Transformational Coaching
Everyone in your organization deserves to thrive.
Because Surface-Level Change Doesn’t Create Thriving Schools
Transformational Coaching isn't about fixing teachers...
it's about supporting them to grow.
This approach honors the complexity of being an educator today...
and equips teachers with the inner strength and skills they need to thrive.
The result? Purpose-driven educators who can...
interrupt inequities, avoid burnout, and create joyful, effective, equitable classrooms.
Transformational Coaching Impacts Every Level of a School
This isn’t just about improving teacher practice—it’s about creating healthier, more connected, more effective schools.
‍Here’s how Transformational Coaching drives change at every level:
Teachers
Build resilience, reconnect with your purpose, and find joy in their work.
Students
When adults thrive, student learning and well-being follow.
School Communities
Experience stronger collaboration, higher retention, and a culture of trust.
How Does This Compare to Other Coaching Models?
Transformational Coaching integrates what many approaches touch on—like instructional improvement and deep thinking—but expands the lens to include emotions, identity, equity, and resilience. Here’s how it aligns with and builds upon two widely used models: Instructional Coaching and Cognitive Coaching.
‍✅ Central to the model
đźš« Not a core focus of the model
Every Coaching Model Has Strengths.
Our Transformational Coaching model honors and builds on what works in other approaches, while inviting us to go deeper. Integrating emotions and equity offers a holistic path to lasting transformation.
Experience the Difference for Yourself.
We’ve Got You Covered—No Matter Your Role
Whether you’re in the classroom, leading a team, or shaping system-wide strategy, we’ve got next steps designed for your role.
What Our Community Is Saying
"Bright Morning's Transformational Coaching model has had a profound impact on both my professional development and personal growth. Through every book study, workshop, and PLC, I’ve learned to pause and look inward—reflecting on my own values and beliefs in a way that has made me a more intentional coach and leader. This work hasn’t just changed how I support others; it’s given me a deeper understanding of myself, which has been invaluable, and a community of like-minded individuals who are on the same journey to lean on and learn with. I’ve seen firsthand how this approach builds trust, invites vulnerability, and leads to lasting change. If someone is considering investing in Transformational Coaching, I’d say it’s so much more than a set of strategies—it’s an opportunity to grow in ways that extend far beyond your work."
"I have been coaching for over 10 years, and I have found that over the last 2 years my learning around Transformational Coaching has resonated more than any other framework with me as a teacher, a leader, a partner, a parent, and most importantly as a human being. Bright Morning has structured my learning about Transformational Coaching in a way that has consistently grown my practice and given me a community of other learners to guide me along the way and keep me accountable to the coach that I hope to be. I can see the ripples of this work among my staff, our students, and their families. Relational trust has never been stronger among my staff, and I know that it is in large part due to the transformational work that teachers are doing in coaching sessions and with each other. This work is transformational not just in one-on-one coaching sessions and classrooms, but can impact the culture of an entire school! 10/10 recommend to any school leader."
"Transformational Coaching has completely changed the way that I interact with my clients and problem-solve with my team. The conversations we are having are filled with more empathy, openness, and understanding, and leaning into Transformational Coaching strategies has allowed me to trust the process without forcing my fix-it mindset into every perceived problem. For those who are unsure about making the investment, I recommend trying out at least one of Elena's workshops or webinars. This community is talking about supporting, empowering, and developing resilient and effective educators who are ready to meet students where they are, instead of simply focusing on strategy implementation. This is about long-term, transformational change and wholly worth the investment."
"When I first started coaching, I often felt uncertain about what I was doing. I learned numerous coaching models, but none seemed to create the impact I was hoping for. Then, someone recommended The Art of Coaching, and everything shifted. I’ve never looked back. Before discovering Transformational Coaching, I primarily focused on my clients' behaviors, often encouraging them to set emotions aside. But something was missing—coaching felt transactional rather than truly transformative. As I immersed myself in Elena Aguilar’s work, my perspective completely changed. I began exploring my clients' underlying beliefs, identities, and ways of being. I also learned how powerful it is to acknowledge and talk about emotions. This shift has led to deeper, more meaningful coaching conversations and, ultimately, more lasting change. If you're considering it, I wholeheartedly recommend taking the leap—you won’t regret it."
"Transformational Coaching is different because it prioritizes the human being as the focus of change before specific behaviors. It's an approach to instructional coaching that understands that if you can shape the stories and beliefs that someone holds, the changes in classroom behaviors and methods become significantly easier to achieve. Transformational Coaching strategies equipped me with the tools I needed to facilitate the professional development of my teachers while also staying true to my values. The strategies have done much to curb my "fix-it" tendencies and avoid a "banking" approach towards adult learning that too many coaches start out with and that has proven to be largely ineffective. My Bright Morning membership was the first-year induction program that instructional coaches don't usually get. It gave me the tools, the knowledge, and the opportunity to practice my learning that directly impacted my ability to rapidly build the trust and relationship needed to affect adult learning."
"My work with Bright Morning has equipped me with the tools and strategies needed to cultivate opportunities for educators to be grounded in their beliefs, behaviors, and ways of being. For an educator to come into a coaching conversation identifying as feeling “frustrated, resentful, and irritated” and in 20 minutes of using the Transformational Coaching tools and strategies, seeing them reidentify as feeling “accepting, eager, and optimistic,” speaks to the impact of this approach. That educator felt empowered to handle their situation in a way that would have a positive impact on all involved. The power of Transformational Coaching is in its attention to the people who are navigating systems that were not designed or built to support them. Each learning experience is rooted in growth and development, from foundational coaching skills to navigating power dynamics as a leader and facilitating meaningful adult learning, all while maintaining a commitment to “every student, every day."
"I have been trained in Cognitive Coaching before and had a refresher course in 2024. When I was an instructional coach, it was fairly straightforward and “worked.” “Trust the process” was the mantra, and it did help cultivate trust and agency. However, in my newer role as a CS Coach supporting school leadership, the Cognitive Coaching trainings were missing “something.” Once I took The Art of Coaching Teams and The Art of Transformational Coaching workshops, I would summarize the main difference between the two coaching approaches in this way: “Cognitive Coaching seems to focus on the mind, while Transformational Coaching starts with the heart.” Transformational Coaching isn’t afraid of emotions; it acknowledges and addresses it head-on, in that it realizes that’s where transformational change starts. Before Transformational Coaching, I was afraid of the moments when the human in front of me was visibly overwhelmed with strong emotions. Transformational Coaching has given me confidence to tap back into my intuition, and start with myself, so I can be the coach I want to be for my clients.
