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Coaching the Whole Educator — Education
Coaching the Whole Educator

Coaching the Whole Educator, hosted by education consultant and author Becca Silver, is a podcast on instructional coaching, teacher leadership, and school leadership for anyone who wants to strengthen their educators’ effectiveness and resilience, especially the ones who need it most. Each week, you’ll hear quick tips, proven coaching strategies, and coaching mindsets designed to keep you on top of your game.

This show is rooted in a human-centered coaching approach, where we get things done through people’s humanity, not around it. Whether you’re new to instructional coaching or a seasoned coach or leader looking for fresh perspective, you’ll learn how to focus on the mindsets and motivations driving unproductive behaviors. By getting to the root of teacher resistance, using the Catalyst Mindsets framework from Becca Silver’s book, The Resistance Solution, you’ll discover how to build stronger relationships, lead with clarity, and create lasting impact in your school.

You can reach Becca Silver at info@thewholeeducator.com.

Copyright: © 2024 Coaching the Whole Educator

Latest Episodes:

#192: The Resistance Solution in Action: An Instructional Leader's Perspective Jun 07, 2026

Show notes

What does The Resistance Solution actually look like in a real school?

In this episode, Chrystin Sheffield shares how the book transformed the way she leads.

She talks about how it helped her:

• Stop taking teacher resistance personally and start diagnosing what's really driving it

• Navigate difficult conversations with less frustration and more confidence

• Give walkthrough feedback that feels meaningful instead of repetitive

• Build trust more intentionally instead of simply hoping relationships develop

• Create accountability without creating defensiveness

• Understand why teachers say "I don't have time" and how to respond in a way that actually helps

• Move beyond surface-level coaching conversations to uncover root causes

One of my favorite moments was hearing Chrystin say that before reading the book, she often felt like she should have all the answers as a leader. What she discovered instead was that the most powerful thing she could do wasn't solve the problem for people. It was understand the unmet need underneath the resistance.

This conversation is about what happened when the ideas in the book were applied in a real school by a real leader facing real challenges.

If you're a principal, assistant principal, coach, or district leader who has ever wondered why feedback isn't sticking, coaching conversations aren't leading to change, or teachers seem resistant despite your best efforts, I think you'll see yourself in this conversation.

Grab your copy of 📖 The Resistance Solution

Access the FREE book resources here.

(And you can find it at all major book outlets)

Let's Stay Connected!
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Linkedin | Facebook | Contact Us

#191: How to Collect Data on Teacher Well Being May 31, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Becca sits down with Jessica Werner, founder of North Shore Learning, to unpack a hard truth in schools: many leaders believe they understand staff well-being, but are relying on assumptions instead of real data.

Together, they explore how well-being, retention, and leadership decisions are deeply connected and why anecdotal signals like “people seem happy” or “no one is in crisis” are not enough to guide action.

Jessica shares how collecting simple, meaningful data can help leaders identify what is actually impacting teacher satisfaction, workload, and long-term retention. The conversation highlights how proactive support, rather than reactive responses, can reduce burnout and turnover while strengthening school culture.

They also discuss how schools with stronger retention intentionally pair every new initiative with a support plan, recognizing that added expectations without support erode well-being over time.

In this episode:

• Why leaders often misread staff well-being without data
• The difference between anecdotal impressions and actionable insights
• Simple ways to start gathering meaningful well-being data immediately
• How attendance patterns, workload, and informal check-ins reveal hidden trends
• Why every initiative should include a parallel plan for teacher support
• The financial and cultural cost of reactive turnover versus proactive retention
• How acknowledging teachers’ full lives outside of school shapes morale and sustainability

The core message: well-being is not a single program or strategy. It is a set of conditions that can be measured, supported, and strengthened when leaders shift from assumptions to data-informed action.

Learn more about Jessica & Northshore Learning at northshorelearning.org, the place where school support meets real classroom impact.

Grab your copy of 📖 The Resistance Solution

Access the FREE book resources here.

[FREE WEBINAR] Breaking Through Resistance: Contact us for the recording

Let's Stay Connected!
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Linkedin | Facebook | Contact Us

#190.5: "The Resistance Solution": A CELEBRATION! May 25, 2026

Show notes

Okay y’all… this episode is basically what happens when two people who are deeply obsessed with leadership, resistance, ownership, and human behavior finally hit “record.” 😂

Becca sits down with leadership expert Casey Watts to celebrate the release of The Resistance Solution… but the conversation quickly turns into a deep, real-time exploration of what actually causes resistance in schools and why so many leadership strategies fall apart after the initial excitement fades.

What makes this episode different is that Becca doesn’t just explain the ideas from the book. She tells the story of how the work evolved over years of coaching, research, frustration, trial and error, and eventually discovering the five Catalyst Mindsets™. The episode also dives deeply into ownership mindset, why buy-in is not the end goal, and the missing piece most schools overlook: agency.

There’s also a powerful conversation about language and why phrases like “resistant teachers” quietly shape the way leaders interact with people. Becca and Casey unpack why resistance is not a personality trait, but a temporary human experience tied to unmet needs.

If you’ve ever thought:
“Why are people still pulling back even after we communicated the vision clearly?”
or
“Why do some accountability strategies completely flop?”
…this episode is going to hit home.

📘 The Resistance Solution gives instructional coaches and school leaders practical tools, diagnostic frameworks, coaching processes, and human-centered strategies for navigating resistance without relying on pressure, compliance, or generic one-size-fits-all solutions.

