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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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