Olivia Wahl Coaching & Consulting

09/18/2026

What Feedback Really Is (And What It Isn't)

Feedback Friday. Here's a definition worth sitting with: feedback isn't praise, and it isn't a grade. It's information that closes the gap between where a student is and where they're headed.

If it doesn't point somewhere specific, it's just noise the student has to sit through.
Next time you're tempted to write "nice work," try something like: "You're aiming for a clear thesis. Right now your first sentence is a summary, not a claim."

Before you hand back the next assignment, name the gap out loud, not just the grade. Source: Hattie & Timperley, 2007.

New ideas for giving and receiving feedback effectively, every Friday.

If this post has you wanting to make feedback more meaningful for your students, let's get in touch. Head to https://www.oliviawahl.com/ and click the Coaching & Consulting tab: https://www.oliviawahl.com/coaching-consulting, to start the conversation.

Schoolutions

09/18/2026

Schoolutions S6E1 (Part Two) The Think Tank Protocol: A 15-Minute Framework for Solving School Problems Together

Part two with Jenn David-Lang is live.

She shares her think tank protocol: 15 minutes long, built from a 45-minute consultancy model she trimmed down.

One person shares a problem for two minutes. The group asks clarifying questions for three. Then the group talks for eight minutes while the presenter just listens and takes notes. No advice-giving until the end.

We also talked about why supervisors shouldn't sit in on these conversations, and the three things that actually motivate adults to learn: competence, autonomy, relatedness.

🎧 listen to part two:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1890886/episodes/19798436
📺 watch part two:
https://youtu.be/dzahZfvo62w

Here's a link to part one just in case you want to give it a listen too.
🎙https://youtu.be/9nKPWV5LTv8

Next Week:
You'll hear from seventeen teachers from the Civics for Colorado Summer Institute, answering the question: What is it like to teach civics and history at the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence? It's a two-part conversation about the challenges teachers face and their hopes for the future of civics instruction.

Come learn with us by joining the Schoolutions community.🔗 Link to subscribe. https://www.youtube.com/

Olivia Wahl Coaching & Consulting

09/17/2026

09/17/2026

What Motivates People to Learn?

Starting a new weekly series today called Thoughtful Thursday. Each week, one research-backed idea you can put to use immediately.

This week I'm looking at motivation. Jenn David-Lang connected it to Deci and Ryan's Self-Determination Theory: autonomy, relatedness, and competence.

It reminded me of Daniel Pink's book Drive, which names three parallel factors: autonomy, purpose, and mastery. I lined them up side by side to show how closely they overlap, and what that means for motivating yourself, your students, or your team.

New research every Thursday that you can apply right away. If this conversation has you thinking about how to motivate yourself, or your students, let's get in touch. You can find me at https://www.oliviawahl.com/. Click on the Coaching & Consulting tab: https://www.oliviawahl.com/coaching-consulting, to begin our thought partnership.

09/16/2026

09/15/2026

Try it Tuesday Teacher Move: Keep Your Lesson Relevant

I'm kicking off a new weekly series called Try It Tuesday. Each week, one teacher move you can use immediately, chosen for real impact on student engagement and success.

This week's tip comes from a strategy I learned from Cris Tovani. We were in a classroom where the teacher couldn't explain why the lesson mattered, so Cris said two words. Google it.

We searched why kids need to learn the topic, and the answers were right there. If your search comes up empty, that's your cue to rework the lesson. Relevance gets kids in the door. Meaning is what keeps them there.

New tip every Tuesday. If this conversation has you thinking about how to make learning more relevant and meaningful for your students, let's get in touch. You can find me at https://www.oliviawahl.com/. Click on the Coaching & Consulting tab: https://www.oliviawahl.com/coaching-consulting to begin our thought partnership.

Schoolutions

09/15/2026

"The smartest person in the room is the room." That's Jenn David-Lang, from this week's episode.

She built her entire Mastermind model around this idea. You don't need an outside expert with all the answers. You need a room full of people willing to be honest about what they know and what they're still figuring out.

🎙️Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube 🔗 Here’s a link for part one: https://youtu.be/9nKPWV5LTv8 & our conversation continues with part two on Friday!

Olivia Wahl Coaching & Consulting

09/14/2026

Schoolutions S6E1 (Part One) What Does Peer-Driven Leadership Look and Feel Like in Schools?

I sat down with Jenn David-Lang, founder of The Main Idea, for my first season six conversation.

She caps her Mastermind groups at 15 people. They meet every other week for one hour. No homework. Everyone reads a one-page summary together on the call, then works through a problem using a 15-minute think tank protocol.

We talked about the two issues that show up in every school: getting people to do what they don't want to do, and handling interpersonal conflict. Jenn's answer starts with one question. Is this a skill problem or a will problem?

Part two of this conversation with Jenn David-Lang (releasing on Friday) covers her think tank model in more depth and what it takes for leaders to practice instructional leadership in real time.

🎧 listen to part one:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1890886/episodes/19798221
📺 watch part one:
https://youtu.be/9nKPWV5LTv8

Come learn with us by joining the Schoolutions community.🔗 https://www.youtube.com/



Olivia Wahl Coaching & Consulting

09/14/2026

What does "expert" mean?

Mindful Monday 🌱

Sound on for this one.

New school year, new questions.

For teachers: What would "expert," not just "experienced," look like for me this year?

For coaches: As a coach this year, how can I recognize and pollinate teachers’ expertise?

09/13/2026