Learn with Elena in person! Level up your coaching skills and strengthen your community at her new The Art of Transformational Coaching workshop. Browse details.

Books by Elena

Build your foundational knowledge to transform yourself, your practice, and your school. 

Jump to:

Arise

The Art of Coaching Teams

Coaching for Equity

Onward

The Onward Workbook

The PD Book

The Art of Coaching

The Art of Coaching Workbook

For information about bulk orders, please contact Victoria Finley at Jossey-Bass. Affiliate links included.

Arise

The Art of Transformational Coaching

An indispensable “how-to” guide for Transformational Coaches and leaders working in school environments, Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching (2024) is the hands-on and practical roadmap to results that professionals in this area have been waiting for. Transformational Coaching is radical in its scope: this model is both teacher- and student-centered; our collective well-being is centered.

This book will guide you through the skills, beliefs, and dispositions that will enable you to thrive at work and in life–and to create the conditions in which all those around you thrive as well. You’ll learn how to listen expansively, how to plan conversations effectively, how to coach across lines of racial difference, how to navigate resistance, and much more.

Explore proven strategies and gain the foundational tools and skills to bring Transformational Coaching to your site.

Join Elena in person for The 2024 Arise Workshop Tour this fall!

Interested in a Book Study Guide? You'll get everything you need to engage in a one-person or group book study.

Want to learn how to bring the concepts from Arise to life?

Attend the Workshop
Cover of the book: Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching by Elena Aguliar

  • A practical resource for school coaches, principals, district leaders, and other administrators
  • A Transformational Coaching model which addresses systems change
  • A compendium of school coaching ideas
  • An approach rooted in surfacing and interrupting inequities in schools

The Art of Coaching Teams

Building Resilient Communities That Transform Schools

Your playbook for creating and leading thriving, resilient, learning teams that get stuff done. The Art of Coaching Teams (2016) celebrates the art in leading great teams and provides a practical framework to help you understand the unique factors about your team and move the team toward common goals.

You’ll learn the administrative tasks that keep your team on track, and you’ll gain access to a wealth of downloadable tools that simplify the “getting organized” process. Equally important, you’ll explore what it means to be the kind of leader that can bring people together to accomplish difficult tasks. You’ll find practical suggestions, tools, and clear instructions for the logistics of team development as well as tools for building trust, developing healthy communication, and managing conflict.

Interested in a Book Study Guide? You'll get everything you need to engage in a one-person or group book study.

Attend the Workshop

Inside you’ll find concrete guidance on:

  • Designing agendas, making decisions, and establishing effective protocols
  • Boosting your resilience, understanding and managing your emotions, and meeting your goals
  • Cultivating your team’s emotional intelligence and dealing with cynicism
  • Utilizing practical tools to create a customized framework for developing highly effective teams
Coaching for Equity

Conversations that Change Practice

If we are going to interrupt educational inequities and create schools in which every child thrives, we must refine our conversation skills. Coaching for Equity (2020) offers extensive strategies for talking about race, power, and systems of oppression, strategies which lead to changes in a teacher’s practice. This book is for teachers, leaders, and coaches who accept responsibility for interrupting inequities in schools and who want to build the knowledge and skills to coach for equity.

Coaching for Equity contains an updated Transformational Coaching framework and the tools and rubrics that are necessary to implement this model of coaching. In addition, personal narratives demonstrate what coaching for equity looks like and help us see how we can make every conversation count towards building a more just and equitable world.

Interested in a Book Study Guide? You'll get everything you need to engage in a one-person or group book study.

Attend the Workshop

Coaching for Equity covers key topics in the larger societal conversation surrounding equity, including:

  • understanding what equity is and what it should look like in your school
  • recognizing and preventing inequities in the classroom and school community
  • realizing the path that created inequitable environments in your school
  • making changes that contribute to an equitable environment
  • raising awareness for issues of inequity
Onward

Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators

We create stronger schools and resilient students when we build the resilience of adults. Onward is your go-to-guide for how we can manage stress, prevent burnout and thrive as educators. Onward (Jossey-Bass, 2018) is Elena’s long-awaited resource on how we can manage stress, prevent burnout and thrive as educators. It is practical, informative, inspirational and relevant to new teachers, mid-career and experienced teachers, and to leaders committed to boosting the resilience of their staff. Grounded in science, social science, and psychology, and peppered with Elena’s personal narratives, this book will undoubtedly change the way we think about emotions, stress, and our purpose as educators. The book focuses on the 12 habits that cultivate resilience, and their correlating dispositions, and provides a roadmap for how to feel more effective, more fulfilled, and happier at work. Onward offers a 12 month curriculum for individuals and groups, and is accompanied by The Onward Workbook which includes hundreds of activities to boost your resilience.

Interested in a Book Study Guide? You'll get everything you need to engage in a one-person or group book study.

