Information for New Candidates--Cohort 3

If you have friends or colleagues who are curious about the process, there will be an informational meeting on Thursday, May 25th, at the new BOE board room from 3:45-4:45.

If any school would like to offer this same presentation at their school for their faculty, please have them contact Joetta at extension 7262.

Thank you!

You Can Do It!

It's the home stretch!  All of us as mentors have been privileged to see your thoughts become more polished and refined; your reasoning and thinking about your practice becoming more laser-focused!

What a gratifying process for you!  You are growing by leaps and bounds!

Congratulations on your completion of this year's work--both in the classroom and your National Board journey.

Persevere.

Edutopia Articles

Don't forget the value of research during your process!

Using Student Data to Inform Assessment (Component 4)

Maximizing the Impact of Your Feedback to Students

Next Meeting

Our next meeting is our last Cohort Support Meeting for the year--those are May 9th and 11th.

For those who need to know, we will be showing you how to upload your entries.  There is no need to submit your work until May 17th!  It takes only a couple minutes.  You can upload your files and then hit the actual "Submit" button later.

Your work must be uploaded by May 17th.

Have You Had Your "A-Ha" Moment?

We made a big deal of this idea at the beginning of this journey--that it was a developmental process.  Just as your students will understand a concept in their own time, so will you--understand the National Board certification process.

We asked you to be patient with yourself and allow your understanding to build as you read your standards, began your tasks, analyzed your data...

You will have an "a-ha" moment.  Some people have their moment in February or March of the first year.  Some people have theirs about the time they are submitting their work.  That's why I like the 1-3 year window for completing this process.  If you haven't had your moment, then you are not halted in the middle of it--you have another year to think and plan and grow.  I've heard about a concept sort of like this in elementary education.  Maybe looping or maybe multi-age classrooms.  Or maybe it's just being learner-centered.

So, I was talking with a candidate who said, "I think I've had my a-ha moment."  I remember when I was in my cohort for my first certification.  One of my cohort members had her moment in late February.  We could tell she understood the process in a way we didn't.  We were sort of jealous.  There was nothing she could do to hurry us along.  But I'm thinking it's kind of like when the other first graders start losing their baby teeth--you'll be cutting adult teeth soon, too!  When the first leaf changes color, the rest rapidly follow.  And then, there's that Young.  Green.  Leaf.  still on the tree at the beginning of December.

Who cares?  Just enjoy your own journey.  Try to enjoy your process.  Enjoy your time to invest in your kids and your teaching.  Don't pull out your own teeth-- or your hair!
 ;-)

TED Talks for Inspiration

Check out this link to We Are Teachers.  It has links to 12 Must-See TED Talks for Teachers!

And, while we're at it, here's a great video about children with ADHD.  (If you can't see it in this window, try the link below.)

She's Not Sick, She's a Dancer

a little NBCT humor from Amy Hinkle...

How many NB candidates does it take to screw in a light bulb? Just 1 but all the others must watch so they can describe, analyze, and reflect on the process.

Compassion

I think National Board Certified teachers are concerned about the "whole child."  Here's an article about what that might mean.

In other news, now you have committed to a certain number of components and you're eyeing your upload date, May 18th or so...

Mentors are available  on March 21st at BMS and March 23rd at RCB from 3:30-4:30 for one-to-one meetings.  Or, spend your time working through ideas with a cohort member.  And call or email if you need anything.

The payment for Spring graduate classes through Concord for your component are due at the April meetings, which will be held on the 4th and the 6th.

Payment Due by January 31st

Good morning!  Many of you have double-checked with me that all payments for components are due by the 31st to the National Board.

Print your receipts from your profile on the website and bring them with you to the next meeting.  If you bring a completed Form 37, I will help you file for reimbursement-- I can take your forms to Susan Steadman the next day.  You can also take them yourself or pony them, if you wish.

You will be reimbursed after you've paid for your first two components now, and for two more when you complete the process.