Instructional coaches are often valued for their experience, instructional knowledge, and ability to support teacher growth. Yet one of the most important qualities a coach can bring to a coaching conversation is intellectual humility. Researchers define intellectual humility as recognizing that our beliefs, interpretations, and conclusions may be incomplete or even mistaken. It is the […]

Jonathan Haidt’s, “The Happiness Hypothesis,“ presents a helpful metaphor for coaching: the elephant and the rider. The elephant symbolizes our emotional, intuitive self—the instinctive reactions that show up when a lesson flops, a student refuses to engage, or a new initiative feels overwhelming. The rider represents our rational, planning, problem-solving self that sets goals, analyzes […]

“Resistance isn’t refusal. It’s a signal of unmet needs.”  Becca Silver, the founder of The Whole Educator and the designer of the Resistance Remedy, shares how to diagnosis common unmet needs. Coaches questioning and listening emerges as key to change and commitment. Visit The Whole Educator website and get in touch with Becca here. Subscribe […]

By pairing an administrator with a systems-level view and access to resources with a teacher leader deep in classroom expertise and credibility, a school-based mentor program added support to teachers new to teaching or new to the school. Their partnership sent a message that mentoring isn’t something done to teachers—it’s something we do together. “The […]

The WOOP process (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan) looks to engage learners in goal setting by stretching their aspirations while acknowledging the messy realities of progress. In her book, “Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation,”Gabrielle Oettingen challenged the belief that merely imagining positive futures helps us succeed. She developed WOOP as an evidence-based […]

Tim Smyth, a high school teacher, shares his strategies for regularly surveying his students to build valuable connections. Hear some of the questions and approaches that tap information about his students. Tim has experienced knowing students better, having students know him, and at times knowing students who need emotional help. Instructional coaches can use Tim’s […]