In 2001-2002 school year, I began the exciting process of becoming a National Board Certified Teacher. Through this process, I analyzed and reflected on my own practices to demonstrate that I met the standards of the National Board. It was a challenging and exciting year! In November 2002, after a six month waiting period, I received the news that I certified as an Early Childhood Generalist. (Ages 3-8). In 2011, I completed the renewal process. Going through this process has helped me become a more reflective analytical educator. I continue to question and reflect on my teaching, and connecting very specifically to the needs of each of my students as individuals. My ultimate goal is to do all I can to impact and improve student learning.
As a certified teacher, I have mentored other candidates, and hope to continue to work with other educators on a professional level to improve the quality of education in our schools. Previously I was a Boeing National board Ambassador, working with administration and teachers in El Segundo, Wisburn and Torrance school districts to share this amazing process with others.
This year I am working on the Maintenance of Certification! Through this process I will submit a Profile of Professional Growth, demonstrating how my practice continues to allign with the core propositions in Early Childhood Education. This includes videotaped lessons, analysis of my teaching, and reviewing my professional development through the lens of supporting student learning.
Daphne Moote,
Early Child Generalist, 2002, 2012
What is National Board Certification?
What value is it to education and teaching?
What is involved in the process?
Below find some excerpts from the NBPTS.org website that may answer some of your questions. You may also want to visit the National Board Web site to read more.
"The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards® is rooted in the
belief that the single most important action this country can take to improve schools and student learning is to strengthen teaching. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is leading the way in making teaching a profession dedicated to student learning and to upholding high standards for professional performance. They have raised the standards for teachers, strengthened their educational preparation through the standards, and created performance-based assessments that demonstrate accomplished application of the standards.
The mission is to advance the quality of teaching and learning by:
-Maintaining high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do
-Providing a national voluntary system certifying teachers who meet these standards.
-Advocating related education reforms to integrate National Board Certification in American education and to capitalize on the expertise of National Board Certified Teachers.
National Board Certification® measures a teacher's practice against these high and rigorous standards. The process is an extensive series of performance-based assessments that includes teaching Portfolios, student work samples, videotapes and thorough analyses of the candidates' classroom teaching and student learning. Teachers also complete a series of written exercises that probe the depth of their subject-matter knowledge, as well as their understanding of how to teach those subjects to their students.
Teachers who have participated in National Board Certification have overwhelmingly stated it is the most powerful professional development experience of their careers. They say the experience changes them as professionals and that through the process they deepen their content knowledge and develop, master, and reflect on new approaches to working with their students."