Attend the Workshop

Inside you’ll find:

  • Practical and actionable strategies to build your resilience today
  • A wealth of information about what resilience is and how it is cultivated
  • A discussion of the relationships between individual and collective resilience 
  • Inspirational and relatable stories
The Onward Workbook

Daily Activities to Cultivate Your Emotional Resilience and Thrive

An empowering journey that keeps great teachers in the classroom, The Onward Workbook (2018) is a collection of tools and strategies that help teachers banish burnout and cultivate true resilience. Keyed to the framework presented in Onward, this companion piece augments the text with practical exercises, coaching, and step-by-step walkthroughs of beneficial practices. Deep introspection allows you to verbalize your feelings, name your challenges, and identify the tools you have and the tools you need—from there, you’ll explore each of the 12 Key Habits and learn how to put them into practice every day.

In cultivating resilience within yourself and your teaching practice, you improve your health, your outlook, and your relationships while building an environment in which every child succeeds. This workbook takes you on a journey of specific self-discovery that changes your perspective, renews your confidence, and empowers you to make the much-needed changes that allow you to continue inspiring young minds.

Attend the Workshop

This vital companion text supports you to:

  • Dig deeper within to discover what you’re truly made of
  • Decode complex emotions, body language, and nonverbal communications
  • Challenge your beliefs, build community, and navigate difficult interactions
  • Learn more, feel more, play more, and practice effective self-care
The PD Book

7 Habits That Transform Professional Development

Transforming the process and experience of learning for adults is the key lever for transforming schools. The PD Book offers seven habits—and a wealth of practical tools—that help you transform professional development. In this book, you’ll learn how to inspire adult learners, the importance of having clear purpose, and how to navigate power dynamics in a group. You’ll also learn a new way to plan PD that allows you to attend to details and be a responsive facilitator. The dozens of tips and tricks, anecdotes and research, and tools and resources will enable you to create the optimal conditions for learning.

Interested in a Book Study Guide? You'll get everything you need to engage in a one-person or group book study.

Attend the Workshop

You’ll also:

  • Craft effective outcomes for your adult students and design an agenda that aligns with adult learning principles
  • Use storytelling as a tool for effective workshops and trainings
  • Plan backwards from evaluations and outcomes to create powerful and lasting educational experiences

Retired Publications

Retired in July 2024 with the release of Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching.

Jump to:

The Art of Coaching

The Art of Coaching Workbook

For information about Elena's other books, please contact Victoria Finley at Jossey-Bass. Affiliate links included.

The Art of Coaching

The Art of Coaching

Effective Strategies for School Transformation

Retired in July 2024 with the release of Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching.

The book that started it all. The Art of Coaching (pub. 2013, retd. 2024) offers the foundational skills and tools needed by coaches, as well as presenting an overview of the knowledge and theory base behind coaching best practice. Established coaches will find numerous ways to deepen and refine their work. Principals and others who incorporate coaching strategies into their work will also find a wealth of resources. Elena offers a model for Transformational Coaching which could be implemented as professional development in schools or districts anywhere. Although she addresses the needs of adult learners, her model maintains a student-centered focus, with a specific lens trained always on addressing equity issues in schools.

Attend the Workshop

Inside you’ll find:

  • A practical resource for school coaches, principals, district leaders, and other administrators
  • A Transformational Coaching model which addresses systems change
  • A compendium of school coaching ideas
  • An approach rooted in surfacing and interrupting inequities in schools
The Art of Coaching Workbook

The Art of Coaching Workbook

Tools to Make Every Conversation Count

Retired in July 2024 with the release of Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching.

A practical guide for getting the most out of The Art of Coaching

The Art of Coaching Workbook (pub. 2020, retd. 2024) is the resource you’ve been waiting for to accompany Elena Aguilar’s The Art of Coaching (pub. 2013, retd. 2024). Ideal for new and novice coaches, as well as for those who have years of coaching under their belt, this workbook will help you improve your coaching skills.

This workbook is also for those who lead and manage coaches. An entire chapter is dedicated to structures, routines, and practices that are easy to implement in professional development sessions. In addition, a new Transformational Coaching Rubric and other tools for assessment and reflection are included.

Attend the Workshop

This vital companion text includes:

  • Dozens of activities to help you internalize the concepts described in The Art of Coaching
  • Exercises to guide you in identifying your own coaching beliefs, style, and practices
  • Short and lengthy transcripts of coaching conversations
  • Additional examples of key concepts in The Art of Coaching, including the Ladder of Inference and the Coaching Lenses
  • New ideas and information that build on those in The Art of Coaching
Megan W.

"Having a learning [cycle] is a game changer! The combination of reading about a process, having a practical and usable tool, and seeing/hearing the skills demonstrated in a relatable way makes the information stick. The Bright Morning team has made PD accessible for every learning style and schedule need!"

Megan W.

Raquel R.G.

"The Skill Session on Your First Observation had a transformative impact on my coaching practice, providing me with clear, practical strategies for conducting my first classroom observations with confidence. I gained tools to engage in meaningful, constructive conversations with teachers, which have already begun to enhance classroom dynamics and instructional outcomes. What made this session stand out was Elena Aguilar's deep expertise and the clarity with which she presented the material. The sample scripts and suggested dispositions offered multiple pathways for approaching teacher observations, making the content highly adaptable to different situations. The session was also interactive and allowed for real-time practice with scripts, which solidified my learning. I highly recommend this session to any instructional coach, whether new or experienced."

