Coaching the Whole Educator

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In this episode of Coaching the Whole Educator, Becca sits down with Lindsay Deacon, veteran instructional coach and author of The EduCoach Survival Guide. Lindsay brings more than a decade of experience supporting teachers, coaches, and leaders across districts, and she joins the show to unpack one of the most essential skills in coaching and professional learning: how to read a room and adjust in real time.

Together, Becca and Lindsay explore practical strategies for recognizing disengagement, understanding group dynamics, and creating meaningful connection that leads to true adult learning. Lindsay shares actionable tools instructional coaches can use to scan the room, interpret body language, identify root causes of disengagement, and build psychological safety. She also explains how to respond when a single participant is checked out versus when an entire group loses energy, and she offers insight into managing resistance, emotional states, and value mindset during PD sessions.

Listeners will learn how to warm up a room, increase relevance, shift the energy of disengaged groups, and stay grounded in authenticity while leading professional development. This episode is packed with tips instructional coaches can use immediately to strengthen facilitation skills, boost engagement in workshops, and make coaching conversations more effective.

If you are an instructional coach, school leader, or anyone responsible for leading adult learning, this conversation will help you read the room with confidence, support your participants with intention, and keep your sessions human centered and impactful.

Learn more about The Educoach Survival Guide on Lindsay's website!
The RESISTANCE PLAYBOOK was just released!  Grab it for only $7 HERE.

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The RESISTANCE PLAYBOOK was just released!  Grab it for only $7 HERE.

Here’s a leadership question that sounds simple…but isn’t:
How consistent is consistent enough? 
And when does it start getting in the way?

Chris and I dig into one of leadership’s quieter paradoxes: the pull to be steady and responsive at the same time. We talk about why consistency matters: trust, clarity, accountability all depend on it. And we name the shadow side too: when consistency turns into rigid sameness, it can actually work against the very people we’re trying to support.

Chris makes a compelling case for predictability, especially in complex systems where people need clear expectations to do good work. I come at it from a coaching lens:  values should be consistent, yes, but approaches often need to flex. That flexibility can reduce decision fatigue and help leaders meet teachers where they actually are, not where we wish they’d be.

We also take a hard look at coaching protocols and structures. 
When do they support growth? 
And when do they quietly replace thinking, judgment, and real connection?

The invitation in this episode is simple but not easy: use tools wisely, stay anchored in your values, and don’t outsource your leadership to a checklist.

If you’ve ever wrestled with how to lead with both decisiveness and responsiveness, this conversation will meet you right in the middle.

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In this powerful episode of Coaching the Whole Educator, Becca Silver sits down with Dr. Naomi Hall, former educator, burnout expert, and co-founder of the Thrive Conference, to unpack why burnout is skyrocketing in schools and what leaders can actually do to support overwhelmed teachers.

Dr. Hall brings nearly two decades of experience as a teacher and administrator, along with her real-world journey through burnout and recovery. Together, Becca and Naomi break down the root causes of educator burnout, including lack of boundaries, toxic school cultures, and the system-wide habit of focusing on curriculum over human beings. They discuss why traditional “self care” advice often backfires, what required care really looks like, and how teachers can build sustainable habits using science-backed strategies.

Listeners will learn:

• The most common causes of burnout in schools
• Why surface-level self-care doesn’t work—and what does
• How leaders can model boundaries and create healthier staff cultures
• Mindset shifts that immediately reduce stress and rewire burnout patterns
• Practical tools such as habit stacking, nervous-system resets, and fact-vs-story reframes
• Concrete examples from real schools transforming culture and supporting educators

This episode is a must-listen for instructional coaches, school leaders, and anyone committed to supporting teacher wellbeing, improving school culture, and fostering human-centered leadership.

For more on Dr. Naomi Hall and the free Thrive Conference, visit NRHDynamic.com or follow her at @naomihallfiteducator.

Download the FFIRE Your Complaints Framework, here!

