Ep 207 | A tale of two teachers: New teacher mentorship

SPEAKER_02 1:32

Yeah. I mean I I'm not whenever I became a teacher, I didn't become the teacher friend. I it's just like Layla is is a teacher and a coach and these are different parts of her life now. And it's actually inspired several of my friends to get into and you know, at least subbing and just like feeling it out and seeing what it would maybe be like to be in a classroom. And I think that that's a really great thing. Young people, you know, need to get into education. I personally got into education because I thought that there needed to be better teachers out there, and I wanted that to be me. And I think that the students really deserve that.

SPEAKER_01 2:10

Welcome to the Voices United in Education podcast. Each week we showcase the teachers, administrators, and community members who go the extra mile to contribute to the success of every child in Escambia County. You'll meet the real people behind the titles and learn about the amazing resources to support your child's success. The average American changes careers between three and seven times before they retire. And while change is exciting, it's also expensive and time consuming. My next guests are two different points of view for a career change into education, one as an alternatively certified teacher, and the other as a traditionally educated teacher, who is now the program specialist for the professional learning certification program. Today they're going to share how new teacher mentorship is a game changer for career pivots and job satisfaction, mentorship-minded, pivot power pair, Layla Holiday and Rachel Rodriguez Scrimsher. Thanks for being here. Thank you for having me. Thank you. So I'm loving this combo right now because you both actually graduated from Escambia County Public Schools. Rachel from Washington. Yes. Go Wildcats. And Layla from Escambia. Yeah, gators. And you both have past lives, we'll say, outside of education. Rachel in finance and mortgage, and Layla pursuing law. So I kind of wonder if that's like the first myth bust, because the personality avatars for finance and law aren't always what comes to mind when you think of teachers. And so I love the idea that all teachers do not have to have a personality like Steve from Blue's Clues. That is correct.

unknown 3:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:55

And thank goodness for that.

SPEAKER_02 3:57

Sometimes the kids would not enjoy that.

SPEAKER_01 3:59

Right, right. Well, I think, Rachel, this is, I guess, a question for you, having the perspective that you have is, you know, we've talked about the diversity of having different backgrounds professionally. But how important is diversity of personality when it comes to, you know, teacher efficacy?

SPEAKER_00 4:18

It's, it's, it depends on the classroom. It depends on the students. And, you know, even sometimes in secondary environment, it depends on what period you have. So I think the flexibility to know what your students need and what hat you need to wear at that moment is really important.

SPEAKER_01 4:34

Oh, that's interesting. I don't think I associated the flexibility with that, but that maybe makes perfect sense. And Layla, you value well-roundedness. How does that translate in your classroom?

SPEAKER_02 4:45

So many different ways. The ability to translate materials is so important. And the students recognize in my first year and now my second year that I'm learning too. And them seeing that I'm learning, it helps with behavior management. And it also helps with me being able to make connections in our learning, in our content, regardless of what it is, because I have to make those connections in my brain also.

SPEAKER_01 5:12

I think new teachers might feel like they have to have it all together. And the idea that the students can tell that you're learning might be actually terrifying to them, but you don't look scared. No, no, because they see right through you.

SPEAKER_02 5:25

I mean, I teach middle school and you really you cannot pretend with them. They they know whenever you wake up and you come in and you're having a bad day, or you're having a good day when you're standing out by the door. So I mean, if you're confused, you didn't read the materials beforehand, or you're not understanding the content yourself, they're gonna be confused. And they talk about it. You know, you hear that. So you don't want that to happen. You have to be prepared and you have to be honest with them.

SPEAKER_01 5:52

I love the honesty approach. Rachel, in our pre-chat, you said it's quote, so cool to have someone like Layla. Why?

SPEAKER_00 5:59

I I love the broadness of her experiences and the different lenses that she has because of her extensive education in different fields and different areas of expertise that she brings into a traditional classroom where she may not only have the English as a first language or even the ELA background, she may not have that college readiness, but she has law and she has history. Am I right? I know it's it's a lot to keep up with. Yes, and it but it ties into that so nicely, and that's real life. So I I really love that dynamic.

