Teachers tend to be busy.
Really busy. Between lesson
planning, grading, meetings, conferences, training (not to mention teaching) free
time is not something most teachers possess in abundance. So what could possibly motivate six School
District of University City
 |
| Brittany Woods librarian Kelly Werthmuller is one of six district teachers currently seeking National Board Certification |
National
Board Certification is an advanced teaching credential, similar to
certification in fields like medicine and law. The National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards website describes it as “a rigorous,
peer-reviewed process that ensures that Board-certified teachers have proven
skills to advance student achievement” through which “teachers expand and
refine their content knowledge and pedagogy. The outcome is more powerful
teaching that improves student achievement and reflects college and career
readiness.”
Retired Jackson Park Elementary teacher Kelly Mueller was the
first in the district to earn the distinction, and now she serves as the NBC
coordinator for Maryville University
and works with NBC candidates both locally and nationally. She says that the importance of the National
Board process is easily understood when you think about it this way:
“Other professional development tells us what to go back and do in our
classrooms. The NB process simply says ‘Here are the highest standards in your
teaching profession - recognized across the country. Give us evidence of how
you meet them.’ They recognize there are countless ways to get there. Each of
us is an individual. We teach different children in different settings at
different times. Each is a professional, and in that role makes thousands of
decisions in a week. An accomplished teacher uses his/her knowledge of the
students in the class, knowledge of the subject area, and knowledge of
available resources to plan worthwhile lessons to meet the goals they children
need to learn at this point in time. WE say what we did, giving the rationale
for our decision(s) as to what to teach, how to teach it, and how to evaluate
student performance. THAT is teaching.”
The certification process involves a series of
performance-based assessments that include teaching portfolios, student work
samples, videotapes and thorough analyses of the teachers' classroom teaching
and student learning. In all, teachers spend hundreds of hours beyond their
normal workload preparing materials and being tested in order to attain this
lofty distinction.
Although the process is entirely voluntary, the School
District of University City has stepped up to not only cover most of the
registration fees, but also to provide a generous stipend (which Ms. Mueller notes
is on par with some of the best in the country) to all district teachers who
become National Board Certified. Candidates claim that this sort of financial
support is a great motivator and a wise move, as research
continues to show that the students of National Board Certified Teachers (NCBTs)
out perform those of non-NCBTs on achievement tests (particularly in STEM
fields), and that the impact is especially significant for minority and low-income
students.
Brittany Woods
Middle School
Likewise, Brittany Woods communication arts teacher and NBC
candidate Katherine Adams explains that the process has prompted her to “deepen
my reflection and really analyze why I make the choices I make in the
classroom. In the past I have thought, ‘Well this worked well last year, so I
will do this activity again.’ Now I am analyzing why the particular activity
worked. How exactly did it impact my students? What aspects need to be retooled
so all my students are impacted by this lesson? How can I involve my parents
and our community as part of our learning process? While I am still working
through the certification process, I feel the work itself has truly made me a
more reflective and effective educator.”
If this year’s six candidates succeed in achieving
certification they will join current district NBCTs Dr. Jamie Jordan
(Principal, Brittany Woods Middle) and Shenelle Dubose (UCHS Assistant
Principal). Seven additional district
teachers have signed up for a pre-candidacy class, suggesting that we will soon
see a flourishing of NBC teachers in our schools. This is exciting news for our students and for our
community.
The bottom line, says Kelly Mueller, is that seeking National
Board Certification is a “great opportunity for teachers to work on
their practice. Showing evidence makes you think about teaching much more
methodically than ever before....cutting out fluff and things that really don't
impact student learning. THAT is what this process is all about!”
