julia Pallante is our featured blogger and provides new content on a monthly basis.

Meghan is a quality improvement specialist and has been with DIEEC for over ten years. She holds a master’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Delaware.

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Six Reasons You Should Network…And Seven Ways DIEEC Can Help You Do It

October 2025

In today’s world, networking is important in any field. Connections with other professionals can provide endless opportunities. Networking can lead to camaraderie, a deeper knowledge of the field, and career advancement. Below are just some of the ways networking can benefit early childhood professionals.

Six Benefits of Networking

  1. Gain knowledge of community resources: Networking with local early childhood educators provides greater access to community resources that can strengthen your ability to support the families in your program. Your colleagues may be aware of helpful community agencies, services, and supports in your area. It is also a great way for educators to share their practical experiences and insights about working with different agencies.
  2. Discover professional development opportunities: Through networking, educators can share valuable information about virtual and in-person professional development opportunities. You can seek out networks of educators working with similar age groups to get recommendations for specific courses or trainings. In turn, this helps you choose relevant, high-quality opportunities for your own growth and learning.
  3. Build essential camaraderie: The importance of being able to share both the good and the bad experiences of caring for and educating young children cannot be overstated. Support from other professionals provides fresh perspectives, helps to combat burnout, and creates a sense of belonging. Running a program can feel isolating for family child care (FCC) educators in particular; connecting with peers helps create the feeling of having “co-workers” to share ideas and challenges with. Similarly, it is important for center administrators to connect with their peers.
  4. Find inspiration and re-energize your work: Connecting with other professionals in the field can help re-energize your passion for the important work you do with young children. Hearing stories and successes from across the field reminds educators of the impact of their work, and a shared sense of purpose can sustain motivation during challenging periods.
  5. Establish mentorship: Seeking out peers with different levels of experience in the field is important for both new and experienced educators. Those who have more experience and education can serve as mentors for newer educators, guiding them through early challenges. Newer educators can learn so much from those who have been in the field for a long time; but they may also have a lot to share, including fresh ideas and current academic knowledge.
  6. Advocacy: Strength in numbers is essential for advocating for the early childhood profession and the work we do. Sharing information and staying current on policies, workforce needs and legislative changes can lead to better outcomes for both educators and children.

Not sure where to start building your own network? Here are seven ways DIEEC and our partners can help you connect with your colleagues in the early childhood field.

Networking with DIEEC and Beyond

  • Professional learning experience (PLE) cohorts: PLE cohorts provide opportunities to do a deep dive into a specific topic alongside a group of educators. This may include multiple classes/coaching sessions over an extended time period. Participating in a cohort allows you to build more sustained relationships with colleagues focused on a shared area of growth.
  • DIEEC’s annual 1st State Family Child Care Conference: FCC educators can come together for a full day of targeted professional development. Attendees participate in workshops, hear a keynote address, and have plenty of opportunities to network with other FCC educators. (Registration for the 2025 conference is closed, but you can check out our website and plan to join us next year!)
  • Monthly Leader Link-Up meetings for program administrators. Hosted by DIEEC, these monthly one-hour meetings provide an opportunity to connect, share inspiration, and gain practical strategies. Fill out the interest form to receive a Zoom link for the next meeting!
  • Resource centers: Check out local resource centers for educators. Currently, there are centers in Wilmington, Dover, and Georgetown.
  • Family Child Care Network meetings: DIEEC offers regular network meetings in both virtual and in-person formats that allow FCC educators to come together each month to share ideas and discuss current topics. In-person meetings are available in each county, and no registration is required.
  • Professional organizations offer ways to connect with early childhood educators outside of your local community. The organizations below offer membership opportunities and annual conferences.
  • Social media is another way to connect with educators through different groups or pages. DIEEC maintains an active Facebook page where we share news and opportunities in the field.

We’ll leave you with one bonus reason to network: Sharing your successes! Millions of children are impacted by the commitment of early childhood educators, and that is something that should be celebrated every day!

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