Amber Glover

Amber is a 5th grade teacher at Washington.

I shared that we had three purposes today:  to get to know one another, both personally and professionally, to discuss our work together, and to identify some successes and challenges she is seeing in her classroom in literacy instruction.

Amber shared that she ahd her husband have three children – D’Andreah who will be 21 in July and who just moved out, Breann (Bree) who is 18 and just graduated from Olathe West and has a scholarship for next fall to Ottawa University, and Isaiah, an 8th grader who is a “sports star.”

She is teaching school where she interned.  She graduated in 2010, and taught K in Topeka, got her master’s and is now teaching 5th at Washington.

When asked about her “path” to teaching, she said that her dad was a band teacher and principal, then a preacher, and now he’s subbing in band today.  Her stepmom and family are teachers.  Amber worked in day care and as a volunteer in nursing homes and wants “to care for people.”

She has an intern for 8 weeks from ESU and is appreciating the opportunity to be a mentor and share responsibility for the students with someone.

We discussed what our work together would/could look like and about what coaching is and isn’t.

She shared that she is excited about the opportunity to observe others teach.  Three other teachers in her school are taking the courses with her.

When asked about successes, she laughed and said that I should come and see her teach because, “the live show is pretty exciting!”  She appreciates the reading/writing connection.  She and her colleague  (Mrs. Stock), whom she describes as an amazing teacher and person, are working together to flesh out the nitty-gritty of teaching Wit & Wisdom.  They meet as a PLC weekly and “on demand.”  They share the mindset that each teaching/learning moment should be “mindful” and purposeful.  Mrs. Grant, the ELL teacher, comes in, as well.

When asked about challenges, she got teary describing Zane, a student who gets Resource and Speech support.  They are attempting to figure out sounds he hears vs. writes.  His home life is difficult.  There is also Emelio, a Resource student, who struggles with attention and lack of motivation.

I inquired about small group instruction, and she said that she has fluency groups because the Resource teachers do the chips kits.

She will think about building her goal around either a small group or the struggling students.

We will meet again on Thursday, February 12, at 2:50.