“Just Let Me Teach”: Why PD Lost Teachers, with Dr. Zach Groshell

Professional development has a trust problem. Many teachers feel burned by years of shifting initiatives, surface-level walkthroughs, and messages that miss the reality of classroom instruction.In this episode, we’re joined by Zach Groshell, teacher, instructional coach, and author of Just Tell Them, for a candid conversation about why so many educators have grown skeptical of PD and instructional coaching, and what actually works instead.Zach unpacks the loneliness of teaching, how poor training creates defensive cultures, and why strong instruction is often misunderstood by people furthest from the classroom. We dig into explicit instruction, coaching models that build trust instead of compliance, and the danger of edu-fads that look good but fail to improve learning.We also tackle AI, edtech, and why tools cannot replace thinking, while still having a role when used with intention. This episode is for teachers, coaches, and leaders who want clarity, coherence, and instruction that actually helps students learn.Guest bioZach Groshell, PhD, is a teacher, instructional coach, and education consultant based in Seattle, Washington. He works with schools across the United States and internationally to improve instruction using research from the science of learning.Zach is the author of Just Tell Them and the host of the Progressively Incorrect podcast. He also writes at educationrickshaw.com.He began his career as an elementary classroom teacher and later moved into instructional coaching and school improvement work. Zach is widely known for his practical approach to explicit instruction, teacher development, and coaching models that respect teacher expertise while pushing for better outcomes for students.