“I can remember when I was in elementary school I struggled with both reading and math. I want to help the students and show them that they don’t have to struggle,” said David Puckett.
David has been a One to One reading and math coach at Glen O. Swing Elementary school for the past two years. “I want to show the students that even if you struggle at first, you can still be successful,” David said.
The One to One coaching program is a project of the Northern Kentucky Education Council which provides training for coaches and coordinates placement with schools whose students need some extra, important help.
David coaches one student in reading and one student in math each year. Both of David’s students are second graders and vary in gender. He is one of two math coaches at Glen O. Swing Elementary. David became involved with the One to One program after seeing his wife volunteer and hearing the stories she had to tell about her experience as a coach.
Although he now volunteers in a local school, his background is not in education.
Prior to retirement, David was a chemical engineer. While working as a chemical engineer, David was given the opportunity to travel all over the world. Some of the places David has traveled include Britain and China. David spent five years working in China on a new chemical plant and another 5 ½ years in working in Great Britain.
David believes it is essential to connect with the students he works with.
“You have to care not only about subject matter but the person as well,” David said.
He enjoys not only being a coach for the students, but also acting as a positive male role model for them.
“You have to be flexible and work with the students for it to be beneficial. You have to take initiative and learn what does and doesn’t work for each student.”
David spends about thirty minutes each week preparing a lesson plan for the students. The lesson plan differs from student to student.
For example, this past year one of his students was interested in a reading series that was above her reading level so David read the books with the student and helped her when she struggled. Throughout the year, they kept a card file of all the new words she learned so at the end of their time together they were able to look back and see the progress she had made.
The teachers do not give the coaches specific lessons to teach, but David says they are very encouraging and supportive. The teachers David works with tell him things like, “what you do is so important” and “thank you for your consistency.”
David saw the direct impact he made when one of his math students scored well on a math test. The best math test scores were posted in the hallway for the school to see, and David’s student scored well enough for her test to be displayed. The student and David were both very excited about her accomplishment.
Although his motivation started with helping students who struggled the way he did, David has also found motivation in seeing the impact he has made on past students.
“You get a lot more out of it than you would expect,” David said.
David described his experience working in an inner-city school to be an “eye opener.”
He explained that the 35 minutes he spends with the students each week is the only one on one attention some of the students get.
“My advice to anyone interested in volunteering is, do it! The impact of giving time to them may be the most valuable gift they can receive!” David said.
Registration is open for the One to One: Practicing Reading and Math with Students program.
For more information or to sign up for training, please visit the website or contact Leslie Armstrong at (859) 282-9214.
This is the first in a series of profiles on the Northern Kentucky Education Council’s One on One coaches.