Raquel R.G.

Nancy H.

"Even though I have taken a number of Elena’s previous in-person workshops, it was reaffirming to come back to learn with her and other coaches. It was helpful to both see what she has learned and changed in this workshop (since the initial writing of The Art of Coaching) and practice. Thank you, Elena (and the whole Bright Morning team), for this workshop, which was also held in a beautiful space."

Nancy H.

Rachel H.

"Transformational Coaching is not just about coaching. It is about examining yourself and how you show up in a space that requires empathy, compassion, and humility. As a coach of educators, it can be extremely nerve-wracking to ask adults about their emotions, beliefs, gaps, and values. But with the tools that Elena provided, with the modeling she showed, I feel more capable of making coaching something that each educator can learn and grow from."

Rachel H.

Stacy L.

"As someone with extensive experience in facilitating adult learning and having benefited from effective facilitation in my own workplace, I still found this session to be fresh, helpful, and informative. I gained new insights that I will immediately apply both with my team and in my work facilitating adult learning."

Stacy L.

Ellen Z.

"Artful facilitation was an extremely engaging and enriching opportunity. I added many tools to my facilitation toolbox and have a much deeper understanding of the importance of my role as a facilitator and how I show up and hold space for collective learning."

Ellen Z.

Kali C.

"Focusing on emotional intelligence for both myself and colleagues I will be coaching was very impactful. Emotions are so important to identify and validate so that we can continue the hard work that lies beyond and intertwined with our emotions. I think coaches, admin, and leaders should attend!"

Kali C.

Lisa L.

"This workshop helped to reframe my thinking about those I may see as difficult and uninterested in engaging in change or adopting new ideas. It gave me the comfort and strength to not give up on them but instead to pull them in and listen more."

Lisa L.

Brittany R.

"This space was safe, generous, and so loving in cresting time to learn, expand, and grow our practices. I’m grateful for our facilitators and the way they held space for our engagement and gentleness in our connection. I learned so much and am eager to bring it back to my teams!"

Brittany R.

Danielle N.

"This was my first in-person training with Bright Morning, and it was incredible. Our online trainings leave me feeling energized, and the in-person training was magical. Being able to meet and connect with a variety of different educators and commit to getting together because our geography makes it more accessible is priceless. Transformational Coaching isn't just profession related--the things we talk about and wish to embody are ways of being in our life, not just in our campus /department lives. Highly recommend if you are ready for the next level of being your true self."

Danielle N.

Kristen W.

"Being coached by Elena and fellow participants helped me experience how grounding in conversations in emotions and provided resources can help a client center their thoughts and feelings into words."

Kristen W.

Katy J.

"This is the first learning experience I’ve had that centers the whole human and leverages core needs and beliefs to drive development. What a valuable experience for me as I coach new principals in my district!"

Katy J.

Angie L.

"Introducing yourself to clients first appears like an easy thing to do, but when you’re in a new role like being a coach, self-doubt can set in. This mini skill session offers small actionable steps a new coach can do to build that confidence."

Angie L.

Joseph B.

"I highly recommend the Skill Session for crafting your own vision! The process and templates allowed me to develop a personal vision for what I do that is 100% authentic to who I am and will also serve to help keep myself accountable to that vision and my core values."

Joseph B.

Kristie J.

"The Onward Book Club is helpful in having a community to explore ways to build in sustainable practices which lead to my resilience."

Kristie J.

Thomas A.

"As an instructional coach being in a new building this year, I expected that I would be run down because of the work that comes with being in a new building. My job satisfaction has never been higher than this year. My job satisfaction, by in large, is so high because of the Onward book. Additionally, this book has been used in my building to bring teachers back from the brink of quitting. All people in education can benefit from reading and applying the practices from Onward."

Thomas A.

Carissa O.

"The Onward Book Club provided monthly care as I embarked on teaching and finding balance."

Carissa O.

Caitlin H.

"As a brand new administrator and coach, no one can truly prepare you for what challenges you'll be faced with. After attending the Coaching for Equity workshop, I feel like I have the tools and support to take on some of those more challenging conversations in a way that is loving, supportive, and focused on doing what's right for students."

Caitlin H.

Virtual Learner

"I found A Taste of Coaching for Equity training to be valuable in providing me with more tools and resources to use in the work that I continue to do with educators. I appreciated the time to observe a conversation and then try it on in a small group break out room with others. The opportunity to collaborate with others was helpful in my continued growth as a coach. If you wanted to better understand how to improve your coaching through an equity lens where every child every day thrives and grows."

Virtual Learner

Debby P.

"This [Art of Coaching Emotions] framework is helpful for more than just coaching sessions. As a supervisor and school leader, I can see myself leveraging ACE and learnings from this workshop." -

Debby P.

Katie G.

"I loved the Artful Design & Facilitation workshop! I left with concrete tools & strategies, plus additional reflections, to improve my practice."

Katie G.

