Coaching the Whole Educator

Change isn’t something school leaders do on the side. It is the work. In this episode, former principal and author Richard Gerver joins Becca to dig into why adults in schools resist change even though change and learning go hand in hand. They talk about why veteran teachers often push back the most, how forcing change shuts down curiosity and buy in, and what it looks like to respect lived experience while still moving forward. You’ll walk away with a fresh perspective on resistance and one simple, practical step you can use tomorrow to lead healthier, more human centered change in your school.

Stay in touch with Richard through his website!

[FREE RESOURCE] Resistance Diagnostic Assessment: Identify the root cause(s) of the resistance you are navigating (previously called The Resistance Audit)

Grab the RESISTANCE PLAYBOOK for only $7 HERE. 

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Resistance Chronicles, Part 5: Ownership Mindset™

[FREE] Find Your Resistance Type Quiz: Find out the type of resistance you are navigating (previously called The Resistance Audit)

In the final episode of The Resistance Chronicles, Becca Silver explores the Ownership Mindset and the form of resistance that often sounds like disengagement but is rooted in belief.

It can sound like:
 “There’s nothing we can do.”
 “That’s just how our kids are.”
 “This is out of our control.”

These statements are not always negativity. They often reflect a belief about influence. When educators do not believe their actions will make a difference, ownership erodes and resistance shows up as minimal effort, surface compliance, waiting, or cynicism.

In this episode, Becca explains how ownership is not about controlling everything. It is about believing there is still something within one’s sphere of influence. She outlines how leaders can shift conversations from blame to agency by identifying controllable variables, testing small changes, and making impact visible over time.

Because ownership is not a personality trait. It is shaped by the environment leaders create. When initiative is ignored, overruled, or disconnected from results, ownership shrinks. When influence is acknowledged and reinforced, ownership grows.

In this episode:

• What resistance sounds like when the Ownership Mindset™ is unsupported
• Why externalizing control leads to disengagement and stalled progress
• How to help teams locate their sphere of influence within real constraints
• Practical ways to build agency through small wins and visible impact
• Leadership moves that reinforce initiative, effort, and responsibility

[FREE RESOURCE] Resistance Diagnostic Assessment: Identify the root cause(s) of the resistance you are navigating (previously called The Resistance Audit)

[FREE] Catalyst Mindset Overview Graphic [Printable]

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[FREE RESOURCE] Resistance Diagnostic Assessment: Identify the root cause(s) of the resistance you are navigating (previously called The Resistance Audit)

Are you an instructional coach or principal navigating endless data, tough decisions, and nonstop demands? In this can’t-miss episode, visionary school leader David Richards reveals why intuition is your greatest untapped superpower, and how mastering it can transform your leadership, simplify your daily choices, and reignite your passion for impact. Walk away with actionable strategies to trust yourself, tune into what really matters, and discover how to blend data with gut instincts for smarter, faster, more fulfilling decisions. Listen now to unlock a hidden edge that will make your work (and life) easier and better than ever!

Grab the RESISTANCE PLAYBOOK for only $7 HERE. 

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Resistance Chronicles, Part 4: Growth Mindset

[FREE] Catalyst Mindset Overview Graphic [Printable]

In this episode, Becca Silver explores how resistance shows up when the belief “I can improve” feels unsupported. Growth requires effort, feedback, and struggle. When those experiences feel risky or tied to judgment, educators naturally protect themselves.

This form of resistance is often quiet and easy to misread. It can sound like:

“I’m good where I am.”
 “That’s just not my style.”
 “I already know how to do this.”
 Avoiding feedback or new learning after one imperfect attempt.

This is not laziness. It is self-protection. When effort feels like weakness, mistakes feel like exposure, and feedback feels evaluative, people stay with what feels safe even if it is not producing results.

In this episode, Becca unpacks the Growth Mindset™ lens of resistance and helps leaders recognize when hesitation is really about how struggle is being interpreted. She also shares practical ways to reframe effort, normalize iteration, and create environments where learning feels developmental rather than performative.

