The Academic Coaching Podcast

Gretchen Wegner
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Education

Are you an educator deeply invested in helping neurodivergent, anxious, or struggling learners? Get ready for a deep dive into study skills and executive function strategies — teaching students how not to bore their own brains, in learning and life. Think: science of learning and executive function strategies, guest experts, and real talk about the craft of coaching. With a side of business advice for the self-employed coach. Come, dig in, and learn!

  1. 7 hr ago

    Who Needs to Adapt—the Student or the School? | Emily Kircher-Morris

    Why are neurodivergent students so often the ones being asked to adapt? I loved talking with Emily Kircher-Morris, co-author of Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools, about what neurodiversity-affirming support actually looks like when things get complicated. One of my favorite things about the Anti-Boring Learning Lab is getting to take real questions from our coaches to experts who know more than I do. This time, we got into interoception and a tricky question about advocating for a student when a school isn't open to the support they’re asking for. And I found myself thinking about something we practice all the time in the Lab: the power of bringing the same curiosity, collaboration, and empowering questions we use with students to the adults and systems we’re frustrated with, too. You'll Hear Us Talk About  What interoception is and how it affects emotional regulationPractical ways to help students recognize their internal cuesThe double empathy problem and why understanding goes both waysHow neurodiversity-affirming approaches can improve school environmentsAdvocating for accommodations that give students equitable access to learningBuilding collaborative relationships with schools without losing sight of student needsKnowing when a different school environment may better support a student’s well-beingAbout Emily Kircher-Morris Emily Kircher-Morris, LPC, is the host of The Neurodiversity Podcast, which explores the psychological, educational, and social needs for enriching the lives of neurodivergent people. She is the author of several books for parents and educators related to supporting neurodivergent learners. Her most recent book, Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools: Transforming Practices So All Students Feel Accepted and Supported, was released in January 2025. She started her career in education and now works as a mental health counselor in private practice outside of St. Louis, Missouri, specializing in supporting neurodivergent people of all ages. Links + Resources Visit Emily Kircher-Morris’s WebsiteListen to The Neurodiversity PodcastExplore Neurodiversity UniversityLearn More About Neurodiversity-Affirming SchoolsBooks by Emily Kircher-Morris Read Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools: Transforming Practices So All Students Feel Accepted and SupportedDiscover Teaching Twice-Exceptional Learners in Today’s ClassroomExplore Raising Twice-Exceptional Children: A Handbook for Parents of Neurodivergent Gifted KidsRead The Parent’s Guide to Gifted ChildrenConnect on Social Media Follow Emily on Facebook & InstagramConnect with Emily on LinkedInFollow The Neurodiversity Podcast on Facebook & Instagram Learn More About the Anti-Boring Learning Lab Free Toolkit: https://antiboringlearninglab.com/resourcesGretchen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchen-wegnerDiscover the Anti-Boring Learning Lab for coaching tools, professional learning, and community.Listen to The Academic Coaching Podcast on your favorite platformWatch the video version of this episode on our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/XccdN7olR2k

  2. 6 days ago

    What Tech Actually Helps Neurodivergent Students? | Joan Green

    What if some of the best technology for supporting neurodivergent students is already sitting inside the devices they use every day? In this episode, I talk with speech-language pathologist and assistive technology specialist Joan Green about how to use technology more intentionally to reduce barriers and help students become more independent learners. We get practical: built-in browser tools that can make reading easier, live captions for students who benefit from seeing what they hear, thoughtful uses of AI, and ways to combine digital tools with good old-fashioned handwriting, whiteboards, and retrieval practice. But Joan’s bigger message isn’t about keeping up with the latest apps. It’s about getting better at noticing where a particular student is getting stuck—and then asking whether technology can remove some of that friction without taking over the learning. We also tackle an important question for academic and executive function coaches: How much of this tech stuff are we actually responsible for knowing ourselves—and when is it time to bring in an expert? You'll Hear Us Talk About Free built-in tech tools that support reading, including Chrome Reading Mode and text-to-speech.How live captions can help students with ADHD, auditory processing challenges, and hearing disabilities.Using AI tools like Gemini Notebook for active learning, quizzes, flashcards, mind maps, and study support.Balancing digital learning with hands-on strategies like handwritten notes and retrieval practice.When technology supports learning and independence—and when it can get in the way.The essential tech skills every academic coach and educator should know, including speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and AI literacy.How to identify a student's specific learning barriers and match them with the right assistive technology.Helping students become more independent while using technology intentionally and meaningfully.About Joan Green Joan Green, M.A., CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist, assistive technology specialist, author, and founder of Innovative Speech + Technology. Now in her 40th year of practice, she helps people across the lifespan, from students and young adults to working professionals and older adults, use technology to reduce barriers, strengthen independence, and make everyday tasks easier. Joan specializes in practical tools for organization, executive function, reading, writing, learning, communication, and productivity, with a growing focus on helping people use AI thoughtfully and effectively. Her approach is not about chasing the newest tools, but about matching the right solution to the person, task, and situation. She leads the Tech Life Inner Circle, an ongoing community where members explore useful technology, ask questions, and receive practical support. Joan is also the author of four books, most recently Assistive Technology in Special Education, Third Edition. Links + Resources Visit Innovative Speech TherapyExplore the Tech Life Inner CircleJoin the free IST Tech Savvy Solutions Facebook GroupFollow Innovative Speech Therapy on FacebookConnect with Joan Lipman Green on LinkedInFollow Joan Lipman Green on Instagram Learn More About the Anti-Boring Learning Lab Free Toolkit: https://antiboringlearninglab.com/resourcesGretchen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchen-wegnerDiscover the Anti-Boring Learning Lab for coaching tools, professional learning, and community.Listen to The Academic Coaching Podcast on your favorite platformWatch the video version of this episode on our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/MbxpQbS1tGU