Grab your copy of 📖 The Resistance Solution

[FREE WEBINAR] Breaking Through Resistance: Contact Us for the recording

Let's Stay Connected!
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Linkedin | Facebook | Contact Us

#190: The 5 Powerful Coaching Practices (and a surprising secret to success) May 24, 2026

Show notes

[FREE] Find Your Resistance Type Quiz: Find out the type of resistance you are navigating

In this episode of Coaching the Whole Educator, Becca sits down with Jason Adair from the Southern Regional Education Board to explore what actually makes instructional coaching effective in schools. Together, they unpack SREB’s new Powerful Coaching Practices framework and discuss why so many coaching initiatives fail to create lasting instructional change.

This conversation dives into instructional coaching strategies, teacher feedback, coaching cycles, relationship-based leadership, professional learning, and implementation challenges in K-12 schools. Becca and Jason discuss the importance of trust, goal-setting, observation and feedback, instructional leadership, and why coaching must move beyond compliance-based approaches to create real teacher growth and student learning outcomes.

They also tackle common coaching mistakes, including “facili-manipulation,” surface-level feedback, unclear goals, and the breakdown of coaching due to lack of time, competing priorities, and weak systems. The episode offers practical insight for instructional coaches, principals, district leaders, and anyone focused on improving teacher development and school improvement efforts.

Key topics include:

Instructional coaching best practices
Building trust with teachers
Coaching cycles and feedback loops
Teacher goal-setting and ownership
Observation and actionable feedback
School leadership and implementation
Professional learning communities (PLCs)
Coaching for meaningful instructional change
Avoiding compliance-driven coaching
Time management for instructional coaches and principals

If you’re a school leader, instructional coach, or educator trying to improve follow-through, teacher engagement, and instructional practice, this episode offers practical frameworks and real-world coaching insights you can immediately apply in schools.

Links from the episode:

SREB Summer Conference (Coaching Community)

Powerful Coaching Practices

Powerful instructional Practices

[FREE WEBINAR] Breaking Through Resistance: Contact us for the recording

Let's Stay Connected!
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Linkedin | Facebook | Contact Us

#189: Inside the Lived Experiences of Black Women Instructional Coaches May 17, 2026

Show notes

Discover a conversation unlike any you’ve heard before as Dr. Courtney Tate joins Becca Silver to shine a spotlight on the real challenges and triumphs experienced by Black women in instructional coaching. This episode pulls back the curtain on the unseen emotional workload, the navigation of daily microaggressions, and the relentless pursuit of recognition faced by these dedicated professionals. Dr. Tate brings her research and personal journey front and center, revealing strategies for building support systems, dismantling stereotypes, and ensuring visibility and respect within educational spaces. You will walk away with fresh insight, vivid stories, and clear guidance, straight from the source, on how schools can foster true inclusion and leadership for Black women coaches.

Check out Courtney's work here:

Website: https://alignedcoachingandconsulting.com
Leading From the Middle Podcast
Instagram: the_alignedcoach or ctatewrites
Book signed from my website
Order on Amazon

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

Grab the RESISTANCE PLAYBOOK for only $7 HERE.

[FREE WEBINAR] Breaking Through Resistance: Contact us for the recording

Let's Stay Connected!
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Linkedin | Facebook | Contact Us

#188: The Coaching Mistake We Make When Teachers Are Exhausted May 10, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Resistance Chronicles, Becca Silver unpacks a coaching mistake many instructional coaches and school leaders make at the end of the school year: trying to solve exhausted teachers instead of helping them feel understood first.

When teachers are overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and running on fumes, even well-intentioned coaching strategies can accidentally create more frustration. Too often, leaders hear exhaustion and immediately jump into problem-solving, advice, or pushing for solutions. But exhausted educators usually do not need someone to fix them first. They need someone to slow down long enough to truly hear them.

In this short episode, Becca shares a practical communication strategy called Looping for Understanding, a research-backed approach that helps educators feel seen, heard, and less emotionally alone during high-stress moments. She explains how this simple shift can reduce defensiveness, strengthen trust, and create more productive coaching conversations during one of the hardest stretches of the school year.

If your teachers are tired, emotionally maxed out, or struggling to stay engaged right now, this episode will give you one concrete strategy you can use immediately.

Perfect for instructional coaches, principals, assistant principals, and school leaders supporting exhausted educators at the end of the year.

Breaking Through Resistance webinar: Contact us for the recording

Let's Stay Connected!
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Linkedin | Facebook | Contact Us

#187: Why Change Feels Scary: Naming the Real Fears May 03, 2026

Show notes

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.

Let's Stay Connected!
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Linkedin | Facebook | Contact Us

#186: [Resistance Chronicles] Ownership Mindset Apr 26, 2026

Show notes

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]

Let's Stay Connected!
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Linkedin | Facebook | Contact Us

#185: Decision Making Magic: Using Intuition to Make Clearer, Faster Leadership Decisions Apr 19, 2026

Show notes

[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.

Let's Stay Connected!
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Linkedin | Facebook | Contact Us

#184: [Resistance Chronicles] Growth Mindset Apr 12, 2026

Show notes

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:

Find both at 👉 thewholeeducator.com

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

Let's Stay Connected!
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Linkedin | Facebook | Contact Us

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