Our Solutions
FIND the right path for you
The Stanford FIND Learning Pathways are structured to support growth from foundational knowledge to transformational coaching. Whether you're a first-time educator or a network leader looking to scale coaching across sites, we offer an entry point that fits.
Professional development is a requirement—Stanford FIND takes it to another level by offering a complete professional development journey that's more than just courses. Each pathway is designed to meet you where you are and support your continued growth. The pathways are independent from each other but we recommend taking them in order.
Explorer
Free resources to build awareness
What it is: The Explorer Pathway offers free introductory content designed to raise awareness of responsive caregiving and serve and return interactions. Explorer provides accessible, science-based resources to help you understand the power of everyday interactions.
Who it's for: Explorer is for everyone who cares about children—parents, family members, educators, childcare providers, administrators, and community members. If you want to learn more about how simple, everyday interactions build young brains, Explorer is your starting point.
How to get started: Sign up for our monthly newsletter to receive free resources, research updates, course announcements, and practical strategies for strengthening responsive interactions in your home, classroom, or community.
Foundations
Research-based courses that build understanding and transform practice
What it is: Foundations is a strengths-based, online, self-paced training designed for early childhood educators who want to enhance their positive interactions with children. Built on decades of research, Foundations helps you build on your existing capabilities with practical strategies to enhance responsive interactions, support child development, and reduce challenging behaviors. Learn the core concepts of serve and return interactions that shape children's learning, behavior, and brain development. Ready to deepen your skills?
What makes Foundations different:
- Brief, engaging modules - Courses are broken down into short modules that fit into your busy schedule. Each module includes reflection questions, practice prompts, checks for understanding, and a downloadable toolkit.
- Real videos, real learning - Every course features authentic classroom footage. See real educators engaging with real children, making the content relatable and immediately applicable.
- Strengths-based approach - We don't focus on what's wrong. Foundations celebrates what you're already doing well and shows you how to build on those strengths.
- Available in English and Spanish - All five courses are offered in both English and Spanish, ensuring accessibility for diverse educators.
- Recognized professional development - Participants receive certificates of completion from Stanford University. Clock hours are available in select states—contact us to learn about recognition in your state.
The five courses:
Course 1: Serve & Return Interactions (1.5 Hours)
- Why Early Caregiver-Child Interactions Matter
- Introducing Serve & Return Interactions
- Unlocking a Child's Potential Through a Strengths-Based Approach and Shared Focus
Course 2: Responding in Developmentally Supportive Ways (1.5 Hours)
- Supporting and Encouraging
- The Power of Naming
- Using Positive Reinforcement to Shape Children's Behavior
Course 3: Extending Serve & Return Interactions (1.5 Hours)
- Back and Forth Interactions
- Endings and Beginnings
- The Importance of Waiting
Course 4: Getting Ahead of Challenging Behaviors (2.0 Hours)
- Routines: The Power of Knowing What Comes Next
- Guiding Children with Clear Directions and Avoiding Power Struggles
- Using Pre-Teaching and Encouragement to Support Children
Course 5: Responsive Strategies to Challenging Behaviors—What to Do in the Moment (2.0 Hours)
- Behavior is Communication: What Are Children Trying to Tell You?
- Your Attention Matters: What You Focus on Grows
- Find the Right Balance: Setting Limits and Building Strong Relationships
Professional development credit: Stanford FIND Foundations courses may qualify for state-approved clock hours, professional development hours, or CEUs. Contact us to learn about recognition in your location.
Who it's for: Early childhood professionals and anyone working directly with young children who want to strengthen their interaction skills.
What educators are saying:
"I really really loved the layout of this course! It was so easy to take on my phone and kept me engaged the entire time. The information was also so amazing! I'm going to have my director encourage my coworkers to take this course!"
"It gives useful practice information to teachers/caregivers. I liked that what I was learning about is something I already do and it gave more in depth to the why and the videos showed clear examples."
How to access Foundations:
For programs and organizations:
Contact us to discuss options for your team. Volume pricing is available, and we'll work with you to design the right rollout plan for your organization.
Reflections
Self-guided video reflection to enhance responsive practices
What it is: FIND Reflections is a structured, self-guided experience that helps educators use video to reflect on their own interactions with children. Designed to supplement the Foundations courses, Reflections allows you to film everyday moments, identify your strengths, and deepen your awareness of responsive practices—all within a supportive, scaffolded process that requires no external coach or partners.
How it works: Using our secure video platform, you'll record interactions with children in your care and reflect using structured prompts. You'll receive personalized videos that showcase instances of your positive, responsive interactions—moments you might not have noticed in real time.
What you'll gain:
- See yourself in action and recognize your strengths
- Notice patterns in how children respond to your interactions
- Build awareness of serve and return moments throughout your day
- Set goals for continued growth based on what's already working
Why video reflection? Video captures details we miss in the moment. By watching yourself interact with children, you can notice the small, powerful exchanges that build relationships and support development. Our platform's AI-powered tools help identify and highlight these moments, making reflection efficient and affirming.
Who it's for: Early childhood professionals who want to go deeper than coursework alone. Currently available through organizational licensing only.
Get started: Interested in bringing FIND Reflections to your program or organization? Contact us to learn more.
Collaboration
Join a learning community to share videos, reflect with peers, and discuss practice
What it is: FIND Collaboration is designed for peer learning and professional communities. This pathway supports educators in sharing video, discussing teaching moments, and building a shared language around responsive care. Ideal for professional learning communities (PLCs), learning circles, or cohort-based professional development models.
