Coaching the Whole Educator

Becca Silver
  • 5.0 (24)
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  • Updated Weekly

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.

  1. 8h ago

    #199: Stop Waiting for PD: How Self Mentorship Builds Ruckus Maker Principals

    Send us Fan Mail  **JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP**: Resistance Solution Facebook Community  Danny Bauer of Better Leaders Better Schools joins Becca Silver to unpack self mentorship, why traditional PD falls short, and how to become a ruckus maker.  Most professional development follows the same script: someone else decides what educators need to learn, when they need to learn it, and how. Danny Bauer, founder of Better Leaders Better Schools and creator of the Ruckus Maker movement, calls this "permission-based development," and he thinks it is holding school leaders back.  In this episode, Becca Silver talks with Danny about self mentorship: a radical ownership model where school leaders define their own growth instead of waiting for central office to approve it. Danny shares real stories of principals who used self mentorship to build "sticky core values," eliminate outdated practices like midterms and finals, and protect their own boundaries without sacrificing results. He and Becca also dig into an uncomfortable pattern Danny has seen again and again: leaders who win Principal of the Year and then get placed on an improvement plan for doing the very work that made them stand out.  If you have ever sensed something was off in how your school or district operates but could not quite name it, this conversation gives you language and a starting question to explore it.  What You'll Learn  What self mentorship is and how it differs from traditional professional developmentWhy Danny calls conventional PD "permission-based development," and why that framing mattersReal examples of self mentorship in action: sticky core values, eliminating midterms and finals, and protecting personal boundaries as a leaderWhy some of the most innovative school leaders get quietly punished for standing outHow systems resist disruption, and why that resistance is not personalA simple question you can ask tomorrow to start thinking like a "Ruckus Maker"**JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP**: Resistance Solution Facebook Community Guest Bio Danny Bauer is the founder of Better Leaders Better Schools and the voice behind the Ruckus Maker movement in education. After years in the classroom and central office, Danny now helps school leaders build campus experiences worth showing up for through coaching, a mastermind community, and the Ruckusmakers Media Substack. Key Quotes Danny Bauer on traditional professional development: PD is often too little, too late, and disconnected, arriving on a schedule the system sets rather than the leader.On self mentorship: it is a radical ownership over your own growth and vision, not a curriculum someone else hands you.On why leaders get punished for innovating: fragile egos at central office sometimes resent when a subordinate gets the credit for doing something new.On the mindset shift: the real question is not "can I change this," but what would need to be true for it to be different.Timestamps 03:00 What is self mentorship, and how is it different from professional development05:30 Why Danny renamed PD "permission-based development"07:30 Real self mentorship stories: sticky core values, eliminating midterms and finals, protecting boundaries12:00 The Ruckus Maker movement and questioning how school "has to be"15:00 Why Principal of the Year winners sometimes end up on improvement plans18:30 Systems built to stay alive, and why disruption meets resistance20:30 Where to find Danny's free resources22:00 One question to ask tomorrow to start your own self mentorship journeyResources Mentioned Better Leaders Better Schools: betterleadersbetterschools.comRuckusmakers Media (Danny's Substack of mini-books on leadership and school change)The Art of Self Mentorship (Danny's free mini-book)Let's Stay Connected! Website  |  Instagram |  Twitter |  Linkedin |  Facebook |  Contact Us

    #199: Stop Waiting for PD: How Self Mentorship Builds Ruckus Maker Principals

  2. Aug 23

    #198: What Great Lesson Planning Teaches Us About Great Coaching (with Lori Cohen)

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Becca sits down with instructional coaching and lesson planning expert Lori Cohen (co-author of The PD Book) to talk about her new book, The Science of Lesson Planning, and what transformative lesson design can teach coaches and school leaders about building psychological safety in schools. They dig into psychological safety, the difference between coaching and "coaxing," and why celebration and reflection only work when they happen together.  In this episode:  Why great lesson planning is about more than activities and standardsHow psychological safety gets built (and spent) in daily interactions, not just at the start of the yearThe real difference between conventional and transformative practice: who holds control of the "right answer"Why "coaxing" isn't coaching, and how it breaks trustWhy celebration and reflection have to happen together for real growthAbout Lori Cohen: Lori Cohen has spent three decades in education as a teacher, instructional coach, school leader, consultant, and author. Her new book, The Science of Lesson Planning, releases in September through ASCD (preorders open now). She is also co-author of  The PD Book: 7 Habits that Transform Professional Development (with Elena Aguilar) and Integrating Educator Well-Being, Growth, and Evaluation: Four Foundations for Leaders.   Let's Stay Connected! Website  |  Instagram |  Twitter |  Linkedin |  Facebook |  Contact Us

    #198: What Great Lesson Planning Teaches Us About Great Coaching (with Lori Cohen)

  3. Aug 2

    #197: Why Being Clear Can Feel Hard (with Jennifer Abrams): Do “Hard” Conversations Actually Have to Be Hard?

