February 2022
February's Marigolds Are...
Mentor Lynn Ball
New Teachers Aaron Rollins, Angela Desjardin, Jeremy George, and Kaitlin Heuvelhorst !
Each month, New Teacher Support highlights mentor-mentee pairs or administrator teams who represent the type of work that builds educator resilience and provides the support new teachers need and deserve in their first years of teaching.
Read on for a chance to get to know this month's recipients as we continue to nurture and grow our Marigold Community!
Meet Mentor Lynn Ball
Tell us a bit about yourself (personal, where/what you teach, what drew you to this profession, how long mentoring).
Hi! My name is Lynn and I currently teach at Keema School for Independent Study. This is my 17th year in teaching. When I was a kid, I was told I couldn’t go to school in North Highlands, where I lived because the schools were bad, the teachers were bad, and the kids were bad. That always fascinated me. When I grew up, I knew I wanted to be a teacher in North Highlands and I was. I taught 6th grade at Village for 9 years before life took me in a different direction. I have been a mentor for only 3 years.
What do you like best about mentoring? Do you have a favorite mentoring moment you’d like to share?
For me the best part about mentoring is the relationships. The teachers I’ve been fortunate enough to work with have become a part of my extended family and I can check in with all of them on a regular basis. Beyond that, mentoring keeps me connected to what’s happening in traditional classrooms. Working at an independent study school, I sometimes feel out of the loop.
This month’s habit is Be a Learner. In Chapter 9 of Onward, Elena Aguilar shares that a growth mindset is the mindset of resilience. Loving to learn new things opens the doors to more learning because when we think we know all that we need to know, our minds tend to stop seeking new knowledge.
How does a growth mindset show up in your personal and professional practices? How does maintaining this position of continual growth make you a more resilient educator?
One of the reasons I wanted to become a mentor teacher was to be constantly reminded of what it’s like to be a new teacher. New teachers bring excitement to their classroom, they bring a willingness to try new things, and they bring new ideas to try out. I never want to lose those aspects as an educator. I know that I can learn as much from my mentees, and probably more honestly, as they can from me. At every meeting, I am constantly trying to encourage my new teachers to try their ideas and sometimes I try them too.
Curiosity is this month’s disposition. Curiosity makes us want to investigate, listen, ask questions, and take risks - all necessary exercises for our resilience muscles. Author Ian Leslie states that curiosity takes three forms: Diverse curiosity, which encourages us to seek out new places, people, and things. Epistemic curiosity, which is a quest for deeper knowledge, the kind that requires sustained attention and cognitive effort. And empathetic curiosity, which leads us to wonder about the thoughts and feelings of others.
Which type of curiosity do you think you demonstrate most often? How does this show up in the work you do with your mentees? How has taking a “curiosity stance” helped feed your educator resilience?
Everything we do in a classroom has roots in relationships. I wanted to pick epistemic curiosity; however, I know that empathetic curiosity is what my classroom, my personality, and my mentoring are based on. I think this shows up in many ways including our commitment to each weekly meeting, personal availability (through text, email, or phone calls), and how we interact with each other. Every day in a classroom is a sociological experience. What worked yesterday might not work today and what works today might not work tomorrow and maybe everything or nothing will work the following day. With that mindset, I’m always curious to observe and think about what worked or didn’t and why it worked or didn’t. Each win or failure is an opportunity to learn as a person, an educator, or as a mentor.
Meet New Teacher Aaron Rollins
Tell us a bit about yourself (personal, where/what you teach, what drew you to this profession).
Hello, my name is Aaron. My wife and I met in high school. We have two high-energy boys. I am a den leader for Cub Scouts and coach Jr. Giants baseball for both of my boy's teams each year. When not teaching, leading scouts, or teaching baseball to my Jr. Giants I like camping, road trips, concerts, and meeting up with friends.
Currently, I am a teacher at Keema Independent Studies school. I have students in kindergarten through the sixth grade. Before Keema, I taught social studies for three years at a middle school.
I teach because I hated school growing up, especially history. During a typical day in history, the teacher took attendance, had us read quietly, had no discussion, and then gave a quiz on Fridays. The tests were always multiple-choice, checking for memorization of names, places, events, and dates. Then I got to college. I finally had good teachers! They asked real questions, had us discuss/debate topics, and required us to know the why, not just the when. I realized history is interesting. I didn't understand while growing up how my teachers seemed to go out of their way to pull the life out of a subject that is full of amazing stories. That is why I decided to become a teacher. I wanted to bring life and excitement to learning.
What do you like best about teaching so far? Do you have a favorite teaching moment you’d like to share?
My favorite part of teaching is getting the opportunity to build relationships with my students and helping them be the best they can be. It is the reason I am also a den leader and a coach. Every kid deserves to have someone on their sideline coaching and cheering them on to be their best. My goal is to be that for every student.
