I am considering starting the National Board Certification process. However, I have a few questions for those who have done it.
How long did the process take you to complete?
Was it extremely stressful/demanding?
How was the assessment part? Do you know the questions in advance, or are they just questions "out of the blue"?
Also, it appears the portfolio would be due by March 31, 2007. Could you complete the entire process by this time (assuming you received high enough points to pass each part)?
If I do pursue this, I would love to complete the process by next April (once again assuming I passed each part) because my husband and I are planning to start a family soon! I'm just curious if it would even be possible to finish it that quickly.
I began the process in the 2004-2005 schol year. During the summer I started to collect my professional development materials. When school began I was ready to begin video taping science. Next I tackled SS and finally writing. I submitted in March and tested in May. Unfortunately, I missed passing by 12 points! UGH!
I redid the professional part and retested in 2 areas in 05-06. I passed the second time.
It seems to be the average in my area to take 2 years to complete the process. Fortunately you can bank your points and only redo the parts that you feel you need to.
I did not see much of my husband or children during the initial process. I spent many nights and much money at Barnes and Noble with a friend. Most weekends were consumed with it.
The assessment has 6 parts. You do not know the questions ahead of time but you do know the subject areas. Information is available on the website that gives you ideas of what may be in each section. In addition, they give you a rubric for how they will score it.
I would suggest not taking the assessments until you have completed the portfolio. To prepare, I would get textbooks in Science and SS for the grade levels in your cert. area to brush up on things. My first assessment in SS blew me away. I had no idea that they were talking about.
You will not receive your scores until November. Usually it is the Friday before Thanksgiving.
If you would like to look at any of my entries, please email me and I will send you a copy.
Michele
I've never heard of people doing this. Why would someone want to be National Board Certified? Are there certain requirements you need to meet before you start the process?
Like ncteach3 I also began the process in 2004-2005 and I miss by 11 points. I redid 2 portfolio entries and passed 2005-2006. It does take a lot of time and my family didn't see much of me. However, I did find the process to be very beneficial. I believe that it made me a better teacher. I agree it does seem to take many people 2 years. You have 3 years. In answer to Hylin, in NM having National Boards is an alternate way to earn a level 3 license. You also earn a yearly stipend ($4,000) as long as you are in the classroom.
It is possible to complete the NB process in one school year. (I did it while I was planning my wedding) It helps to look over the "portfolio" on the web the summer before you begin and start doing parts of the entries like professional development and thinking about your units, etc. I learned a lot about myself as a teacher during this process. It was a stressful but wonderful growing experience and I would do it again. It was definitely worth the work. My state, Mississippi, also gives a yearly $6000 stipend for 10 years if I teach in the classroom. I was worried about the assessment part, but it was recommended to me to read over old college textbooks and other resources(to refresh yourself on all the lingo and research-based methods). My advice is to look over the state benchmarks for the different content areas of ALL the grade-levels in your certification area and think of lessons that you would do for each, and try to find someone who will be testing to study with. A few of the questions on the test were "unexpected" but most of it was do-able. Good luck to you.
I did this in the early years. Prior to doing it in more than one year. I found out I was pregnant two weeks after I signed up to participate. My state paid for my application (about $2000). I did most of it but was put on bed rest before I could get a good science video finished. I was unable to take the test due to my DS birth and bed rest. I still only missed it by less then 12 points. No banking, no extended time etc.
It was rewarding to see what you are doing in the classroom and analyze it.
All it would get me is more money (stipends and lead teacher status-- usually). Not enough to go throught he process ALL over in my opinion. Though I have more than 10 years to go for retirement I ma try it in the next two years of the money!
Micheller1 it is not ethical to share entries. A teacher could lose certification for sharing their entries. You need to read the directions and write your own portfolioes.
I worked on NB 2007-2008 and was 20 points short. I'm redoing social studies and accomplishments. My area is middle generalist. Can you help me. Was this your area
bamagirl,
The process started for me the summer before the school year. I participated in a university program to support the process. Look in your area to see if they offer anything. I had to search for it on my own, but I feel like it was worth it. In the summer we had several days of basic information, ideas to get us started, and forming a support group of sorts. Each certificate area was divided up and given a certified mentor to work with them. We met every other week to share thoughts, questions, etc. This was most beneficial to me. We also had an assessment center prep day. Again we were divided into certification groups with a certified teacher leading. That day was excellent and gave me ideas about how to prepare for the test. The program did cost some, but I loved it! The pass rate was high for participants historically rather than going on your own.
I took the summer and entire school year to complete everything. The summer was spent printing from the website portfolio instructions, etc. and reading and rereading everything. Then I started on entry 4 with ideas to expand things I had already done and what I could add. When school started I was ready to go with a plan. That took off a lot of pressure. You can already print off all of the portfolio directions, rubrics, etc. from the website without officially signing up or paying anything!
To be honest it was stressful and demanding. Every weekend was spent reading, researching, planning, and typing. My family took over much of the housekeeping responsibilities. Before I started we had a family meeting to discuss this. There were times that my kids wanted to have company, but they couldn't. It turned out fine, but you need the support of your family.
The assessment part went by fast since it is timed. Two of the sections I did not feel like I knew what they wanted. Some of the others went exactly with what I had studied. They give you paper and a pencil. I jotted down ideas and then typed the responses. There is not much time to think or plan! You just go with it! I would recommend that you give yourself at least a month or two in between the portfolio due date and testing to refresh and clear your mind. I took the test in May and it was a good time, not too long after that I had started to forget the standards but long enough to rest.
What certificate area are you thinking about pursuing? I did literacy and loved it! Be careful about reading other people's entries online. I know of someone that sent their entry to be read by someone they "met" online and it was turned in by that person. It was a major problem. Get people that you know to read your entries and follow the scoring guide and rubric for everything.
I would like to look at your entires. Our certification areas are different, but i think that having a look at what you have done may help me with mine. I am doing the math early adolescent certificate. I think that you can share ideas and help as long as you are not handing over all your hard work for some one else to use as their own.
08-14-2006, 05:27 PM
bamagirl
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