Thinking about National Board Certification?
July 2008
Five Stenhouse authors share how the certification process made them more student-centered, reflective teachers
Jodi Marshall was in just her third year of teaching when she set out to become a National Board certified teacher. The first teacher in her district to "jump in," she had to pay and pave her own way through the complicated, lengthy process of portfolios, assessment videos, documentations, and peer reviews.
That was 10 years ago. Now, getting ready to renew her certification, she can't wait to do it all over again. "It's the best professional development I have ever done," says Jodi, author of Are They Really Reading? "It really made me examine what I do every day in the classroom and especially why."
A Carnegie Forum study on education and the economy in 1986 led to the establishment of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and since then more than 64,000 teachers have achieved national board certification in a variety of subject areas, including literacy, art, and library media. In a recent study, the National Research Council found that students taught by board certified teachers make bigger gains on standardized tests than those taught by other teachers.
"National Board certification is different from state licensing," writes Rick Wormeli in his book, Meet Me in the Middle. "For one thing, it's voluntary, not mandatory. In addition, teachers are evaluated by peers, not administrators, which creates a collegial tone instead of an adversarial one. The evaluation is for teachers who are far enough along in their careers to have accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience about their subjects and grade level. Finally, the assessments were designed by teachers, not politicians, which means they are valid indicators of professional excellence."
According to Jodi, the most valuable part of the certification process was the video recording she made of her teaching. She tells the story of one of her students who claimed that Jodi always interrupted her mid-answer. Jodi didn't realize that she was doing this -- until she watched herself on screen. "The video showed exactly what I did, and the student was right," Jodi says. She admits that seeing herself on a video took some getting used to, but it's been well worth it. "Once you get over criticizing your look -- your hair, your elbow fat -- you can really get down to examining what you do." Examining your own practice -- and learning to talk about your weaknesses without being frightened by them--makes teachers better in the end, Jodi believes.
"Nothing compares to the experience of filming and viewing your instruction in action," echo Monique Wild and Amanda Mayeaux, authors of TeamWork, who went through certification in 1999 and 2002, respectively. "Watching a videotape of your actual classroom practices will strip away any illusions of perfection that you may have as a teacher." Monique and Amanda believe that they insights they gained during certification is still shaping their successes today. "We still recall those monumental moment of clarity that challenged and changed us," they write.
Diane Barone, professor of literacy at the University of Nevada and author of The National Board Certification Handbook, says that as teachers assess their own methods, they also become more focused on students. "As teachers write responses for each entry, they reflect on their own instruction and what has been the most beneficial to students," she says. "They learn that the student is in the forefront, not them." Jodi agrees: "Going through the process truly made me student centered. I had to tie back all of my actions to how it benefits kids."
National Board certification also helps teachers learn how to talk about their own instruction and provides plenty of opportunities for discussion with colleagues. "I jumped into Internet forums and exchanged ideas with colleagues in Texas, Idaho, North Carolina, and Michigan," says Rick. "I was in my eleventh year of teaching at the time, and I had never had such thoughtful conversations about teaching. My teaching days were so full that I rarely had time for professional dialogue until I found a structure and motivation for doing so."
While the process of taping lessons, writing assessments, collecting documentations and student work may seem daunting, Jodi says it's all manageable. She advises future candidates to clear a year in their calendar of out-of-school activities, set deadlines, and complete the process step-by-step. "It tests your resolve in terms of being able to stick with it," she says, "but a timeline and not rushing things at the last minute make it less stressful." Diane suggests that teachers begin by collecting all materials they might need. "For instance, they need to document work with families and professional accomplishments. Sometimes they might need a certificate or a letter. This searching is the kind of thing that can drive a teacher crazy if he or she waits until the last moment."
Rick recommends investigating the process thoroughly before committing to it. "Decide whether this is the best year to try; you might be better off preparing one year and taking the assessments the following year," he recommends. (Read about Rick's board certification experiences and his tips for success from Meet Me in the Middle)
You should also think about your motives for becoming certified. "Teachers who only engage in this process for the pay raise, struggle and often do not pass on their first attempts," warns Diane. But if you are in it to become a more reflective and effective teacher, you will get a lot out of it, says Jodi. "If you go in with an open mind, you will learn a lot about yourself as a teacher and as a person."
Read more about Diane Barone.
Read more about Jodi Marshall.
Read more about Amanda S. Mayeaux.
Read more about Monique D. Wild.
Read more about Rick Wormeli.
