The Bright Morning Podcast with Elena Aguilar

Have you ever faced resistance while facilitating? Us too!  In this final episode of our Transformational PD mini-series, Elena is joined by Bright Morning teammate, Maria Dyslin, to discuss and demonstrate how you can navigate resistance as a facilitator before, during, and after your meetings and PD sessions.  Mentioned in this episode:  The PD Book (Book by Elena) Artful Design and Facilitation...

What do I do when an activity I planned just isn’t working?  How do I respond to a question that I don’t know how to respond to?  My agenda is too full but everything is essential! What do I cut? The answer to these questions and many more are answered in this second episode of our 3-part Transformational PD mini-series. Elena shares 6 Transformational Tips that she’ll pulling on in her practice t...

What is “transformational PD?”  How do we make PD joyful? What are important considerations for one-time vs. ongoing PD? How do we center equity in all of our PD sessions?  What is Elena’s favorite tool from The PD Book?  Today Elena is joined by Bright Morning teammate, Becky Barstein, to explore these questions and many more in Part 1 of our three-part Transformational PD mini-series. If you des...

It’s been two months and the teacher you’re coaching still hasn’t implemented the strategies they agreed to. What do you do?  In today’s episode, Elena demonstrates her approach to coaching this type of “resistance” and then pulls back the curtain to explain her coaching moves.   Mentioned in this episode:  Episode 68: Coaching Tool: Taking a Confrontational Stance  Opportunities for continued lea...

Did you know a childhood photo or a lunch date can help you coach resistance?  On today’s episode, Elena and Bright Morning teammate, Nick Cains, discuss what they do to prepare themselves to coach resistant clients, and how they tend to themselves as coaches of color who often coach across lines of racial difference. Listen in for concrete strategies and several stories that help bring them to li...

Elena hasn’t experienced resistance in her coaching conversations in over a decade. In this episode, she shares her five step process to eliminate resistance in your coaching conversations (...and really, in any conversation). This is the first in a three-part Coaching Resistance mini-series you won’t want to miss!  Mentioned in this episode:  What to Say When podcast series and free listening gui...

Resolutions don’t work for the overwhelming number of people, but we know what does! In this episode, Elena shares the simple, research-based, strategy she’s using to support her in making 2023 one of the best years yet. Listen in, grab your free resource, and take the first step in making 2023 a great year.   Mentioned in this episode:  Core Human Needs downloadable resource  Art of Coaching Work...

We’re hard at work preparing amazing episodes for you in 2023, starting with a series on resistance in early January (get excited!). So today we’re coming to you with an ask to help make all that’s to come possible.  Help make the podcast happen:  Become a sustaining member!  Visit https://brightmorningteam.com/podcasts/ for links to everything we mention on the show.  Follow us on Facebook , Twit...

In today’s episode replay, Elena once again becomes the coach in your ear, providing some guidance for how you can think about winter break to ensure it serves you and your needs.  Visit https://brightmorningteam.com/podcasts/ for links to everything we mention on the show.  Follow us on Facebook , Twitter , LinkedIn , Instagram   Receive weekly wisdom and tools from Elena delivered to your inbox!...

How can we bring some creativity and levity to our coaching conversations? What about helping our clients access their needs? Or connecting them to their power?    In this replay of our First 5 Minutes series, Elena will walk you through how to do just that with one question that opens up your next coaching conversation.  In addition to providing you with a new question each week, Elena also walks...

Today we’re replaying an episode from our First 5 Minutes series. These short episodes provided you with all you need to know to incorporate one resilience-boosting question in your conversations. Listen in and consider adding these to both your work and home conversations.  This episode is for you if:  Your coachees are drained and/or overwhelmed and working from limited resilience reserves  You’...

Dr. Dena Simmons, the founder of LiberatED, a collective focused on developing school-based resources at the intersection of social and emotional learning, racial justice, and healing joins Elena in an uplifting conversation about healing, authenticity, imposter syndrome, hope and play. This is an episode for BIPOC educators who have been made to feel like they don’t belong.   Mentioned in this ep...

