C3 Connecting, Coaches, Cognition

On this episode of C3, Dr. Rachel Alouek—an award-winning principal, author, and leadership coach—shares her journey from kindergarten teacher to school leader and discusses relational leadership, mentorship, and educator wellbeing.

She offers practical strategies for balancing accountability with trust, leveraging teacher strengths and community resources, protecting leader boundaries, and finding joy to sustain meaningful school improvement.

In this episode Courtney Groskin and Sandy Heiser welcome Dr. Matthew Rhodes to discuss effective instructional coaching in K–12 and higher education. Dr. Rhodes explains the importance of clearly defining the coach’s role, being visible, and building systems that support sustainable coaching practices.

Key takeaways include active listening, focusing on one to three high-leverage strategies, using the diffusion of innovation to scale change, leveraging AI for paperwork, and creating routines to avoid burnout.

Hosts Courtney Groskin and Sandy Heiser reflect on C3's first season, discussing favorite guests, key takeaways about coaching practice, reconnecting with current educational research, and integrating AI into professional learning.

They share plans for upcoming cohorts, tips for new administrators, and invite listeners to suggest books and follow the podcast for a new season starting in September.

In this episode, Courtney Groskin and Sandy Heiser sit down with Joellen Killion to explore job-embedded coaching, the 10 roles coaches play, and how to align coaching to school and district priorities.

Joellen discusses how transformational coaching shifts mindsets as well as practices, the non-negotiables for sustainable coaching programs, and the importance of equity, clear purpose, and evaluation.

They wrap up with rapid-fire tips, the theme "empower over enable," and practical guidance to ensure coaching leads to lasting instructional change and improved student learning.

Guest: Mary Webb, veteran educator and instructional coach with 27 years of experience

Episode Summary:

Key Takeaways:

AI as a Navigation System: AI helps identify patterns and clarify next steps without overwhelming teachers.

Human Connection First: Technology should enhance, not replace, empathy and trust in coaching relationships.

Ethics and Confidentiality: Coaches must be transparent, secure teacher data, and obtain informed consent when using AI.

Prompting Matters: Clear, intentional prompts produce better AI insights to support teacher growth.

AI in Action: A practical example shows how AI can help coaches identify themes and focus next steps in a coaching conversation.

Reflection Questions:

How can AI serve as a thinking partner while preserving relational trust?

What ethical guardrails should be in place before integrating AI into coaching?

How can you improve coaching clarity through purposeful prompting?

In this episode of C3: Connecting Coaches & Cognition, Courtney Groskin and Sandy Heiser sit down with Craig Randall, author of Trust-Based Observations, to explore how reimagining classroom observations through the lens of trust can transform school culture, teacher growth, and instructional practice.

Craig shares his unique professional journey—from school counselor to international school leader—and how those experiences shaped his belief that observations should be rooted in relationships rather than compliance. Drawing on research, real-world examples, and years of leadership experience, he explains why traditional observation models often fail to improve teaching and can unintentionally harm teacher efficacy.

Together, the conversation dives into:

What trust-based observations are and how they differ from traditional evaluation models

The role of psychological safety in teacher risk-taking and growth

Why focusing on strengths first builds relational trust and instructional momentum

Practical, high-impact moves evaluators can make before, during, and after observations

How trust-based practices support teacher cognition, reflection, and self-assessment

Strategies for rebuilding trust when teachers bring past negative observation experiences

Small shifts leaders can make right now to begin transforming their observation practice

Craig also shares a powerful story illustrating how quickly a culture of trust can spread—and why teachers deeply crave authentic, strengths-based feedback.

The episode wraps up with a rapid-fire round full of practical wisdom and encouragement for school leaders and evaluators at any stage of their journey.

Website: trustbased.com

Book: Trust-Based Observations (available on Amazon)

Social Media: @trustbasedcraig

Email: [email protected]

Episode Title: Elevating Coaching & Instruction with AI

In this episode of C3: Connecting Coaches & Cognition, Courtney Groskin and Sandy Heiser kick off the new year with an engaging conversation about AI, coaching, and instructional impact. They are joined by Tori Fitka, former high school science teacher and current Community Coach at SchoolAI, who was recently named Community Coach of the Year for 2025.

Together, they explore how AI—when used intentionally—can enhance teaching, deepen reflection, and build educator capacity without replacing the human side of learning and coaching.

Tori Fitka is a former high school science teacher turned community coach at SchoolAI, where she supports educators nationwide in leveraging AI and blended learning to create meaningful, student-centered experiences. With a background in digital learning and instructional coaching, Tori is passionate about thoughtful design, strong relationships, and using technology to serve a clear instructional purpose—not just because it’s available.

🧠 AI as a Thought Partner, Not a Replacement

🔍 Reflection & Metacognition with AI

🤝 Coaching at Scale

🛠️ From Curiosity to Confidence

Hands-on and experiential

Grounded in real classroom use cases

Supported by ongoing coaching and leadership

Designed with time to explore, fail, revise, and reflect

🚀 Building Capacity Without Adding to Workload

🔮 The Future of AI in Education

⚡ One Strategy Every Coach Should Have:

⚡ Advice for New Teachers:

You can connect with Tori and access free trainings through the SchoolAI Community (available once logged into SchoolAI). Be sure to explore both synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities.

In this episode of C3, hosts Courtney Groskin and Sandy Heiser welcome Joy De Los Santos, a special education coach with over 20 years of experience who now co-leads an instructional coaching team supporting nine districts.

Joy discusses her journey into coaching, practical strategies for overwhelmed teachers—including prioritizing high-impact supports and using visuals like visual schedules—and the importance of using data to guide decisions and build common ground among teams.

The conversation highlights what true inclusion looks like (access, engagement, and respectful peer interaction), leadership coaching to build capacity, and real coaching wins that helped teachers feel empowered and improved student outcomes.

In this episode:

Featured Guest: Joy de los Santos

Key Takeaways from Joy:

Rapid-Fire Tips from Joy:

Advice for new teachers: Feeling unsure is normal. Asking for help is a sign of strength, and no one has all the answers—especially early in your career.

In this episode Courtney and Sandy welcome Connie Hamilton, author and consultant, to discuss the power of well-crafted coaching questions. Connie explains how to create a cognitive journey for teachers, balance coaching and consulting roles, normalize imperfection, and use targeted follow-up questions to deepen reflection and instructional growth.

Listeners get practical strategies: focus deeply on one instructional goal, use metacognitive prompts (How will you know? What will tell you to pivot?), offer multiple options as a menu, and gather data to inform coaching conversations. Resources are available at ConnieHamilton.org.

Episode Description:

We dive deep into the power of well-crafted coaching questions, discussing how they can spark reflection, build teacher efficacy, and create a culture of continuous improvement. Connie offers practical strategies for balancing coaching and consulting roles, supporting new teachers, and fostering collective efficacy within schools.

Listeners will gain actionable insights on:

Connie also shares a free resource on her website, SIFT Data Descriptions, which provides practical ways for coaches to collect and use classroom data to guide instructional conversations.

Rapid Fire Highlights:

Connect with Connie Hamilton:

Timestamps (Approximate):

50:00 – Rapid fire tips & final thoughts