Achieved

I know it's impolite to toot your own horn, but I spend enough time on this blog lauding Wes's accomplishments to share my own. I found out Friday morning that I achieved National Board Certification. This was a long process -- about 12 months of reading standards, recording class discussions and collecting student work, writing four pretty long entries for a portfolio, and taking a test comprised of six 30-minute essays. Many of you were kind of enough to edit the portfolio entries for me.

NBC means I am considered "highly qualified" under No Child Left Behind. In some states, it earns me more money. Hopefully everywhere, it makes it easier to get a job. Part of me still doesn't know why I did this process. There's a push for it at my school and lots of support, and the school and the state pick up the $2500 fee to do it, so it seemed like the right time. I don't know that it made me a better teacher or makes me feel better about my teaching, but in the absence of a master's degree, it does carry some clout.

Most importantly, it's over. Wes brought home roses and an ice cream cake to celebrate, then kept asking, "So this is a big deal, right?" and "So what does this mean now?". The only statistics I could find to help him understand: about 1% of all teachers in the US are nationally board certified (and research has shown that NBC teachers are more effective in the classroom). About 50% of those who attempt earn certficiation, and an even lower percentage achieve on their first try.

My sincere thanks to those at school, at home, and online who supported me through the process. I send each of you a rose.