  3. 15 Oct

    How Do You Find Your Style as an Academic Coach? | Nancy Minolli

    In this episode, Gretchen talks with longtime Anti-Boring Learning Lab member Nancy Minolli about what it actually looks like to grow into your own style as an academic coach. Nancy started coaching in 2018 with one client, a teaching background, and a whole lot of uncertainty about what an academic coach was supposed to do. Eight years later, she has a thriving practice focused on college and graduate students—and a much clearer sense of who she is as a coach. Together, Nancy and Gretchen look back at how her coaching, confidence, clientele, and business evolved, including what she eventually had to stop trying to do “the right way” and learn for herself. You'll Hear Us Talk About How Nancy went from taking almost any student to discovering that college and graduate students were her sweet spotWhy finding your coaching style means learning that every student doesn't need the same approachThe shift from wondering “Am I good at this?” to trusting your own judgment—even in difficult conversations with familiesHow Nancy built a consistently full practice largely through referrals and relationshipsHow her relationship with the Anti-Boring Learning Lab changed as she became a more experienced and confident coachThe Anti-Boring tools she still uses eight years later—and the ones she adapted or left behindWhat Nancy would tell her brand-new-coach self…and what she’s glad she had to figure out on her ownAbout Nancy Minolli Nancy is an academic coach who helps college and graduate students strengthen their executive function skills, build confidence, and take charge of their academic success.  She understands the stresses that students face inside and out of the classroom.  She is a California Credentialed teacher with over 20 years experience in the classroom and now 10 years experience coaching young adults.  When she's not coaching, she can be found golfing, hiking or traveling. Links + Resources Bay Area Academic Coaching: http://www.bayareaacademiccoaching.comLearn More About the Anti-Boring Learning Lab Free Toolkit: https://antiboringlearninglab.com/resourcesGretchen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchen-wegnerDiscover the Anti-Boring Learning Lab for coaching tools, professional learning, and community.Listen to The Academic Coaching Podcast on your favorite platformWatch the video version of this episode on our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/41bEQXpftcI

  4. 10 Oct

    Are Your Students Thinking—or Just Complying? | Ashley Doty

    What if a student looks completely engaged—taking notes, following directions, doing exactly what the teacher asked—but isn't actually doing much thinking? In this episode, I talk with Ashley Doty, founder of Uncomplicate Ed, about the difference between behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement—and why compliance can so easily masquerade as learning. We dig into what Ashley noticed while observing students taking notes in a high school chemistry class, how a small change to the note-taking process could require students to do more of the thinking themselves, and why teachers and coaches may need to get more comfortable talking less and leaving a little more space for students to process. Because maybe the question isn't just, “Are they doing what we asked?” Maybe it's: “Who's doing the thinking—and how do we know?” You'll Hear Us Talk About Why students can look busy and compliant in class without actually doing the thinking—and how educators can tell the difference.What Ashlee discovered while observing note-taking in classrooms, and a simple protocol that turns copying into active learning.Why teachers and academic coaches need to talk less, embrace silence, and give students more time to process.How students can take more ownership of their learning, including a playful trick that lets them decide when the teacher stops talking!Why movement breaks, retrieval practice, and teaching students about their own brains can make learning more effective.About Ashley Doty Ashley Doty is the founder and CEO of Uncomplicate Ed, where she helps educators and leaders turn research into practical, usable instruction. A former teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, principal, and principal coach, Ashley has spent more than 20 years in education. Her work focuses on cognitive science, instructional clarity, and helping schools create learning experiences that are both rigorous and accessible. She presents nationally, works with schools and districts across Florida, and is passionate about uncomplicating education so teachers and leaders can focus on what matters most: student learning. Links + Resources Explore Ashlee's professional development resources, including PD in a Box®: www.UncomplicateEd.comLearn More About the Anti-Boring Learning Lab Free Toolkit: https://antiboringlearninglab.com/resourcesGretchen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchen-wegnerDiscover the Anti-Boring Learning Lab for coaching tools, professional learning, and community.Listen to The Academic Coaching Podcast on your favorite platformWatch the video version of this episode on our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/Yeqam2VpnAQ

