Six teachers are currently working to gain certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, an organization aimed at increasing the quality of teaching and learning by developing teachers and their teaching skills.
“All of the states came together and created a standard for what excellence in teaching looks like,” English teacher Rosie Reid said. “By having National Board certification, it means that you have met and exceeded those requirements.”
Reid has been certified for seven years and is the only teacher in the district with National Board certification. She acts as a mentor for certification candidates at PHS and works with them to help them gain National Board certification.
“Less than 1% of teachers have it and only 1 out of every 3 who try, make it,” Reid said. “Last year we only did one piece of the puzzle and pretty much everyone passed. It was great.”
Reid said that in order to achieve National Board certification, teachers must participate in a two-year program in which they document their teaching in entries that are submitted to the National Board. She said that the program consists of four entries followed by a final exam.
“In their entries, teachers have to show that they have mastered a number of standards created by the National Board,” Reid said.
History teacher Courtney Goen said that the first entry is based on student work. Reid said that candidates must compile a collection of six to eight assignments from two students over the course of the year.
“It made me examine my teaching through writing,” Goen said. “I had to ask myself what I was doing, why I was doing it, and if it was effective for the students.”
Reid said that the second and third entries are video entries, in which teachers record class lessons to show their expertise of National Board standards. Reid said that teachers typically have to videotape their lessons four or five times in order to show that they have reached all the standards in the lesson.
“[Teachers] have to prepare a killer lesson sequences that they think will capture all of the standards the National Board is looking for,” Reid said.
Reid said that the fourth and final entry consists of evidence of the teacher’s accomplishments outside of his or her classroom.
“They say that a truly distinguished teacher is a teacher who is involved in many things, whether it’s with students outside of the classroom or with other teachers outside of the classroom,” Reid said. “It’s a teacher who goes to conferences and keeps learning, and works well with the parents in the community.”
Goen said that the certification process takes about 100 hours to complete. Reid said that with each entry, teachers must submit an approximately 15 page essay and supporting documentation.
“Having National Board certification is like having a PhD, but for teaching,” Goen said. “Therefore the process is very difficult and challenging.”
Reid said that the essay topics depend on the entry and the teacher’s subject. She said that teachers cannot begin writing until they have nailed their lessons.
“Believe it or not, writing that much isn’t even the hard part,” Reid said. “The first time a teacher writes each paper, it’s usually twice as long as it need to be and the teachers need to figure out how to cut it down the the requisite length.”
Reid said that after submitting all of their entries, teachers must take a final exam. She said that the entries and exam are evaluated by other National Board certified teachers who determine if candidates are to become certified or not.
“If they don’t pass they can continue to work on the program and try again next year,” Reid said. “The process can be extremely stressful.”
Reid said that although it is challenging, becoming National Board certified can be extremely rewarding. She said that having National Board certification not only means that teachers can teach in any state without having to get new credentials, but that the process improves their teaching overall.
“It makes us better teachers and being better teachers means we can give better education to the students,” Reid said.
Goen said that she decided to become National Board certified because she wanted to participate in more professional development and be more reflective with her teaching. She said the process of getting National Board certification has allowed her to realize how to be an all around better teacher.
“It has made me examine my teaching through a different perspective,” Goen said.
Librarian Susan Stutzman said that she wants to become certified because she enjoys the professional challenge. She said the program has allowed her to reflect on and improve her teaching skills.
“I feel like it has made me better at what I do,” Stutzman said.
Goen said that the experience has been incredibly valuable and has helped her teach her students more effectively. She said that she hopes it will be something that more teachers will be interested in over time.
“It is extremely hard and it takes me a lot of time,” Goen said. “But it is by far the best professional development that I have ever done.”
