A Badge of Honor
After signing on at 5 AM on the National Board Score release day in November 2013 and seeing the words, “Congratulations! You are a National Board Certified Teacher!” I remember feeling the excitement, a sense of relief, and nervous for my friends who went through the process with me who would also be signing on…
From 3 to 43
In 2006 I arrived at Tahoma High School after 19 years teaching in a neighboring district. I certified in 2003 (AYA Math) and tried to start a facilitation program in that district. I moved before that program took roots but when I arrived in my currrent district I asked my principal, Terry Duty, about starting…
Are you a “Yes” or a “No” teacher?
How many times do you think you say “no” every day? Whether it’s telling a student not to mix two chemicals together in a science lab or telling a class they can’t eat their lunch on the walk to the cafeteria, the word “no” is definitely a part of a teacher’s vernacular. When you video…
To Renew or Not Renew: A Principal’s Dilemma
The letter sat on the corner of my desk for nearly six weeks. I knew what it said before I opened it. My certification fell within two years of expiring and so it must be NBPTS notifying me that I could begin the renewal process. There it sat within my peripheral vision whenever I stared…
Push Past the Boundaries
I initially became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2009, and the process completely rocked my social studies world. For so long, I had understood assessment as more or less a regurgitation of facts or the ability to write an essay where everything was correct. During my initial process, I was required to dig deep…
View Master or Master View
As an educator, it is important to ensure that student learning extends beyond the regular classroom curriculum and standards. Students need to have opportunities for real world practice and application of skills that prepare them for life. They need to develop a strong sense of self, an ability to see different views, and a respect…
A Student’s Perspective on Excellent Teaching
We have all had teachers and moments in the classroom that have altered and shaped our education and, ultimately, our lives. I have been in the public education system for 12 years, beginning with public preschool, and have had many teachers. Some of my teachers I will never forget because they have had a lasting…
Teacher Leadership is About Relentless Improvement
“Be the change you want to see in the world.” Too often we distill solutions to challenges into catchy slogans like this misattribution and expect miracles from teachers working in isolation. This is wrong. Gandhi actually said, “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his…
Rolling into a Classroom Near You: The NYSTEAMBus
One of the biggest joys of teaching comes from the conversation that you have with a former student who comes back to find you, letting you know that your work helped to ignite their love of something. Sometimes that love comes in the form of a book, sometimes it’s a problem they had to solve.…
At Least They Didn’t Fire Me: Reflections on Work and Learning
My earliest experiences in the workplace occurred back in high school, and each setting provided some memorable failures. As a volunteer in our local hospital, I made mistakes like goofing off in a wheelchair trying to improve my speed going up and down an isolated basement corridor. A more unsettling mistake was my clumsy and…