In this episode:

• What resistance looks and sounds like when growth does not feel safe
 • How evaluation-heavy cultures shape risk-taking and feedback
 • Why struggle must be reframed as learning, not failure
 • How leaders can normalize effort, experimentation, and iteration
 • Coaching language that shifts the focus from performance to development

[FREE RESOURCE] Resistance Diagnostic Assessment: Identify the root cause(s) of the resistance you are navigating (previously called The Resistance Audit)

[FREE] Catalyst Mindset Overview Graphic [Printable]

Resources Mentioned:

• The Resistance Playbook
• The Resistance Starter Bundle

Find both at 👉 thewholeeducator.com

Because resistance isn’t something to fight.
It’s something to understand.

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Have you gotten your copy of the  RESISTANCE PLAYBOOK yet?  Get it for only $7 HERE.

In this episode, Becca is joined by her friend and colleague Mia Pumo for an unscripted, honest debate about norms and whether they actually work.

Rather than offering a tidy answer, this conversation lives in the gray. Becca and Mia explore why norms are so commonly used in schools, why they often fail to change behavior, and under what conditions they can support trust, psychological safety, and productive collaboration.

The discussion challenges traditional, compliance-driven approaches to norms and asks deeper questions about what sits underneath behaviors like disengagement, side conversations, and surface-level agreement. Together, they examine the difference between norms rooted in control versus those grounded in connection, shared values, and ownership.

You’ll hear practical examples of when norms fall flat, when they work, and how leaders unintentionally undermine them by treating norms as static rules instead of living agreements. The episode also introduces a provocative reframe: using the Catalyst Mindsets™ to think about norms as a way to proactively address unmet needs and resistance rather than policing behavior.

This episode is for coaches and leaders who are ready to question long-standing practices, sit with ambiguity, and design learning spaces that prioritize trust, belonging, and meaningful engagement over compliance.

You can connect with Mia through her website!

[FREE RESOURCE] Resistance Diagnostic Assessment: Identify the root cause(s) of the resistance you are navigating (previously called The Resistance Audit)

Let's Stay Connected!
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What if resistance isn’t defiance… but doubt?

In Part 3 of The Resistance Chronicles, Becca Silver unpacks the Success Mindset and the powerful role of self-efficacy. When educators aren’t sure they can succeed, resistance shows up , not as rebellion, but as hesitation:

•“I’m not sure that will work.”
• “That’s not really my strength.”
• “I’ve tried that before.”

This episode reframes resistance as a signal of low confidence, not low commitment. Becca shares how leaders and coaches can build belief through evidence, small wins, and targeted support, instead of pressure.

You’ll learn:

• What resistance sounds like when self-efficacy is low
• Why doubt is often misread as pushback
• How to build confidence that leads to action

Resources

• The Resistance Playbook
• The Resistance Starter Bundle

[FREE] Catalyst Mindset Overview Graphic [Printable]

[FREE RESOURCE] Resistance Diagnostic Assessment: Identify the root cause(s) of the resistance you are navigating (previously called The Resistance Audit)

Next up: what resistance looks like when people don’t feel safe to grow.

Let's Stay Connected!
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Be sure to grab your copy of the  RESISTANCE PLAYBOOK is now available!  It's  only $7 HERE.

In this episode of Coaching the Whole Educator, Becca Silver sits down with Kurtis Hewson, co founder of Jigsaw Learning, to break down what truly drives authentic collaboration in schools. Kurtis explains why many teams think they are “collaborating” when they are actually stuck in compliance based routines that drain energy and limit impact. He shares how real collaboration begins with co created clarity. Teams need a shared understanding of why they meet, how they meet, and what success looks like.

Kurtis introduces the Collaborative Response Framework, a research informed, four layer model that helps schools organize people, strengthen problem solving, and respond to student needs with intention. He describes how leaders can shift from “set it and forget it” structures to predictable, purposeful collaboration that continues even when the leader leaves the room. The conversation highlights practical strategies for building norms, addressing dominant voices, creating psychological safety, and preventing teams from falling into the agreement pit.

