Merry Christmas

If you would like to share something with the cohort, send it to me and I'll guest post it for you.  :-)

A Teacher Answers Questions about NB Certification

I thought you might like this blogpost…  Especially the FAQ near the bottom of the page.

Enjoy your day!

Our Questions; Your Answers

At the November 19th meeting we asked some questions and here are your answers (Our commnets are in red):

How are you feeling?  Anxious, overwhelmed!!!  Scattered.  Disillusioned--I still don't know what I'm supposed to do! You do just need to choose an activity that we have suggested and start.  Bring a video recording to the December 15th meeting.  The questions I have aren't being answered.  Mentors have been trained and we aren't allowed to tell you exactly how to do this; it would be unethical.  We have to allow you to develop on your own time.  We can guide you but you do actually have up to three years to "get" this.   Tired.  Unsure if I'm National Board quality.  You WILL be by the time you are done with this growing process!   I have a lot of problems with students right now.  Stressed.  Behind on the timeline.  Remember that these are guidelines to help you and that you should stay as close to them as possible, but you do get to make your own choices.

What questions do you have?

*Where should I begin?  Do I have to have a lesson plan right now?  
*Are we going to get more feedback?  1.  Grad class assignments, yes.  2.  Video Recordings December 15th from your cohort members and mentors  3.  Component 2 rough draft--January 26th from mentors and cohort members.
*What should I do now?  Follow through on the "next step" answer you gave below.
*Where do I find component 3?  http://www.boardcertifiedteachers.org/certificate-areas
*Can I practice the test on the computer?  http://www.pearsonvue.com/nbpts/
*Is this really going to come together?  Yes.
*Can the video be from different days? What do your Component 3 Instructions say about this?   
*How do we get reimbursed for expenses? You should have received an email about this on November 20th.

What do you need now?  Video equipment.  Someone to video record me.  I need to download component 3.  I need to change the classroom I wanted to use.  I need more time.

What is your next step?  

*I need to borrow a classroom and decide if I'm in the right certification area.  

*I need to really dig in and do this--I find the format of the work boring and maybe I'm being distracted by the graduate course work, but I do think I'm already a better teacher.  

*I have to re-learn to be an elementary teacher.  I need to formulate meaningful questions and make a plan.  I need to decide whether to focus on learning or behavioral changes with my featured students.

*I need to get caught up on the grad class work.  I need to decide if I can even do this component 2.  I feel stuck because I don't think I'm using the right students.

*I'd like to find someone else in my certification area to talk with.  I'm floundering and trying to find my place.

*I need to get into the components.  I might only do Component 3 this year because there has been a lot of family illness, etc. to deal with.  I feel good about my ability to do the actual reflection and requirements.

*I'm working on Component 2 and can't really think about Component 3 yet (and I'm assuming that's okay because you all keep saying we can differentiate.)  I taught the lesson and now I need to type the answers to the Component.

*  I need to collate my permission slips, choose the best class, and work on both components over Thanksgiving.  I am almost ready to video record.

*I'm analyzing the student writing right now.  I don't know which students I will use as my featured students yet.  And I need to start video recording soon.

*I'm analyzing student work--where they are since my baseline data.  I'm practicing video recording already.  I'm making progress on Component 2 and I'm thinking about how to incorporate writing into math.

*  I'm been analyzing as I go along and now I'm planning my next unit of instruction to do a better job with Component 2 because I've learned a lot from my first attempt.  I'm revamping my unit plan and I'm also video recording this week.  One day I'm going to go to Starbucks to use their speedier internet!

*I'm not sure how much I should be involved in the tape of the students.  I'm focusing on Component 2, but I think I can get a video done this week.  

*I haven't even looked at Component 3, but I'm making good progress on Component 2.

*I am diving into both Components as you suggested.  I'm a little worried about the end product that I want to use for my assessment and I need help talking through this.

Keep up the good work.  You can do this.  You are already doing it.  :-)

Thankful for the Break

Good morning, NBCT Candidates!  I was thankful for the break--I hope you were, too.  Our next meeting is December 15th and you are supposed to bring a 5-15 minute video for your cohort members to help you analyze.  Melissa Lampinen will be modeling the analysis process and then you all will do some analysis yourself.

If you don't have a video to bring, come anyway.  Your cohort needs your feedback!  :-)

If you hate your video, join the club--I never had one I liked!  But the assessors liked them fine for what they were supposed to showcase.

Make yourself do the video, and if you need me to record you, let me know.  Even a student can record for you.  I used the iPad to record Mary and the sound quality is fine.

Check Out What NBCTs Read!

