The Moral Imperative of Voting – Civic Education Begins at Home
Recently, my young adult children informed me that there are two “taboo” topics that shouldn’t be discussed around the kitchen table or at family gatherings: politics and religion. So, if politics isn’t discussed at these events, then when are future young voters getting the opportunity to engage in purposeful conversation with their peers, their families,…
Can Executive Function Skills be a School-wide Focus?
I would be willing to contend that every teacher has had that moment when for some reason they were next to a student who opened their backpack and it was filled with handfuls of loose papers, maybe one notebook for all subjects, and sometimes an old snack at the bottom. Or you may be able…
Ace in the Hand: Principal Support for National Board Candidates
In a game of cards, drawing the right card at the right time makes all the difference. It’s primarily a game of luck, and skilled players have better chances. In schools today, having the right teachers makes all the difference. But this is not a game of chance. Skilled principals can stack the deck to…
Is it Important for Students to Want to Learn in Order to Succeed in Learning?
Throughout my teaching career, I have pursued a variety of instructional strategies to increase student learning to a deeper and lasting level for all students. Through this endeavor, I found that one especially prominent underlying cause for student failure or success was student motivation and willingness to learn. Although there are many factors that play…
National Board Certified Teachers Appointed to National Assessment Governing Board
The National Assessment Governing Board has appointed five leaders from across the United States to serve four-year terms. These appointees will help determine policy for the Nation’s Report Card. Among those appointed are two National Board Certified Teachers: Mark Miller, eighth-grade teacher, and Nardi Routten, fourth-grade teacher. "We are excited to have such a breadth of talent…
My National Board Journey: Reflections From a National Board Fellow
What motivated me In 2006, I was approached by my former principal, Mrs. Parks, to pursue National Board: until then, I had never heard of the National Board Certification process. When examining the National Board process, I looked at the standards in my desired content area, Early Childhood. The standards were age appropriate for my…
“Why are you still in the classroom?”
My first year of teaching was so traumatic that 30 years later I still shudder at the memories. Not only was I woefully unprepared for the challenges of working with middle school students, but I had no idea how to plan engaging lessons and long-term units. I remember sitting alone at my desk on a…
The One Thing Every Great Leader Has Figured Out
A newly hired assistant principal asked me, “What qualities make an effective leader?” His goal this year is to observe established leaders in the field and identify commonalities. There is no shortage of research on the topic. Hundreds of books have been written about leadership, but my advice to him was simply this: become yourself.…
Impact on Teacher Candidates’ Practice
ATLAS Study Shows Impact on Teacher Candidates’ Practice ATLAS, from the National Board, is a video case library that demonstrates effective approaches to teaching and makes accomplished practice accessible for in-service and pre-service teachers. Each case features a board certified teacher in the classroom. More than 1,300 cases include authentic unedited video, the teacher’s written…
