Keeping Momentum by Sharing the Love

by Lisa Oldiges

Keeping Momentum by Sharing the Love

It’s February and love is in the air, but some of us coaches may be feeling a little ignored or just plain stagnant. What’s a coach to do to keep up the momentum in these final few months of the school year? Let me share some ways that building relationships has helped me.

Be available, be consistent, no pressure

Whether or not you’re in a lull, these three mindsets are key to building relationships. Do NOT give up on these three, no matter what! The camaraderie that results may be the very thing that lifts you up in those moments of low momentum.

What happened: 

One of the best ways I have found to build and sustain relationships is simply to be. From day one, I’ve hung out in the hallway during class change, responded when needed, and chatted about things that have nothing to do with the classroom. 

Result: 

I can’t tell you the number of times someone has said something like, “Oh, since you’re here, can I ask you …?” or “I am so glad you stopped by! I’ve been meaning to email you…” And the inside jokes that surface - we currently have one about “losing buoyancy” (think scuba diving) due to a conversation that began with our exercise science teacher. These kinds of connections only happen organically or they don’t happen at all, and they are so very important to building relationships that can lead to coaching opportunities.

Water the flowers

Watering the flowers means working with people who want to work with you, rather than “bothering” those who don’t. When you water the flowers, others will notice and you never know what that might lead to.

What happened: 

• Year 1 - A new-to-teaching teacher and I started at the school the same year. We had a couple of occasions to work together, but not many. I continued working with my flowers.
• Year 2 - More working with my flowers. Then, near the end of the year the above-mentioned teacher approached me with, “I have a project idea for next year and I think you’re just the person to help me with it.”

Result:

       Year 3 - we are now the co-hosts/facilitators for our building’s new podcast!

Connect with people you don’t normally work with

Spreading the love with people beyond your normal scope (i.e., my “regular” clientele are teachers) is another way to keep up the momentum. Who knows who will come knocking at your door?

What happened: 

A couple of years ago I was working with the student services secretary who was in charge of posting and collecting scholarship applications for the senior class. We devised a system whereby she could post the applications in our LMS, students could submit their applications in the same LMS, and those submissions were automatically separated into folders by scholarship. 

Result:

Because she was so happy about the amount of time she saved (“an entire weekend!”), she recommended that another secretary (who was having her own productivity issues) reach out to me for help. The bonus? Both of these ladies regularly chatted with teachers and other staff and before long I had even more people reaching out to me about all kinds of things!

If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy - be Mama and be happy

Finally, if all else fails, make sure that the efforts you are making to encourage teachers, staff, and admin to work with you are things that bring you joy! If your situation is in need of a cultural shift, it will take time and you have to enjoy what you’re doing while you wait for the greater community to get the message. If you’re happy, the message will be easier to digest!

What happened:

Being an “optional” part of a teacher’s resources means that many individuals won’t seek out the coach. Heck, some don’t even participate when you lead a building PD. For a couple of years, I had tried different versions of asynchronous opportunities: Learning on the Loo, monthly newsletters, a hub in our LMS, etc., to try and get people to drink the coaching kool-aid. I realized at the end of year two that it was going to take time to get people to board the coaching train. 

Result:

After attending TCEA in 2025, I was inspired to try something radically new for the 2025-26 school year and, thus, the birth of the monthly Learning Luau.

• Create a LARGE poster with several topics on it and post it in teacher spaces. Thanks to @MindiVandagriff of Anna ISD for the inspiration!
• Introduce it at the staff meeting at the beginning of the month.
• Host a “Learning Luau” the entirety of the school day, usually a couple of weeks after the introduction. Big thanks to Jessica Fasani of Midway ISD for the Midflix inspiration!
• Come when you can, leave when you have to. Learn about any topic on any month’s poster.
• Earn coconuts. Scan a QR code to register. At the end of the semester, redeem your coconuts for prizes from local businesses.
• Serve light refreshments. I am blessed with an awesome admin team who provides this part. 
• Ambiance is key. I play luau music in the background. The main table has a grass skirt adorning it, and I dress in my Hawaiian shirt, comfy pants and shoes, and my lei. 
• At the end of the semester, teachers have an opportunity to redeem their coconuts for prizes from local vendors. Oh, did I mention? The theme became a Learning Luau because our building secretaries accepted my invitation to let me piggy-back on it! Hopefully, we’ll continue this collaboration each year. I can’t wait to see what next year’s theme will be!

Now when friction slows your momentum, consider what is causing it, whether it be from your own perspective or that of your staff. Implement strategies that continue building relationships and you will end your school year on a high note!

(Side note: You can also catch Coach Lisa on the newest episode of EDU Coach Collective Podcast)