ELP Virtual Instructional Coach Pool
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Indiana VICS
Indiana VICS
ELA
L.Shiveley
SPARC- Supportive, Purposeful , and Reflective Coaching Elementary/Middle
Why Coaching is Important to Me
Coaching is important to me because I want to help teachers be their best to ensure they can give students an optimal learning environment that provides relationship-building, collaboration, strong management, and differentiation.
My Approach to Motivation
My approach to coaching is to ask teachers to discuss how they thought instruction went during class. I want the teachers to recognize the strengths and challenges that came about. What would they do differently and why? What would they keep the same and why? Depending on the quality of their reflection, I could offer tidbits of supportive feedback.
Indiana VICS
Special Education
L.Nellis
_Elementary/Middle/High School
Why Coaching is Important to Me
Everyone needs a coach. We can all benefit from someone who helps provide guidance in situations or simply a listening ear to talk through things. If new teachers are provided support early in their careers, their passion and skill set for teaching can be better honed and executed.
My Approach to Motivation
In order to motivate someone you have to find their way and try to feed it. Whether it is praise, compliments, or just acknowledgment....as a coach it is my job to build rapport with my mentee and through that relationship, discover what motivates him/her.
A.Oldham
_Elementary
Why Coaching is Important to Me
Coaching is very important to me. There is only so much one can learn from books and short field experiences. It is not until one gets into their own classroom that situations arise and you need someone to bounce ideas off of or to encourage you. Coaching helps guide the teacher into formulating their own ideas. A coach may be experiencing or has experienced some of the same struggles that the teacher may be having. Coaching is also a cheerleader for the teacher. It is helping the new teacher understand and see that small successes are as important as one big one.
My Approach to Motivation
As a coach, I would approach motivation in several different ways. First, is getting to know the teacher: their likes and dislikes, and who they are as a person. I would next listen and praise even the smallest accomplishment. I would encourage them to see these small accomplishments lead to a much larger goal. I would also encourage the teacher that they should not judge themselves against a teacher who has taught for many years. Like I tell my students to use the phrase: I just haven't gotten (whatever the situation or problem is) it YET. Sometimes they just need to hear that they are doing something right and it is okay to have a lesson that doesn't quite make it. It is the reflection and change that makes you a better teacher.
L.Shiveley
SPARC- Supportive, Purposeful , and Reflective Coaching Elementary
Why Coaching is Important to Me
Coaching is important to me because I want to help teachers be their best to ensure they can give students an optimal learning environment that provides relationship-building, collaboration, strong management, and differentiation.
My Approach to Motivation
My approach to coaching is to ask teachers to discuss how they thought instruction went during class. I want the teachers to recognize the strengths and challenges that came about. What would they do differently and why? What would they keep the same and why? Depending on the quality of their reflection, I could offer tidbits of supportive feedback.
Indiana VICS
Elementary Education
E.Bangel
A seasoned teacher, mentor, friend, and coach excited to spark the joy of teaching and learning in education! General Education
Why Coaching is Important to Me
Instructional coaching for new teachers is so important for many reasons. It is important to be because it combines professional learning with collaborative development. It is also important to me because I truly want to empower new educators to make a difference with their students! By fostering a trusting and growth-oriented relationship coaching can lead to continuous improvement, but also the overall advancement of teaching quality and student achievement.
My Approach to Motivation
As a coach, I typically approach motivation with multiple methods. I like to create a positive environment from the start and recognize teacher strengths. I prefer to break down larger goals into smaller goals and celebrate the progress made towards reaching them. Acknowledging challenges and setbacks is a normal part of the coaching process and it should be seen as turning obstacles into opportunities for growth. Above all, I believe supportive feedback that offers a growth mindset where mistakes are seen as stepping stones rather than failures. Ultimately, my motivation approach would be centered around creative supportive, and empowering partnerships.
L.Shiveley
SPARC- Supportive, Purposeful , and Reflective Coaching General Education
Why Coaching is Important to Me
Coaching is important to me because I want to help teachers be their best to ensure they can give students an optimal learning environment that provides relationship-building, collaboration, strong management, and differentiation.
My Approach to Motivation
My approach to coaching is to ask teachers to discuss how they thought instruction went during class. I want the teachers to recognize the strengths and challenges that came about. What would they do differently and why? What would they keep the same and why? Depending on the quality of their reflection, I could offer tidbits of supportive feedback.
