Educator Self-Coaching: Questions to Ask Yourself Weekly

Teaching is a profession of purpose, but also one of pressure. Between deadlines, data, and daily demands, it’s easy to lose sight of why we began in the first place. That’s where educator self-coaching comes in.

I came across the idea of self-coaching while engaging with a coaching course run by Persyou. At the time, I was struggling with my self-confidence and found myself frequently seeking reassurance from others. Deep down, I worried that this pattern might not only signal weakness but confirm the fear that I was failing. Learning about self-coaching gave me a powerful alternative. It taught me how to hold space for myself, ask better questions, and reconnect with my own strengths and values. Instead of spiralling, I was able to ride out the wobble, with more self-trust and less self-doubt. I truly believe that self-coaching is more than a productivity tool, it’s a commitment to stay connected to the educator you want to be. It gives shape to your intentions, protects your wellbeing, and creates space to lead yourself before leading others.

Why Self-Coaching Matters

Many of us were drawn to education not for status or salary, but for meaning, impact, and connection. These are what Deci & Ryan (2000) call intrinsic motivations, drives linked to autonomy, competence, and relatedness. When these are supported, our wellbeing thrives; when they’re buried under bureaucracy, burnout isn’t far behind. Self-coaching is a way of bringing those motivations back into the foreground. By taking time each week to reflect intentionally, we reinforce:

• Self-awareness, which supports professional growth (Grant, 2007)

• Self-regulation, a foundation of effective leadership (Boyatzis, 2006)

• Values alignment, linked to resilience and job satisfaction (Schwartz, 2012; Seligman, 2011)

• Psychological flexibility, a key predictor of wellbeing (Kashdan & Rottenberg, 2010)

In short: self-coaching helps you stay whole in a role that often asks you to split yourself in multiple directions.

Questions to ask yourself

What kind of educator did I set out to be?

To what extent did I live that out this week?

These questions invite you to reconnect with your long-term identity, not just your short-term role. Are your actions aligned with your why?

When was I at my best this week?

What contributed to that moment?

Instead of focusing only on what went wrong, this prompt builds mindful noticing. What worked, and how can you do more of it?

Where did I invest most of my energy?

Was that where it mattered most?

These help you assess whether your actions matched your true priorities, or whether urgency overtook importance.

What challenged me and what did I learn?

What feedback (explicit or implicit) did I receive?

This turns each week into a living form of CPD. Growth isn’t just forma, it’s in the everyday.

What did I try that was new?

What sparked my curiosity?

Stagnation leads to disengagement. These prompts help cultivate creative risk and professional playfulness.

Who did I connect with meaningfully this week?

Who might need more of my presence next week?

Teaching is relational. Your impact is often measured by the quality of your connections.

What gave me energy this week and what drained me?

What do I need to let go of next week?

Self-leadership means managing your energy, not just your time. These help you build sustainable boundaries.

Which of my core values showed up in my actions this week?

Which ones felt neglected and why?

When values are lived, we feel authentic. When neglected, we feel misaligned. This question helps restore balance.

Putting it into Practice

Self-coaching doesn’t require a complex system, just consistency and curiosity. One simple way to begin is by keeping a weekly journal or voice note where you reflect on the questions outlined above. Whether typed, written, or spoken, the act of articulating your thoughts creates space for insight. You might also integrate these prompts into your existing professional reflection processes, such as coaching conversations or CRfD (Coaching and Reflection for Development) reviews. They serve as a helpful bridge between internal growth and outward professional practice.

Another effective approach is to track your responses visually over time. This could be as simple as a colour-coded planner or a reflective grid showing which values were present each week. Over time, patterns emerge, highlighting when you feel most aligned, when you tend to disconnect, and what kinds of situations consistently energise or drain you. Sharing these reflections with a trusted colleague, mentor, or coach can further enhance the process. Not only does it add accountability, but it also opens the door for deeper dialogue, validation, and challenge.

The Hidden Gift of Self-Coaching

What begins as a practical tool for weekly check-ins often unfolds into something richer and more profound. Regular self-coaching cultivates a clearer sense of purpose, helping you reconnect with why you do what you do, even on the hard days. It improves your ability to make thoughtful decisions under pressure because you're more aware of your values, patterns, and priorities. Over time, you develop a greater sense of agency; instead of feeling like the week is happening to you, you begin to feel in charge of how you show up to meet it.

Perhaps most powerfully, self-coaching nurtures a more compassionate inner dialogue. You become less self-critical and more self-curious. You stop reacting to the week and start responding to it. Eventually, self-coaching becomes less about chasing performance and more about cultivating presence. It’s no longer about fixing yourself, but about finding yourself again, one week, one question, one honest conversation at a time.

You became a teacher for a reason. Self-coaching helps you honour it.

It’s not about having all the answers. It’s about learning to ask yourself the right questions.