Accomplished teachers are committed to teaching children in ways that are fair and equitable. It is significant that NBCTs have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to address inequities and promote fair and equitable approaches to instructing students – not always equal!  In addition, as a NBCT you will also focus on developing a learning environment where students appreciate the diversity of their peers and the diverse opinions of others.  NBCTs empower students to treat each other respectfully and in turn the teacher practices fairness in his/her practice as well.  Most importantly, accomplished teachers understand and appreciate the individual differences and unique needs of the students they teach.  Diversity in a NBCT’s classroom is represented by multiple perspectives and sensitivity to the individual needs of all students.

10 Must Dos to create a Safe, Fair, and Equitable Learning Environment

Use a variety of teaching methods to reach all...

Finally understanding how to connect the dots and bring everything you do back to impacting the student is the critical component of earning National Board certification. It is a learning process. It’s all about the right focus and being intentional (plus specific) with your written commentaries.  Think about things differently and you will be successful!

What went wrong? As the pass rate for initial certification with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is only around 40% on the first attempt, many teachers find themselves asking this very question.  While coaching teachers through the NBPTS process for the past 23 years I’ve found particular themes that seem to encompass the work of most teachers who seek my support for figuring out - What went wrong? Why did I receive this score?  In no particular order these mistakes are as follows:

• Teacher was focused on the larger picture instead of providing the assessor with specific details...

Are you seeking to reflect upon and improve your teaching practice?  If you answered yes, National Board Certification for teachers may be just the thing you need to reach the next level. Let’s dive into the process to see if it would be worth it for you!

What? It is a National Certification process (Think advanced board certifications that doctors or therapists achieve and add behind their names.) that is centered around five core propositions that show teachers are committed to their students and learning, are knowledgeable of the subjects they teach, and can effectively teach those subjects to students. In addition, National Board teachers are members of learning communities, and they're responsible for managing and monitoring their learning, as well as thinking systematically about their practice.

When? The registration window opens each year in September and portfolio entries (called components) are due by mid-May of that school year. To be eligible for a...

This is a question that comes up often from teachers considering the National Board Certification process.  I am assuming this is the “elephant in the room” because those asking the question see the investment as a financially large undertaking or it isn’t typical for a teacher to have what is seen as “limited control” over the outcome of a scenario in his/her classroom. 

I’m always puzzled by teachers I consider to be amazing in the classroom - artists of building classroom communities grounded in student-centered learning, developers of growth mindsets in their students and innovators of collaborative relationships wherever they are needed to advance student learning say, “No, I can’t sign up for National Board Certification because I’m afraid I will fail and it isn’t a risk I’m willing to take.” 

With all of that being said, I say to you as a master teacher reading this blog and potentially...

First, standards - refers to the universal model or approved content and/or pedagogy that should be followed to meet the underwritten standard for an organization.  Think about the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.  They are the guiding principles that NBCTs follow to achieve and maintain excellence in the classroom.  Your state has adopted standards that outline the specific information students must know and be able to do across each grade level to be able to perform proficiently on the End of Year assessment tool.  Standards are typically seen as overarching when compared to goals, targets or objectives when being used in the classroom.

Second, goals - refers to the specific information you want your students to know and be able to do within the scope of a lesson or unit of study/project.  Goals are measurable and use verbs found on the Bloom’s Taxonomy scale.  Sometimes they are called learning targets or objectives. They...

Actual Questions from the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Process

Respond to the following prompts for each of your PGEs.

1.   Provide a context of the professional situation that indicates what relevant need(s) of students, the professional community, parents/guardians, and/or yourself you are addressing with your PGE.

2.   Identify your PGE (e.g., provide a title), describe your PGE, and explain how your PGE demonstrates a response to the identified need(s).

3.   In the context of your PGE, explain how you have acquired and deepened your certificate area–specific content knowledge and/or your pedagogical knowledge and skills to remain current, including use of research and/or use of other professional activities.

4.   Analyze ways in which your PGE and related activities positively impacted student learning whether directly or indirectly.

5.   Reflect on the PGE presented, including the steps, milestones, or goals you accomplished through this...

Broader Context in Teaching

The broader context in teaching refers simply to the bigger idea or overarching understanding that you have used within your planning of this lesson.  The broader context, by definition is generally so large that it combines many goals over a long period of time for students to begin to internalize it.

But what can the broader context mean in your lesson plan template?

Think about it as your big idea (the umbrella) of everything under it (goals - seen as raindrops in the image below) and together planning from a broader perspective into a more narrow, measurable focus students will result in large puddles of learning (see the graphic below) for the students in your classroom. 

Broader Context and NBPTS

For the sake of the NBPTS Maintenance of Certification process, you aren’t expected to prove that students meet the broader context for learning in examples.  Instead, the assessor is looking for evidence that you are able to plan...

Component 1 of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) Maintenance of Certification process asks what seems like a simple question. 

This component instructs you to write about the ways you have acquired and deepened content and pedagogical knowledge in your NBPTS certificate area (rubric bullet #2) during the renewal period. 

Oftentimes, terms like pedagogy vs. content confuse teachers. However, there is a very clear difference (and link) between the two. Let's unpack them in this blog.

Pedagogical and Content Knowledge

Question #3 in Component 1 of the Maintenance of Certification Process asks: In the context of your PGE, explain how you have acquired and deepened your certificate area-specific content knowledge and/or your pedagogical knowledge and skills to remain current, including use of research and/or use of other professional activities.

Understanding the difference between content and pedagogy is vital for providing a complete and accurate...

Many teachers find the evidence portion of the Maintenance of Certification process to be highly stressful, either because they feel they don't have enough evidence or that the NBPTS is too restrictive in their four page limit. 

 As a former renewal assessor, I’m here to tell you not to worry about either side and to try to think about how you can build evidence into your written commentary.  Creating a written commentary full of examples, stories, or pointed evidence is an easy way to earn those brownie points on the rubric without major anxiety over cramming or collaging (which is not advised) onto the four samples of product (SOP) pages.  In addition, you don’t want to present samples of products that may reduce the value of your milestone worthy PGEs.

Checkout my YouTube Channel that has a video on Evidence: CLICK HERE

The MOC guide for the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards states - “Your samples of products should exemplify...

Promoting equity and diversity in the classroom need not be a challenge and is something all children deserve.

• Use a variety of teaching methods to reach all modalities-- auditory, visual, and kinesthetic.
• Use a variety of assessment strategies to meet the testing needs of all students
• Use adaptive equipment and strategies as needed to meet all learner needs (large print, visuals, ect...)
• Set clear rules in regard to treating others fairly and equitably.
• Encourage students to take on roles (that showcases their strengths) in heterogeneous cooperative groups.
• Build a classroom community grounded in the principles of a democracy.
• Avoid stereotypes and support gender neutrality in examples and resources.
• Actively support multiculturalism in your lessons and the resources you use.
• Ensure all students have equitable access to opportunities, resources, and participation that encourage growth and success.
• Plan lessons that reflect the diversity of students in your classroom.

...