By Tom

"As the circle of light increases, so does the circumference of darkness around it." -Albert Einstein

Ten years ago I thought I was a much better teacher than I think I am now. I had things in my classroom well under control. I'd taught the same grade at the same school for over fifteen years. I knew the curriculum really well. My kids behaved themselves. Parents liked me. My job was becoming increasingly effortless. I had conquered teaching as I knew it.

It wasn't always easy. When I first started out, teaching was very difficult for me, particularly the organizational part of it. I forgot important stuff. During my second year on the job I forgot to hand out the order forms for school pictures. Fortunately one of my colleagues spotted them on my desk and expressed concern that my entire class wouldn't be able to order their pictures. "You know, for a lot of moms, those are more important than report cards!" Of course by then, the kids had gone home, and the pictures were the next day. So I was on the phone all evening, describing the various packages to all 24 mothers. "…Package B includes two 5 by 7s, one 8 by ten and sixteen wallets. The price is $12.95. Now Package C, on the other hand…"

It was a long night, and a valuable learning experience.

Fifteen years later I had learned the value of being organized and I wasn't making those kinds of mistakes anymore. I wasn't making many mistakes at all, actually, but not because I was particularly good; I just wasn't pushing it that hard. I wasn't bored, really, and I wasn't ambitious to the point of going into administration. I enjoyed what I was doing, but there was something missing.

And then in 1997 I heard a story on NPR about National Board Certification. Something about it clicked with me. Something about the challenge of measuring my skills and knowledge to a set of high and rigorous standards. It was a challenge I thought I could handle. So I sent in my money to begin the process.

And then I got the box. And started reading the stuff inside. It was a challenge all right, and I quit twice. Once in October, when I reallized that I couldn't complete most of the writing entry of my portfolio unless I completely changed the way I taught writing; and once again in December, when my computer ate that same writing entry after I completely changed the way I taught writing, and then wrote about it.

My wonderful wife talked me out of quitting both times. (I think she might have called me a "'wuss") She also did far more than her share of the parenting, and put up with some of the most boring conversation in the history of marriage. "…So I think I'll do the third lesson of that water unit for the science entry. It has a better connection to the unit objectives that I spelled out in the planning section. Of course, lesson four has a stronger math component. What do you think?"

Somehow or other I certified. I was as amazed as I was happy. The process was truly humbling. More than anything else, analyzing and reflecting on my teaching made me realize just how complicated this job really is, and how much more I'll have to learn before I can consider myself any good at it. I haven't conquered teaching as I now know it, and I know that I never will.

So it's in that spirit that I congratulate everyone who achieved National Board Certification this year. You have every reason to feel proud of your accomplishment. You worked very hard for it. You sacrificed a year of your life to become a better teacher. I also know how much you've changed over the past year. I know how much your "circle of light" has grown. But hopefully, so has that "circumference of darkness around it." Knowing what we don't know is both the price we pay and the reward we receive from learning.

From all of us here at SFS; Congratulations. Keep growing, keep learning and keep teaching.