SPEAKER_01 6:39

This might be a good time for you to tell us all the things that you have, all the the collection of degrees that you have, Layla. Well, I appreciate the kind words.

SPEAKER_02 6:47

Well, yeah, whenever I graduated from Ascumbia High School, I was looking at different colleges and UWF. I mean, the programs were wonderful. I went into the history program and the legal studies program for my bachelor's and a general arts and a digital sciences for my associates because I knew that maybe I wanted to be a teacher one day, but I wanted to explore my own studies. I wanted to deepen my own learning and understanding about the world and different areas before I came into a classroom and instructed others.

SPEAKER_01 7:21

Yeah, I love that. So you have a degree in what let me see if I get this right, general science.

SPEAKER_02 7:27

Yeah, associates in general science and arts, and then bachelor's in history and legal studies. So that's four degrees. Yeah. Yeah, no big deal. Okay, cool.

SPEAKER_01 7:38

What what have you noticed that your background has brought to the classroom so far? Like, is there any specific parallels or specific value that you're like, oh, that's definitely from the history part, or that's definitely from the law way of thinking?

SPEAKER_02 7:53

Well, my students love doing mock trials. So sometimes we'll like read something like the telltale heart, where there's, you know, someone we could maybe put on trial based off of the evidence we get in the text. And so we can play that out in the classroom. The students love having the person with the highest grade be the judge. But uh, so things like that, the creativity. I'm also, you know, running an art club at Workman currently, and that's something that the students had didn't have before, but I was able to bring those skills in. And sometimes, you know, the kids really need that creative relief in the classroom also. There's different approaches instead of just reading something and answering questions. We can talk about it and write it in different ways. I have creative writing backgrounds. So maybe we'll instead of, you know, just writing a summary, we'll write an alternative ending to a story that they can, you know, explore different options in their, you know, story making and such.

SPEAKER_01 8:48

But that's also like kind of critical thinking, too, right? Because you're you're weaving those subject matters together because you said you aren't. So it's almost like your well-roundedness spills over into the classroom. I imagine if you were my teacher, I probably would have not raised my hand as frequently and going, why, why, why do I have to learn this?

SPEAKER_02 9:06

Yeah. Because we get, you know, they need like it goes back to the honesty again. They need to understand how things, you know, apply. And I tell them about my friends that I've made in different areas and how they've gotten there. And, you know, they learned that learning itself, it it takes you in different paths that you may not expect. And that's okay. That's a good thing.

SPEAKER_01 9:25

Oh, I like that. That's true. Because I think you you've heard and you've read now that kids are sensitive to failing now, that they have this pressure to do things right the first time. So to show the the joy and the, I guess, adventure, you know, of learning and how your path has been like this really cool winding path, not a failing winding path, but one that like had joyful twists and turns. And that led you to the alternative, the certification program for your teacher certificate, correct?

SPEAKER_02 9:58

Yes, definitely. I didn't even know that it was um an option until I reached out to the district employment and they told me about that I could actually enter without having gone into education at my UWF education at all. So you didn't have to get a fifth degree and other work. Exactly, exactly. Or do do some kind of internship for a prolonged time whenever I was already working other jobs.

SPEAKER_01 10:20

Right. So, and Rachel, if I remember right, from our first episode, the Alt CERT teachers can start working in the classroom pretty soon in the process, right? Immediately. Immediately.

SPEAKER_00 10:31

So refresh us on that because it's been a while since you were on the show. Absolutely. The big step is getting their statement of eligibility from the state. And as soon as they apply for that, the state turnaround, they have really done a great job of speeding up that process. Okay. That can slow down the time that we can get somebody in the classroom. But our human resources certification department, they do a really good job of getting things done quickly so that we can get teachers in classrooms. But it's a statement of eligibility. And if you have a college degree, you're good to go. We want you. We're gonna find a good place for you. And that gets the ball rolling.

SPEAKER_01 11:05

And Layla, give me like a day in the life of someone who is already working and trying to fit that alt certification into their schedule.

