Innovative forms of improving qualification and promoting Soft Skills of teachers

The article provides a theoretical foundation for the model of developing teachers' soft skills through a network mentoring system within the framework of the conference "School in FOCUS. FOCUS techniques for school," implemented by the All-Russian public organization of education leaders "Teacher of the Year." The author notes that in the context of digital transformation of education and the need for continuous professional development of teachers, innovative forms of professional development based on network interaction are becoming particularly relevant. The network conference "School in FOCUS" is an effective model of informal professional development that integrates subject-specific and meta-subject approaches. The paper analyzes key directions for developing flexible skills of the modern teacher in the context of network mentoring: development of communication competencies, professional adaptability skills, and leadership qualities. Special attention is paid to the diagnostics of teachers' soft skills, proposing a complex of methodologies that includes psychological, formalized, digital, and other tools characterized by comprehensiveness and depth of assessment. The conclusion is made that the network conference "School in FOCUS" creates a unique ecosystem for professional development, ensuring accessibility to best pedagogical practices and the possibility of scaling them. The experience of conducting the conference can be used as a model for organizing informal professional development of teachers at regional and federal levels.