This month’s habit is Be a Learner. In Chapter 9 of Onward, Elena Aguilar shares that a growth mindset is the mindset of resilience. Loving to learn new things opens the doors to more learning because when we think we know all that we need to know, our minds tend to stop seeking new knowledge.
How does a growth mindset show up in your personal and professional practices? How does maintaining this position of continual growth make you a more resilient educator?
When teaching and coaching I use the grown mindset all the time. For example, with my students I ask if your answer is incorrect what does that tell you? What data did you miss? What did you forget? What could you do to find the correct answer? I use this same approach professionally. When I make a mistake I will find out where I made the error, how I can fix it, and then identify how to keep it from happening again. This is my first year as an independent studies teacher. The dynamic is much different than in-person learning. So, I have spent the majority of my time finding the best way to facilitate learning, connect with each of my students, and learn the new system.
Curiosity is this month’s disposition. Curiosity makes us want to investigate, listen, ask questions, and take risks - all necessary exercises for our resilience muscles. Author Ian Leslie states that curiosity takes three forms: Diverse curiosity, which encourages us to seek out new places, people, and things. Epistemic curiosity, which is a quest for deeper knowledge, the kind that requires sustained attention and cognitive effort. And empathetic curiosity, which leads us to wonder about the thoughts and feelings of others.
Which type of curiosity do you think you demonstrate most often? How does this show up in the work you do with your mentees? How has taking a “curiosity stance” helped feed your educator resilience?
If I had to choose a type of curiosity I demonstrate most often it would be empathetic curiosity. Being that I focus on my relationship with my students, I am always curious about what they have been up to, what their goals are, and what is important to them. By knowing my students I am a better teacher because I am able to find ways to personalize their learning. I wouldn't say that I selected this stance as it comes naturally to me.
Meet New Teacher Angela Desjrdin
Tell us a bit about yourself (personal, where/what you teach, what drew you to this profession).
My name is Angie DesJardin. My family and I live in Auburn. I have been married to my husband Ryan for 10 years this April. We have two boys, Micah and Declan, who are 6 and 4. Oh, and a cute puppy named Oliver! I teach 7th grade ELA, World History, and Student Leadership at Village PK-8.
My teaching journey is a unique one… Prior to 2019, teaching had never been on my radar. I have a degree in counseling psychology from William Jessup University in Rocklin, CA which I put to use volunteering as a mentor at my church youth group. However, my career was in the construction industry as an estimating assistant/bid coordinator. One lovely spring day in 2019, I was driving home reflecting on how great my life was… family was awesome, job was good… and then I felt the word teacher reverberate through my bones! Again, I had never considered being a teacher but this lit up my heart. I immediately started asking questions about how to make this happen. A neighbor told me about an intern program he recently completed, and that was it, I was on my teaching journey.
What do you like best about teaching so far? Do you have a favorite teaching moment you’d like to share?
My favorite thing about teaching is getting to know my students and allowing them to get to know me. What I have seen is as I open up it gives them permission to open up as well. Once we are invested in and trust each other as humans, the learning can truly begin.
This month’s habit is Be a Learner. In Chapter 9 of Onward, Elena Aguilar shares that a growth mindset is the mindset of resilience. Loving to learn new things opens the doors to more learning because when we think we know all that we need to know, our minds tend to stop seeking new knowledge.
How does a growth mindset show up in your personal and professional practices? How does maintaining this position of continual growth make you a more resilient educator?
I am a firm believer in the power of maintaining a growth mindset. What I have seen and experienced is that operating with a growth mindset requires humility and openness to feedback and constructive criticism. Growth mindset shows up in my personal and professional practices in the form of collaboration with colleagues and administrative leadership. The other aspect of growth mindset that I appreciate is the pressure to be perfect is diminished. Growth mindset recognizes that we are all on a learning journey and it is okay to be where we are even if someone is further along than us… the point is that we all continue moving forward. This is an important truth that I continually circle back to in the classroom with my students.
Curiosity is this month’s disposition. Curiosity makes us want to investigate, listen, ask questions, and take risks - all necessary exercises for our resilience muscles. Author Ian Leslie states that curiosity takes three forms: Diverse curiosity, which encourages us to seek out new places, people, and things. Epistemic curiosity, which is a quest for deeper knowledge, the kind that requires sustained attention and cognitive effort. And empathetic curiosity, which leads us to wonder about the thoughts and feelings of others.
Which type of curiosity do you think you demonstrate most often? How does this show up in the work you do with your mentees? How has taking a “curiosity stance” helped feed your educator resilience?
Empathetic curiosity is definitely what I demonstrate most often. This can be a powerful tool when learning about social studies and I like to encourage my students to practice this strategy of stepping into another’s shoes as we investigate different civilizations. I also implement this practice in ELA. Currently, our class is going through a novel study on The Hunger Games. One way we do this with our novel study is by writing journal entries from a character's point of view. It is a creative form of writing that gets students more bought into the characters and story. This mindset has always interested me and is practiced in my daily life from reading news articles or books at home to engaging with students and colleagues at school. I try to be intentional, to slow down and see situations from all angles, not just through my lens and worldview. This helps me to see people as individual, unique humans rather than grouped into something that I can then dissociate from. Part of my mission as an educator is to raise up future generations of people who are socially responsible and I believe teaching empathy is a huge part of that.