Christina O.

"I have facilitated professional development for over 15 years and this session focused me in a way others haven't before. I am able to be a more reflective facilitator because of what I learned here."

Christina O.

Ann T.

"This training impacted the way I connect with my audience, plan, and facilitate PD. I was given time to connect with others, receive and give feedback, and time to practice what I was learning. There are many strategies I came away with for me to use. I would recommend this to anyone no matter how long you have been a facilitator because it gives everyone a new lens in designing successful PD."

Ann T.

Precious W.

"If you are looking to take your PD, team meetings, staff development meetings, and workshops to another level, this workshop is for you! Artful Design & Facilitation was empowering and thoughtfully designed... It validated my current work and allowed me to go deeper."

Precious W.

In-person Workshop Participant

"As a new supervisor next year, I am so very grateful to have attended The Art of Coaching Teams in-person workshop. I can set up a team with the foundational skills of building meaningful team agreements that will support all members being seen, heard, and valued. In addition, we can begin the year by building our team's emotional intelligence and learning practices for engaging in healthy conflict. By participating in the workshop, I know I have the capacity, tools, and resources to lead in a way that aligns with my core values as a human and educator."

In-person Workshop Participant

Learning Library subscriber

"The relevance and immediate actionability of this Skill Session to my work as an educator was incredible! Elena modeled an example of the skill in progress, gave us helpful tools to immediately apply what we'd learned, and provided useful insights to help us develop our practice in meaningful ways. Highly recommend!"

Learning Library subscriber

Kelsey K.

"I am an Assistant Principal and constantly trying to align my daily actions with who I want to be as a leader. I'm so thankful for Elena's Skill Sessions that are actionable, bite-sized, and aligned to vision and values. This is my heart work, and I'm so grateful for it."

Kelsey K.

Corey C.

"This workshop has given me more empowerment and assurance of my skills and my ability to be an effective, Transformative Coach. The strategies and resources we were given have given my coaching a new perspective. I think any person who is looking for a community to grow in should consider this training because there is so much opportunity to grow and develop."

Corey C.

Lucero I.

"This workshop has re-energized my commitment to leading with heart and creating spaces where everyone feels seen and supported. A big thank you to Elena Aguilar’s team for organizing such an inspiring event. I’m excited to apply these fresh perspectives and continue growing from this experience."

Lucero I.

Kate W.

"The Art of Transformation workshop is best Bright Morning professional development I’ve ever been to in ten years. We had time to gain knowledge, practice skills, and develop community! You should attend if you need to develop into a coach who wants to change the world!"

Kate W.

Taiese C.

"I flew from DC and am leaving with so many rich gems to bring back to my coaching team. We’re redesigning our approach to adult learning and coaching based on our learning from Elena and Bright Morning. Utilizing the principles of adult learning and frameworks shared, I have so much faith that it will resonate for the community we serve."

Taiese C.

Kim H.

"The Art of Transformational Coaching in-person workshop has helped me to identify my own strengths and areas of growth as a coach. Having the opportunity to be instructed and led by Elena and also to role-play and get advice from coaches who have a wide range of experience and competence in this field has been a valuable experience."

Kim H.

Bright Morning participant

"As a new supervisor next year, I am so very grateful to have attended The Art of Coaching Teams in-person workshop. I can set up a team with the foundational skills of building meaningful team agreements that will support all members being seen, heard, and valued. In addition, we can begin the year by building our team's emotional intelligence and learning practices for engaging in healthy conflict. By participating in the workshop, I know I have the capacity, tools, and resources to lead in a way that aligns with my core values as a human and educator."

Bright Morning participant

Bright Morning All-Inclusive Member

"The [Learning Library] Skill Session, How to Introduce Yourself to New Clients, helps you understand the importance of being thoughtful and intentional about introducing yourself to your clients/colleagues. In addition, you will have access to an invaluable template with key questions to help clarify and guide your thinking."

Bright Morning All-Inclusive Member

Tamisha Williams

"This book is for every teacher, leader, coach, and educational practitioner who seeks to interrupt educational inequities. Elena shares her vulnerability and insights, embraces the power of emotions, and deepens our understanding so we can expand our skillsets—helping us to put relationship before task and keep equity at the core."

Tamisha Williams

Dean of Adult Equity & Inclusion, Lick-Wilmerding High School

Kimberly N. Parker

"Elena Aguilar's Coaching for Equity is an accessible guidebook that pushes us beyond platitudes of equity to the essential ground of creating complex learning environments that demonstrate—every day—what it takes for all children to receive the educational experiences they deserve. Coaching for Equity is for all of us who have been hungry for guidance about how to gather our people, get past our fragility, and 'journey towards justice and liberation' as we work in service to all children."

Kimberly N. Parker

Shady Hill School and Co-Founder of #DisruptTexts

Shanna Peeples

"With this framework, Elena Aguilar gives us a curriculum of hope that we can teach each other in our learning communities, detailing a path forward through the temptations of quitting and the dangers of burnout. This serves as a guide for everyone working in or with schools, to keep our best teachers strong for children who need us."

