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…
I Think We Won: Revising What Teachers Should Know and Be Able to Do
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…
Fire up the Reflective Practitioners
My own fiery reflective journey began in earnest over a decade of three attempts at certification in the National Board Certification process. I speak from experience when I suggest that for some, the “reflective practitioner” (Danielson, 2013) is not as much born; as is instead, forged in the twin fires of doubt and failure. Questions…
Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students
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…
Teacher-led professional development leads to innovation
My professional journey actually started when I was born. My mom was a middle school math teacher for more than 30 years. She is a National Board certified teacher and one of the first Presidential Award of Excellence for Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST) winners. Many vacations were taken around math conferences and professional…
The Power of a National Board Crew
I knew National Board certification made sense. I knew it would be a gift to myself, some way to address my own needs as a teacher and reignite the passion for reaching every student. I just couldn’t do it alone: I needed a crew. In a tiny rural district, finding a crew for any purpose…
