Iva’s Question Quest

Behind the Scenes with a Curriculum Coach

• Iva

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Ms. D, a curriculum coach at St. James Elementary School, shares her nine-year journey in education and why she transitioned from teaching to coaching. She reveals how her love for those "light bulb moments" when kids learn something new led her from coaching gymnastics to finding her true calling in education.

• Started as a gymnastics coach before spending seven years as a classroom teacher
• Originally considered careers as a vet, Olympic gymnast, and accountant before choosing education
• Moved into curriculum coaching to multiply her impact by helping teachers reach more students
• Daily responsibilities include classroom observations, planning meetings, providing feedback, and testing support
• Believes the most important aspect of her role is supporting teachers with their challenging workloads
• Commits to finding answers for teachers even when she doesn't immediately know them


Speaker 1:

Come with me on the adventures while we interview On the adventures of Iva's Question Quest. Hello, we are here today at St James Elementary School with Ms D, the curriculum coach. Hi, hello, ms D. Thank you for joining me today. Thank you for having me. How long have you been in education? How?

Speaker 2:

long have you been in education? I have been in education. This is my ninth year. I taught for seven years and this is my second year as a curriculum instructional coach.

Speaker 1:

Wow, what inspired you to become a teacher.

Speaker 2:

I always loved working with kids. I used to coach gymnastics for summer camp and also in classes, and I just loved seeing kids learn things and have that light bulb moment when things click, and so that got my mind going that teaching was going to be my career.

Speaker 1:

That's really cool, because when I was littler, I used to go to gymnastic. Yes, did you always want to be a teacher?

Speaker 2:

No, when I was younger, I wanted to be a vet, I wanted to be an Olympic gymnast, and as I got older, I thought about doing something in accounting and working with people with money and helping them manage accounts, and then I realized I wanted a job that I was going to get to do something fun and exciting every day, and so that's when I decided I wanted to work with kids.

Speaker 1:

Whoa, I know that you are not in the classroom anymore. What was your inspiration? To become a curriculum coach?

Speaker 2:

So I love helping my students in the classroom and I thought of the impact I could have working with teachers and with that the effect of helping a bunch of students and with that, the effect of helping a bunch of students. So I already had a mind of wanting to be in some sort of leadership role in a school, and so I just decided to go for it, and so in my second year I feel like I'm really enjoying it.

Speaker 1:

So you used to be a teacher, but you wanted to be a curriculum coach Mm-hmm. Yes to be a teacher, but you wanted to be a curriculum coach yes. What is your favorite thing about being?

Speaker 2:

a curriculum coach, helping teachers with everything. My day is always different. You see me running around the school. I could be in rooms seeing what teachers are teaching and give them some feedback. I can be in planning meetings with them and help with any questions they have about what they're teaching you all. Or I can be in planning meetings with them and give them new ideas and new things to think about for their teaching. Or I could be helping test students with math testing or end-of-year testing. I work with Dr Finkley and Ms Anderson and Mr Martell with anything that they need help with. With helping teachers, I'm just all over the building every day in different ways.

Speaker 1:

Whoa. What do you feel is the most important thing about being a curriculum coach?

Speaker 2:

Supporting teachers. Teaching sometimes can be hard. There's a lot of things on their plates, and so anything that they need help with in any way that I can make their jobs a little bit easier, I do so. I always tell them to come to me if they think of anything or have any questions, and if I don't know the answers because I don't always know the answers I find the answers for them.

Speaker 1:

Cool Today. Our shout-outs are to my mom, crystal, and to my brother and my grandma Kaiser and my grandma Cassie. Thank you for joining me today in our St James Interview Podcast. Bye.