Shanna Peeples

2015 National Teacher of the Year

Robert Ryshke

"Elena Aguilar brings to The PD Book a wealth of knowledge and expertise delivering high-quality learning experiences for teachers and leaders. Educators who design and deliver PD will gain unique, interesting, and pertinent insights from Aguilar's ideas, her research, and the tools she offers for making PD joyful, meaningful, and equitable."

Robert Ryshke

Former Executive Director of the Center for Teaching, Westminster

Jenn David-Lang

"Ever wonder how to craft the kind of PD that changes hearts, minds, and behaviors? Mystery solved. Elena and Lori provide us with the concrete knowledge, tools, and skills to create inspirational PD that ultimately transforms schools."

Jenn David-Lang

Editor, THE MAIN IDEA

Meena Srinivasan

"Arise provides a comprehensive roadmap for both veteran and aspiring coaches, empowering them to become agents of transformation in a world hungering for empathy, connection and healing. This book isn't merely suggested reading; it's essential. I'm personally buying copies for every coach I know, fully confident that it will enhance their practice and significantly elevate their impact!”

Meena Srinivasan

Executive Director of Transformative Educational Leadership (TEL) and Author of Teach, Breathe, Learn and SEL Every Day

Daisy Salazar-Garza

“Principals, instructional coaches, and educational leaders will find Elena Aguilar’s book Arise essential to transforming themselves and their practice. This book empowers leaders to thrive by offering opportunities for deep reflection as well as accessible and actionable frameworks that expand our capacity to coach others. Arise will not only transform your practice, but will also create systemic change in educational systems we work in one coaching conversation at a time.”

Daisy Salazar-Garza

KIPP School Leader

Kathrina Mendez

Arise is a comprehensive resource for those committed to supporting pre-service teachers through collaborative coaching conversations. Elena’s guidance has transformed my approach to interacting with student teachers, creating conditions where self-awareness, equitable practices, and resilience flourish so that everyone involved can truly thrive.”

Kathrina Mendez

Lecturer & Supervisor of Elementary Education, University of California, San Diego

Garrett Bucks

“Arise is a revelation. This book is an invaluable gift for coaches in any field, but particularly education, Arise isn’t a toolbox, it’s a profound invitation. It challenges and supports its readers to build and sustain relationships and communities that foster learning and belonging. In this beautiful, rejuvenating text, Elena Aguilar offers a blueprint for building a better world—one where every child is valued, every adult is a partner for transformation, and every human being’s dignity is treasured.”

Garrett Bucks

Author of The Right Kind of White and founder of The Barnraisers Project

Zaretta Hammond

"Aguilar’s Arise reminds us to trust teachers. In this book, her Transformative Coaching model is elevated as she reaffirms personhood as the path to creating the conditions that allow teachers to do their best thinking in pursuit of improving their practice.”

Zaretta Hammond

Teacher-educator and Author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain

Brendan Wilson

“At a time when educational coaches are told they must help clients interpret data, navigate divisive politics, and implement revolving improvement initiatives, Elena Aguilar reminds us that just as effective educators strive to educate the whole child, we must support the whole adult educating the child. Arise is a brilliant, beautiful, and hopeful synthesis of Elena Aguilar’s prior work and experiences. It is the definitive guidebook to Transformational Coaching. If you want to coach people instead of initiatives, this book is for you.”

Brendan Wilson

Principal Coach, Anchorage School District

Danielle Nava- Mijares

“This phenomenal book sets the bar high, calling in every educator and coach to recognize the power of showing up and removing barriers for students even if it requires our own shift, vulnerability, and discomfort. With Arise, Elena inspires all of us to create conditions for positive transformation for our students (and ourselves) to explore, learn, and thrive.”

Danielle Nava- Mijares

CEO & Educational Strategist, Nava Consulting LLC

James Allrich

“As a school principal, I find Arise to be a must-read, Transformative Coaching guide that sharply focuses on emotions, behaviors, and beliefs to establish systems that support effective coaching and staff development. This book is essential for every school leader committed to educational equity—every child, every day.”

James Allrich

Principal, Argyle Middle School; Maryland Principal of the Year (2023)

Angela Watson

“Elena’s human-centered approach is revolutionary and offers an accessible path to the nuances of Transformational Coaching and a deeper understanding of ourselves and others.”

Angela Watson

Founder of TruthforTeachers.com

Jennifer Abrams

“Elena Aguilar has beautifully and cogently unpacked the ‘behind the scenes’ thinking and skills that will assist any coach who desires to transform education through her coaching conversations. With its use of real-world scenarios and practical coaching language supports, Arise will support every reader, no matter her role, in developing her coaching mindset (and skill set). Brava and thank you, Elena for another wonderful contribution to our field.”

Jennifer Abrams

Communications Consultant and author of several books, including Having Hard Conversations and Stretching Your Learning Edges: Growing (Up) at Work

Deidra Fogarty

“Arise should be required reading for all coaches and instructional leaders! It addresses the too often overlooked nuisances and soft skills of being an instructional coach head on, in an authentic way. It provides its readers with emotionally intelligent strategies and mindset shifts that are vital if you are serious about becoming a transformational coach.”

