Olivia Wahl Coaching & Consulting November Newsletter

Learning Together

In times of uncertainty, I cope by focusing on what I can control. Every morning, I start by considering what I can say and do to uplift others while keeping myself moving forward. I intentionally slow down as often as possible to notice moments of selflessness and good happening around me. There are many, and I try to collect them into a mental bank to draw upon when I’m feeling discouraged.

This month, I am offering you a few voices and choices that have grounded me over the last few weeks.

I slow down to notice shared moments of connection.

Last week, I was driving home from dropping Henry at school and stopped at a red light. I glanced to my left to see two men facing each other with both of their backpacks resting against a nearby city park utility box––boxes I have now learned can be a source of power for people experiencing homelessness. With their electric shaver plugged into the box, I watched as the men carefully shaved each other’s faces without the assistance of a mirror.

These strangers remind me to offer help when I can, to lean on my community when I need to, and use the resources I have available.

I carve time for creativity because it fuels me.

I often look to Daniel Pink because his work aligns with my core beliefs about parenting, teaching, coaching, and consulting. His reel, 100 years of creativity advice in 30 seconds, is a wonderful reminder of why, in his words, “Creativity isn’t magic. It’s connection, repetition, and courage.”

Daniel reminds me to be brave, try new things, and allow time for lots of repeated practice in order to grow.

I ensure I am empowering the people in my life with their own sense of agency.

Douglas Reeves and his team at Creative Literacy Solutions call agency “The New Literacy.” They point out “...the most powerful shift in education today isn’t just about knowledge, it’s about agency: the ability to act with purpose, reflection, and confidence in a changing world.”

Douglas and his colleagues remind me that I have no control over what others do or say. Yet, I can still lead by example, acting with purpose to listen and learn from others’ stories and lives—especially when they differ from my own experiences.

I hope these resources and three intentional moves I am making inspire you to keep moving forward today and always. I so look forward to connecting with as many of you as possible at NCTE 2025 in Denver, CO, later this month.

What I’m Reading Now

Word Problem Workshop

by Mona Iehl

Mona invites you to transform your math classroom into a student-centered problem-solving powerhouse by creating your own Word Problem Workshop. Her book is filled with daily routines that build confident, independent mathematical thinkers.

The Body-Brain Connection

by Dr. Gravity Goldberg

Gravity hands you the keys to unlocking the science of how movement fuels learning. Her book shows you how to harness the body-brain connection to reduce anxiety, boost engagement, and help all students thrive as readers, writers, and thinkers.

Raising Securely Attached Kids

by Eli Harwood, MA, LPC

Eli illuminates a parenting approach that builds lifelong trust and resilience in children. Her book offers practical strategies for creating secure attachments at any age and for raising confident, emotionally healthy kids through connection rather than control.

Upcoming Schoolutions Episodes

I am always grateful to receive emails from listeners. Here is an excerpt from an email I recently received that will keep me motivated for a long time:

“I wanted to reach out and express my gratitude for your ‘way of being’ on your podcast… the way we converse and interact with each other is the game changer in education. In the literacy world, there is so much negativity, finger-pointing, and emotions that just don’t serve us or our children… I bring this up because this way of being is the opposite of what I see in your podcast: You come from a place of curiosity, a growth mindset, and a willingness to affirm what’s working and question, in a respectful way, what might not be working. Our world needs more of this mindset, so thank you for your leadership in this regard.”

If you haven’t already joined the Schoolutions Teaching Strategies podcast community, click this link.

11/03 Season 5, Episode 10
“A good idea poorly implemented is a bad idea.” The essential standards conversation you can't afford to miss.

Dr. Larry Ainsworth reveals the truth about essential standards––why prioritizing doesn't mean eliminating, how to avoid the 88% test coverage myth, and why teacher voice is the secret ingredient that makes or breaks implementation. Learn from decades of experience, spectacular failures, and the one principle that ensures equity for all students.

11/10 Season 5, Episode 11
Stop talking and start noticing by building classrooms where math is loud, messy, and magnificently student-centered.

Mona Iehl shares how to transform math class from silent calculating into an energized workshop where every student sees themselves as a mathematician. Discover why word problems should be the way we learn math––not just apply it––and how stopping teacher talk allows space for student brilliance to shine through curiosity, collaboration, and confidence.

11/17 Season 5, Episode 12
The answer isn't in your brain alone; it’s unlocking the body-brain connection that changes everything about teaching and learning.

Dr. Gravity Goldberg reveals how mental fatigue is a myth we’ve created. Discover why removing clocks boosts stamina, why starting with challenging tasks works better than easy ones, and how breathing techniques can transform test anxiety. Learn the counterintuitive science behind the two-thirds rule and why welcoming student bodies into learning isn’t extra, it’s essential.

11/24 Season 5, Episode 13
We're wired for connection. Listen and learn the science of raising securely attached kids who know they matter.

Eli Harwood, the “Attachment Nerd,” reveals why human beings are a “we” before a “me” and how to raise confident (not arrogant) kids through connection-focused relationships. Discover the neuroscience of attachment, why saying “you're fine” undermines emotional development, and how enthusiastic greetings––yes, like your dog’s––build secure attachments that change everything.

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