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Becca sits down with Jennifer Abrams, author of five books on adult-to-adult communication in schools including Having Hard Conversations and Stretching Your Learning Edges, for a conversation on hard conversations, school culture, and adult development in education.  Topics covered in this episode:  The difference between resistance and a hard conversation, and where one line ends and the other beginsWhy "niceness culture" in schools gets confused with kindness, and how it undermines belongingThe cognitive load behind clear communication, and why so many educators avoid itThe neuroscience of being right: why our brains reward judgment over effectivenessThe five capacities from Stretching Your Learning Edges: knowing our identities, suspending certainty, taking responsibility for communication, building resilience, and engaging in reciprocityA simple, practical cue for naming dysregulation in a meeting, without shameRobert Kegan's stages of adult development (instrumental, socialized, self-authoring, self-transforming) and how understanding them builds empathy across a school teamGuest: Jennifer Abrams, adult communication and school culture expert, jenniferabrams.com | LinkedIn | jennifer@jenniferabrams.com Grab your copy of 📖 The Resistance Solution Book Study Facilitator Training: www.thewholeeducator.com/book-study-facilitator-training  Let's Stay Connected! Website  |  Instagram |  Twitter |  Linkedin |  Facebook |  Contact Us

    #197: Why Being Clear Can Feel Hard (with Jennifer Abrams): Do “Hard” Conversations Actually Have to Be Hard?

  4. Jul 18

    #196: The "We vs. Me" Test: Why the Same Staff Meeting Energizes Some Teachers and Drains Others (with Dr. Sheldon Eakins)

    Send us Fan Mail What if the pushback you're getting from teachers isn't about the initiative at all, but about a hidden cultural mismatch in how your school defines belonging? In this episode of Coaching the Whole Educator, Becca Silver sits down with Dr. Sheldon Eakins, author of Meaningful Classroom Management, What Are You Bringing to the Potluck?, and Leading Equity, to explore a dimension of belonging that rarely gets airtime in school leadership conversations: individualism versus collectivism. Dr. Eakins explains why American schools are built around individualist norms (GPAs, valedictorians, teacher of the month, "stay in your classroom") while many students and staff come from collectivist backgrounds where success is defined by "we," not "me." When leaders don't recognize this mismatch, the result looks like resistance, disengagement, and retention problems. In this episode, you'll learn: How individualism vs. collectivism shows up in staff meetings, PLCs, and professional development, and why "sit and get" works for some educators and alienates othersDr. Eakins' LENS framework for leaders: Look for biases, Examine communication, Notice group dynamics, Shift perspectiveHow to separate facts from interpretations when you catch yourself labeling a colleague "rude" or "disengaged"Why introversion and extroversion are NOT the same as individualism and collectivismPractical ways to design staff culture that balances individual recognition with collective connectionThis conversation is essential listening for instructional coaches, principals, and district leaders working on teacher retention, staff culture, psychological safety, and buy-in for change initiatives. Grab your copy of 📖 The Resistance Solution Book Study Facilitator Training: www.thewholeeducator.com/book-study-facilitator-training Connect with Dr. Sheldon Eakins: IG: @sheldoneakins  Twitter: @sheldoneakins Website: purposeful247.com Books: Amazon Let's Stay Connected! Website  |  Instagram |  Twitter |  Linkedin |  Facebook |  Contact Us

    #196: The "We vs. Me" Test: Why the Same Staff Meeting Energizes Some Teachers and Drains Others (with Dr. Sheldon Eakins)

