Growing My Practice Through Cognitive Coaching

This month, I had the privilege of attending a professional development series on Cognitive Coaching through Thinking Collaborative, and it has left a profound impact on how I view my role as an educator, colleague, and reflective practitioner.

Cognitive Coaching isn't about giving advice or quick-fix solutions—it's about fostering self-directed learning in others. At its heart, this model empowers individuals to explore their thinking, refine their decision-making, and take ownership of their growth. Through structured conversations and purposeful questioning, Cognitive Coaching helps create a culture of trust, deep reflection, and continuous improvement.

During the training, I learned how to shift from a directive approach to a facilitative one—using paraphrasing, pausing, and posing mediative questions to guide thinking rather than control outcomes. This aligns perfectly with my teaching philosophy and my desire to build more autonomy and agency in both students and peers. As someone who values collaboration and growth mindset, I found the tools from Thinking Collaborative to be both practical and transformative.

Integrating Cognitive Coaching into my professional life will help me:

• Support colleagues more effectively during team planning, debriefing sessions, and mentoring relationships.

• Foster deeper reflection in myself and others by focusing on thinking processes rather than just outcomes.

• Build a more student-centered classroom where questioning and reflection guide learning, not just content delivery.

• Contribute to a collaborative school culture by promoting trust, dialogue, and shared leadership.
  
  

Looking forward, Cognitive Coaching is a perfect fit for my future goals—whether that includes instructional leadership, mentoring new teachers, or simply continuing to refine my craft in the classroom. I am committed to becoming a more thoughtful listener, a more intentional communicator, and a stronger partner in supporting growth for both students and educators.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to engage with this learning and excited to see how it shapes my practice in the months and years ahead.