Five new teachers here at Athens Drive High School have earned their National Board Certification, a national assessment that proves to students and peers that they have extra education to proceed in their teaching career.
The National Board Certification was created in 1987, as part of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The National Board Certification is designed to develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools, and has been around for more than 25 years.
National Board Standards are developed by a committee of outstanding educators who are broadly representative of accomplished professionals in their field. While the majority of each committee is made up of classroom teachers, other members may include experts in child development, teacher education and relevant disciplines.
Many school systems use National Board Standards as the basis for ongoing teacher and school counselor professional development.
The National Board Certification provides benefits for not only teachers but for students and schools as well. Standards for each content area and development level area created by teachers, for teachers. Board certification is available in 25 certificate areas, from pre-k through 12 grade.
The whole certification process has four parts that teachers must complete before getting their certificate such as written assignments, reflection on student work samples, video analysis of teaching practice, and document impact and accomplishments as a teaching professional.
Teachers usually go for the National Board Certification because it distinguishes them as an accomplished teacher who has met the highest standards in their profession, and is also lets students and their other peers that they took that step further to help students with their work.
“It took me about 5 months to complete the whole process, but I do know that it takes some teacher longer to complete,” said Elizabeth Luna, CTE teacher.
The National Board is dedicated to ensuring that more students across the country can learn from teachers who have proven themselves to be accomplished educators.
This certificate is not just to help teachers improve their teaching career but it also give them a 13 percent raise in their pay. To complete all of the writings and videos that teachers have to accomplish to get the certificate usually takes about one to two years.
“I’m happy. I think that hopefully it will help me to keep teaching, now that I have that advantage to my teaching,” said Luna.
Teachers almost everywhere in the world use the certification process not only to improve their pay but to really prove their dedication for teaching, and wanting to help students improve their learning through the best of their abilities.
