AN EDUCATIONAL CUP OF TEA

The Changing Garden

In a previous post, I explained the impact Jennifer Gonzalez’s “Find Your Marigold” had on how I support educators. But the garden has changed. Here in 2025, we are facing an unprecedented teacher shortage. Our newest colleagues are often entering the profession through alternative routes, sometimes with very little training, and are being asked to do an incredibly difficult job for insufficient pay. The “walnut trees”—those negative, draining forces Gonzalez warned about—feel more pervasive than ever. I find myself not only hoping to help teachers, specifically new ones, find their marigolds; I am determined to be an active marigold in all supportive situations.

A Marigold Mindset

According to Gonzalez, a marigold should be “encouraging, supporting and nurturing growing teachers on their way to maturity.” A lesson I learned once in a support role was: the most significant shift we can make as mentors is moving from an “advice-giver” to a “thought partner.” It can be easy to think that supporting means fixing problems for new teachers. However, developing self-efficacy (a person’s belief in their own ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a particular task) in new teachers is the best way to nurture and encourage them. This cannot happen if their issues are always being solved by someone else. They need to believe in their own abilities to work through challenges.

Realizing the best way to be a marigold was by building instructional coaching skills, I worked diligently over the past few years to develop them. These skills build capacity and confidence. They start with the belief that the new teacher is creative, resourceful, and whole. Additionally, this mindset honors the core principles of adult learning: it respects the new teacher as a self-directed professional who brings their own experiences to the table. There are many books, organizations, and systems out there to help with this. The key: instead of leading with answers, a coaching-focused marigold leads with questions. A great place to start is with two books by Michael Bungay Stanier: The Advice Trap and The Coaching Habit. They are quick reads with great ways to begin using questions and understanding why it is so important. Here is a podcast where he discusses these ideas.

What Does a Digital Marigold Do?

Being a digital marigold doesn’t mean adding hours to your already full day. It’s about small, high-leverage actions amplified by technology. Check out the following examples:

Become a Master of Curation

Initial Reaction to “Fix”: Here’s a link to a great lesson plan for Romeo and Juliet.

The Marigold Way: I saw you were starting Romeo and Juliet. I’ve found this resource really helpful for Act 1. As you look at it, what’s one idea that jumps out that might work with your specific students? What might you need to adapt?

Digital Integration: Using a digital creation tool such as a Google Doc or Wakelet, create a collection with your PLC or department titled “7th Grade ELA Greatest Hits.” Invite everyone, including new teachers, to add their best resources. This distributes the load and builds a community knowledge base, a key tenet of Connectivism.

Be the Host with the Most

New teachers are often afraid to ask for help because they don’t want to be a burden. You can remove this barrier by creating a standing, low-stakes invitation for support.

The Idea: Host a 30-minute, optional “Coaching Cafe” via Google Meet or Zoom once or twice a month. It’s not a formal meeting; it’s an open-door space for anyone to drop in with a question, a problem, or a success to share. You could incorporate an asynchronous element where teachers are able to submit questions in advance so you know if there is any particular topic the conversation could cover. If you don’t want to host one of these cafes on your own, invite new teachers to attend a virtual #CoffeeEDU or something similar online with you.

Keep in mind that questions are your best friend at these cafes. It isn’t about fixing problems but encouraging the new teacher to struggle productively through the challenge they face.

Digital Integration: Use a collaborative whiteboard like in Canva or FigJam during your cafe. As the teacher talks, you can map out their thoughts. This visual processing can help them see the solution that was inside them all along. Chrome Canvas for Chromebooks and Freeform on an iPad are also great tools for this.

Finding a FORUM-ula for Answering Questions

Online forums or Facebook groups are lifelines for new teachers. When you see a question, take two minutes to offer support—with a coaching twist. For example, if the question is “My 7th graders are totally disengaged during my lesson on the Texas Revolution. Help! What do I do?”:

Initial Reaction to “Fix”: You should do a gallery walk. Here are the worksheets I use.

The Marigold Way: That’s a common challenge! I’m curious, what part of the story do you find most interesting? Is there a surprising character or event you could focus on to create a hook? Thinking about your specific students, what kinds of activities usually grab their attention?

The Marigold Way acknowledges the struggle while helping the teacher who posted the opportunity to focus on the true issue. After the teacher expands on the issue and creates some of their own solutions, it is an excellent idea to share any resources you may have that support the solution.

Call to Action

The challenges of 2025 are significant, but they are not insurmountable. The solution lies in our oldest and best resource: each other. By embracing the mindset of a coach and leveraging the tools of our digital world, every veteran educator can become the marigold a new teacher desperately needs.

For Veteran Educators: Choose one “digital marigold” action you will commit to this month.

For New Teachers: Acknowledge the marigolds in your life and thank them throughout the year. Let them know the impact they’ve had.