The Top of Your Game
By Sandra Feldman

Are you at the top of your teaching game? Have you achieved the seemingly effortless manner of teaching that results from years of hard work and fine-tuning? Do you know the subjects you teach inside and out and, just as importantly, how to teach them to students? If so, you may possess the knowledge and skill to become a National Board Certified Teacher.

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) was created in 1987 in order to establish high standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. It currently offers certification in 24 areas, ranging from early childhood art instruction to science instruction for adolescents and young adults.
The certification process consists of developing a professional portfolio (which includes lesson plans, examples of student work and videotaped lessons) and demonstrating content knowledge in the certification area. Any teacher who gets through all this has met an extraordinarily high standard of professional excellence.

A renewed interest
Teachers who have undergone the National Board Certification process attest to its positive impact on their teaching. Even many who don't pass the first time say the certification process itself made them better teachers. What's more, at a point in their careers when teachers can face burnout and boredom, pursuing National Board Certification can spark a renewed interest in their profession.

Certification carries other benefits, as well. An emerging body of research links NBC with improved student achievement. A number of school districts use the criteria for certification as an objective basis for rewarding teachers for their merit. Board Certified teachers have also seen a range of expanded professional roles open up to them.

A critical difference
Teachers' unions have been actively involved in supporting National Board Certification. The American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association helped establish the NBPTS and their presidents (including yours truly) currently sit on its board. Affiliates of both national unions have negotiated contracts that provide financial support to candidates, as well as salary supplements for Board-certified teachers. Some unions have been able to negotiate release time to help candidates complete the certification process. Today, more than 400 school districts provide incentives for National Board Certification.

National Board Certification provides a way for teachers to examine their practices against the highest standards our profession has to offer. Certification can make a critical difference in how communities view their teachers, in how teachers view themselves and in how they view their teaching practices throughout their careers. It offers teachers a way to reach a significant professional milestone without having to leave teaching for administration or a position outside the classroom.

High standards
The NBPTS sets a necessarily high standard. I firmly believe that having a cadre of Board Certified teachers in every district will not only heighten professionalism but also contribute to raising student achievement. If you have reached a professional pinnacle, I encourage you to consider National Board Certification. It could be a positive step for you, your students and your profession.

More information about certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is available online at www.nbpts.org and www.aft.org/topics/teacher-quality/nationalboard.htm

Sandra Feldman is the President of the American Federation of Teachers.

January 2004, Vol.34, No.4