This episode is filled with actionable insights for instructional coaches, school leaders, and educators who want to move beyond surface level collaboration and build teams that think together, problem solve together, and take ownership together. Listeners will walk away with clear steps to strengthen team culture, increase collective efficacy, and support meaningful change in their schools.

[FREE RESOURCE] Resistance Diagnostic Assessment: Identify the root cause(s) of the resistance you are navigating (previously called The Resistance Audit)

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Resistance Chronicles, Part 2: Belonging Mindset™ 

In this episode, I explore belonging as one of the most overlooked drivers of resistance in schools. Resistance does not always show up as pushback. It often appears as silence, surface-level agreement, avoidance, or polite compliance.

These behaviors frequently signal uncertainty about relational safety. When educators are not sure they will still be respected, supported, or valued if they disagree or struggle, they protect themselves by staying quiet.

This episode covers:

• What resistance looks and sounds like when belonging feels uncertain
 • Why compliance should not be mistaken for connection or buy-in
 • How “nice” cultures can still suppress honesty and risk-taking
 • The leadership moments that either strengthen or weaken trust
 • Practical language leaders and coaches can use to lower threat and invite real dialogue

The core idea: resistance tied to belonging is rarely loud. It is quiet, protective, and easy to misread without a relational lens.

Resources Mentioned

• The Resistance Playbook
• The Resistance Starter Bundle

Both available at 👉 thewholeeducator.com

Next up: what resistance sounds like when people aren’t sure they can succeed.

Let's Stay Connected!
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The RESISTANCE PLAYBOOK is now available!  Grab it for only $7 HERE.

In this episode of Coaching the Whole Educator, Becca Silver talks with instructional leader and writer Lauren Kaufman about how authentic questioning and a true coaching mindset drive meaningful growth for educators. With twenty years of experience across teaching, coaching, and district leadership, Lauren explains why effective coaching begins with curiosity, psychological safety, and open dialogue rather than hidden agendas or fix-it strategies.

Lauren breaks down the difference between authentic questions and leading or agenda-driven questions, sharing the three simple questions she uses to build trust, uncover real needs, and support teacher reflection. She and Becca also explore how judgment shows up in coaching conversations, how to recognize it in the moment, and how to reset back into curiosity when a conversation starts to feel rushed or directed.

This episode is a must-listen for instructional coaches, school leaders, teacher leaders, and professional learning facilitators who want to strengthen relationships, foster teacher agency, and use questioning as a powerful tool for growth.

Find out more about Lauren's resources on her website.
[FREE RESOURCE] The Teacher Growth Mindset Workbook

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In this first episode of The Resistance Chronicles, Becca Silver challenges one of the most common leadership mistakes we make: treating resistance as a compliance problem instead of a diagnostic opportunity.

She reframes resistance as a signal, not defiance, but an unmet need.

Becca introduces five core Catalyst Mindsets that often sit underneath resistance: value, ownership, belonging, success, and growth

In this episode, she focuses specifically on the value mindset, unpacking what’s really happening when someone says, “This just feels like more work.”

Instead of pushing harder for buy-in, she walks leaders and coaches through how to pause, diagnose, and connect the work to what actually matters to the person in front of them. Because resistance decreases when value increases.

This episode is practical, mindset-shifting, and immediately usable, especially for instructional coaches, teacher leaders, and school administrators navigating change fatigue.

Becca also shares two resources designed to help you respond to resistance in real time:

• The $7 Resistance Playbook for quick, in-the-moment diagnosis
• The $27 Resistance Starter Bundle, which includes a Resistance Audit, action toolkit, and mini-course

If you’ve ever felt stuck pushing an initiative that people aren’t buying into, this episode will help you stop fighting resistance, and start understanding it.

Next up in the series: The Belonging Mindset.

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