The winter holidays can include many things: time with family, a break from work…and maybe some casual racism over dinner. In today’s episode, Elena provides a quick overview of her What to Say When You Hear Something Racist framework. This is the content you need for the most essential holiday prep: preparing to disrupt racism.  Mentioned in this episode:  All My Relations (podcast)  Opportunitie...

“Why don't you disrupt racist behavior more immediately? Our kids needed change yesterday…”   We get asked a version of this question frequently, so today Bright Morning teammate, Nick Cains, joins Elena to explore how we center transformation (and our own humanity) when disrupting racism in our coaching conversations.   Mentioned in this episode:  What to Say When You Hear Something Racist (...

What are racial affinity spaces? Why are racial affinity spaces necessary? How do you respond when people are concerned about there being racial affinity spaces? What should I consider if I want to bring racial affinity spaces to my school or organization? If these are questions you’re curious about, this episode is for you. Mentioned in this episode: Coaching for Equity workshop The PD Book: 7 Ha...

What is a microaggression?  What can you do when you hear, see or experience a microaggression?  If these are questions you are curious about, this episode is for you.  Mentioned in this episode:  Stamped from the Beginning , by Ibram X Kendi Dr. Chester Pierce   Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation , by Dr. Derald Wing Sue Opportunities for continued learning: ...

Here’s the secret to ending the year feeling fulfilled and accomplished: reflect and adjust along the way.  Today we’re replaying a listener favorite episode, The End of Month Routine You Need, in which Elena shares what you can do at the end of each month to help you fulfill your goals and vision for the year.  Mentioned on this episode:  Elena’s newsletter (sign-up!)  Episode 105: Morning Ritual...

In this replay of a 2021 episode, Elena pulls back the curtain to provide expert advice on holding spaces for transformation. Today she’s sharing the strategy you need for coaching clients who are experiencing strong emotions.  This episode is for you if:  You’re looking to strengthen your coaching practice  You are tempted to go into fix-it mode when your client is struggling  You don’t know what...

Today we’re replaying an essential podcast episode from last year. In this Coaches’ Corner Elena shows up as your coach and expertly guides you through some exercises and prompts to consider if you are looking to coach for equity.  This episode is for you if:  You want to coach for equity  You want to support others in discovering their why for coaching for equity  Mentioned in this episode:  Frie...

The October slump is a real thing for educators, and a time where there are a lot of big emotions at play. To help you navigate this reality, we’re replaying a very early episode where Elena provides an overview of the ACE framework, one of the core strategies for coaching resilience.  The ACE framework is one that has been utilized in many of the coaching conversations episodes, including episode...

I n this fifth, and final, episode of our special Transformational Coaching mini-series, Elena and Erica wrap-up their coaching engagement. Their conversation beautifully demonstrates the power of Transformational Coaching, and the cyclical nature of this model and our healing and growth.   This episode is for you if you want to hear:  What it sounds like to take a confrontational stance  How to h...

In this fourth episode of our special Transformational Coaching mini-series, Elena begins to move her client into Phase 4 of the Transformational Coaching Model: Build New Practices.  This episode is for you if to hear:  How you can push a client a little harder once a trusting relationship is established  How to support a client in making the connections between the shifts in their beliefs and re...

Sometimes coaching conversations don’t fall neatly into a framework. Sometimes making progress simply requires making space to process.  In this third episode of our special Transformational Coaching mini-series, we’re bringing you a slightly different type of conversation. One that demonstrates what happens when you trust the process and follow the conversation where the client needs it to go. In...

In this second episode of our special Transformational Coaching mini-series, we continue exploring Phase 1 of the Transformational Coaching model: Surface Current Reality and Phase 2: Recognize Impact. Elena coaches the same educator from episode 136 and reveals her thoughts about the process. You’ll hear guidance on how to develop strong relationships with new clients and how to explore behaviors...

In this first episode of our special Transformational Coaching mini-series, we’re diving into Phase 1 of the Transformational Coaching model: Surface Current Reality. A mix of a real-life coaching conversation and Elena pulling back the curtain to share her thought process and what you need to know to put Phase 1 into action in all of your back-to-school coaching conversations.  This episode is fo...