How it works: Collaboration adds guided reflections where educators record their own interactions and engage in structured discussions with peers. Using our secure video platform, participants:
- Share videos of their practice with colleagues
- Reflect together using structured prompts and discussion guides
- Celebrate strengths and learn from each other's experiences
- Build a supportive community focused on continuous improvement
Each participant receives personalized edited highlight reels showcasing their responsive interactions, and the group engages in meaningful dialogue about what they're seeing and learning.
The power of peer learning: Research shows that peer-based reflection and collaborative learning can be as powerful as individual coaching—especially when supported by video and structured protocols. Collaboration creates space for educators to learn from each other's successes, problem-solve together, and build a culture of continuous improvement.
Who it's for: Groups of early childhood professionals who want to learn together. This pathway works well for teaching teams, center-wide professional development, coaching cohorts, or any group committed to reflecting on and improving their practice collectively. Currently available through organizational licensing only.
Get started: Interested in bringing FIND Collaboration to your team or learning community? Contact us to discuss implementation, facilitation support, and licensing options.
Coaching
Personalized coaching that builds on your strengths
What it is: FIND Coaching is a strengths-based, video-powered coaching model designed for early childhood educators and caregivers who want to enhance their positive interactions with children. FIND Coaching is designed flexibly to be delivered in a combination of different modalities (in-person or online – in real-time or self-paced), making it accessible and flexible for all professionals.
How it works: FIND Coaching includes six cycles of personalized coaching, focused on unique elements of Serve and Return interactions. Using our secure video platform, you'll:
- Record videos of your interactions with children in your care
- Receive structured, FIND videos showcasing your responsive practices aligned with each cycle's focus
- Engage in guided reflection activities
- Receive personalized, strengths-based feedback from a trained FIND Coach
- Set goals and apply strategies to your daily routines
- Each cycle builds on the previous one, deepening your understanding and strengthening your skills over time.
What makes FIND coaching unique:
- Strengths-based - We focus on what you're already doing well and how to build on it. Every FIND video celebrates your responsive moments, making coaching affirming and motivating.
- Self-paced option available - No scheduling headaches or classroom disruptions. Record videos on your schedule, receive feedback from a coach when it's convenient, and reflect at your own pace.
- Personalized FIND video - See yourself in action through a video that showcases your best moments with children—interactions you might not have noticed in real time.
- Expert feedback - Work with a trained FIND Coach who provides specific, actionable feedback tailored to your unique context and goals.
- Research-backed - The FIND coaching model has been proven effective in randomized controlled trials, with measurable impacts on educator practice and child outcomes.
Who it's for: Early childhood educators and caregivers—including teachers, home-based providers, and parents—who want personalized support to enhance their interactions with children. Coaching is built to strengthen your existing capabilities with practical strategies that fit seamlessly into your routines.
Get started: Interested in FIND Coaching for your organization? Contact us to learn more about coaching options, pricing, and how to get started.
Coach Training
Build in-house coaching capacity to scale FIND across your system
What it is: The Coach Training Pathway is a scalable train-the-trainer model that enables organizations, agencies, and systems to build in-house coaching capacity using the Stanford FIND model. Rather than relying on external coaches indefinitely, you can certify your own staff to deliver high-quality, research-backed coaching across your sites.
How it works: We train and certify your coaches through a comprehensive program that includes:
- Foundational training in the FIND model and Serve and Return interactions
- Coaching skills development with video-based practice
- Certification in the FIND coaching protocol
- Access to our secure video coaching technology and platform
- Ongoing support, resources, and quality assurance
- Structured implementation guidance and troubleshooting
Your coaches will learn to use our platform, provide strengths-based feedback, create personalized videos, and guide educators through the coaching cycles—all while maintaining fidelity to the research-backed FIND model.
What's included:
- Comprehensive coach training - Your coaches receive thorough preparation in the FIND model, coaching best practices, and video-based feedback techniques.
- Technology access - Full access to our secure video coaching platform, including tools for video upload, FIND video creation, and communication with coachee.
- Certification - Coaches who complete the program receive Stanford FIND Coach Certification, a recognized credential demonstrating their expertise.
- Implementation support - We provide resources, guides, and ongoing consultation to ensure successful rollout and sustained quality.
- Customizable options - We work with you to design the right model for your context, including white-label options, customized onboarding, and flexible pacing. We can also work together to fit the model to your delivery needs for coaching, with options for in-person or online coaching (self-paced or in real-time).
- Scale without losing quality: One of the biggest challenges in scaling coaching is maintaining fidelity and quality. The FIND model was designed from the beginning for scalable delivery through technology. Our platform ensures that every coach delivers consistent, high-quality feedback aligned with research-backed practices.
By building your own team of certified FIND Coaches, you can:
- Reduce long-term costs compared to contracting external coaches
- Build internal expertise and leadership capacity
- Sustain coaching infrastructure beyond grant funding cycles
- Customize implementation to fit your organizational culture and goals
Who it's for: This pathway is ideal for:
- State early childhood systems and registries
- Multi-site childcare organizations and franchises
- Head Start and Pre-K programs
- National professional development providers
- Child Care Resource & Referral agencies (CCR&Rs)
- Coaching and technical assistance networks
If you're ready to scale quality improvement across multiple sites or build sustainable coaching infrastructure, Coach Training is your solution.
Volume pricing and collaboration options: We offer flexible licensing, volume-based pricing, and collaboration structures tailored to your needs. Whether you're a single agency or a statewide system, we'll work with you to build a sustainable model that fits your budget and scale.
Get started: Ready to build coaching capacity across your organization? Contact us to schedule a consultation and learn more.
Not sure which pathway is right for you? Contact us and we'll help you find the best fit.