In this episode of C3, hosts Courtney Groskin and Sandy Heiser welcome Joy De Los Santos, a special education coach with over 20 years of experience who now co-leads an instructional coaching team supporting nine districts.

Joy discusses her journey into coaching, practical strategies for overwhelmed teachers—including prioritizing high-impact supports and using visuals like visual schedules—and the importance of using data to guide decisions and build common ground among teams.

The conversation highlights what true inclusion looks like (access, engagement, and respectful peer interaction), leadership coaching to build capacity, and real coaching wins that helped teachers feel empowered and improved student outcomes.

In this episode:

• Courtney and Sandy share highlights from facilitating Day 5 of the Cognitive Coaching Foundation Seminar, celebrating the energy and dedication of their 35-person cohort.

• They discuss the transformative power of coaching conversations, including a moment where a 20-minute planning conversation left a participant feeling empowered and energized.

Featured Guest: Joy de los Santos Joy brings over 20 years of experience in special education, working with students from early childhood through high school. She now co-leads an instructional coaching team across nine districts, supporting educators in building inclusive and supportive classrooms for students with disabilities.

Key Takeaways from Joy:

• Her journey into special education coaching grew from supporting teachers and students while reducing high turnover rates and increasing inclusive practices.

• When teachers feel overwhelmed by IEP requirements or diverse learner needs, Joy recommends strategies that support multiple students across contexts to maximize impact with sustainable effort.

• Collaboration and alignment are essential: she emphasizes using data as a neutral tool to guide team decisions and resolve differing perspectives.

• For Joy, a truly inclusive classroom means all students have access, engagement, and respect for differences, not just physical placement in the classroom.

• Memorable coaching impact: supporting a veteran special education teacher to feel confident and effective with a challenging student population—demonstrating the power of coaching for teachers at any career stage.

Rapid-Fire Tips from Joy:

• One strategy every coach should have: Visual supports, especially visual schedules, to support student independence and classroom management.

Advice for new teachers: Feeling unsure is normal. Asking for help is a sign of strength, and no one has all the answers—especially early in your career.

In this episode Courtney and Sandy welcome Connie Hamilton, author and consultant, to discuss the power of well-crafted coaching questions. Connie explains how to create a cognitive journey for teachers, balance coaching and consulting roles, normalize imperfection, and use targeted follow-up questions to deepen reflection and instructional growth.

Listeners get practical strategies: focus deeply on one instructional goal, use metacognitive prompts (How will you know? What will tell you to pivot?), offer multiple options as a menu, and gather data to inform coaching conversations. Resources are available at ConnieHamilton.org.

Episode Description: In this episode of C3: Connecting Coaches & Cognition, we sit down with Connie Hamilton, an experienced educator, author, and consultant, to explore the art and science of instructional coaching. Connie shares her journey through various roles in education—from classroom teacher to principal to assistant superintendent—and how those experiences inform her approach to supporting teachers.

We dive deep into the power of well-crafted coaching questions, discussing how they can spark reflection, build teacher efficacy, and create a culture of continuous improvement. Connie offers practical strategies for balancing coaching and consulting roles, supporting new teachers, and fostering collective efficacy within schools.

Listeners will gain actionable insights on:

• How to frame coaching questions that promote metacognitive thinking and reflection
• The balance between curiosity and guidance in coaching conversations
• Strategies for normalizing imperfection and embracing iterative teaching
• Techniques for observing and analyzing classroom data to support teacher growth
• Approaches to working with both new and experienced teachers, including emotional support and building confidence

Connie also shares a free resource on her website, SIFT Data Descriptions, which provides practical ways for coaches to collect and use classroom data to guide instructional conversations.

Rapid Fire Highlights:

• One coaching strategy to always have: Identify the most challenging part of a lesson and reflect on what to keep or adjust for next time.
• Advice for new teachers: Focus on student learning as the true measure of lesson success, not just busyness or adherence to a plan.

Connect with Connie Hamilton: Website: www.conniehamilton.org Free Resources: Available on her website, including SIFT Data Descriptions

Timestamps (Approximate):

• 0:00 – Introduction & Connie’s background in education
• 5:30 – The power of well-crafted coaching questions
• 15:00 – Balancing curiosity and guidance as a coach
• 23:00 – Strategies for deeper teacher reflection
• 32:00 – Working with new teachers and supporting emotional states
• 42:00 – One habit coaches can start tomorrow to be more intentional

50:00 – Rapid fire tips & final thoughts

Episode Description: In this episode of C3: Connecting Coaches & Cognition, Courtney Groskin sits down with Justin Baeder, founder of The Principal Center and author, to explore the art and science of instructional leadership and feedback. Justin draws on his experiences as a teacher and principal to share practical strategies for giving feedback that actually changes teacher practice and improves school-level decision-making.

Justin discusses:

• The importance of consistent classroom observations and making feedback a normal, low-stakes practice.
• How to strike the balance between encouragement and constructive critique while promoting teacher autonomy.
• Common pitfalls in feedback conversations, including postmortem critiques that miss the opportunity to influence teacher judgment.
• How to create a culture of reflection where teachers retain ownership of their practice.
• The “sweet spot” for feedback and why not every conversation will immediately lead to change.
• A simple but powerful mindset shift: approaching every conversation with curiosity.

Justin also shares practical resources for school leaders and coaches, including his classroom walkthrough FAQ at principalcenter.com/FAQ.

Rapid Fire Insights from Justin:

• Top resource: Principalcenter.com/FAQ for classroom walkthrough advice.
• Coaching strategy to keep in your back pocket: Patience—sometimes people need more than we can give in one conversation.
• Advice for new teachers: Teaching is challenging but rewarding; the learning curve is long, but it’s worth it—don’t give up.

This episode is a must-listen for school leaders, instructional coaches, and anyone who wants to make feedback conversations more effective, actionable, and supportive of teacher growth.