Ms. Whitney Coates began teaching at Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) in 2015, but she knew that she had found her home before she got the job. As a brand new teacher looking for a start to her career, Ms. Coates took the advice of a friend who had been a substitute teacher at OCSA. The suggestion changed the course of her life because after nearly three years of being a substitute, she didn’t just want a teaching career anymore. She wanted a career teaching at OCSA.
“I would take a job at OCSA over a job anywhere else, every single time. It is so much better than any other school to work at,” she said.
Ms. Coates achieved her goal and landed a full-time position teaching social science. Today, her passion for the students and the culture at OCSA still shines through every day. She is always in attendance for leadership activities and events. She never misses a chance to dress up for a Spirit Week. She volunteers for anything that helps her students reach their full potential and she supports students at their conservatory performances and showcases throughout the year.
It was my pleasure to interview this unique, enthusiastic teacher who so flawlessly fits into the OCSA culture that we all know and love. Here’s what Ms. Coates had to share:
What did you teach when you started and what do you teach now?
“Modern World History is my jam and Global Studies is my baby,” she said.
Ms. Coates has always been an OCSA social science teacher, but she has done much more than teach the necessary curriculum. She said she had the privilege of creating the Global Studies course with the help of former OCSA teacher, Cindy Lenore-Riga. The social science teachers got together and determined that there was a skills gap in analytical academic writing, specifically in a social science style so they created a curriculum with the idea of teaching critical thinking and analytical writing through the study of geography and current events. Ms. Coates also teaches Modern World History, and proudly serves as a leadership adviser and mock trial coach for all five seasons. OCSA mock trial has competed in playoffs every single year and this year the team made it all the way to the end of finals.
Why did you join the OCSA team?
“I don't know that I decided to join the OCSA team. I think OCSA was finally willing to give me a full time job! I've subbed at many, many places – OCSA is special. It's definitely a place where I can be my quirky self and there's something about this school that I knew I wanted to work here. I would’ve taken a job somewhere else if I had to, because I need to feed myself, but OCSA was the dream. And do I commute 45 minutes to work every day? Yes, but that’s because these kids are phenomenal,” Ms. Coates said.
What is your favorite part about working with the students here?
“Honestly, I don't know that there's a favorite part of working with students, just getting to know them as people is my favorite part. They're funny. They've got really cool interests. I get book recommendations that I would have never even thought about. I had a kid teach me how to play a video game once during a lockdown.That's something that's special about this school. I feel like there is a real connection between people and we want to get to know each other’s interests. Then that means that my students want to know my interests and what I’m teaching,” she said.
What is your favorite part about working with the leadership students?
Ms. Coates does a lot of work with the leadership class and said she loves being a leadership adviser because it’s a very different dynamic with her students.
“They bring forth great ideas that I hadn’t thought about and it’s really exciting to have that back and forth with them. It’s more like a team instead of ‘I’m in charge and this is what you have to do.’ There’s a team energy and there’s a lot to be said for the input from the students on the direction that we take,” she said.
Why do you think that the school has not only survived, but continued to grow over the past 35 years?
“I will talk about this school to anybody because it's phenomenal. When I was job hunting, I intentionally was not looking at charter schools, except OCSA. That's because so many of them fail but OCSA has a very clear vision and mission, and everything we do supports that vision and mission. The students that go here want to be a part of the community that we have built; the teachers want to be a part of the culture that we love. It's a unique culture and it's something that I don't see anywhere else. The people that are here want to be here…We all want to see everybody succeed, whether that's faculty, staff, students, families, etc. We want to see people thriving as a part of the OCSA experience,” Ms. Coates said.
Has OCSA lived up to your expectations from when you first began this journey?
Ms. Coates said OCSA has exceeded her expectations. She reflected on her time at the school and her own growth; from teaching a one semester of a ninth grade class to implementing a wide range of curriculum and projects that she is currently a part of.
“I have grown in my time here. I’m not just coming to teach my class and go home. That’s not who I’m going to be. I feel 100% fulfilled from my job, it's really so fulfilling. I think my OCSA experience has gotten better and better as I’ve put myself more into it. I am so involved in things because I want to be and because I have bought into our OCSA vision. I know what it is that we want to do and I 100% believe that we are doing it,” she said.
What impact has being an educator had on your life?
“It has 100% become part of my identity. Not just being an educator, but being a teacher here specifically. It has allowed me to understand the world and different points of views so much better,” Ms. Coates said.
She said she realizes that at OCSA everyone comes from different communities, experiences and backgrounds, and she has the privilege of hearing from a diverse group of people. Ms. Coates never thought about how much she would learn as a teacher, but she said that she eagerly learns something new every day. Not only does she know more about pop culture (and is now addicted to TikTok) but she is more knowledgeable about social justice, inclusivity and being a better person because of her students.
What are you looking forward to in your career with OCSA?
“I plan on retiring from this school. I do not plan on ever leaving, so whatever journey that takes me on is where I’ll go. Ideally, I will move to a place where I can make decisions to help carry out the mission of OCSA and be a part of it on an even higher level. But if that doesn't manifest, I will teach here forever. I don't know that there is another place that allows me to be as authentically me,” Ms. Coates said.