The Academic Coaching Podcast

Gretchen Wegner
  • 5.0 (7)
  • 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. 17h ago

    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

  2. 6d ago

    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

  3. Oct 8

    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

  4. Sep 25

    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

  5. Sep 19

    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

  6. Sep 11

    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

  7. Sep 3

    Student Series: Seven Years later, Coaching Finally Clicked | Frankie Trevor

    Frankie Trevor, a senior at California State University, Sacramento and former academic coaching client of Gretchen Wegner, joins Gretchen to reflect on how coaching skills can take years to fully take hold. Frankie went from a 1.39 GPA and deep shame about his grades to the Dean's Honor Roll and Presidential Honor Roll, with plans to take the LSAT and pursue law school. They talk honestly about his initial resistance to coaching, the relief of having a judgment-free person look at his grades with him, and the unexpected challenges that made his first year of coaching especially difficult. Together, they explore what happens when coaches teach skills that a student may not be ready to use yet—and why those lessons can still matter years later. You'll Hear Us Talk About Frankie's "begrudging acceptance" of needing help and the shame he felt around his grades and asking for supportLooking at his online grade portal together without judgment, even when it showed zeros and missing workThe planner and "first steps" strategies that eventually became part of how Frankie manages college workThe one-page planner, binder system, and other organizational tools Gretchen used with Frankie in high schoolHow the Study Cycle, Hone It Notes, and creating a "survival sheet" became useful study strategies later in collegeAbout Frankie Trevor Frankie Trevor is a senior at California State University, Sacramento, where he currently holds honor roll standing. He is preparing to take the LSAT and plans to pursue law school after taking a gap year. Frankie worked with Gretchen Wegner as an academic coaching client during his junior year of high school, where they worked on organizational systems, study strategies, and self-advocacy skills that he later carried into college. 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/dz7O9IMN1s4

  8. Aug 23

    When Teachers Get Excited About Brain Science | Shane & Suzy

    Suzy Evans and Dr. Shane Saeed, instructional coordinators in Colorado's St. Vrain Valley School District, have spent eight years building a different kind of professional learning experience: a voluntary Science of Learning Collaborative, coordinator-led and increasingly teacher-powered. In this conversation, they share what happened when Gretchen brought her working memory mini-lesson to their teachers—and how the "parking spaces" metaphor quickly became part of the language teachers used with each other and their students. They talk about what makes professional development actually transfer into classroom practice, including the importance of community, sustainability, and giving teachers space to experiment and learn together. Together, they explore what it can look like when brain science moves beyond a PD session and becomes something teachers and students actually use. You'll Hear Us Talk About The "parking spaces" metaphor for working memory and cognitive overload—and how teachers began using it with students from kindergarten through 12th gradeThe Science of Learning Collaborative, an opt-in professional learning model that has grown to 75 educatorsWays to "clear parking spaces," including movement breaks, brain dumps, and checks for understandingWhy every brain is different, and how processing speed and neurodiversity can affect how students experience cognitive overloadThe surprising idea that a teacher's own working memory can become a bottleneck during explicit instructionAbout Suzy Evans & Dr. Shane Saeed Suzy Evans is an Instructional Coordinator for St. Vrain Valley School District, where she supports principals and teachers in data analysis, instructional decision-making, and collective efficacy; she co-facilitates the district's Science of Learning Collaborative and co-hosts the Vrain Waves podcast. Dr. Shane Saeed is an Elementary ELA Curriculum Coordinator for St. Vrain Valley School District, specializing in structured literacy and educational equity. She holds a doctorate in executive leadership, authored Be the Flame, and is a national speaker and ASCD & ISTE-recognized leader. She also co-hosts the Vrain Waves podcast. Links + Resources Vrain Waves Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vrain-waves-teaching-conversations-with-minds-shaping/id1365316994Suzy Evans on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannah-evans/Dr. Shane Saeed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-saeed-ed-d-686296132/Be the Flame by Shane Saeed: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/be-the-flame-sparking-positive-classroom-communities_shane-saeed/29003758/item/64854630/Teach FAST by Gene Tavernetti: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/teach-fast-focused-adaptable-structured-teaching/37475687/SOL in the Wild: https://solinthewild.substack.com/Powerful Teaching by Pooja Agarwal & Patrice BainLearn 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/0yq29ZyNv3s

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5
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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
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Academic Coaching Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Academic Coaching Podcast

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