Employing National Board Certification practices with all teachers: the potential of cognitive coaching and mentoring

National Board Certification is an esteemed certification and professional learning and reflective opportunity for teachers. Cognitive coaching is also a method of support many teachers receive over the course of their National Board Certification journey. The certification process involves reflective practices and opportunities for teachers to think differently about their instructional decisions and overall teaching practice. This project involves teachers who are not affiliated with the National Board Certification process. The researcher provides them with reflective opportunities and components from the certification process. An analysis of qualitative and quantitative data unveil the following results. First, coaching and practices associated with the National Board Certification process benefit all teachers. In addition, qualitative data from the findings reveal that frequent and consistent reflective opportunities provided to teachers impact their awareness of content knowledge and their students' needs. The findings from this study also suggest that when teachers are given reflective opportunities, time to collaborate with others, and consistent and frequent time to work with a coach, then student achievement is positively affected.