Here are some resources from two current Harrison County NBCTs:

Candice Phipps shared:

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/classroom_qa_with_larry_ferlazzo/2015/11/response_start_with_learning_goals_before_thinking_about_tech.html

And Stacy Ward shared a way to sign up for SmartBrief, a resource for NBCTs:

https://www.smartbrief.com/signupSystem/subscribe.action?pageSequence=1&briefName=nbpts&utm_source=brief

Stephanie's PowerPoint

Good morning! I hope you are beginning to understand the process a little better.  Most teachers are doing various homework and trying to begin teaching.  Stephanie sent her PowerPoint for you all; things to think about when writing.

Overview of the Entire Year

•       September

•       Draft of Contextual Info Sheet—a description of your school teaching situation that will be submitted with each Component

•       Began reading the Standards for your Certification Area found on the boardcertifiedteachers.org website

•       Began to craft a chunk of instruction to be featured in your Component 2, which showcases your ability to use the architecture of accomplished teaching

•       October

•       Continued to design a chunk/block/unit/segment of instruction to meet the Component 2 guidelines

•       Some people began to teach this unit of instruction and collect student work as evidence

•       Began thinking about and researching what it means to differentiate instruction for content, process, and product—made choices about differentiating instruction for Component 2

•       November

•       You are probably teaching your Component 2 with the purpose of gathering data for the National Board.  This may not be the one you use, but could be your trial run. 

•       Eric and Libby will be going over the guidelines for video recording your class and talking about some of the equipment available to you.

•       You will still be teaching your Component 2 or maybe starting a different one based on what you learned with your first attempt.

•       You may be trying to prepare a skeletal outline of what you think your Component 3 will be.

•       Pondering, researching, and getting your mind wrapped around everything are also important activities.

•       December

•       You may be in any stage of your Component 2 work:  designing another unit of instruction to try out; analyzing student work from a previous attempt at Component 2; trying to answer questions from your Component 2 teaching.

•       You may be designing or teaching your Component 3 lessons or practicing video recording discussions with your students. 

•       Melissa Lampinen will be coming to the meeting to practice analyzing a video of hers.  If you have a video recording (no matter how imperfect at this point) and want to bring it in, please do so.

•       January

•       You are beginning to produce a rough draft of Component 2.

•       You are reading each other’s work

•       You are redesigning and re-doing components two and three as needed. 

•       You are starting to analyze and write about your Component 3 videos.

•       February through April

•       You are revising your writing, doing last minute teaching if needed to re-do a component

•       You are polishing up Components 2 and 3; giving and receiving feedback from your cohort group and mentors

•       You upload and submit your portfolios between April 1^st and May 18^th

•       May 18th

•       You are done!  Now you just make decisions about which components you want to do next year.

Chat Groups

Some of the members of my cohort ten years ago really found a lot of food for thought in online chat groups.

Here are some sites you can visit to see what teachers around the country are thinking as they work on their National Board candidacy.  Sometimes you just want to get your mind wrapped around things, and maybe these will help.  :-)  Remember, it's all about you and your teaching--so do what works for you.


NBPTS Chat Group

ProTeacher discussions

Several links available on this blogpost

Syllabus

Accomplished Teaching and National Board Certification

Joetta Schneider, NBCT 2006

304-326-7262

jschneid@k12.wv.us

Course Description:  This course is designed for teachers pursuing National Board Certification, and is presented in a blended delivery format.  There is no textbook available at this time due to the revision in the National Board process; however, teachers will complete weekly journal article readings and practice the three types of writing for national board:  descriptive, analytical, and reflective—to be submitted electronically as homework.  Also, there will be two-hour meetings each month in which teachers will receive direct instruction in writing and video analysis, contribute to group discussions, and provide feedback to other members of the class.

Location:       ALC (Old Gore Middle School)      Time:              3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.

                        1349 Shinnston Pike

                        Clarksburg, WV 26301

                       

Dates:  September 1, 2015; September 29, 2015; October 13, 2015; November 17, 2015; December 15, 2015; and January 26, 2016.

Course Credit Hours:  45 contact hours = 3 credit hours

·        1 contact hour for NBCT overview meeting

·      12 contact hours in monthly meetings

·      16 hours of independent reading and homework (1 or more hours per week)

·      16 hours of classroom application

Prerequisite:  Proof of National Board Certification overview meeting

September 2015—Establishing Your National Board Candidacy

·      Meeting--September 1st at the ALC 3:30-5:30 p.m.  Bring your laptop or iPad.  Topics:  Introduction to your cohort members; Introduction to the verification forms; long-range planning calendars; getting started

·      Classroom Application—Have verification forms completed and student release forms signed by September 29^th; pay your $75 application fee by October 13^th.

·      Homework See below. Writing assignments are considered late after 8 a.m. of the day indicated, unless otherwise noted.

