Jane and Elaine both got their start with WriterCoach Connection as coaches.
Jane began coaching at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Berkeley in 2015. She learned about WriterCoach Connection while attending an orientation for her daughter, who was starting seventh grade at King.
“There were lots of tables up and down the gym, where parents can sign up for PTA [and other organizations]. And one of the tables was WriterCoach Connection. The name just really popped out. I approached them, and I asked them what it was about, and they told me it’s one-on-one coaching with middle school students to help them become better writers. It sounded very intriguing, and I signed up immediately.”
Elaine comes to WriterCoach Connection with a long career as a documentary filmmaker. She learned about WriterCoach Connection in 2012 when she was enrolling her children in the Albany school district after six years of homeschooling. Her neighbor, Pat Healey, was the Albany site director at the time. “She knew I was super excited about educating the kids and working one on one with not just my kids, but other people’s kids. And so she said, ‘You should come volunteer as a coach.’”
For both Jane and Elaine, coaching at their first schools was a natural choice given their connections with the schools their children attended and the communities they lived and worked in. Branching out to other schools (and now as site coordinators) has been a natural progression. Jane moved on to Albany in 2018 and now coaches at Korematsu in El Cerrito; Elaine coaches at Soskin in El Sobrante, and has also coached online at Pinole, and with high school students in our College Is Real program. Both Jane and Elaine agree that their experience as coaches is essential to their new roles as site coordinators.
“To have that experience having worked with the students, built a rapport with them, from reluctant to someone who is engaged and willing to put their thoughts on paper is helpful,” Elaine says.
“It helps us as site coordinators to understand the coaches’ concerns,” Jane adds. “To value their efforts and them showing up every week.”
They also credit their confidence in moving into these new roles to the mentorship they are receiving from Mary Flaherty, who has been the site coordinator at Albany for eight years, after four years as a coach.
“Her attention to detail is amazing,” Jane says. “The way she thinks ahead about everything that could happen, any potential problems. And her enthusiasm for the work she does. She’s such a great support.”
Elaine points to Mary’s attention to building relationships. “She knows how to tap into those connections. She introduced us to everyone and helped us navigate through the school and the offices. She takes such great ownership of her role and in her attitude she shows she loves what she does.”
When asked what keeps them with WriterCoach Connection, Elaine says, “I love the dreams of WriterCoach Connection. We all have the same values. We show up for each other and everybody has a place to grow.”
“For me it’s curiosity,” Jane concludes. “Every year begins as a blank slate.”
