About

Better Students. Better Learners. Better Teaching & Learning.

Welcome

I’m so glad you are here. By being here, I’m taking a hunch that you are curious. Curious how coaching can help you be the teacher you want to be. To better your students as well.

Whether you are new to teaching or a seasoned veteran, supporting your professional practice can bring the change you want for yourself and your students.

Schedule a video call to learn more about coaching

About Ryan

Hi, I’m Ryan.

I’m a teacher, curriculum designer, teaching & learning coach, and a lifelong student.

My passion is in creating spaces for better student learning and success. Not only in the classes that I teach and design but in yours as well.

No matter if I am teaching high school history, pre-service teacher education classes, or graduate-level curriculum and instruction courses, I have discovered that it’s often the lack of core skills and knowledge that students need for academic success and better learning. It’s not the content that trips up students. I have experienced and observed this as a student and teacher.

Either sitting in a class or in front of one, I’ve been in school most of my life. In the sometimes bumpy journey, I have experienced both successes and setbacks, but now I use my stories and experience to help you be the teacher you want to be that will enable your students to be the best students and learners they can be.

More about Ryan

Teaching, Curriculum Design, Instructional Development, Assessment & Standards Alignment, and Technology Integration

Advanced Placement (AP)

Capstone Seminar
Capstone Research
European History
U.S. Government & Politics
U.S. History
World History

High School Honors, Regular, & Inclusion

U.S. History
World History
Reading & Writing

Undergraduate & Graduate

Information Literacy
Interdisciplinary Research Capstone
Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment
Teacher Leadership & Coaching
Teaching History & Social Studies Methods for Pre-Service Teachers

Education & Credentials

PhD in Curriculum Studies | DePaul University
MA in Teaching & Learning | DePaul University
BA in History | Bellarmine University

Certified Illinois secondary teaching license
College Board AP-trained teacher
AP Reader

About @theCore Teaching & Learning

There are skills, knowledge, and experiences that transcend any content area or grade level: Critical thinking, information & digital literacy, inquiry, reading, research, problem-solving, and writing and communication.

In these spaces, there are shared methods, strategies, and tools that help students learn, create, problem-solve, and communicate.

It is figuring out and supporting what students need to be the drivers of their learning. Building students’ capacity to learn, and learn from their learning, will allow them to grow and succeed in any subject area or learning environment. The core areas listed above are the pieces of the puzzle that make independent students and learners happen.

This is what @theCore is all about: Better Students. Better Learners. Better Teaching & Learning.

Schedule a video call to learn more about coaching

Student Testimonials

Dr. Bates had a great sense of humor and made me enjoy coming to class. He was so personable that I always felt comfortable asking him for advice on other parts of my life: class advice, college applications, talking to my family. I think a great teacher is one who takes an interest in you more than just as a number in their class. Life outside the classroom can manifest within it, and so check-ups are important. Dr. Bates was always interested in my life and giving me the best advice he had to offer. Honestly, I probably would not have ended up going to Claremont if it was not for Dr. Bates.

M.L., AP U.S. History, AP Seminar, and AP Research student

I remember how Dr. Bates treated both myself and the people in our class. You made us feel like individuals, men and women with ideas that were to be respected. I did well on the APUSH exam, and although that’s probably because of how well he excelled in keeping all that history stuff inside my head… I have to say it was more so due to the fact that I respected what Dr. Bates was teaching me because he respected what I had to say.

J.S., AP U.S. History student

Dr. Bates has a very calm demeanor, which allowed me to compose myself and focus on what we were learning each day. I struggled with test anxiety which can make it difficult for me to learn in certain environments, but I never felt that way in his classroom.

I also became a better writer with Dr. Bates’s help in APUSH and Seminar. Every AP Exam has different writing requirements, but with U.S. History being the first ever AP Exam I would take made me nervous. So, practicing DBQs and FRQs and getting his feedback was key for the AP Exam, but also in learning how to connect big picture concepts.

N.K., AP U.S. History and AP Seminar student

One of the biggest things for me that Dr. Bates brought as a teacher was the personal aspect of education. He got to know his students and allowed them to learn the material in a way they would remember. I am proud of the personal growth that his class taught me.

C.T., AP U.S. History student

I never felt intimidated on the AP U.S. History exam. I know that for a lot of people the writing portion of the exam is the scariest part, they get overwhelmed, but by practicing with Dr. Bates, it felt like just another day in class instead of a big scary essay.

S.D., AP U.S. History student

Ryan was very prompt and provided meaningful feedback on a history paper assignment.

T.G., History student

Dr. Bates was the first teacher that pushed my way of thinking to be more analytical. With him as one of my guides, I have used this way of thinking to accomplish a lot in my college career.

The way Dr. Bates connects with his students makes a comfortable learning environment. Anxiety often made me doubt myself so to have someone to relate to helped me grow leaps and bounds over the years.

D.G., AP U.S. History and AP Seminar student

My paper was pretty rough, but with the help of Dr. Bates, it was in great condition. Every time we had a peer review, my paper was barely ever commented on because Dr. Bates had prepared me to cover all the points necessary.

C.K., AP Seminar student

Dr. Bates was able to engage with his students and treat us as if we were on a similar level and it made me feel more comfortable to ask about the material and any other questions. He also had a strong understanding of the material and explained it in a way that was understandable to people with no background knowledge.

D.G., AP U.S. History student

A teacher should be a source of motivation, must believe in the student, and must make the student feel comfortable enough to approach the teacher when they are struggling or are not understanding something. I never really lacked motivation, but for some students, it only takes one teacher believing in them for them to believe in themselves. Dr. Bates, thank you for believing in me.

D.S., AP U.S. History and AP Seminar student