As leaders in systems, it is important that have clarity about the rationale behind an emphasis and commitment to Cognitive CoachingSM. Twenty+ years of research guides us in being able to articulate the importance and impact of Cognitive CoachingSM. Thinking Collaborative is grateful to Jenny Edwards for her ongoing efforts to synthesize and document the research on Cognitive CoachingSM. Each week for July and August, we will focus on one of the nine findings in the research.

Finding Three: Teachers who were cognitively coached were more satisfied with their positions and with their choice of teaching as a profession.

There is a crisis in teacher retention. Fifty percent of teachers leave the profession in the first five years of their careers. Cognitive CoachingSM impacts the attitudes of teachers about their work. When teachers receive coaching support, it impacts their feelings of efficacy and satisfaction with their work.

How might a coaching program impact teacher retention in your system? What specific aspects of Cognitive CoachingSM might be most critical in impacting teacher satisfaction? How can your system be certain to institutionalize coaching practices to impact teacher satisfaction at all levels of career development?