Celebration: A Pause Worth Taking

As we head into winter break, coaches are finally exhaling. Inboxes have quieted and the pace is changing. Once the final gifts are tucked away – and before we rush toward planning, goal-setting, or fixing the unfinished, let’s take a beat and pause to celebrate.
 
Not public or performative; just satisfied noticing.
 
Celebration helps us make meaning of our work. It helps us remember what matters. And it can quietly shape how we re-enter schools in January.
 
Celebrating the Work You Did
This break is a good time stop and celebrate yourself for:
*Where you showed up consistently, even when it was hard,
*When coaching conversations aligned with your values,
*Risks that paid off,
*Noticings that made a difference.
 
Journaling could be your private celebration, or you could talk things through with a listening partner or just hold them in your heart for a second.
 
Choosing What to Carry Forward
Celebration can also be forward-looking. As you reflect, you may notice practices worth protecting:
 
Consider:
*A question you asked that opened conversations
*A way you made teachers’ strengths visible
*A moment when you chose affirmation
 
Naming these now increases the likelihood that they show up again—not by accident, but by intention.
 
Planting Seeds for January
In January, we can carry celebration practices back to school with us. It doesn’t need to be showy or time-consuming to be meaningful.
 
In January, you might begin coaching conversations by asking teachers to:
*Celebrate what they tried,
*Celebrate where they persisted,
*Celebrate when they were responsive.
 
These moments build teachers’ confidence and clarity—two things that matter.
 
Celebration is a coaching practice that shapes identity, energy, and growth.
When we begin the new year grounded in what’s already working, we move forward more purposefully.
 
Celebration is a pause worth taking.
 
For more ideas about celebrating, including public and private, individual and school-wide celebrations, be sure to check out episode 13 of My Coaches Couch, the podcast when it drops on December 30! (also available in your podcast app).
 
This week, you might want to take a look at:

Leadership without leaving the classroom:
 
https://www.edsurge.com/news/2025-10-15-how-i-found-leadership-without-leaving-the-classroom
 
 
Teach reading, not books:
 
https://www.middleweb.com/47929/what-kids-gain-when-we-dont-teach-books/
 
 
First grade family history inquiry project (with meaningful technology integration):
 
https://choiceliteracy.com/article/family-history-inquiry-project-integrating-technology-with-social-studies-in-first-grade/
 
 
Tips on having influence that are just right for coaches:
 
http://jenniferabrams.com/what-not-to-do-if-you-want-to-be-more-influential/
 
 
A quick video about vocabulary instruction in science:
 
https://www.amnh.org/explore/curriculum-collections/integrating-literacy-strategies-into-science-instruction/vocabulary-instruction
 
That’s it for this week. Happy Coaching!
 
Want more coaching tips? Check out my book, Differentxiated Mentoring & Coaching in Education: From Preservice Teacher to Expert Practitioner, available from Teachers College Press!  I’m so excited to share it with you! This month, you can use the code: DEC2025 for 15% off. Click  here  and I’ll email you the free Book Group Study Guide that includes questions, prompts, and activities you can use as you share the book with colleagues.  I hope you’ll love this book as much as I loved making it for you!

 
 

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