Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/63126
MAKING A DIFFERENCE National Board Certification Community College access ........................................................................................................22 .........................................................................................................23 What Is National Board Certification? National Board Certification (NBC) For information about National Board Certification visit nbpts.org. STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION WHY? THE "BEST" EXPERIENCE THAT ACTUALLY ENHANCES TEACHING "Students are the most important ben- eficiaries of teachers going through the process of achieving National Board Certi- fication," said 12-year veteran kindergarten teacher Alia Morales, a Corona-Norco Teachers Association member. "It helped me get to know my students on a more personal level and to work better with their families to support their children's learning and educational development." Morales joined CTA colleagues at a groundbreaking event for National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs), local leaders and interested CTA members. The one-day event, titled "Moving the Teaching Profes- sion Forward Using the National Board Process," was a workshop session presented before the Good Teaching Conference. "To have CTA and my local union behind me is such a wonderful validation of my belief that National Board Certifica- tion is the best professional development to help educators improve student learn- ing, Association. "An added benefit is that this critical component of increasing teacher effectiveness and increasing student learn- ing is one on which teachers unions and school boards agree. vided the opportunity to discuss the National Board Certification process and its potential for positively impact- ing school cultures, local professional development efforts, teacher effective- ness, student learning, and CTA leader- ship development. "It was such a great experience to The pre-conference session pro- " is part of the growing school improvement movement that is advancing student learning, improving teaching and making schools better. Teachers who achieve National Board Certification have met high standards through study, expert evaluation, self-assessment and peer review. An advanced teaching credential, NBC complements but does not replace a state's teacher license and is valid for 10 years. This past year, 384 educators earned National Board Certification in California, for a total of 5,291 since the program started. National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) meet high standards based on what educators should know and be able to do. NBC is available nationwide for most pre-K–12 teachers. " said Christi Van Wyhe, Vista Teachers tor of United Teachers Los Angeles' NBCT Support Network, a group of educators who provide mentoring and other support services to colleagues. "National Board Certification is the most rigorous and valid path toward raising the level of our profes- sion because it assesses teachers on their pedagogy and content knowledge, enabling us to take charge of our professional prac- tice and growth," she said. Participant Susie Chow is the coordina- sit in a room with like-minded educa- tors and to hear the changes they are actively making in their school and dis- tricts. The experience greatly expanded my concept of what might be possible, said Karin Barone, who has taught fourth-grade language arts and fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade science for 11 years as a member of the Orange Uni- fied Education Association. Barone earned her NBC in November " Joanne Murray (right) makes her point while Maggie Devlin listens. Both are from the Vista Teachers Association. 22 California Educator / April 2012 2001, and is looking for opportunities in her district to build interest and support for others to go through the process. CTA AND BETTER TEACHING The pre-conference session is one of sev- eral CTA-facilitated initiatives supporting National Board candidates and NBCTs to promote professional development and increase student achievement. CTA's Institute for Teaching has awarded grants for collaborative projects, including a $6,600 grant to San Bernardino Teachers Association member Ashley Bet- tas to establish an NBC Candidate Support Program, and a $6,000 grant to Oceanside Teachers Association member Jennifer Skellett for a project called TEAM (Teach- ers Enhancing Accomplished Methods). Both programs focus on networking and sharing expertise. For more about any aspect of CTA's sup- port for NBC candidates or teachers, visit www.ctaipd.org. By Bill Guy Photo by Bill Guy