Really, the question is why not.
Now, as I go into this post...I am not going to put things in order of importance. Simply the million reasons why you SHOULD get your National Board Certification. (I won't bore you with a million, but it is quite possible I can come up with 999,999).
Truthfully, I didn't start my National Board Certification in 2005 for any of the "right" or professional reasons. It's true. I had my Masters Degree. I had my Professional Certification. But there were a group of colleagues at my school that were doing it and I just thought that I would have a wealth knowledge to put forth after finishing the two previous degrees. Ok. Ok. The stipend sounded great too. And there were 8 of us...misery loves company, right?
That being said, the new certification process is a huge improvement from where I came from. (It was the days of all 4 components and a test in one year!) I hope that you touch base with someone in your local region to hear how you can start this process today! Here and now, I want to focus on the WHY.
Each day, we feed our students buckets of information, skills and lifelong traits. It is our hope that they take what we have given them and go with it! Expand, learn more and put it to practical use forever. To me, that is the best part of National Board Certification. We have the knowledge. We have the skills. We use them every day. The NB process allows you the time and opportunity to shine about what you do. It's not meant to point out flaws. Instead, through this process, it alerts you to areas where you might need "more" and gives you the opportunity to try the more out!
No longer is it acceptable or professional for us to stay within our own 4 walls of our classroom. It is our educational responsibility to always be moving forward in our thinking, relationships and knowledge in order to increase student achievement. We need to share that knowledge, learn from one another and continue to evolve in our skills. The NB process allows you to do that. You will be working with like minded people who are willing to ask questions. You will improve in your communication skills. You will be able to reflect on your teaching and see that there really is no "right" answer; but rather there are the "right" questions to ask. These skills will naturally be ones that you use with your students. Skills that they pick up!
"But I don't have the time". But you DO. Because the things you will do throughout the NB process are practical, useful and necessary. Your students will benefit from the process. The standards and components become a part of your vocabulary. You will discuss them in professional surroundings. And the good news? When you pass your certification, you will still use what you learned in the process and share that with others.
Facilitators are great, helpful and resourceful. But they are just that...facilitators. They are not there to ensure you pass. That is not possible. They are there to help you ask the right questions, find ways to seek possible solutions and to facilitate your learning throughout this process. That is one of the joys. This is individually tailored to each learner. You get out of it, what you put into it. Your facilitator is there as a sounding board, cheerleader and colleague.
You will be introduced to new people. You will expand your resources. You will see that there are so many NBCTs and opportunities that you have yet to take advantage of. It takes your teaching and leadership to a whole new level.
You are going to grow, grow, grow. We need more teacher leaders. We need more teachers who ask of themselves, what they ask of their students. If we want our students to be learners, then we ourselves, must be learners. We have to be willing to ask the tough questions and seek multiple solutions. We must be able to communicate with a variety of people about our skills, needs and successes. The National Board process offers you that opportunity.
Is it tough work? Absolutely. But we do tough work every single day. And when we reach outside of our comfort zone we are influencing many. We are sending a message to our students that we care about them, about their learning, about their future. We are telling our parents that we are lifelong learners committed to creating the best learning environment possible for their children. And we are screaming to our school board members, legislators and the government as a whole, that we ARE the experts. We ARE worth it. We ARE shaping the future, one student at a time...beginning with ourselves.
I recently renewed my certification. Yes, I'm waiting on that November email to tell me whether I passed or not. Regardless, I loved the process all over again. It is good teaching. It reminds me to always seek out the WHY. Our students are at the core of the WHY. They are worth it.
Earning National Board Certification showcases your talents. And you have many. Jump on board. Find out how to earn your National Board certificate. Step out of your box and into the world.
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