L.Noll
Wealth of experiences and willing to help in any way that I can.General Education
Why Coaching is Important to Me
Coaching is important to me because I want to set teachers up for success. I know how hard the first couple years of teaching can be and I want to help do my part. I am also aware of the burnout rate when teachers do not feel like they are supported and with the teacher shortages, we need as many good teachers as we can get and keep.
My Approach to Motivation
I will approach motivation by encouraging the teacher(s) to ask questions. I will offer any help that I am able to and follow up as needed. I will also ask questions about what is going well to let them focus as much as they can on the good.
J.Skillman
I am passionate about sharing my experiences, knowledge, and passion for teaching with other teachers!Gifted Education
Why Coaching is Important to Me
I really enjoyed being a VIC for the last two years! It is so nice to be able to work with teachers and coaches in other areas and learn new strategies for improving my craft! I also feel like this program really helped keep new teachers in the profession, which is a huge goal of mine!
My Approach to Motivation
In coaching the last two years, I have really learned to be a good listener and adapt my coaching to the mentee's needs. I have a plan of what I want to cover in the meeting, however, I will adapt as needed. A lot of times the mentees just need some simple tweaks or strategies to solve whatever issues come up. They sometimes just need to vent and listening and encouraging helps! I also make sure to put a positive spin on things even when they are tough. They need to see there are ups and downs but it is important to stay positive because things will get better and they are making a huge difference.
K.Osborn
I am a fun and energetic teacher of 31 years. I am always willing to learn/try new ways to motiviate my students.General Education
Why Coaching is Important to Me
I feel coaching is a very important part of becoming a teacher. Thirty-one years ago I was fresh out of college and honestly didn't know what I was doing. I joined a team that had 4 amazing veteran teachers who helped me more than I realized at the time. I learned so many of the little things you don't learn in college. For example, classroom management. How to handle one (or two, or three) students who don't behave but still want to do well in school. Also how to help the struggling student who is not at grade level and is too afraid to ask for help. These veteran teachers have all since retired and I am still good friends with them today because of the guidance and love they gave me as a beginning teacher. I want to pass on the experience and knowledge I have learned now that I am a veteran teacher. There's no better way to learn than to ask for guidance/help from those who have done it the longest.
My Approach to Motivation
In order to be a good coach you need to know your "player". What are their strengths? What do they want to work on? How do they best handle feedback? Motivation has come from within the player. They must want to do better for themselves. We as teachers are so ready to accomplish everything at once. Or as fast as we can. that approach is one thing at a time. Baby steps you might say. My goal would be to make them confident in what they are already doing well and build from there. There isn't a teacher anywhere who doesn't want to receive a positive word of what they are doing well in their classroom. We are just like the students we teach. We need praise to make it through the stressful days that every teacher has.
Indiana VICS
Mathematics
M.Colonis
I love to help teachers solve problems they face in the classroom!Middle/High School
Why Coaching is Important to Me
I am very passionate about supporting teachers new to education as they navigate their first few years in the profession. I realize that a disconnect exists between what students learn in institutes of higher education and the realities of classroom teaching. In order to address this in my realm of influence, I have worked with new teachers from very early in my career. By supporting teachers, they can more easily seek help and may not leave the profession in the first five years, but rather proceed with a fulfilling and successful career in education.
My Approach to Motivation
While teaching in California, I was trained by the New Teacher Project based out of the University of California, Santa Cruz, and served as a California Mentor Teacher. One of the most impactful things I learned and applied to my role as a coach to new teachers was the phases (anticipation, survival, disillusionment, rejuvenation, and reflection) of the New Teacher Cycle. This framework has helped me to encourage and motivate new teachers as they navigate the first few years in the classroom. I candidly share my experiences in each of these phases to help them visualize what the first year looks like. I have found that this motivation strategy helps novice teachers to understand that what they are experiencing is not unique to them. They find comfort in what they are experiencing, I have experienced, and what others also experience. By sharing stories, a collaboration takes place and novice teachers trust me and realize that I am genuine; therefore, they can be open and honest as they navigate the first years and openly seek help when needed.
V.Zimmer
I am a coach that is understanding, hardworking, and determined.High School
Why Coaching is Important to Me
Coaching and mentors are so important because it gives you the ability to talk through and bounce ideas off of another teacher who has gone through a similar situation in order to provide students with the best education and learning experience possible. I believe that the best way to grow as an educator is to talk with and learn from other educators. In my 15 years of teaching, I have worked alongside some great teachers and some teachers that struggle. I believe that all of those experiences allowed me to be a successful teacher. Coaching will allow me to share those experiences with new teachers and allow them to grow and develop into hardworking, confident, and lifelong learning teachers who love their job. My dream as a coach is to have the teachers I am coaching become coaches to future educators.