SPEAKER_02 11:15

Really, I I thought it would be much larger of a task than it was, mostly because of the help that, you know, I received from the programs in the district. But you have a a certain amount of time to take the test that you need to become professionally certified. And it's very manageable. And the the district provides resources. There's now Canvas courses on study materials so that you can take the tests. There's resources online on the district website that anybody can access and look at the study guide so that they can take the test, you know, and the test can be taken on the weekends, on the days. And now and beyond start, now that I'm, you know, past that program, that's self-paced courses that we take, you know, on different subjects like lesson planning and curriculum and behavior management and such. So, you know, I'm a very busy person. I have a lot going on in my personal life and you know, extracurricular things, but I definitely have time to do that. And it's so well worth it.

SPEAKER_01 12:14

Do you think that's like the next generation of teacher? This is a good question for both of you, because I come from a family of teachers, and you're a teacher in your heart first, right? Nobody, I think, disputes that. But the second thing is maybe an old school attitude. So I want to hear your take on this, is that you're a teacher all the time. You know, there's the joke like, Miss Johnson, I saw you don't live at the school. You know, you run into your teacher and the protocile at the grocery store. But the idea that you give your life to teaching, that you don't have extracurricular activities that aren't also at the school. You know, is that what do you think? Is that an old school mindset? And this is like new school that work-life balance is new school.

SPEAKER_00 12:59

I think it depends on the teacher and what they're involved in. I think you can be, you know, as involved as you want to be. I think there are things that are going to happen over the course of a school year that are going to require the old school method of your stay in after school, your grading papers, you're having parent-teacher conferences, you're doing those things. I don't think that will ever go away because that's that's reality. That's when parents are off of work and available. That's when you don't have your classroom full of students with you to do these things. So I don't know that that's changing, but you know, like the program that she's talking about, it's basically taking what a college degree would be and pushing it into you're getting another certification, slash, it's not a degree, but the certificate pathway while you're already doing the job and you're already acknowledged as having a college diploma. So the idea for us and the design for us is to create it in a way that it is doable alongside what you're already doing. So yes, it is a time commitment, but you're not looking at something that's unrealistic to do while you're working.

SPEAKER_01 14:07

Yeah, I love that. Like you don't, I guess what I'm getting at is you don't have to change the identity of every area of your life to be school centered. You know, I think that's really interesting. You know, people might think, oh, you're young, you know, what else do you have going on? But it's it's nice to hear that that this worked for you and that you're loving it. Like your face lights up when you talk about your students. That's just the coolest.

SPEAKER_02 14:32

Yeah. I mean, I whenever I became a teacher, I didn't become the teacher friend. I it's just like Layla is a teacher and a coach, and these are different parts of her life now. And it's actually inspired several of my friends to get into, you know, at least subbing and just like feeling it out and seeing what it would maybe be like to be in a classroom. And I think that that's a really great thing. Young people, you know, need to get into education. I personally got into education because I thought that there needed to be better teachers out there, and I wanted that to be, you know, me. And I think that the students really deserve that. So I think that, you know, younger people should take this path if they can. And it's not so much like exactly what she was saying. It actually helps you to be doing the work and be getting certified at the same time because you're, you know, you're doing your lessons or you're studying for these tests, and you're like, oh, I remember doing this in the classroom, and it's fresh in your brain. Whereas maybe if you were just interning or you hadn't even had educational internships experience and you're taking the tests, you're you're like, maybe I would do this because you haven't got to experience that yet.

SPEAKER_01 15:35

So yeah, it takes it from theory to actually application very quickly. So, at what point did you get a start mentor? Was that right away? Right away. Right away. Mr.

SPEAKER_02 15:46

Dennis was in my room and I was like, Oh, there's someone here. And then right after class, he says, hello, and he introduced himself.

SPEAKER_01 15:53

Oh, I love that. And what how did that make you feel as a new teacher? Did it how did it support you? What impact did it have? Was it just like a nice thing to have, or do you feel it was key?

