Humbling and Transformative: The Path to Becoming an NBCT
I fell in love with teaching the summer I worked as a camp counselor for kids with disabilities. I was on my break between my sophomore and junior year of college. That summer, I was assigned to work with an eight-year-old boy who had an emotional disability and he stole my heart. I promptly told…
How to Help Teens Deal with the Challenges of Male and Female Gender Expectations
Through our teaching, socially conscious teachers aim to create learning environments that help students see themselves as change agents, if not in their society, at least in their own lives. Twenty-one years ago when I started teaching, I could simply say, “I teach.” But in the last few years, I’ve found that describing what I…
Literacy Innovation for Teachers in Education (LiftED) Conference In Jackson, MS on March 4
National Board hosts LiftED, bringing together 400 educators from across the state for professional learning on literacy ARLINGTON, Va. — March 2, 2017 —The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, in partnership with Mississippi State University, is hosting the first ever Literacy Innovation for Teachers in Education (LiftED) conference on March 4 in Jackson, Mississippi.…
Teachers are Members of Learning Communities
Recently re-released, What Teachers Should Know and Be Able to Do articulates that National Board’s Five Core Propositions for teaching. Similar to medicine’s Hippocratic Oath, the Five Core Propositions are held in common by teachers of all grade levels and disciplines and underscore the accomplished teacher’s commitment to advancing student learning and achievement. This blog…
Developing Your PLN, Early and Always
From the first day I stepped foot into my class in a small urban public high school, I realized one reality about teaching. Traditionally, the classroom can be one of the most isolating places to be for an educator. Although this is not my experience today, it took me a long time, many tears, and…
Meaningful Parent Engagement
Recently re-released, What Teachers Should Know and Be Able to Do articulates the National Board’s Five Core Propositions for teaching. Similar to medicine’s Hippocratic Oath, the Five Core Propositions are held in common by teachers of all grade levels and disciplines and underscore the accomplished teacher’s commitment to advancing student learning and achievement. This blog…
Stuffed Neurons and Growth Mindset
When I was growing up in Central Maine, my parents owned several businesses—some did well, some did not. The beauty salon thrived, as did the sandwich business. The tanning salon brought our family to the brink of bankruptcy, but the ceiling cleaning business, the last of my parents’ entrepreneurial adventures, was extremely successful. Over the…
See the System
Of the National Board’s Five Core Propositions, teachers being part of learning communities was long the toughest for me as an NBCT teacher-leader to connect with, largely because of my schema around what “learning community” should mean. For a dozen years, we have been a DuFour Professional Learning Community (PLC) District. We’ve carved out time…
Thinking Systematically and Learning From Experience to Impact Student Learning
Recently re-released, What Teachers Should Know and Be Able to Do articulates the National Board’s Five Core Propositions for teaching. Similar to medicine’s Hippocratic Oath, the Five Core Propositions are held in common by teachers of all grade levels and disciplines and underscore the accomplished teacher’s commitment to advancing student learning and achievement. This blog…
Networking for Success
Before the end of the year, I experienced a perfect day for a hike. It was breezy and cool. The air had that sweet smell and the sky was cloudless. I had driven for about an hour to reach my destination, and upon my arrival, stepped out of my car, took a deep breath of…
