TFT Bulletin #6 | November 26, 2025

As we brought the Instructional Coaching Intensive to Central Valley Christian Schools in Visalia, California, I suppose it isn’t a big accomplishment to have avoided snow for two years in a row … but we celebrate anyway! Not only did Central Valley deliver warmth, but also their whole school community rolled out the most hospitable red carpet for our days of learning.

This week’s TfT Bulletin deviates from our normal format as we take a moment to celebrate the Instructional Coaching Intensive attended by 160 participants from over 60 TfT schools in Canada, Dominican Republic, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the United States!

Pre-Intensive Offerings: FLEx Design and Transformational Lesson Design

Just over 50% of this year’s attendees participated in the two pre-intensive offerings.

The Transformational Lesson Design pre-intensive day explored how TfT’s practices take shape through intentional daily and weekly planning. Participants engaged with the Transformational Lesson Design tools, considering how thoughtful design supports the ongoing formation of both teachers and students as “peculiar people.” 

Through modeling, discussion, and guided practice, we explored ways our daily plans can invite learners into learning, nurture their growth, and empower them to live out their part in God’s story. The day concluded with a time for participants to plan ways to introduce these tools to colleagues at their schools, strengthening the rhythms that make transformational learning possible.

The second pre-intensive offering was to engage a FLEx “slice”—a learning opportunity in which attendees experience a FLEx themselves to enhance their own ability to design and coach for FLEx.

The learning targets were formed within the following Deep Hope:

Slice participants experienced numerous opportunities to build background knowledge (BBK) about food production and waste in the Central Valley of California—an area that produces 25% of the fruit and vegetables consumed within the United States. 

Using experts and field work, participants ultimately proposed ideas to successfully launch a recycling and composting program at Central Valley Christian. We are very excited about this legacy of the coaching intensive.

Instructional Coaching Intensive Opening Circle

Now numbering 160 learners, we launched into the heart of the Intensive with a collective greeting, an initiative, and a collective reading before breaking into our four sections of learning.

Regardless which level participants engaged, all were guided by one Deep Hope for the Intensive:

Instructional Coaching Level 100

Level 100 introduces learners to the foundational tools of Instructional Coaching. Beyond the tools of the trade, participants spent time exploring the relational foundation of instructional coaching and the importance of understanding our own backstory and biases. 

Level 100 participants were also given the opportunity to explore coaching scenarios, coaching each other and coaching using a variety of artifacts such as rubrics and FLEx cards.

Instructional Coaching Level 200

In Level 200, participants explored their personal coaching stories and honed the art of asking beautiful questions to foster agency in coaching relationships. This year, they practiced these skills by coaching a teacher from Central Valley Christian School. They also used learning walks to deepen observation and reflection, amplifying their coaching impact.

Instructional Coaching Level 300

Level 300 provides an opportunity for experienced coaches to collaborate, share effective strategies and structures, and problem-solve challenging coaching situations. Participants explored different sources of data for coaching, redefined coaching roles for leaders and coaches, and found ways to coach efficiently via team settings. Finally, Level 300 explored ways to support teachers who are reluctant to receive coaching.

Instructional Coaching Level 400: Shaping Seedbeds for Transformation

Led by Lynn Swaner, CACE Fellow and President of Cardus US, Level 400 provided a collaborative exploration of the process and practice of cultural transformation in schools. Sessions focused on shaping school cultures in holistic ways that enable the flourishing of all. Through research-informed frameworks, including the Flourishing School Culture Model and insights from the Cardus Education Survey on graduate outcomes, participants examined leadership practices and created practical plans to nurture the seedbeds of their school cultures so that deep transformation can successfully take root.

Finally, as is always woven into the design of the Coaching Intensive, there was time for socializing, sharing meals, playing trivia, and exploring the local area. For many, the Instructional Coaching Intensive provides the opportunity to reacquaint with fellow TfT coaches they have met over the years.

In closing, I wanted to share this reflection from a first time attendee:

Overall, this was just such an encouraging experience from walking into the door of amazing hospitality and community to diving deep into great coaching practices. I feel like my posture walking away is feeling more equipped, more excited, and feeling even more privileged that we get to do this! Loved the FLEx day and seeing many FLEx cards, but the coaching intensive was also so practical leaving me with many takeaways. I’m so grateful for everything TFT is doing. Hoping our school can continue these practices in “our corner of the kingdom.”

We are extremely grateful to Central Valley Christian for hosting these days of learning. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

We plan to keep the streak of “no snow” going as Chicago Christian Schools hosts us next year from Nov. 11-13, 2026. We hope to see you there!

On behalf of the TfT leadership team,