Week	Read	Write	Submit to jschneid@k12.wv.us
#1 9/7	Student Release Forms	Complete forms and submit for signatures	Bring them with you to the September 29th meeting
#2 9/14	Component 2 Overview:  Contextual Information	Your contextual information	By 9/21 Returned at the next meeting with feedback
#3 9/21	First read of your national standards	Highlight, circle buzzwords, add examples	By 9/29

October 2015—Architectural Design of Accomplished Teaching

·      Meeting September 29^th at the ALC 3:30-5:30 p.m.  Bring in the long-range planning calendar you worked on at the September 1^st meeting.  Topics:  Instruction in the Architecture of Accomplished Teaching; Practice—analyzing a unit design against the architecture; Discussion—Differentiated Instruction.

·      Meeting October 13^th at the ALC in 3:30-5:30 p.m.  Topics: Writing for National Board; small group analysis of student work; peer feedback on unit plans.

·      Classroom Application— Design a unit of instruction using the architecture of accomplished teaching that you will use and complete in your class before November 17^th.  This unit of instruction will follow your Component 2:  Differentiation in Instruction guidelines.

·      Homework – See below.  Writing assignments are considered late after 8 a.m. of the day indicated, unless otherwise noted.

Week	Read	Write	Submit to jschneid@k12.wv.us
#4 9/28	http://weac.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/http://weac.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Architecture-for-Accomplished-Teaching.pdf Architecture-for-Accomplished-Teaching.pdf	A description of your students using the four questions from the reading	10/5
#5 10/5	http://www.edutopia.org/article/differentiated-instruction-resources differentiated-instruction-ways-to-plan-john-mccarthy	Describe examples of your differentiation of content, process, and product in your unit plan	10/12
#6 10/12	Component 2 Guidelines	Unit plan with differentiated instruction	First Draft of unit plan by 10/19 Returned to you at the next meeting with feedback
#7 10/19	Component 2 Guidelines	Final Unit Plan	By 10/26

November 2015—Use of Descriptive, Analytical, and Reflective Writing

·      Meeting November 17th at the ALC 3:30-5:30 p.m. Topics:  Videotaping your instruction; planning component 3; small group discussion

·      Classroom Application— Record 10 minutes of a classroom discussion to bring in for the December meeting—use the guidelines in your Component 3 reading.

·      Homework – See below.  Writing assignments are considered late after 8 a.m. of the day indicated, unless otherwise noted.

Week	Read	Write	Submit to jschneid@k12.wv.us
#8 10/26	Watch:  Strategies for Student-Centered Discussion https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/strategies-for-student-centered-discussion	Use the writing prompts provided at the 10-13 meeting to describe, analyze, and reflect on the video	11/2
#9 11/2	Search the websites provided for group discussion ideas for your content area the blog post for this is called "Chat Rooms"	A synopsis detailing what you learned and will try to implement in your Component 3 planning	11/9
#10 11/9	Component 3 Guidelines	Component 3 lesson plans (first draft)	11/16
#11 11/16	Component 3 Guidelines	Revised component 3 lesson plans	11/23
	Holiday—No Homework

December 2015—Teaching Practice and Learning Environment

·      Meeting December 15th at the ALC 3:30-5:30 p.m.  Bring in a 10-minute video of your group discussion and any special cords or equipment needed to play it. Topics:  Video analysis; peer feedback and small group discussion.

·      Classroom Application— Continue your work on Components 2 and 3

·      Homework – See below.  Writing assignments are considered late after 8 a.m. of the day indicated, unless otherwise noted.

Week of	Read	Write	Submit to jschneid@k12.wv.us
#12 11/30	Second read of your national standards	Begin writing component 2 without considering page limits	No submission this week
#13 12/7	Component 2 Guidelines	A journal entry describing where you are in your process	12/14
12/14	No homework this week
12/21	Holiday—No Homework

January 2016—Writing Concisely

·      Meeting January 26th at the ALC 3:30-5:30 p.m.  Bring 3 copies of your Component 2 draft as it stands at this time.  Topics:  Mentor and Peer review and feedback

·      Classroom Application— Continue teaching for Components 2 and 3; analysis of student work and video recording

·      Homework – See below.  Writing assignments are considered late after 8 a.m. of the day indicated, unless otherwise noted.

Week of	Read	Write	Submit to jschneid@k12.wv.us
#14 1/4	Have a friend who is not in our cohort program read your component 2 first drafts.	Revise your writing according to the feedback you have received.	No submission this week
#15 1/11	Component 2 Guidelines for page limits	Begin paring down your writing to fit page limits	No submission this week
#16 1/18	Component 2 Guidelines	Final Draft of Component 2 paper	1/25