  5. 8 Oct

    Should Students Know Their Own Diagnoses? | Liz Angoff

    What happens when a student’s diagnosis could help them understand themselves—but the adults around them aren’t ready for them to know? In this episode, I talk with educational psychologist Dr. Liz Angoff about helping students become authentic collaborators in understanding their own brains, rather than simply telling them what an assessment says about them. We bring Liz a tricky situation straight from the Anti-Boring Learning Lab: a coach working with a teenager whose family is reluctant to share a new autism diagnosis. That leads us into a much bigger conversation about autonomy, support, collaboration, and what it can look like when students and adults try to solve problems together.    Pasted text And if you’ve ever helped a family figure out whether—or where—to pursue an assessment, stay to the end. Liz shares two surprisingly simple questions that can tell you a lot about whether an assessor will actually help a family understand what comes next. You'll Hear Us Talk About Why students deserve to be authentic collaborators in understanding their own brains and diagnosesWhat happened when Liz explained dyslexia to a student—and why he broke down in tearsHow Liz uses a “brain under construction” metaphor to help students understand their strengths, challenges, and diagnosesWhat to do when a family is hesitant or resistant to sharing a diagnosis with their childWhy “In the real world, you can’t always get what you need” may not be the whole storyHow coaches can support students in advocating for what they need while also finding solutions that work for everyoneThe two surprisingly simple questions Liz recommends asking when choosing an assessorWhy what happens after an assessment may be just as important as the assessment itselfHow Liz’s upcoming workshop tackles tricky assessment feedback conversations with familiesAbout Liz Angoff Liz Angoff, Ph.D., is a Licensed Educational Psychologist with a Diplomate in School Neuropsychology, providing assessment and consultation services to children and their families in the Bay Area, CA.  She is the author of the Brain Building Books and Our Brains, empowering neurodivergent children to understand, celebrate, and advocate for their amazing brains. More information about Dr. Liz and her work is available at www.ExplainingBrains.com. Links + Resources Site: www.ExplainingBrains.comRegister for Liz's October 23 workshop on tricky assessment feedback conversations: Explaining Brains WebinarsFollow Liz on social media: @explainingbrains Learn More About the Anti-Boring Learning Lab Free Toolkit: https://antiboringlearninglab.com/resourcesGretchen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchen-wegnerDiscover the Anti-Boring Learning Lab for coaching tools, professional learning, and community.Listen to The Academic Coaching Podcast on your favorite platform

  6. 25 Sept

    How Did She Grow Her EF Coaching Biz THIS Fast?! | Jordyn Shapiro

    In this episode, Gretchen talks with Jordyn Shapiro, founder of Just Start LA, about what it looks like to build an executive function coaching business remarkably fast. Jordyn filled her own coaching caseload in just three months, opened a 2,400-square-foot office at 22, and now leads a growing team of young coaches. But the really interesting part is how she’s learned to build the systems and support she needs to keep that growth going. They talk about hiring and training coaches, learning which families to say no to, building a business with ADHD, and why knowing that you’re not the right person to help can be just as important as knowing what you do well. You'll Hear Us Talk About How Jordyn filled her coaching caseload with 20 students in just three monthsGoing from solo coach to a growing team—and why Jordyn genuinely enjoys the challenges of running a companyWhat Jordyn has learned about setting expectations with families and recognizing “red flags” before taking on a clientWhy the entire Just Start coaching team is under 27—and what youth can bring to the coach-student relationshipHow Jordyn trains new coaches using both the Anti-Boring Learning Lab and Just Start’s own 13-week training processThe systems she’s built for intake, training, team support, and working on the business instead of only in itHow Jordyn’s own ADHD influences both the way she runs her business and the way she thinks about executive function supportThe surprising way Jordyn was able to fund her business at such a young ageAbout Jordyn Shapiro Jordyn Shapiro is the founder of Just Start LA, which provides executive function coaching, academic tutoring, ACT/SAT and AP test preparation, and college application essay support. Jordyn began tutoring as a teenager and started building what would become Just Start while attending UCLA. Today, she leads a growing team of coaches and tutors and is pursuing a master’s degree in industrial-organizational psychology. Links + Resources Site: https://www.juststartla.comIG: @juststartlaTT: @juststartlaFacebook: @JustStartLASubstack: @justjordynLinkedIn: @juststartlaYoutube: @JustStartLALearn More About the Anti-Boring Learning Lab Free Toolkit: https://antiboringlearninglab.com/resourcesGretchen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchen-wegnerWatch the video version of this episode on our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/6szn_SniKBE

