This episode is very dear to my heart because today’s guest Gretchen Bridgers and I have been through it all. She is my coach and close friend. Gretchen is the owner of Alway a Lesson. She started her career in education teaching second, third, and fifth grade before falling in love with the idea of coaching new teachers.

In this episode, Growing Together Through Collaboration & Support, we discuss all things instructional coaching. Gretchen gives us a sneak peek of her session at the 5th Annual Simply Coaching Summit. She explains how working with coaches led her to discover what coaches need and the order that things come up during the school year. Gretchen shares tips for what to focus on during different seasons of the year and how to grow your professional learning network (PLN).

You’ll hear about how we met online, the journey we’ve taken together, and how Gretchen’s support helped me transform my idea for a virtual summit into a reality. You’ll hear the story of why I started the Simply Coaching Summit and how it came to be. This episode will leave you with a new understanding of the importance of collaboration and support in coaching.

This is what you’ll hear about in Episode 6 – Growing Together Through Collaboration & Support with Gretchen Bridgers

• How Gretchen uncovered what coaches need to know and the order in which things come up during the school year
• Her blog post series about what to coach during the different seasons with examples of what to do during each season
• Testing and shifting to a more student-centered approach in the spring, so students have more ownership in the classroom
• How we met and our coaching journey
• The story of why I started the summit and how the Simply Instructional Summit came to be
• Why you need to find a coaching buddy, where to find one, and how you need to go outside of your comfort zone to meet new people
• The different things we do each year with the summit to make it unique and different.
• A sample of some of the speakers at the 5th Annual Simply Coaching Summit

I really loved having this talk with Gretchen and I’m sure you’ll get a lot out of it too. Gretchen is an amazing person and I’m so grateful that she’s been part of my journey! As always, I invite you to join me as we learn more about Growing Together Through Collaboration & Support.

Thank you for listening! Please subscribe, rate, and review the show!

Grab a copy of the Simply Coaching Summit brochure here! https://simply-coaching-teaching-llc.ck.page/b0f655b7c1

Links and resources mentioned in this episode
Always a lesson: https://alwaysalesson.com/
Always a lesson on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlwaysALesson/
Always a lesson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/gschultek/
Always a lesson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/always.a.lesson
Seasons of Coaching Blog Series: Summer Strategy
Seasons of Coaching Blog Series: Winter Strategy
Seasons of Coaching Blog Series: Fall Strategy
Seasons of Coaching Blog Series: Spring Strategy
Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College by Gretchen Bridgers

Gretchen Bridgers Bio:
Gretchen is a National Board-certified elementary school teacher from Charlotte, NC. In 2006, Gretchen received her bachelor’s degree at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. In 2010, she received her master’s degree in Curriculum and Supervision from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Gretchen taught grades 2, 3, and 5 before transitioning into the New Teacher Development Coach role for The New Teacher Project [TNTP]. During this time, she also published her first book for new teachers called “Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College” to help prepare future teachers for the realities of life in the classroom.

Gretchen has passionately mentored and coached educators for over a decade, led professional development experiences for school building staff and presented at district and national conferences. This led to the writing of a collaborative book with educators around the nation sharing solutions to common problems in today’s schools, entitled “Educators Who Know What to Do- Experts in Education.”

Her impact continues to amplify, serving educators worldwide through her blog, podcast, classroom resources, professional development courses, books, and personalized coaching opportunities.

Whether you’re teaching a lesson or learning one yourself, it’s Always A Lesson.

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