My partner is currently studying childhood development so we’ve been discussing that sort of thing a lot over the kitchen table recently.  I came across a study this morning that interested us both.  It was an exploration of the benefits to both individuals and society of exceptional pre-school education.

You can find out more about the study via the link above, but the general gist is that excellent pre-school education delivers numerous benefits, both in the start children make to their school life, and also much further down the road into their adult life.

The part that stuck out for me however was the critical role that teachers were playing in the success or otherwise of children at this stage.  The report found that teachers who delivered best practice methods were significantly better than those that didn’t, and there was a critical role to play in this process for mentoring and coaching teachers.

A key pathway to quality is supporting teachers in their implementation of instructional approaches through coaching or mentoring. The evidence indicates that coaching or mentoring teachers on how to implement content-rich and engaging curricula can increase stimulating and supportive interactions as well as boost children’s skills.

It got me thinking about the role social business can play in this process.  Through Jitka’s work, I’m well aware that healthcare professionals have social networks where they can engage with their peers and find support in tacit ways.  As far as I’m aware however, no such support network exists for pre-school teachers and staff.

Given the crucial role they play, maybe that’s a gap in the market that needs filling.