Start Strong Series Fall 2026
Kata School Cascadia is pleased to offer 3 opportunities to start your kata practice strong this Fall:
90-minute Improvement Kata Introduction ($49, 90-minutes, October 14th)
90-minute Coaching Kata Introduction ($49, 90-minutes, October 15th)
4-Week Improvement Kata Practice Group ($99, 4 weeks, October 19th - November 12th)
Improvement Kata Introduction:
Wednesday October 14th, 10:00-11:30 Pacific Time
Struggling with a problem that doesn’t have an obvious solution? Wondering how to make progress when you’re not sure what to try next?
The Improvement Kata is a practical way to tackle challenging problems by working toward a clear goal, understanding where you are now, and experimenting your way forward.
In this 90-minute introductory class, we’ll explore the four steps of the Improvement Kata and the key elements of each step. You’ll also try the process yourself through a hands-on exercise, so you can experience the thinking behind the framework—not just learn the steps.
Come learn what the Improvement Kata is, how it works, and why it’s useful when the path forward isn’t clear.
No prior experience required.
Coaching Kata Introduction:
Thursday October 15th, 10:00-11:30 Pacific Time
Struggling to help someone solve a problem without jumping in and giving them the answer? Finding yourself doing the thinking for them?
The Coaching Kata provides a simple pattern for helping others develop their own problem-solving skills. Instead of telling someone what to do, you learn how to guide their thinking as they work through an Improvement Kata.
In this 90-minute introductory class, we’ll explore the Coaching Kata pattern, the 5 key coaching questions, and what it looks like in practice. You’ll also have a chance to practice with a hands-on coaching exercise.
Come learn how to support someone’s thinking, rather than solve the problem for them.
No prior Coaching Kata experience required.
Improvement Kata Practice Group:
Mondays/Thursdays October 19th - November 12th, 10:00-10:30 Pacific Time
Learned the Improvement Kata—but now you're wondering, “How do I actually do this?”
Start Strong is a four-week guided practice experience designed to help you take what you learned in the introductory class and put it into practice on a real challenge.
We’ll meet online for 30 minutes twice a week. Bring your own challenge and work on your Improvement Kata storyboard with support from an experienced facilitator. You’ll have a place to ask questions, work through stuck points, and get feedback as you build your practice.
This isn't another class. It’s a chance to start practicing the Improvement Kata with guidance and support—so you can build confidence and develop good habits from the beginning.
Prerequisite: Improvement Kata Introduction or equivalent.
About Your Instructor:
Maria Grzanka is a facilitator, instructor, and coach with over 20 years of experience in continuous improvement. She helps organizations design better systems and build lasting capabilities by focusing on both processes and people. Maria is based in Portland, Oregon USA.
www.linkedin.com/in/mariagrzanka
About Kata School Cascadia:
We are a group of kata coaches and learners, and we are here to share. Our Kata School is founded by coaches with many years experience.
Since the Kata Coaches Dojo World Tour in 2019, we have met Friday lunchtimes on Zoom to talk about all things Coaching Kata. In 2021 we added a group for Starter Kata learners.