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🚨Don’t forget to register for the VATLL Power of Coaching Conference, February 3–4, 2026! 🚨

Let’s start with a question we don’t ask often enough:
What if resistance isn’t the problem?

Chris and I push on a pretty common assumption in education; that resistance is something to manage, fix, or eliminate. I offer a reframe that’s shaped a lot of my own leadership: resistance is often a signal. 

Engagement. 
Unmet needs. 
Something important trying to get our attention.

Chris takes it deeper, looking at what pushback usually points to beneath the surface, missing clarity, insufficient support, a lack of trust, or not enough voice. And together we name a few uncomfortable truths: compliance isn’t the goal, “shoulds” shut people down, and curiosity beats control every time.

Here’s the shift we’re inviting: instead of bracing against resistance, what if we listened to it?

Because resistance can be a compass. It can point leaders toward more responsive, more human, and ultimately more effective ways of working.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, frustrated, or worn down by pushback, this episode might change how you see it, and how you respond next time.

🚨Don’t forget to register for the VATLL Power of Coaching Conference, February 3–4, 2026! 🚨

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In this episode of Coaching the Whole Educator, Becca sits down again with veteran instructional coaching expert Steve Barkley to unpack one of the most overlooked but powerful parts of the coaching cycle: the pre-conference. Together, they break down why pre-conferences are essential for effective instructional coaching, teacher growth, and human-centered school leadership.

Steve explains how pre-conferences create trust, increase teacher agency, and ensure coaching conversations feel relevant and meaningful. Instead of using coaching time for “I gotcha” observations, Steve shows how a strong pre-conference transforms the work into “I got you,” helping teachers reflect, self-identify needs, and experience immediate shifts in clarity and confidence.

Listeners will learn:

• What a pre-conference actually is and why it’s the most important step in the coaching cycle
• How pre-conferences build trust, value, and relevance for teachers
• Why skipping the pre-conference leads to ineffective coaching and wasted time
• How focusing on teacher-driven goals increases engagement and efficacy
• The role of questioning skills, reflective listening, and open-ended questions in high-quality coaching
• How coaches can diagnose what teachers truly need by listening for payoffs vs. costs

This conversation gives coaches and school leaders practical, classroom-ready strategies for improving observations, strengthening post-conferences, and building a human-centered coaching culture where growth actually sticks. If you want to deepen your instructional coaching practice, increase teacher buy-in, and elevate the impact of every classroom visit, this episode is a must-listen.

Download the Stages of Competence resource, here!
Episode 74 pairs perfectly with this episode! Take a listen!

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🚨Don’t forget to register for the VATLL Power of Coaching Conference, February 3–4, 2026! 🚨

Here’s a question I keep bumping into as a leader and a coach:
When does empathy help, and when does it quietly stall us out?

In the first episode of our three-part series on coaching and leadership, Chris and I dig into one of leadership’s most uncomfortable tensions. I’ll say it plainly: empathy matters. A lot. And… sometimes leaders have to make decisions with incomplete buy-in, imperfect timing, and information others don’t have yet.

Chris makes a strong case for empathy as the foundation, without it we miss what’s really going on for people. I push back from lived experience: if empathy runs the show unchecked, leaders can hesitate, over-process, and get stuck trying to keep everyone comfortable.

This episode kicks off an honest, practical exploration of leadership as a paradox: heart and backbone. And the judgment to know which one the moment is asking for.

🚨Don’t forget to register for the VATLL Power of Coaching Conference, February 3–4, 2026! 🚨

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This episode dives straight into the conversation every educator and leader needs right now: How AI is reshaping coaching, leadership, and the way we build an Innovator’s Mindset in schools.

Becca sits down with George Couros, world-recognized educator and author of The Innovator’s Mindset, to unpack how AI can support real human-centered leadership instead of replacing it. Together, they explore how AI can fuel curiosity, deepen critical thinking, and expand teacher and student agency when used with intention.