  7. 19 Sept

    A New Tutor Interviews ME on My Own Podcast | Alondra Padilla

    In this episode, the tables get turned: new tutor Alondra Padilla comes prepared to interview Gretchen about how she found her way from teaching to academic coaching to founding the Anti-Boring Learning Lab—but pretty quickly, Gretchen starts asking Alondra questions too. What follows is a surprisingly honest conversation between two educators from different generations and very different backgrounds about the experiences that shaped them. They talk about being first-gen, shame and imposter syndrome, making room for mistakes, equity and personalized learning, and what happens when students are asked to fit themselves into systems that weren't necessarily designed for them. Gretchen also shares stories from her own journey into education and academic coaching that she's never told publicly before. You'll Hear Us Talk About How Gretchen went from teacher to academic coach—and eventually founded the Anti-Boring Learning LabAlondra's experience as a first-generation college graduate, child of immigrants, and student in LA public schoolsWhy mistakes can be an essential part of learning rather than something students need to avoidShame and imposter syndrome—and how both can show up at very different stages of an educator's careerThe ways school can ask students to mask, code-switch, or otherwise adapt themselves to fitWhat equity and personalized learning can look like when we start with the student rather than the systemAbout Alondra Padilla Alondra Padilla is an English educator and scholar committed to supporting students as whole learners. A UCLA alumna and Los Angeles native, she grew up advocating for educational equity. She currently provides private tutoring and academic support while pursuing a Master’s degree in Education and a PhD in English. She hopes to become an English professor and continue empowering students to reach their educational and professional goals. Links + Resources Atelier Tutors: https://www.ateliertutors.com/Learn More About the Anti-Boring Learning Lab Free Toolkit: https://antiboringlearninglab.com/resourcesGretchen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchen-wegnerWatch the video version of this episode on our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/UajGgT44ibU

  8. 11 Sept

    Can You Teach Study Skills in 5 Days? | Catherine Pacilio

    Catherine Pacilio, an executive function and academic coach and founder of Pacilio Coaching, joins Gretchen to unpack what happened when she and fellow Anti-Boring Learning Lab member Robin turned the science of learning into a five-day summer study skills intensive for middle and high school students. Catherine shares what worked, what students responded to, and what surprised her about teaching study skills online — including the differences she noticed between middle and high schoolers, and between running small groups versus one-on-one sessions. We also dig into the challenge of balancing how much to teach with how much students can actually absorb and use. Together, Gretchen and Catherine explore what this experiment revealed about building a study skills toolkit that can carry students into the school year. You'll Hear Us Talk About How Catherine and fellow lab member Robin designed a collaborative five-day study skills intensive — one built for online delivery, the other for in-personUsing retrieval practice and movement to make quizzing more active, including a physical-challenge game that had students doing wall pushups and star jumps for wrong answersBackwards learning, the Study Cycle, and Quizzable Study Tools from the Anti-Boring Toolkit, and how Catherine trimmed and paced mini lessons for a condensed formatWhat Catherine noticed about teaching the same content to middle schoolers versus high schoolers — from session length to how much structure each age group wantedWhy one-on-one coaching surprised Catherine by feeling especially effective, even as she saw real value in the group dynamic and peer normalizationThe difference between teaching a strategy and helping a student actually use it once school starts — and how Catherine is building in a follow-up coaching session each October to bridge that gapAbout Catherine Pacilio Catherine Pacilio is an executive function and academic coach for adolescents and the founder of Pacilio Coaching. She brings 17 years of experience in education, a master's degree in Special Education, and certification as an Academic and Executive Function Coach through the Anti-Boring Learning Lab. Catherine works with middle and high school students to build practical, personalized systems that support confidence and independence. Links + Resources Pacilio Coaching: https://www.paciliocoaching.comInstagram: @paciliocoaching.comLearn More About the Anti-Boring Learning Lab Free Toolkit: https://antiboringlearninglab.com/resourcesGretchen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchen-wegnerWatch the video version of this episode on our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/iTR_fL4_voI

See All (15)

About

Are you an educator deeply invested in helping neurodivergent, anxious, or struggling learners? Get ready for a deep dive into study skills and executive function strategies — teaching students how not to bore their own brains, in learning and life. Think: science of learning and executive function strategies, guest experts, and real talk about the craft of coaching. With a side of business advice for the self-employed coach. Come, dig in, and learn!

Information

  • Creator
    Gretchen Wegner
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Academic Coaching Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Academic Coaching Podcast

You Might Also Like