Staggering numbers
The NBPTS released the results of National Board Certified Teachers Wednesday. Teachers and counselors who went through the rigorous program last year got word last month but this week's announcement gives us a chance to see state and national results.
Our state's numbers are staggering. Of the 8,900 newly certified teachers and counselors in the nation, 1248 are from Washington. Do the math. More than 14 percent of the newly certified teachers and counselors are Washingtonians. As one of 50 states, we ought to have some 178 but we have 1248 this year and a total of some 4,000 of the 82,000 certified nationwide.
Numbers and statistics give one view. Watching our WEA members embark on this extremely rigorous journey each year is both rewarding and excruciating. It is rewarding because the individuals who go through the process talk about how it changes the way they teach. Whether they have taught for seven years or 17 or 27, they talk about how going through this process encourages them -- no, forces them to reflect upon every detail of the way they teach. They find the program demanding, time consuming and invigorating. It is excruciating, too, because many NBTC candidates feel exhausted and guilty about the toll the year-long program takes on their students as well as their families. They worry that their current students are suffering as they painstakingly video tape lessons, spend countless hours writing, reviewing and reflecting as well as hours meeting with others in their cohort. But they do make it through. A huge number find support in WEA's Jump Start and Home Stretch programs. Many depend on one another as they make their way through their requirements.
And many are not certified the first time through. Some take two or three years. Regardless of the outcome, those who go through the program say it makes them think and act differently in their schools and classrooms. As someone who has worked around public school educators for more than 20 years, I am in awe of those who take on this challenge and I am I am impressed with our numbers. The students in our public schools are lucky they have so many dedicated adults working with them.
TrackBack URI for this entry
I am a fourth year teacher in special education and am one of the fortunate ones who recently learned I met the NBPT standards and am now an NBCT. Although this news fills me with pride, renewed energy, and new goals for the future, it also brings new feelings of doubt and uncertainty. My colleagues and supervisors have raised the bar even higher for me now. They are looking for me to take on more leadership roles, take the initiative on department and building projects, and turn out more 'miracle' students than in the past. Their higher expectations, and mine too, are demanding, time-consuming, and rigorous - similar to the NBPTS process. Only now, I don't have the same level of encouragement and support as before. Many in my support network feel that NBCT status signifies the completion of a process, not the beginning of one. They expect things to go back to the way they were before I started this journey and they are less understanding of my continued time and energy constraints because after all, I've done it - I'm now an NBCT! What they don't understand is that this certification process has changed me - for the long term. I am going to continue to review and reflect on my teaching practices and the impact it has on my student learning. I will continue to build my relationships with parents and work collaboratively with my peers. But this requires time and energy too - and I still need their support if I am to successfully continue my journey.
Therefore, I would like to ask the WEA to consider putting on once more event, in addition to Jump Start and Home Stretch, that offers support to NBCTs after they have earned certification. For me, I think it might help calm some of my fears and launch me into my new role with ideas, energy, and the sense that this too is achievable.
| No events |