The Education Table with Katie Novak, EdD26 Feb

Ep 35: Great Teachers Have Coaches Too

In this episode of The Education Table, Dr. Katie Novak centers the powerful role instructional coaches play in helping schools shift from teacher-centered to learner-centered practice. She is clear from the start: coaching is not about fixing teachers. It is about partnering with skilled professionals who are committed to continual growth, refinement, and impact.

Drawing on research, real-world examples, and her own experiences, Dr. Novak explores what makes instructional coaching effective and why meaningful instructional shifts require more than good intentions. She emphasizes coaching as a collaborative, non-judgmental process grounded in trust, clarity, and shared goals. Coaches are positioned as partners, co-designers, and champions for change, not evaluators or compliance monitors.

Throughout the episode, Dr. Novak highlights how Universal Design for Learning provides a strong foundation for coaching conversations that lead to lasting change. By focusing on intentional goal-setting, reflective practice, and supportive accountability, instructional coaches can help educators make shifts that stick—without shame, pressure, or top-down mandates.

This episode is a clear affirmation of instructional coaches and a practical guide for using coaching as a lever for sustainable, learner-centered transformation.

Episode Transcript

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Episoder(37)

Ep 36: The False Choice Between Fidelity and Flexibility

In this episode of The Education Table, Dr. Katie Novak responds to a question many educators wrestle with: Can you make instructional adjustments to support learners without being seen as out of alig...

9 Jun 9min

Ep 34: Rethinking Faculty Meetings: From Announcements to Impact

In this episode of The Education Table, Dr. Katie Novak focuses on how faculty meeting time is often used for logistics, announcements, and information that could be shared asynchronously, rather than...

5 Feb 8min

Ep 33: When Tier 1 Isn’t Working, Pulling More Students Isn’t the Answer

In this episode of The Education Table, Dr. Katie Novak reframes the commonly cited “80% rule” in MTSS. Rather than treating it as a hard benchmark or accountability threshold, she positions it as a t...

22 Jan 11min

Ep 32: How do we know if we are actually implementing UDL?

In this episode of The Education Table, Dr. Katie Novak speaks directly to school and district leaders and instructional coaches who want to better understand how Universal Design for Learning is show...

8 Jan 11min

Ep 31: When Choosing the “Easy” Option Is Responsible

In this episode of The Education Table, Dr. Katie Novak examines a common concern with choice: students gravitating toward what is perceived as the “easy” option. She explains that this often happens ...

12 Des 202511min

Ep30: UDL Isn’t Just for Classrooms: It’s for Small Groups, 1:1 Moments, and Everyday Life

In this episode of The Education Table, Dr. Katie Novak explores how Universal Design for Learning extends far beyond whole-class teaching. She emphasizes that UDL is a mindset for every interaction, ...

20 Nov 20259min

Ep29: How Paraeducators Build Independence Through Universal Design for Learning

In this episode of The Education Table, Dr. Katie Novak spotlights the essential role paraeducators play in supporting inclusive classrooms. She shares practical ways paras can support learners withou...

6 Nov 20257min