My Why for Coaching
Every year, on the first day of school, I share my Mission Statement with my new class of students:
Mrs. Ward’s Mission:
To change the world from my classroom at Bullitt Lick Middle School.
I read it from the slide in my introductory PowerPoint and then I stop and scan my audience. The students read along and then they peer at me skeptically. I am sure as they look me up and down their first thought is, ‘what could this lady possibly do to change the world in a classroom in the middle of Shepherdsville, Kentucky?’. The moment continues awkwardly for some time and by looking at their faces I can tell that at this point they have already determined that I do not look like world changing material.
And then it happens!
Slowly at first, and then faster and faster, I begin to see the confused faces across the room brighten with the realization that my plan of changing the world includes them. With that simple Mission Statement students understand from day one that I see them as “World Changers” and it sets the stage for the whole year. As we spend more time together, and they get to know me better, they know my Mission Statement shapes my beliefs about our class.
I believe in the work we are doing each day in our class.
I believe that confusion and mistakes make us smarter.
I believe we can complete high rigor work together.
But most importantly, I believe in each and every one of them!
It is that belief system that gave me purpose in everything that I did in my classroom and it continues to shape my work today as an Instructional Coach working with teachers. Together, the teachers I work with and I are creating the future through each and every student that comes into our care. All of them have the ability to change the world, whether it is the world of their family, their community, or on a global level, and they need us to help them reach their full potential.
Teaching is a profession full of purpose. The lessons we teach, the skills we instill, the way we make our students feel while they are in our care shapes our future just as much as it shapes their future. It is a daunting reality to say the least, but it is definitely something we can do when we work together. I believe that coaching is all about giving teachers the support they need to create ‘World Changers’ in each of their classrooms.