You’ll hear George break down:

• Why innovation is not about technology, but about creating “new and better” ways of learning
• How leaders can build ownership by giving real choice and voice
• How AI tools like ChatGPT can save hours of time while strengthening reflection, planning, and connection
• Why discernment is now a core skill for educators
• How teachers and leaders can model meaningful AI use before bringing it to students
• What the rise of AI search means for school leadership, professional learning, and even hiring

This conversation mixes practical AI strategies, mindset shifts, and real talk about the skills educators and students need in a world where information is easy... but wisdom isn’t. If you’re a coach, teacher leader, or administrator wanting to use AI without losing the human heart of your work, this episode is your new favorite.

Check out more about what George is up to on his website!
Download the FREE Human BINGO card, here!

Start with connection, and everything gets easier from there!

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Looking for inspiration and real talk you can actually use as a school leader? This episode brings you a powerful conversation between Becca and the vibrant duo behind The Principal Exchange, Andra and Sarah. Together, they explore the real challenges principals face every day. The isolation. The constant demands. The search for support that truly understands the weight of school leadership.

You will hear the story of how Andra and Sarah built their platform from the ground up and how their resources and virtual events are creating an authentic community for leaders who often feel alone in the work. They talk openly about the shift from classroom to front office and what it feels like to be handed the keys without a roadmap. Their honesty shines a light on why it matters to connect with people who genuinely get the role and how practical solutions like candid conversations and time saving strategies can help leaders feel more supported and more effective.

With insights on professional growth, simple actions you can put into motion right away, and an inside look at what is coming at the next Principal Exchange conference, this episode welcomes educators at every level. You will walk away encouraged, equipped, and reminded that you are not doing this work by yourself. Andra and Sarah are building something special, and their energy is all about helping school leaders meet their biggest challenges with confidence and community.

🔗Check out all of the resources available on The Principal Exchange.

🔗Register for the TPE Virtual Winter Conference where Becca is the featured             keynote speaker! 

     Use code:  RESISTANCE for 10% off any ticket

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What if the resistance you’re seeing isn’t defiance—it’s a clue?

In this episode, Dr. Donna Spangler shares the coaching breakthrough that changed everything: She stopped trying to convince teachers, and they started showing up with purpose, ownership, and even excitement.

After going through The Resistance Remedy course, Donna realized she wasn’t dealing with a skill gap—she was missing the belief gap. Once she started listening for mindset signals like value, belonging, and ownership, her entire coaching approach shifted. Teachers moved from polite compliance to full engagement. They initiated change. They emailed saying they were excited to teach again.

She stopped relying on instinct and started coaching with intention. That’s when everything changed.

Donna’s biggest realization? 

Resistance isn’t a roadblock. It’s a message. And when you know how to listen for it, you don’t just coach better. You coach braver.

Donna's Free Download: https://secure.smore.com/n/hbzyej

Learn more about *The Resistance Remedy* On Demand Course

(Grab it now to get the Bonus S.I.P. Implementation Planning Document)

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We’ve been taught that good listeners don’t interrupt—but what if the right kind of interrupting is exactly what great leaders do?

Have you ever walked away from a conversation thinking, “That should’ve gone better”?

You said the words. 

They said the words. 

But something still missed the mark.

Here’s the truth: It’s not what you said. It’s what you didn’t hear.

In this episode, I sit down with listening expert Christine Miles, who challenges what you think it means to truly listen. Are you listening to reply—or listening to understand?

We unpack:

• Why most people retain only 17–25% of what’s said (yep, you read that right)
• How to shift from half-hearing to fully leading
• And the underrated art of interrupting to understand—not interrupting to tell
  
  
• Christine shares powerful tools you can use right away:
   🔦 The Flashlight Technique
   🧭 Compass Questions
   🛤️ The Listening Path

If you want to lead better conversations, build stronger trust, and stop missing what matters—start here.

🎧 This episode is your next move https://bit.ly/3RBkWxr

The Whole Educator is now booking —keynotes, PD, and our Human Centered Academy are all designed to turn resistance into real progress. Check out the options at https://bit.ly/WholeEdPrograms and let’s make next year the one where things finally shift.

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