SPEAKER_02 16:06

I think yeah, I didn't realize at very the first day because it was so overwhelming, honestly. But then it was a second day, and I got the email from him, and he was like, Hey, it was so great to meet. You know, here's all my contact information. I'm gonna be popping in again. And it was like, okay, you know, this is a resource for me. And then we talked again later that week, and he mentioned the other teachers in my school that were new teachers are in the program as well. And that that opened a lot of doors for me because then I was able to make connections day to day with people who were experiencing what I was experiencing.

SPEAKER_01 16:39

That just sounds like it would be so nice, you know. I mean, how did that compare to your experience, Rachel, as a new teacher back in the day?

SPEAKER_00 16:46

Yes. So I went through college of education and walked into my pre-planning days. I was also a middle school, and I was shocked. I had had other careers, and in every career I'd ever had, there was on-the-job training and there was someone with you. And here I was in a beautiful classroom with tables that were all stacked in the middle of the room, and I had no idea how I was gonna really do this. I had gone to college, I knew how to write a lesson plan, I knew how to teach, I had finished my student teaching, but I was really I was surprised that I was just being trusted with my 130 students over the course of the day and to get through their content with them and no one was in there checking on me, and no one was there standing aside me to make sure I was doing it right. So it was overwhelming and a little scary, but okay. Still the same. But being able to have that option and the opportunity to have someone there, if nothing else, to create connections and help and be the voice of reason when you're having the stressful days and help you get through some of these things that you've never experienced is uh is huge. Because, you know, I think probably in many programs, it's you can go through as many simulations as you want to until you're really in it, you don't know how you're gonna respond. So having that while you're doing the work is huge.

SPEAKER_01 18:14

Is this a statewide program or is this is the start mentorship program available in other districts? What does that look like?

SPEAKER_00 18:23

So there is a part of alternative certification. It is a quote unquote requirement with the state that those individuals coming in with a temporary certificate have some sort of mentorship their first year. START is not intended to be just mentorship. It's a mentorship on steroids. It is coaching, it is evaluation, it is connection and feedback, and it is to grow the teacher, not just mentoring. We are, I believe right now, the only district in our state that has START. Other districts have similar programs, similar platforms. The district that I was experienced in previously had an onboarding program, but not anything like START. So it's unique for us and it's it's incredible.

SPEAKER_01 19:12

How does it work if a mentor isn't a fit for a mentee? Is that a thing?

SPEAKER_00 19:18

Yes, absolutely. And we just throw them back to their school and say, figure it out. No, I'm kidding. Um, we of course try to partner our consulting teachers, we call them CTs, with the schools where they have the most experience in those grade levels or in that content, or maybe they have a lot of teachers already there so they can do things to make those connections. But you do have those instances where it's not a good fit, and we really we shuffle and try again. We have many consulting teachers to pick from, and we really try to partner match them with their best bet.

SPEAKER_01 19:56

So that's a hand-picked process. Absolutely. Okay. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 20:00

So there's probably personalities in mind and kind of like content area, really, too, and where where their specialization is.

SPEAKER_01 20:08

And Leela, some teachers might be intimidated to start their career in middle school. That might not be like the first thing that they think of, but you seem pretty unfazed.

SPEAKER_02 20:19

Yeah, I know. Sometimes I'll say, Oh, I teach middle school and be like, oh my goodness. But I think that that's part of the stigma of this whole, you know, joining a education in general, you know, problem. It's just that, you know, you think that the kids are gonna be so, so behaviorally, you know, a challenge and such, it's gonna be so hard to teach them. But but that's the thing, you just have to be your yourself, and I'm very true to myself. But also, I I chose middle school for a reason. You know, I had like worked, dabbled a little bit, you know, in like Montessori, like a preschool over the summer, right before I taught. And I I chose middle school because those kids, you know, need a lot of support. They need someone who really, you know, cares about them and cares about their education because a lot of them are going through a lot emotionally, you know, they're changing a lot. And they need someone who's consistent for them. And I knew that, hey, if I'm gonna be a teacher, I'm gonna be there, you know, every day that I can. You know, you know, I'm not gonna call out sick when I'm not sick. I'm going to be there for the kids and and the middle schoolers need that.

