CoachFest 2026

Resistance isn’t defiance. It’s a signal. In this session, you’ll learn how to diagnose the root causes of hesitation, disengagement, and pushback using the Resistance Audit. Through the five Catalyst Mindsets™ including value, belonging, success, growth, and ownership, you’ll identify unmet needs and connect them to targeted responses. You’ll leave with practical tools and coaching moves to build trust and move the work forward.

Teachers bring varied literacy experience and confidence, increasing challenges for coaches. Standardized coaching feedback leads to frustration and limited change. This session introduces a differentiated coaching framework, applying differentiated instruction principles to adult learning. Participants will learn to adjust their approach using case studies and planning prompts to provide sustainable, impactful support.

Coaching cycles have their place, but what happens when real teachers need real support right now? This session introduces the FLEX Framework, a responsive, research-backed approach that works alongside cycles, not against them. Coaches leave with a practical decision-making framework, tools they can use immediately, and a personal commitment tied to a real teacher and real students.

Feedback is one of the most powerful tools in coaching, yet many coaches struggle to deliver it with clarity and confidence. In this session, you’ll learn a practical 4-step framework to structure feedback conversations that are focused, actionable, and relationship-centered. Through guided practice and real coaching scenarios, you’ll strengthen your ability to navigate difficult conversations with a clear process to support meaningful change in your next coaching conversation.

Clarity doesn’t happen by chance—it’s built through intentional leadership and aligned systems. This session highlights a district’s shift to a focused coaching model for Math and ELA Specialists. Participants will engage in leadership simulations, explore practical tools and systems, and examine how decisions shape coaching effectiveness. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies, real examples, and next steps to strengthen alignment and support coaching in their contexts.