Deidra Fogarty

Black Girls Teach

Shanie J. Keelean

“Arise is an incredible compilation of ALL Elena's best work. This book will help any coach or supervisor continually practice becoming a better coach for their team and help any organization get closer to actualizing the full potential of each human being. To ‘Arise’ means to put in the effective effort and reflection necessary to improve yourself as a coach and immensely transform the lives of those who work with one another to improve systems for all of us. If we believe in ourselves and others' desire to bring and become our best selves, we will all Arise!”

Shanie J. Keelean

Deputy Superintendent of Schools, Rush-Henrietta Central School District

Maia Heyck-Merlin

“Elena has done it again. Arise is a literal masterpiece. Full of deeply personal reflections, radically supportive scripts, and loads of opportunities to explore one’s patterns, beliefs, and experiences, this book is a game-changer for any human being. I even used the strategies with my teenagers and partner; this content is not just applicable in a professional setting, but in a personal context as well.”

Maia Heyck-Merlin

Founder & CEO, The Together Group; author of The Together Teacher, The Together Leader, and The Together Teammate

Liz SoHyeon Kleinrock

“Since the pandemic, schools and organizations have often struggled to rebuild community and trust. Arise builds on the foundations of Elena Aguilar's impactful prior work, giving practical strategies and case studies to support the well-being of students, teachers, and administrators alike.”

Liz SoHyeon Kleinrock

Jenn David-Lang

Want change? No one knows more about leveraging the human side of change than Elena. In her deeply optimistic new book Arise, Elena shows how Transformational Coaching—yes, coaching that is literally transformational—is the key to improving teacher practice and creating a school community where we all thrive. This book is exactly what we need so our students and our schools can flourish.”

Jenn David-Lang

Founder, THE MAIN IDEA and Learn & Lead Masterminds

Dena Simmons

“The incomparable coach extraordinaire, Elena Aguilar, beautifully combines narrative, theory, and practice to guide educational leaders on how to center humanity, equity, and love in their coaching so that they can create the conditions for adults and students alike to thrive.”

Dena Simmons

Founder and Executive Director, LiberatED

Ron Berger

“Elena Aguilar is the Queen of Educational Coaching; If you can only read one of her books, this is it. The term Transformational Coaching is not a catchphrase: this book guides us through a holistic process to transform the work and life of both the teacher and the coach to become more effective and more meaningful.”

Ron Berger

Author and Senior Advisor, EL Education

Toni R.

"This workshop made me reflect deeper about my leadership skills. I love that I was able to show up as myself, reflect on my strengths and weaknesses, and practice how I can continue improving as a human being and as a leader. Such a great experience that will forever impact in how I think, believe, and act moving forward."

Toni R.

Bright Morning participant

"This training has not only provided me with resources to be a more effective coach, but has reaffirmed and validated me as a professional educator, to continue to lead with curiosity and compassion and ultimately positively impact the education of our children. Thank you."

Bright Morning participant

Joe F.

"This training breathed new life into my work as an instructional coach. I feel like I finally have the tools needed to fulfill my role."

Joe F.

Kaitlin W.

"Transformational Coaching is a process that has the potential to enact lasting growth and change. There are so many valuable tools and times of reflection in the signature workshop. I highly recommend it to coaches and administration!"

Kaitlin W.

Bright Morning participant

"I have been coaching for well over 15 years in various capacities and this training has reinvigorated my approach to how I build the capacity of others through coaching with effective strategies and tools."

Bright Morning participant

Emily G.

"Resilience is what creates strong educators. Onward Book Club has helped me develop my coaching skills and offered strategies to support school leaders."

Emily G.

Junnue P.

"Artful Design & Facilitation really opened my eyes to the elements that can make trainings really transformational. The breakout group work was very intentional, and the participants were very engaging."

Junnue P.

Tina M.

"Coaching For Equity gave me so much HOPE! Hope that the transformations we need are possible and hope that I can learn and practice and have the conversations we all need to make those transformations in our schools happen. Thank you, Bright Morning team!"

Tina M.

Randi R.

"The Art of Coaching Teams workshop went beyond meeting my expectations. It felt so good to be part of a community of learners who wanted to be there and were so open and vulnerable with their contributions to the learning. I liked the role-playing best. It was scary, but it was impactful to practice real potential conversations in a low-stakes way. I really appreciate the learning experience and would take another Bright Morning course in a heartbeat."

Randi R.

Jeanne F.

"Hands-on practice in a supportive community is the best way to develop confidence and skills. I felt like a better coach after just the first Transformational Coaching session!"

Jeanne F.

Lavonne H.

"In The Art of Coaching Emotions, no one had a chance to hide behind rhetoric or jargon. We were working. Feelings were centered and truths were told. This is an executive level offering. I'm looking forward to future trainings. Thank you!"

Lavonne H.

thewizt

"This podcast helps me feel connected to a group of other people who are doing the work, both internally and externally, that I am doing. It is not easy work. When I listen regularly, I have more to give to myself, my students, and my colleagues."

thewizt

Erin M.