SPEAKER_01 21:21

When I think about you as a lawyer, like I'm listening to you, I'm present, I promise. But I'm also imagining you as an attorney. And I realize that attorney and teacher, what they have in common is advocacy. Definitely. And so I don't know. Do you see yourself as a student advocate? Is that something that's just natural to you? You're like for the underdog.

SPEAKER_02 21:43

100%. I was talking about that literally yesterday. I talk about that as much as I can. Like, yes, let me advocate for the kids as much as possible. And what's special about where you're at now? Because you're at Workman, right? Yes, I'm at J H Workman Middle School. I love it. Go Jags. What do you like about it? Just that the support is amazing and the kids have so much energy, and the school spirit is great within the school too. I'm also a coach for track, and you know, we had a meet last night, and the kids, the way that they support each other is just great.

SPEAKER_01 22:14

You're a track coach and an art club teacher. Those two things usually aren't in one package.

SPEAKER_02 22:20

I know, I know, but we didn't have an art club before, but we we just needed it. We have so many talented artists. We recently this year, uh, for the first year, entered the Pinciclone Museum of Art and we had several first place winners, and it's just a great opportunity for them.

SPEAKER_01 22:36

So that's so fun. When Rachel and I interviewed the first time, one of the things that she said that stuck out to me was that classroom management is the biggest factor to a successful classroom. How do you feel like the start program is helping you prepare for that?

SPEAKER_02 22:54

Well, uh the the feedback that I had for Mr. Dennis in that first year was so essential. I mean, he was very honest with me, and that that helped. You know, he would come into a class and watch, tell me things that I could do better, you know, how I could be more, more stern in some ways or, you know, more direct. But really, that consistency that we were talking about, that Mr. Dennis kind of modeled for me, that was something that I was able to bring in the classroom. And the more consistent that I've become in the classroom, the better, the easier that classroom management has become. So the second year, you know, I have all those established, you know, things that we've gone through and, you know, through my evaluations and working through the different rubrics on how to be effective and whatnot. It showed me what works and what doesn't work for this year.

SPEAKER_01 23:39

That's so cool. Do you would you ever see yourself as a mentor down the road?

SPEAKER_02 23:44

One day, maybe I get to that point. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:47

I mean, I just want to continue to work in child advocacy, um, student advocacy. So as long as I am in a position to do that, I'll be happy. You're golden. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:57

Rachel, any final thoughts as we close out? I will just say I'm ecstatic to always get to talk to our teachers and how this program is or these programs, because Alt Cert is kind of a two-part deal. We have start and we have Beyond Start that couple together to really support everyone. And to see it in action and to see the fruits of the labor is amazing. And it's doesn't need to be intimidating and it needs to feel like a big warm hug. We've got you, and we're going to take care of you, and we want you to be in education for life because we're here and we love it. And, you know, excited to be able to really knock down those barriers for people who maybe didn't think this was an opportunity.

SPEAKER_01 24:39

Yeah. So if a listener is kind of where Layla was and is maybe starting out and figuring out the winding paths of their own career, or they're doing what, you know, Americans do, change career between three and seven times. Absolutely. What's a good next step for them?

SPEAKER_00 24:58

What who do they call, or what form do they fill out? I would say to start looking at opportunities, if it's something that they're maybe interested in, I like Layla said previously, and I agree with her, being a sub is a really good kind of toe in the water of this is what this looks like, this is what this would look like for me. I know we have a job fair annually. That is an opportunity to come and meet principals, talk to them about what they offer at their school, what positions are going to be available in the upcoming school year. That's a good avenue for that as well. Okay. So that's that would be my suggestion. And then with the state, of course, applying for a statement of eligibility in order to get that ball rolling. And what time of year is the job fare normally? It is usually in May for it's a weekend date. It's typically on a Saturday. And in years past, it's been at Washington. I would imagine it will be there. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 25:52

Thank you both for this. This was really cool. I appreciate it. Of course. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. Yes, thank you. Thanks for listening. Be sure to subscribe and share. Voices United in Education is a production of Escambia County Public Schools.