2020 Endorsed Coaches | Tools of the Mind

The Tools of the Mind Endorsement Process is designed to engage educators and school-based coaches in a meaningful reflective process, and to recognize excellence in Tools coaching practices. Endorsement is the gateway to joining a community of highly skilled Tools practitioners, able to lift up the practice of colleagues and contribute to the work of the Tools of the Mind organization as we continue to change and grow.
*Our endorsement process for 2020 was impacted by COVID-19; many of the coaches pursuing endorsement in 2020 were unable to videotape before schools shut down and will submit video in the future, so check back here for more exceptional educators!

2020 Endorsed Coaches:

Featured below are coaches who have completed the Endorsement process and were awarded “Tools Endorsed Coach Status” in 2020:

Paulina Gutierrez, Denver Public Schools
Years as a Tools Coach/Master Teacher: 8

1. What is your favorite thing about the Tools of the Mind program?

My favorite thing about the Tools of the Mind program is that it provides students and teachers with the right tools to be successful. The teachers don’t have to spend time creating lessons and reinventing the wheel because the wheel is already created and perfectly round!

2. What impact has Tools had on the educators in your program/district?

Tools of the Mind provides professional development and coaching to teachers. This makes teachers feel confident and supported.

3. Can you share one story of how Tools has impacted your work?

During the time that I was a kindergarten teacher, I worked with students that didn’t have the opportunity to travel anywhere. When I read the Magic Tree House books to them followed by Make-Believe Play/Dramatization, I enjoyed watching my students traveling to different places using their imagination. Seven years later, I received an email from one of my students, and she wrote “I want to say hi to my favorite teacher. Thank you for teaching me to travel to Japan using my imagination. My dream is to go to college to be a teacher and with my first salary I want to go to Japan.”

4. What would you say to an administrator considering implementing Tools of the Mind?

Tools of the Mind is not only an amazing curriculum for reading, writing, math, etc. It is a program that will make a difference in your students’ behavior not only in early childhood but in the years that follow.

Carol Krasowski, School District: Neptune Township Public Schools
Years as a Tools Coach/Master Teacher: 13

1. What is your favorite thing about the Tools of the Mind program?

My favorite thing about the Tools of the Mind program is the overall philosophy of learning through play. The program is packed with developmentally appropriate activities all day long, allowing young children to thrive. The curriculum enhances the social, emotional, and cognitive abilities of all children through a developmentally appropriate and innovative method. Specifically, I love the Scaffolded Writing process, Play Planning, and the Make-Believe Play that enable children to experience success on a daily basis.

2. What impact has Tools had on the children in your program/district?

The impact Tools has had on students in our district has been amazing and continues to be a source of strength for our young learners. I’ve had the incredible opportunity over many years to watch numerous children thrive and succeed starting in our Tools preschools and going on to graduate from Neptune High School. Tools of the Mind provides endless learning possibilities to all children and meets the needs of those who come from homes with less experience and exposure; ultimately giving each child a chance to achieve success on a daily basis. Tools of the Mind’s combined focus on executive functions and early academic learning provides the strongest foundation for early success in school; bridging the gap for many students.

3. What impact has Tools had on the educators in your program/district?

As a Master Teacher, I believe the program has enhanced the way educators think, create, imagine, and reflect on how young children learn. The curriculum fosters learning through mature play––teachers are able to encourage prop-making, role-playing, and the ability to help children make-believe. As a Master Teacher, I love walking into classrooms and seeing kids in imaginative, creative play. When teachers fully embrace the Tools of the Mind curriculum, they gain so much insight and discovery into how young children truly learn and develop. This evolution of how young children learn through Tools has had the most impact on teachers in our district.

4. What would you say to an administrator considering implementing Tools of the Mind?

I would happily tell any administrator that the Vygotskian theory is brilliantly developmentally age appropriate and just overall an amazing premise for young children’s learning. The program emphasizes self-regulation, shared activities, and executive functioning with a focus on make-believe play, literacy, mathematics, and science. It not only exposes children to an array of skills but it fosters language, positive social interaction, mature play, and offers so many wonderful learning experiences. The Tools curriculum is aligned with the Common Core Standards and provides professional development for teachers and paraprofessionals. Tools provides layers of school readiness for our young learners and continues to bridge the gap for many students. Most of all, the teachers and children love the program, making it a perfect fit for any early childhood classroom.