Woodward Assistant Math Department Chair and multi-sport coach Tim Coats ’11 talks about what drives him to mentor students on and off the field of play.

You are a Woodward alum. What led you to return to teach?

In high school, I began coaching swimming at Leafmore Creek Park Club in Decatur. We had a swim team of more than 200 athletes from ages 3 to 18. I learned of my passion for connecting with student-athletes. After graduating from Woodward, I attended Georgia Tech and continued to coach the summer swim team. I was majoring in industrial engineering, but quickly realized that my real passion was coaching. During my third year at Tech, I reached out to Woodward Coach Anthony Thomas ’99 and he offered me a job as the ninth grade assistant boys coach, I quickly expanded to coaching boys lacrosse, Lower School football, and subbing in the Middle School. In 2015, I graduated from Georgia Tech and enrolled at Mercer University to get my Masters of Arts in Teaching, substitute teaching at Woodward during the day and attending evening classes. In fall 2015, the Upper School science department had an opening, and I began teaching biology and chemistry.

After that year of teaching science, a math position opened, and I joined the math department. Since then, I have taught Geometry CP, Algebra 2 EP, Pre-Calculus EP, and Calculus EP. This year I became Assistant Department Chair of the Math Department, the best subject department on campus!

What does David Brooks' definition of illuminators mean to you?

An illuminator is someone who can make a positive impact on those with whom they interact. As a teacher, I have a variety of students who enter my classroom, and therefore I interact daily with a group of students who have different passions, values, and goals than me. The best way I have found to connect with those students is to ask questions about their passions. This allows me to learn more about the world we live in and gives me a connection to that student. Often, I talk with my colleagues about how we each may be the smartest math person in the room, but unless we are able to make a personal connection with our students, it will be very challenging to teach them.

How do you incorporate your life experience in your teaching and your coaching?

The first night I was on Georgia Tech’s campus as a freshman, I was walking with a group of students to play frisbee at the rec center. On the walk over, I noticed an international student who could not stop looking at the sky on that clear August afternoon. I began a conversation with him, and he mentioned that in his home country the sky was always gray because of the industry in that country. The next day, I met a fellow freshman from South Carolina who was very interested in car racing. Growing up I had always found the passion people had for cars driving in a circle strange. The more questions I asked him, the more I learned about the strategy and dedication that goes into it. We are still great friends 13 years later, and I believe a lot of it started because I was open and curious to learn about someone else’s passion. These two interactions have stuck with me because they remind me that if you are not willing to be open to learning about others’ passions and backgrounds, you will miss out on the opportunities to really know them and be able to influence their life.

How have your experiences as a teacher and as a coach helped you to act as an illuminator in your life outside of school?

The biggest takeaway I have from teaching is that everyone does not have the same worldview as I do. Through practice of trying to understand what others believe and why, I think you can more fully view our world. Through improved understanding and respect, I can more effectively live out one of my callings: “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31).

Why do you love your work?

The question I get asked most by students is why I came back to work at Woodward. The answer I always give them is if you want to be a teacher, there is no better place to be a teacher than WA. From the coworkers to the facilities, Woodward has done a wonderful job of positioning the faculty to authentically connect and challenge the students that enter our classrooms.

I love that every day is different because of the students and families I work with. Every day, whether in the classroom or on the court, I hope that I can challenge students and athletes to grow. I hope to help them develop skills they will use throughout their lives. I believe the notes I receive at the end of the year and the visits from an alumni I taught years ago are evidence of this and bring me great joy.

Are there illuminators (teachers, coaches, or classmates) who inspired you when you were at Woodward? How about other mentors/inspirational figures since graduating?

Woodward is full of illuminators, and it is what makes Woodward a great school. As a student I had wonderful teachers and coaches such as Paula Gentry, Anthony Thomas, Tim Hamling, and Pete Fritts. Now as a teacher, I am blessed by the colleagues I work with every day; Ken Kirschner, Sara Elliot, Swannee Park, Stacey Sandifer, and Michael Mousadis are just a few of the wonderful illuminators I get to work with.

Outside of Woodward, I have great mentors and friends. Starting with my wife Allison Coats, my parents Bill and Barbara, and great friends Kyle, Kayla, and Blake.

Why does our world need illuminators?

As our world has become more polarized and technology-centric, I believe that the number one skill a person can develop to successfully lead and problem solve is the ability to listen and understand someone who is different from yourself.