"The workshop was so practical and inspiring. It is clear that Elena brings a deep well of joy and experience to coaching. The strategies she shared are practical and doable. I feel like I went from watching coaching sessions and thinking "Wow....I'll never know how to do that" to feeling empowered with some clear strategies, thoughts, and question ideas to begin my growth journey as a transformational coach!"

Erin M.

Christina

"This is one of the best workshops I have ever attended! The presenters were amazing and the content was relevant. There is so much I could say about this workshop! I feel educated, empowered, and rejuvenated through the open and honest conversations I had in the sessions!"

Christina

Amy

"You always create an environment where I feel I can process my thoughts and feelings. Things are engaging and teach me new ideas, and I especially enjoyed doing it with people I knew. I think it made it more meaningful."

Amy

Basirat

"I loved the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussion, build community with others, and take away concrete strategies and tools that I can implement in my school environment."

Basirat

Dorothy

"I just completed the learning experience and kudos to the instructors, set-up, format, and the energy provided to make it the best online training ever! Many thanks to the facilitators for bringing their A-Game to us each time we met. They were skilled in their crafts, personable, professional, patient, and passionate about helping us to embrace the concept of Transformational Coaching. I must say that I am more knowledgeable and confident about moving on as a literacy coach. Thank you for what has been an amazing journey so far."

Dorothy

Inge

"Elena’s presentation was fabulous, just as we expected! We are so grateful to her for her words of wisdom and the actionable steps she outlined for us in supporting and growing our resilience. We are also grateful to the Bright Morning Team for facilitating such a smooth process."

Inge

Angela

“Resilience is critical to navigating our current times. This keynote provides tangible anchors to nourish and develop resilience as we all support each other during a global pandemic and racial reckoning.”

Angela

Jim

“I cannot tell you how many people stopped me during the conference to share how meaningful your keynote message was to them. Thank you for helping open up a space in our network to have a more intentional, thoughtful, and explicit conversation about educational equity moving forward.”

Jim

XWU1

"I’m so glad I got to binge on this podcast this long weekend before starting the new school year. It’s a niche that I have not found, and I find these episodes so enriching and rejuvenating. I feel more in community with other educators who are grappling with tough questions re: equity, leadership, etc. Thank you for your work, Elena!"

XWU1

Surfing Librarian

"Elena Aguilar is a force in conversations about school leadership, teams, and equity. To read her books and attend her workshops is some of the best professional development you can ask for. Only one episode in, I can already tell these podcasts will stay with me for weeks, months, years, as I think about how we can build a more equitable world through schools. The hard work involves countless daily interactions and conversations, and Elena helps model and ask questions about how to do that best."

Surfing Librarian

surfinglibrarian

Annie S.

"I feel like each time we have our course, I walk away empowered, inspired, and with more tools to try in my coaching role. I am grateful to have the support from amazing coaches in my class. I think just having lots of time to role play is so beneficial to our practice!"

Annie S.

Rebecca L.

"One of the richest impacts has been the web of understanding that’s building around our district as four of the curricular leaders participate in this same membership AND as more and more of our staff members participate in other trainings (Art of Coaching Teams, Coaching for Equity and/or Taste of Coaching for Equity). Having a common frame of reference and range of experiences has changed my learning into a richer, deeper, more powerful community learning experience."

Rebecca L.

Molly D.

"Not only have I met my goals to deepen my coaching practice, but I’ve adapted many of Aguilar’s tools as standards/ guides for how we do coaching as an organization. Bright Morning really sets the bar for a comprehensive model for coaching teachers or really any role."

Molly D.

Andrea M.

"After 35 years in education, I feel rejuvenated and that I have a new sense of purpose. I will be eternally grateful for Bright Morning. You have been there when I needed you the most and have provided me with immense opportunities for personal and professional growth. I am grateful for Elena and for the dedication of her team to create world-class trainings. I am humbled and blessed to have stretched and grown within the safety of this community."

Andrea M.

Yvonne V.

"In my experience, Bright Morning has always provided relevant, applicable, 'just-in-time' tools that have enabled me to build my practice on solid ground. My Bright Morning Membership has been the silver lining of my year. This offer has paid off exponentially. All learning experiences have added a new layer of understanding for me. Now that I’ve experienced the benefits of a year-long membership, I really can’t imagine going back to a 'once-a-year professional development' approach."

Yvonne V.

Ann F.

"I purchased an All-Inclusive Membership this year. My work to becoming a better coach has started with examining myself first, which has been amazing and supportive in my work with others. Elena and her team’s work supports and validates the readings in her books and workbooks. I would recommend anyone or school district in supporting this as an option for PD that is systematic and ongoing – allowing for the work to be utilized immediately within a coaching practice and school organization."

Ann F.

Yom F.

"Centering equity and systems of oppression are important to doing a lot of the work and as coaches we need to be able to acknowledge and name those things first to ourselves. I am also glad for the role play and opportunities to practice. I always walk away with practical skills and new understandings of myself as a coach and a leader."

