Beyond the Basics: Coaching SDI in Co-Teaching Classrooms

Special education instructional coaches have a unique opportunity to elevate co-teaching by focusing on Specially Designed Instruction (SDI). In this session, we’ll examine what SDI looks like in practice, discuss how coaches can facilitate teacher growth around it, and share strategies to make SDI a seamless part of instruction. Together, we’ll explore ways coaches can empower co-teachers to create classrooms where all students thrive.

Navigating Co-Teaching Challenges Through Coaching Support

Co-teaching has the power to transform classrooms, but the reality is that teachers often encounter barriers that make implementation difficult—uneven roles, limited planning time, conflicting instructional styles, and uncertainty about integrating specially designed instruction. In this interactive session, we’ll explore the most common challenges co-teachers face and examine how instructional coaches can provide targeted support to move teams from co-existing to truly co-teaching. Participants will engage in real-world scenarios, identify strategies for fostering collaboration and shared ownership, and learn practical coaching moves that build trust, strengthen instructional partnerships, and keep the focus on student success.

Building Teacher Well-being Through Collective Efficacy: A Coaching Approach

Teacher burnout and isolation are among the most pressing challenges facing schools today. When teachers feel overwhelmed, stressed, or lack confidence in their practice, it impacts not only their well-being but also student outcomes. This session explores how instructional coaches can leverage the research-based concept of collective efficacy to address teacher well-being and professional satisfaction. We'll examine the four sources of efficacy and how coaches can intentionally tap into these sources during coaching conversations and collaborative work. By strengthening collective efficacy, coaches can reduce teacher isolation, build confidence, and create sustainable improvements in both teacher and student well-being. Coaches will leave with specific feedback strategies, reflection questions, and action steps they can implement immediately to support struggling teachers and build a culture of shared success.

Coaching That Sticks: Tackling Real Classroom Challenges with Teachers

Instructional coaches are most impactful when their support is directly connected to what teachers are actually grappling with in classrooms. In this interactive session, participants will surface authentic challenges teachers face — from engagement to pacing to differentiation — and practice coaching strategies that are responsive, relevant, and ready to use. Walk away with a toolkit of actionable approaches, tools, and planning templates that can immediately support your coaching practice

AI with Intention: Protocols and Reflection Questions to Support Teachers’ Efforts to Navigate Everywhere AI

AI tools have the capacity to be used in ways that support - or undermine - student learning and teacher expertise. In this session, we'll discuss guiding principles that support the effective use of AI tools. Then, we’ll consider a series of reflection questions that can be used in a variety of coaching protocols to support teachers’ efforts to ensure AI tools in ways that are intentionally aligned to their students’ learning needs. Finally, participants will learn how to use a series of questions to help teachers support their students’ efforts to use AI tools – and other sources and resources - with integrity.

Coaching for Impact within PLCs

Instructional coaches play a key role in helping collaborative teams move from planning discussions to rich dialogue about the instructional strategies that lead to impact in the classroom. In this session, coaches will explore tools and strategies used to support PLCs in order to set clear goals, use real-time student evidence, and adjust instruction for improved outcomes. Learn how to support all team members within a PLC, design effective instructional strategies, and build collective efficacy so every meeting drives meaningful change for students.

Leveraging Conversations and Feedback for Teacher Empowerment and Academic Growth

More and more, schools are learning that real, sustainable academic improvement requires support for teachers that goes beyond what the typical teacher in-service day can offer. When teachers have access to intentional, job-embedded coaching, they are more likely to take on new practices and to stick with those that work for the long haul. This coaching can be provided by a skilled Instructional Coach or a collaborative School Leader. In this session, we will work through several strategies for questioning, feedback, and conversation that can be leveraged by coaches and leaders to empower teachers as they develop classroom instruction that drives student learning and growth. Participants will walk away with ready to use tools that will make a difference in the success of teachers and students.

Coaching for Impact: Using High-Quality Assessment Protocols to Drive Teacher Reflection

Instructional Coaches play a pivotal role in helping teachers strengthen assessment practices that truly support student learning. In this session, coaches will explore how the High-Quality Assessment Protocol can serve as a coaching tool to guide teachers through meaningful reflection on their assessments. Coaches will also gain strategies for supporting alignment between standards, learning targets, and classroom assessments.
By the end of the session, participants will leave with practical tools and approaches they can immediately incorporate into their coaching conversations to foster teacher growth and enhance student learning

Flexible, Side-by-Side Coaching: Maximizing Teacher and Student Growth

Growth and success doesn’t come with a one-size fits all. That is true when working with students and equally as true in our coaching work with teachers. Join me in this talk-about-it-today, put-it-into-action-tomorrow session where we’ll explore how to design coaching experiences using a needs assessment, coaching menu, office hours, and more!

Asset-Based Learning Walks: Making an Impact One Step At a Time

Truth: Sometimes coaching work can go sideways because, despite our best intentions and the urgency around student growth, professional learning can feel more like “fix it mode” versus collaboration and support. One way to shift gears, while building capacity, is to take advantage of Asset-Based Learning Walks. Join me to learn how to use teacher, student and classroom assets to move coaching to the next level.