As of right now, more than 110,000 teachers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia have achieved National Board Certification. The certification takes 1 to 3 years to complete and is the highest professional certification a teacher can earn. These NBCTs, or National Board Certified teachers, must submit verification forms, have completed three years of teaching, and have held a valid state teaching license. That’s just the beginning.
Certification itself consists of four components: a written assessment of content knowledge, a reflection on student work samples, video and analysis of teaching practice, and documented impact and accomplishments as a teaching professional. In some instances, the process can go on for more than two years.
Mr. Ryan Bayne, history teacher, is presently in the middle of receiving his certification. “The process,” Bayne stated, “is a lot about reflecting on your own teaching and working to create a more student centered classroom.” Bayne added, “There’s about thirty pages you have to write for each component and there are four different components you have to work for. It’s going to take three years for me to get through everything.”
Bayne finished, “Part of being a teacher is continually going to professional developments to become better at the job you do. I’m always looking for ways to better what I do and as I go through it, you realize and see things that maybe you didn’t see before. The certification does help you grow as a teacher.”
Mr. Michael James, English teacher of tenth and eleventh grade and Nationally Board Certified for two years, wanted to receive his certification because it, “seemed like a fair way to see where I stood as a teacher.” For James, the process involved, “Lots and lots and lots of papers, researching, and keeping and checking records. I had to videotape myself teaching several times and then critic myself. I had to follow a couple students and see how their writing and reading improved,” James stated, continued the sentiments said by Bayne with, “But the papers were huge. Each one was about 20 to 30 pages long.”
When asked if the certification was worth it, James declared, “At the time, no. I was cursing myself when I was having to rewrite and rewrite but I think it was useful to have that time to reflect on what I was doing specifically in the classroom.” James acknowledged, “It’s made me a more observant teacher, more aware of when I am doing things, why I am doing things. The course did make me better at communicating with parents and keeping them in the loop.”
Mrs. Carrie Rosales, Spanish teacher and Nationally Board Certified for seven years, said that while her path to certification was filled with portfolios and tests to demonstrate her capability in different areas of teaching, finished in one year as well, Rosales was able to, “receive the scores necessary to achieve certification.”
Rosales found that the route to certification had her, “analyze my teaching and looking things I could do to improve in very finite ways so that you see ‘Well, how can I communicate better with students? How can I communicate better with parents? How can I teach learners with diverse needs?’” Rosales continued, saying that, “It was definitely worth doing it because I felt I came out a better teacher who is more cognizant of what I am doing.”
To the teachers of North Harford High, Rosales concluded, “Certification is a big time commitment so make sure that in the beginning you start at first by just seeing what is required so that you can map out your time well and make sure you can dedicate to do it!”