My Journey toward personalized coaching

It's been a little over 16 years since Sir Ken Robinson took to the Ted stage to deliver his Ted Talk, Do Schools Kill Creativity? Below is a link to the recording. If you have not watched it, I highly recommend doing so. To this day, it is the most watched Ted Talk of all time.

(https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_creativity?language=en)

I first learned of Robinson's Ted Talk as a graduate student completing a M.Ed. in cognitive sciences and instructional leadership. I will never forget the confidence with which he spoke as he criticized what he called the factory farm model of education that has been used in the United States since the days of the Industrial Revolution. For the roughly 20 minutes he spoke, he validated everything I had been feeling about the mainstream educational model.

My current educational philosophy evolved as a result of taking on a variety of teaching positions in four different states. With each new teaching position, I deepened my understanding of how people learn, how to trust in the learning process, and how traditional schools are not created to ensure all students succeed. I believe in a free and equitable education system. I am passionate about helping all people gain the skills needed to become life-long learners, innovative thinkers, and productive, happy, and healthy members of society. I also believe that the education system in the United States was never designed to truly be free and equitable for all, despite the many good, passionate, intelligent, and hardworking people who show up every day to do their best in a rigid system that prevents them from providing holistic educational experiences that all students need and deserve.

Early in my career, my spirit was crushed by the limitations I experienced as a result of the overcrowded and underfunded schools in which I taught. I became what some would call a job hopper, constantly leaving teaching jobs in search of more fulfilling ones. Over and over again I heard, "No place will be perfect. You can't have it all." These words didn't sit well with me. I knew in my heart that there was a place for me in education, but I was lost, and I needed to keep working hard to find where I belonged. I traveled from Wisconsin to Arizona to California to Illinois, testing out various educational environments in each place. What I found is that, although it felt like I was making changes, I was hopping around inside the same box, thinking I'd find something new. It took me many years, but I eventually found my way.

I started my teaching career in the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After a full year of student teaching, I decided I wanted to learn as much as I could about the various schools and educational programs offered in the district. The best way to do that was to become a full-time substitute teacher for MPS. For two years, I accepted day-to-day jobs in between long-term assignments lasting full semesters at high schools. At one point or another, over those two years, I worked in every single middle and high school in MPS. I noticed the variety in school cultures, sizes, policies, and procedures. I learned a lot in those two years. Being a substitute teacher at a large, urban school district required me to develop strong group management skills. I was proud that I, a very new and young looking teacher, was able to walk into any high school classroom and command attention and keep an orderly classroom. If the classrooms were quiet and orderly, I believed it meant I was successful as a teacher. I was especially proud that, as I saw it, I was also able to offer a welcoming, supportive classroom experience for students.

In 2000, I embarked on an adventure and traded winter in Milwaukee for desert living in Lake Havasu, Arizona. I arrived with my strong group management skills ready to use on day one. Going from a large, urban school district to a small, suburban/rural district was jolting, to say the least. My personality was in stark contrast to most of my co-workers. What was considered typical behavior in Milwaukee was considered intense in Lake Havasu. I felt disconnected from many of my students, but I connected easily with students who were new to the school, having come from larger cities. Their intensity matched mine. Their intensity got them in trouble at school, but my intensity advocated for them. I fought hard to create situations in which they were able to demonstrate their personal and academic skills. I will never forget a conversation I once had with one of the guidance counselors after collaborating with him to create a support plan for one of my students. He asked me when I was going to become a guidance counselor, telling me I'd make a great counselor. The idea had crossed my mind a few times, but I had no desire to take the classes I would need to take in order to become a counselor, especially while teaching high school English courses full-time. I decided, instead, that I would offer after school support to students who needed extra help. It took a while to convince students to show up after school, but once they did, they realized how much the individualized instruction helped them. They spread the word, and my after school sessions started to grow in size, making it more difficult to offer the individualized attention each student needed. Not being able to sit one-on-one with every student broke my spirit. I decided I needed a break from classroom teaching. After two school years in Lake Havasu, it was time for another adventure. This time, I headed to Los Angeles, California.

When I arrived in Los Angeles, I considered substitute teaching again, but at this point, the issues Ken Robinson worked so many years fighting against were in the forefront of my mind. I had heard so many teachers suggest that we just can't teach every student. Some teachers would say that they just teach the students who want to learn while letting the others sit back and fail, claiming that they can't make a student learn who doesn't want to learn. Some of my co-workers told me that I should teach to "the middle" and not worry about the rest because "you'll never be able to catch them all". I could not accept any of these points of view. I believed there was a better way to teach. I knew that many students were being lost because the system wasn't designed to support them. Did I really want to step back into that system, even as a substitute teacher?

Thankfully, I didn't need to step back into that system because I managed to step into the entertainment industry as a private teacher to students who were either working in the industry or children of entertainers. It was in these jobs that I was able to custom-design lessons that were multidisciplinary and project-based. I saw my students make significant progress in a short amount of time simply because of the individualized, personalized instruction they received. I gained skills in creating units of work that were both enjoyable and provided my students the support and guidance they needed in order to acquire and master new skills. As fulfilling as these jobs were, I continually felt frustrated that only the most privileged in society have access to such personalized teaching. I set a goal to, some day, be able to offer such educational experiences to students who do not have the resources my students connected to the entertainment industry have.

After eight years in Los Angeles that included many personal and professional adventures, I had a gut feeling that it was time, again, to live closer to my aging parents. This time, I chose Chicago, Illinois, a place where I had never lived but visited many times, so it felt like home. Thankfully, Chicago offers plenty of opportunities to continue teaching students in the entertainment industry, but my desire to offer custom-designed lessons to students who do not have the means to pay for a private teacher continued. One day, I stumbled upon an advanced studies M. Ed. program with a major concentration in cognitive sciences and an emphasis in instructional leadership. I instantly knew that this program was designed for me. My interest in the latest in brain research and everything cognitive sciences related is paired with my interest in learning more about instructional leadership. I hope to find a way to make custom-designed, multidisciplinary lessons available to any student interested in this type of learning.

Cognitive studies has taught me how to understand human development and the overall human experience by understanding brain development, psychological theories, and the latest in brain research, including brain-based teaching strategies. The cognitive sciences inform my practice as a teacher, but it also motivates me to engage in educational leadership roles.

I am currently interested in working with high school students who take part in any type of school (public, private, charter, online/distance learning, homeschool/unschool). I am also interested in working with schools and organizations that are working toward realizing all that Ken Robinson celebrated: natural, personalized, meaningful, and enjoyable learning experiences. One of my goals is to help create an educational program that is supportive yet flexible and able to serve all learners. I am no longer looking for the school that I feel is a good fit for me. I now know that my passion is working with other others who want to create schools/programs that are a good fit for all students.

My journey started over twenty years ago and, so far, includes four states. During all the years I spent searching for a forever-career-home, I learned through observations; I learned through trial and error; I continually viewed myself as a student of education, and I found my forever home in the flexible, ever changing world of school transformation leadership. Had I given up on teaching, I would never have known that my knowledge and experience gained over all these years could influence and impact the world of education. I was so sad to hear of Ken Robinson's passing, but I am so thankful that his words of wisdom continue to be available through books, videos, and podcasts. I am also happy to feel motivated and empowered by what I have learned from him. I now view myself as one of so many around the world who keep his message alive and growing.

If you are looking for compassionate, holistic, and comprehensive educational support, please contact me to discuss how I can help you or your child gain academic and personal skills that will be beneficial in all areas of life while finding joy in the learning process!

Rachelle Nondorf, M.Ed.