My Approach to Motivation
Communication is a big part of coaching. I want teachers to feel comfortable coming to me and talking about good and bad situations they are having. Through those conversations, I am always listening for ways to help that teacher as well as praise the good things they are doing. Teachers don't get praised enough and constructive criticism will help them grow and become successful. Setting goals and learning how to reach them is another big idea for me as well. If you don't have goals set for yourself, you have nothing to strive for. Reaching those goals allows you to feel that hard work has meaning.
Indiana VICS
Science
J.Anders
The word that sums me up as a coach is SUPPORTIVE, I'm here to help YOU in any way I can!High School
Why Coaching is Important to Me
Coaching is important to me for several reasons. First, it allows me to broaden my perspectives by interacting and collaborating with teachers not only in other buildings but also in other states. This is true both of the work done with my mentees as well as the online workshops with other VICs. It is also important to me because I can remember the amount of stress and the feelings of being overwhelmed when I first entered the teaching profession, and I want to help alleviate those feelings in new teachers if I can. I also feel like new teacher development is an area that, whether due to budget constraints or time issues, many schools no longer make a priority, so I feel that what we are doing with ELP is essential to support people new to this profession.
My Approach to Motivation
My approach to motivation is to be very open and collaborative. In my last experience as a VIC, I let my mentees dictate how often we should meet and tried to let them drive the discourse as much as possible. In almost every online meeting we had, we began with just a discussion of how things were going, sharing the experiences my mentees had since the last meeting, and sharing any thoughts or concerns they might have. We would then talk about how they could address any concerns that they expressed, sharing their thoughts about what went well, and maybe what could have been improved. I always ended my meeting sessions by asking my mentees if there was anything I could do for them. That is a significant motivation for me as a coach - I really want to be there for them; to be available as a resource for both pedagogy and practice. I see my role as an advocate for their success.
T.Plank
Great coaches/leaders find understanding and commonality with the people they are coaching. Agriculture/Horticulture/Landscaping/ Animal Science
Why Coaching is Important to Me
Being a Virtual Instruction Coach is important to me because I love my job and want to see new young Ag Teachers also find a love and passion for the job. Most agriculture teachers got into the profession because they love ag, but falling in love with being an ag teacher and the busy schedule it comes with can be challenging. I want to help those new teachers to not feel overwhelmed. When I look back to when I was a young teacher the things I worried about and focused on weren't the right things. Additionally, I had a mentor who didn't really offer me the help that I needed and I want to be a mentor/ Virtual Instruction Coach to help the next generation of Ag Teachers.
My Approach to Motivation
My approach to motivation is pretty simple. "Make it fun." It doesn't matter if you're a student or a teacher, if something you're doing isn't fun or enjoyable, then why would you want to do it!? As a teacher, you can have more fun by finding ways to make your life easier while also hitting the standards and having a fun, interactive classroom. Making connections with students helps to make classroom management easier and ultimately makes each day more fun. When you have fun at your job you usually end up loving your job. But how do we make the hard days fun? It all comes down to finding balance in and outside of the classroom.
Indiana VICS
Social Studies
R.Albright
If we aren’t having fun and creating some magic, we’re missing out on the best part of what it is to be a teacher!High School
Why Coaching is Important to Me
One of the most gratifying things in my career has been the ability to collaborate. I have grown so much through that—far more than traditional PLs. The profession is much stronger when newer teachers and those who have been in the profession longer work together to stir up the waters. The profession people are coming into today is a vastly different one. I am excited to work with teachers in such a way that they see this as a long-term profession.
My Approach to Motivation
It’s incredibly helpful for us to start with where a person is. Their personality. The things they look forward to. The things that they find an emotional and physical drains. Talking them through can generate a lot of insight. I think it is extremely beneficial to look at the strengths that an individual brings And to build on them; to explore the things which create dissatisfaction or concern and brainstorm solutions. This profession can hold so much more joy when we create some deliberate practices. One of the biggest things I have noticed is this: most teachers, particularly new teachers, are extraordinarily self-critical. That can be put into a proper perspective so that it does not sidetrack a great beginning teacher into thinking they cannot stay in the profession.