Yom F.

Bright Morning member

Christina Wildhagen

“Elena and her team’s involvement in the development of our coaching program and training of our instructional coaching staff has been paramount to the success that we have seen and will continue to see. Working with them has been one of the best decisions we’ve made.”

Christina Wildhagen

Omaha Public Schools

Aubrey Caldwell

“The thoughtfulness, flexibility, and depth of Bright Morning’s training complemented the thoroughness of Elena’s book. I deeply respect the compassion of their work and highly value the tools they have shared with me and my colleagues. We are better equipped to nurture, inspire, and patiently transform the schools we love.”

Aubrey Caldwell

Instructional Facilitator, Gaston County Schools, North Carolina

Adam Morales

“Words cannot describe the impact Elena, her team and their program has had on myself, my clients and our classrooms across our region and the Teach for America organization as a whole. I am very excited to keep on practicing and getting better!”

Adam Morales

New teacher coach, Phoenix, AZ

Cheryl Beeson

“Onward provides school leaders an invaluable resource to enrich the lives of the teachers in their schools, keep them growing, and not have to replace them every year. Imagine leading when more people choose to follow because they trust you and are certain of your humanity! Onward provides principals with a manual to do so.”

Cheryl Beeson

Leadership Coach & Former Principal

Judith Wolochow

“Elena Aguilar’s latest book, Onward, is a gift. It is grounded in current research and 20 + years of Ms. Aguilar’s experiences teaching and coaching. This book is a supportive and encouraging guide for how to better one’s self as a teacher, administrator and human being. Filled with practical, applicable ideas and inspiring stories, Onward fills a much-needed niche in the classic teacher library of how-to books which typically give advice that rests solely on classroom practices and instruction. Instead, this book focuses on making each teacher and administrator a better, stronger person, which, in turn, will make each of them a better stronger teacher and leader. With her focus on cultivating resilience, Aguilar is realistic: stress will never go away but strengthening our response to stress can bring more joy, deeper connections and increased personal satisfaction. Without a doubt, this book will change schools and lives for the better.”

Judith Wolochow

Veteran Educator

Yanira Canizalez

“Anyone who believes that a school’s student culture is only as strong as a school’s adult culture would greatly benefit from reading this book. The guidelines that Aguilar provides elevate the technical “how to” and offers adaptive moves for building a transformative community in any environment.”

Yanira Canizalez

Founding Head of School, Lodestar-A Lighthouse Community Charter Public School, Oakland, CA

Brianna Crowley

“Drawing deeply on her lived experiences, Aguilar offers readers a path to leadership characterized by reflection, intention, and humility. In balancing the practical and profound, The Art of Coaching Teams lives up to its promise as a guide for leaders who seek to transform themselves and their teams.”

Brianna Crowley

High School Teacher and Instructional Coach, Hershey, PN

Maia Heyck-Merlin

“Elena’s book provides leaders with a framework to create, coach and manage effective teams – with both compassion and clarity. The powerful personal anecdotes humanize a daunting process, and the detailed scripts allow for ample opportunities to practice.”

Maia Heyck-Merlin

Author, The Together Teacher and The Together Leader

Laurelin Andrade

“In The Art of Coaching Teams, Aguilar succeeds in translating her Transformational Coaching framework into a practical and heartening resource for all who coach and manage teams. She infuses 30+ years of research on emotional intelligence, team development, and leadership with her unique blend of empathy, clarity, and hope.”

Laurelin Andrade

Manager of Coaches

Jim Knight

“Elena Aguilar’s book is an extremely practical guide to leading teams that doesn’t ignore the complexity of that important work. If you’re a coach who leads teams, this is a must read.”

Jim Knight

Author of Instructional Coaching: A Partnership to Improving Instruction

Kent D. Peterson

“There are many books on coaching, but this one you must have. Aguilar has written a comprehensive book on coaching that provides enormously useful ideas, concepts, and strategies in an extremely accessible form. This is one of the best books on coaching I have read and a book that will make anyone a better and more reflective leader.”

Kent D. Peterson

Emeritus Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Author of Shaping School Culture

Heather Lechner

“To produce drastic gains in the academic achievement levels of our students we need the strongest, most prepared teachers. The Art of Coaching provides concrete, actionable steps to move teachers along the continuum of excellence to meet this challenge head on.”

Heather Lechner

Turnaround School Leader, New Orleans, LA

Ariel Sacks

“Elena Aguilar knows how to foster the bravery and humility teachers must have to transform their practices. Her methods will help coaches become the trusted, supportive forces we need in our teaching lives.”

Ariel Sacks

Teacher Leader and Education Writer, Brooklyn, NY

Lynda Tredway

“This book challenges coaches to be fully intentional–with equal doses of care and rigor.”

Lynda Tredway

Independent Leadership Coach and former coordinator, Principal Leadership Institute, U.C. Berkeley

Sarah Gordon

“Having Elena Aguilar’s The Art of Coaching in my bag has been like having my own coach nearby.”

Sarah Gordon

Coach in CT, writing for MiddleWeb