Whole Teacher, Whole Child

Teacher retention and child outcomes are two of the most pressing and interconnected challenges facing early childhood leaders today. For school, Head Start, and program leaders, the pressure to stabilize the workforce while also demonstrating measurable child growth continues to intensify. This webinar explores how a “whole child, whole teacher” approach can help address both.

Supporting the whole teacher—through aligned professional learning, coaching, and meaningful support—creates the conditions for children to thrive.

Led by Dr. Nicol Russell, Chief Academic Officer at Teaching Strategies, this session will explore a multi-year randomized controlled trial conducted by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER).¹ The study found that when curriculum, assessment, and professional learning are aligned, programs see measurable improvements in teacher retention, educator experience, teacher well-being, and child development.

• Understand how teacher retention, teacher well-being, and child outcomes are directly connected
• Explore how supporting the whole teacher strengthens workforce stability
• Identify practical ways to support both educator well-being and instructional quality
• Connect research findings to real-world leadership decisions and program strategy

¹ Works Cited:
Nores, M., Harmeyer, E., & Barnett, W.S. (2026). Teaching Strategies’ Creative Curriculum Implementation and Ecosystem Engagement Study (CCIEE). Research report. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research.