As instructional coach, Kehoe stays connected to staff, students

     Panther Professionals is a weekly series highlighting educators, administrators, staff and aides who are dedicated to the future of the Monticello Community School District.

     Jean Kehoe’s position with the MCSD has certainly changed over time, and is not a traditional job.

     TLS (Teacher Leadership System) Instructional Coach.

     “It includes lots of things,” Kehoe said.

     First and foremost, she works closely with the elementary teachers from preK-4 grade. That means Kehoe shuffles back and forth between the two elementary school buildings during her days.

     “There’s lots of collaboration,” she said.

     This might involve working together on changes that could be implemented in the classrooms when it comes to teaching methods, improvements that could be made, or different teaching strategies that could be incorporated. Kehoe said the job involves dissecting a lot of data.

     As an instructional coach, she guides the teachers through planning and work sessions.

     Kehoe also works with individual teachers in coaching cycles, which could last anywhere from four to six weeks.

     “A teacher and I look at data together and plan. I then go into their classroom several times each week to observe, model, or co-teach,” she explained. From there, Kehoe meets with that particular teacher to discuss what went well in class, what didn’t work out so well, and what could be changed.

     “It involves a lot of reflection,” she said.

     If a teacher has a particular program or teaching technique he/she wants to implement in their class, Kehoe works through the process with the teacher to see if it’s a good fit and the teacher tweaks the program if needed.

     For instance, if the students in a certain class/grade are having trouble grasping a math lesson, Kehoe and that teacher will work together on what the issue might be and what can be done to benefit the students in the long run.

     “We might work through it with the whole class or small group instruction,” she explained.

     Suffice to say, Kehoe’s job is not the easiest to explain, but she certainly puts in a lot of time and effort behind the scenes to make sure the students of the MCSD receive a top-notch education.

     In her nine years with the district, Kehoe actually started out working part-time in her first year as an elementary literacy specialist. She then became full-time “and the job evolved over the years,” she said.

     Not only is she communicating with the teachers and administrators of the Monticello school district, but she stays up to dater with the state department of education as well.

     Kehoe said the MCSD is lucky to have staff members like Curriculum Director Gretchen Kriegel and Elementary Principal Denny Folken.

     “We meet regularly to collaborate,” she said.

     In fact, on Jan. 10, Kehoe and Folken were co-leading a professional development work session at Carpenter School.

     She also meets with Callie Smith, the instructional coach for the middle school. The two bounce ideas of one another and collaborate.

     “We look at the students’ data together and see how far they’ve come and where they’re going,” she said.

     Kehoe said she tries to stay up to date on what’s being discussed at the state and federal levels when it comes to education and professional development. She belongs to several professional organizations and connects with new sources that offer a wealth of information and ideas.

     “Our teachers here also have great ideas,” she said of introducing new things into the classrooms.

     Before coming to the MCSD, Kehoe taught fifth grade for 11 years at Linn-Mar Schools. So she knows the expectations of being an educator.

     “I enjoy what I do and it’s a challenge,” said Kehoe. She added she has the best of both worlds, working with the students and the teachers inside and out of the classrooms.

     Kehoe attended the University of Iowa and earned a bachelor’s degree in business with a minor in psychology. She spent a couple of years working in sales/finance before she wanted to pursue a career in education.

     “It just didn’t suit me,” she shared. Kehoe said she felt working in education was where she was needed in life.

     From there, she attended Coe College and received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She also has her master’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa in middle grades math, and a certificate in instructional coaching.

     All that and Kehoe finds the time to attend her own children’s school and sporting activities in grades sixth and eighth.

     “We stay busy,” she laughed. “We spend a lot of time on the bleachers.”

     For herself, Kehoe likes to relax with a good book or cooking.

     She said she’s proud to teach for Monticello because of all the opportunities available here for the students and staff.