Category Archives: National Board Certification

Hope and Fear: New National Board Candidates

by Maren Johnson

Hope and Fear: New National Board Candidates

One of the projects I am most excited about this year is facilitating a group of National Board candidates. We have never actually had a National Board cohort in my district before (we are a bit small and rural), but this year we have a healthy sized group–Whoo-hoo!  Even a teacher from a neighboring district is joining us.

We started our first meeting with a "Hope and Fear" protocol for setting group norms that I got from one of the expert National Board trainers in our state.  Participants individually wrote their hopes and fears for the National Board process, shared them, then together came up with norms that would help facilitate the hopes and prevent the fears.

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A New Role

By Rob

Mentor
Some time ago I was struggling to set up procedures during my literacy instruction.  I was attempting to meet with a guided reading group while the reminder of my class was engaged independently in a meaningful activity.  For some students the “independent” activity was a too challenging and they needed support.  For other students it was too easy and they were finishing early.  Other students had difficulty remaining on task and caused disruptions.  These are the challenges of a novice teacher.

All things considered I was doing pretty well but I knew it could be done better.  But I wasn’t sure how.  I was building the boat as I was crossing the ocean.

I spoke with some other teachers and we shared the same struggles.  After I confided in my principal I found this “struggle” reflected in my evaluation.  Prior to that evaluators found little to criticize.  I regretted opening up my practice.

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It’s the Principal of the Matter

Picture 1By Travis

Principals are near useless. Near…I would not be so mean as to say totally. I know they serve a purpose. But, hey, let’s be honest. How often is your principal in your classroom? If you are lucky, it is twice a year for the district mandated formal observation. Principals do not teach classes so how could a principal possibly understand life in your classroom? They cannot relate. When seen in the big picture, principals do not do much to impact instruction, and as such, are near useless.

However, my principal is not. Lisa teaches.

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What NBCTs Mean for Washington

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As our way to recognize and celebrate the National Board score release this weekend, our NBCT/Bloggers shared a bit about what being a National Board Certified Teacher has meant for them, and for our state. The process of becoming National Board Certified involves hundreds of planning hours and demonstrating best practices in teaching. Those who recently certified had an additional stress of a delay in score results due to a computer server glitch.

With the glitch solved, and over a thousand new NBCTs to join them in Washington state, we offer our congratulations and invite you to read on and be inspired by what our bloggers have said about how being National Board Certified is making a difference for teachers in our state.

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It’s not (just) about the bonus

338qMr  By Mark

Let me begin by clarifying the title of this post: I am beyond appreciative that Washington is one of the states in the union which recognizes the achievement of National Board Certification by awarding an annual bonus to NBCTs. I am eternally grateful for that bonus…and I feel, no I know, that I earned it. I know I am an infinitely better teacher than I was because the process helped me reflect, analyze the effectiveness of my instructional decisions, and examine with a more critical eye whether my students are learning what they need to learn.

But let me trace the ripples caused by the Washington legislature's decision to reward my efforts (and the efforts of hundreds of other NBCTs). While some may see that as just a change in my paycheck, it is much, much more than that.

The first ripple? Earning the bonus meant I could quit my job. My night job, that is. Oh, and my weekend job, too.

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Governor Gregoire Honored by NBPTS

Sw_RainierAboveTrees_sa03188 News tidbit: Washington's Governor Christine Gregoire has been recognized by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards with a leadership award for her support of educators and NBPTS certification in the state of Washington.  Read here for more details.

Considering the tremendous growth in numbers of NBCTs in Washington, as well as the increased support for NB Certification from OSPI, WEA and CSTP, this recognition of Governor Gregoire ought to also be seen as a recognition of the efforts of many teachers, administrators, and policy makers in cultivating teacher-leadership and even more effective instruction in the state of Washington.

Speaking of policy leaders, make sure to check back later this week to see our guest bloggers, Senator Rosemary McAuliffe (1st District) and Senator Eric Oemig (45th district) Chair and Vice Chair respectively of the Early Learning and K-12 Committee.

The Return to Teaching

I am again looking forward to the classroom. I feel like it was long ago when I was there. I miss the interactions between students, watching young people make meaning of the world around them. I miss the opportunities to improve compassion and skill and purpose. I miss working with teachers who, by default, are amazing people with amazing talents to impact the learning of children.

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WASHINGTONIOUSLY Awesome: NBCTs fill the classrooms!

Picture 2 I remember when I signed up for NBPTS. I was filled with the excitement of the challenge, the excellence. I remember when I received my NBPTS box. I was filled with sheesh, what have I gotten myself into. Now that I have gone through the certification process, I am a stronger teacher which, ultimately, benefits my students.

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Thanksgiving

This is a wonderful time of year to focus on the positive rather than the negative.  Family, friends, good health, a warm home, and plentiful food are at the top of my list. For all of that, I’m thankful.

 

I’m also thankful to the legislators of Washington State who have seen fit to reward me for being an accomplished teacher.  Two of my sisters are teachers for our neighbor to the south. They have at various times asked me about National Board Certification and the support and rewards that come with the process. Sadly, in Oregon the only compensation for the arduous and expensive process is the personal, intrinsic satisfaction one receives from completing a difficult task. No wonder there were only 222 NBCTs in that state at the end of 2007, as opposed to 1801 in Washington. (See http://www.nbpts.org/resources/nbct_directory/nbcts_by_state) This certainly doesn’t mean that there aren’t thousands of accomplished teachers in Oregon.

 

My bonus this year contained an additional five thousand dollars, thanks to the insight and understanding of Washington legislators regarding how difficult it can be to work in a high needs school. For that, I am also thankful.

 

For so many years, teachers have felt underappreciated and undervalued. Washington State is striving to change that. I’m thankful to be living in a state where I feel valued for the time, energy, love, and passion I put in to my job.