Even Olympians Have Lifeguards
I grew up at the pool. By the time I was two, my parents had to special-order me a swimsuit with an inner tube sewn inside because I was fearless — sprinting to the water and leaping in whenever they turned their backs.
In high school and college, my favorite summer mornings started with swimming laps. I’d roll my eyes every time my mom stopped me: “You can’t swim if there’s no lifeguard on duty.”
“But I’m a really good swimmer,” I’d protest.
She’d smile and say, “Even Olympic swimmers have lifeguards.”
Years later, in 2022, headlines told the story of Anita Alvarez, a world-class swimmer who fainted during an Olympic qualifying meet and had to be pulled from the water by her coach and a lifeguard.
That same day, my mom sent me a text: "See — everyone needs a lifeline."
Teaching Shouldn’t Be a Solo Sport
In early childhood education, so many teachers are thrown in the deep end with no one watching the water. You’re expected to plan lessons, manage behavior, communicate with families, and meet each child’s needs, all while staying calm, creative, and caring.
It can feel like you’re treading water alone. And when something goes wrong, you can feel like you’re failing. But you’re not. You just need someone in your corner.
Coaching Leads to Better Outcomes
Just like Olympic swimmers have coaches to perfect their form and lifeguards to catch them if they slip under, teachers thrive when they have support. Research consistently shows that early childhood educators who receive coaching and mentorship improve their skills, feel more confident, and deliver better outcomes for children.
Research shows that coaching is one of the most effective ways to help teachers grow their skills and improve outcomes for children. A meta-analysis of 60 studies found that teachers who received coaching made significant improvements in instructional quality and student achievement, far greater than those who only attended workshops or traditional professional development (Kraft, Blazar, & Hogan, 2018).
Similarly, Joyce and Showers (2002) found that while workshops alone lead to about 10% of new skills transferring into daily practice, combining workshops with ongoing coaching and feedback boosts transfer rates to as high as 90%.
Because coaching ensures you have someone focused on you — your wins, your growth, your challenges, your needs.
Even the most experienced teachers benefit from having a coach in their corner to refine their practice, stay motivated, and continue to learn. And everyone deserve someone who sees their potential, challenges them to improve, and keeps them afloat on the hard days.
Your Lifeguard Is Here
That’s exactly why we built Classroom Coach. It’s a supportive, strengths-based tool designed to give early childhood educators the lifeline they need. With on-demand coaching, personalized growth plans, and a space to reflect and learn, Classroom Coach helps teachers feel seen, supported, and inspired to keep growing.
Because even when you’re already great at what you do, everyone benefits from having someone who has their back. You’re already making a difference every day. But you don’t have to do it alone.
Works Cited
Kraft, M. A., Blazar, D., & Hogan, D. (2018). The Effect of Teacher Coaching on Instruction and Achievement: A Meta-Analysis of the Causal Evidence. Review of Educational Research, 88(4), 547–588. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654318759268
Joyce, B., & Showers, B. (2002). Student Achievement Through Staff Development. ASCD.
Zaslow, M., Tout, K., Halle, T., Whittaker, J. V., & Lavelle, B. (2010). Toward the Identification of Features of Effective Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators: Literature Review. U.S. Department of Education.