  5. Jul 11

    #195: The Resistance Tax: The Hidden Costs of Misunderstood Resistance

    Send us Fan Mail  In this episode of Coaching the Whole Educator, Becca Silver explores the hidden costs schools and districts pay when resistance is misunderstood. She calls it the resistance tax: the quiet drain on resources, relationships, and results that happens when leaders respond to resistance with pressure, compliance, or more accountability instead of understanding what is driving it. Becca breaks down five major forms of the resistance tax: • The turnover tax • The implementation tax • The time tax • The trust tax • The student success tax She also shares why resistance should be treated as information, not defiance, and how educational leaders can begin identifying where their organization may be paying more than they realize. The episode also introduces The Resistance Solution and the Resistance Solution Book Study Facilitator Training, a train-the-trainer experience designed to help schools and districts build the internal capacity to diagnose resistance, strengthen ownership, and lead sustainable change. If your organization is struggling with teacher turnover, initiative fatigue, low buy-in, inconsistent implementation, or stalled change efforts, this episode will help you see the true cost of resistance in a new way. [Book Study Facilitator Training] www.thewholeeducator.com/book-study-facilitator-training Grab your copy of 📖 The Resistance Solution Let's Stay Connected! Website  |  Instagram |  Twitter |  Linkedin |  Facebook |  Contact Us

    #195: The Resistance Tax: The Hidden Costs of Misunderstood Resistance

  6. Jun 14

    #194: Stop Assuming Great Teachers Make Great Mentors

    Send us Fan Mail What if one of the biggest missing pieces in teacher retention is how we support mentor teachers? In this episode, Becca talks with John Pascarella, professor of clinical education at USC and Chief Academic Officer of the USC Race and Equity Center, about why mentor teachers are often asked to support new teachers without the training, role clarity, compensation, or coaching they actually need. They unpack why being a great teacher does not automatically make someone a great mentor, how mentoring adults requires a different skill set, and why schools need to stop treating mentorship like informal volunteer work. This conversation is for instructional coaches, school leaders, district leaders, and teacher leaders who want to strengthen new teacher support, improve teacher retention, and build more effective mentoring systems in schools. John's Info: Faculty profile  |  CCTE Policy Brief (free download, includes my brief on mentor teachers)  |  Learning Policy Institute (Stanford University) Grab your copy of 📖 The Resistance Solution Access the FREE book resources here.  Let's Stay Connected! Website  |  Instagram |  Twitter |  Linkedin |  Facebook |  Contact Us

    #194: Stop Assuming Great Teachers Make Great Mentors

  7. Jun 8

    #193: When High Expectations Meet Resistance: What Should Leaders Actually Do?

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coaching the Whole Educator, Becca Silver talks with Principal Kafele about what happens when high expectations meet resistance in schools and how leaders can respond without slipping into compliance-driven leadership. Together, they explore how school leaders can create a true culture of high expectations, not by demanding instant transformation, but by helping educators experience steady, measurable growth. Principal Kafele shares why leaders must connect expectations to a larger purpose, build authentic relationships with staff, and understand what is beneath the pushback before deciding how to respond. This conversation digs into the difference between teacher resistance, overwhelm, and low expectations, and why leaders cannot diagnose those differences without ongoing trust, coaching, and collaboration. Becca and Principal Kafele also discuss the role of leadership identity, including how the way leaders see themselves shapes how they respond to hesitation, pushback, and resistance. Listeners will walk away with practical insight into how to:  Hold high expectations without leading through compliance  Recognize growth as progress, not perfection  Build a school culture where expectations become normal behavior  Respond to resistance with curiosity instead of judgment  Strengthen leadership identity during difficult conversations  Support educators through change while maintaining clear standards This episode is especially valuable for principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches, district leaders, and school leadership teams who are navigating resistance to change, supporting adult learning, and working to build cultures of growth, accountability, and meaningful progress. [BOOK] Grab There Resistance Solution: Why Educator Resist and What They Need Instead HERE!  Grab your copy of 📖 The Resistance Solution Let's Stay Connected! Website  |  Instagram |  Twitter |  Linkedin |  Facebook |  Contact Us

    #193: When High Expectations Meet Resistance: What Should Leaders Actually Do?

  8. Jun 7

    #192: The Resistance Solution in Action: An Instructional Leader's Perspective

    Send us Fan Mail  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

    #192: The Resistance Solution in Action: An Instructional Leader's Perspective
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5
out of 5
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Becca Silver
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    205
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Coaching the Whole Educator
  • Show Website
    Coaching the Whole Educator

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