Meet New Teacher Jeremy George
Tell us a bit about yourself (personal, where/what you teach, what drew you to this profession).
I had a rough childhood, switching schools quite often. I was held back at Woodridge Elementary in the first grade and the struggles continued, eventually leading me to opt for a GED, instead of graduating, as I had to work to pay for my own rent at the age of 17 years old. I joined the Army Reserve and learned a strong work ethic over my Nine years in the service. Eventually, excelling at American River College, Sacramento State, and William Jessup University, where I earned my Multiple Subject Teaching credential.
I currently work as a teacher at Keema School for Independent Studies and am loving every bit of it.
I was drawn to teaching because I was a Title 1 child and I personally know the struggles these students go through, which makes school very difficult for many, as they have so many other things going on before they even arrive at school. My hope is I can be that teacher for students who they can trust and connect with because of what we have in common. Ultimately, showing them that everybody is smart and capable of achieving their dreams.
What do you like best about teaching so far? Do you have a favorite teaching moment you’d like to share?
I like watching a student who has struggled with school and hasn’t had many moments to be proud of in school smile from ear to ear after they achieve something they had previously not known possible, but through hard work and a teacher who believes in them with every fiber of their being shows them they can do whatever they set their mind too.
My favorite teaching moment is getting a high school Junior assigned to my class in September of this year with only 5 credits and not a whole lot of hope before coming to Keema. Then earning over 45 credits in his first semester here, giving him a certificate of achievement, and seeing the look on his Mother’s face of what her son had accomplished.
This month’s habit is Be a Learner. In Chapter 9 of Onward, Elena Aguilar shares that a growth mindset is the mindset of resilience. Loving to learn new things opens the doors to more learning because when we think we know all that we need to know, our minds tend to stop seeking new knowledge.
How does a growth mindset show up in your personal and professional practices? How does maintaining this position of continual growth make you a more resilient educator?
A growth mindset is shown in my class by not judging a student on their past and letting them know that I don’t care what they had done previously because I believe that they can be successful, so I am going to hold them personally accountable and to the highest standards. By consistently maintaining this mindset my students begin to be more open communicators when they are struggling so that I have the opportunity to help them in tough subjects and in life in general.
Curiosity is this month’s disposition. Curiosity makes us want to investigate, listen, ask questions, and take risks - all necessary exercises for our resilience muscles. Author Ian Leslie states that curiosity takes three forms: Diverse curiosity, which encourages us to seek out new places, people, and things. Epistemic curiosity, which is a quest for deeper knowledge, the kind that requires sustained attention and cognitive effort. And empathetic curiosity, which leads us to wonder about the thoughts and feelings of others.
Which type of curiosity do you think you demonstrate most often? How does this show up in the work you do with your mentees? How has taking a “curiosity stance” helped feed your educator resilience?
I believe that I demonstrate Epistemic curiosity, as I am on a quest to deepen my knowledge in regards to reaching each and every student so that they can be as successful as possible and find a love for life-long learning. This shows up through my daily dialogue to get to know my students' strengths and weaknesses so that I can know how to best guide them. Taking a curiosity stance has made me ask questions, rather than get upset because a student does not do what they had said they would do.
Meet New Teacher Kaitlin Heuvelhorst
Tell us a bit about yourself (personal, where/what you teach, what drew you to this profession).
My name is Katie Heuvelhorst and I am a 2nd -year teacher but a first-year teacher in Twin Rivers. I graduated from Grand Canyon University in 2019. Since graduating I have taught a 4/5th split class, 3rd grade, 1st grade, and K-6 Independent studies. My fiance and I adopted an adorable 1-year-old husky named Kona. We just bought our first house in Lincoln and are getting married this June.
What do you like best about teaching so far? Do you have a favorite teaching moment you’d like to share?
My favorite part of teaching is the meaningful connections you can make with your students. I also have really enjoyed making learning come to life through creative and memorable lessons.
This month’s habit is Be a Learner. In Chapter 9 of Onward, Elena Aguilar shares that a growth mindset is the mindset of resilience. Loving to learn new things opens the doors to more learning because when we think we know all that we need to know, our minds tend to stop seeking new knowledge.
How does a growth mindset show up in your personal and professional practices? How does maintaining this position of continual growth make you a more resilient educator?
I think it is important to have a growth mindset, especially in the classroom. As a teacher, there are many different ways in which you can grow each day. Many of our students come from different backgrounds and have many different needs. By showing a growth mindset you can inspire your students to change for the better in both the classroom and in their personal lives. Over time this can create change.