Photo Credit: Tom Rydquist via Compfight
On Monday I’m sending home a permission letter and form for a teacher professional development program called National Board Certification (NBC) that is offered by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). NBPTS is an organization dedicated to promoting excellence in teaching and has certified thousands of teachers around the country.
I’m always looking for ways to grow as a teacher. The NBC process is the best opportunity out there for professional growth. The process requires that I examine and reflect on my own teaching using the NBC teaching standards. I’ll make changes to my teaching based on what I see. At the end of the year, I will collect some video samples of my teaching, examples of lessons and the student learning that emerged from those lessons, and then submit these samples for rigorous review by a panel of outstanding teaching practitioners.
I’ll need your permission to submit video and work samples from our classroom. Please note that confidentiality will be preserved at all times; no last names will ever be used. Additionally, my name and the location of the school are not included with the work samples.
I don’t want to pressure you into signing the forms! If you are uncomfortable for any reason, please know that I completely respect your right, and that whether you sign or not will not affect the eduction your child receives at all!
Thank you for considering this request.
Sound like a plan to me!! Good for you to continue to take growth opportunities. Thanks for all you do!
Thanks for the encouragement, Kara! This is a pretty rigorous process, and I’m sure I’m out of my mind to even try…but going through this process has been on my “bucket list” as a teacher and, well, everything else is new this year with the move to fourth grade…so…why not?? 🙂
Taking on a challenge is always worthwhile. Thank you for your dedication to the class and for always trying to improve.
Thank you for the encouragement, Kathy! It’s an interesting process, one that puts me “out there” to be “judged” by others. On the one hand, that’s a scary position to be in. On the other hand, it’s often how we learn best!
Yes, thank you for taking this on! Please let us know what else we can do to support your venture!
Thanks, Holly! I think it should be painless from your side (and from the kids’ side.)
Interestingly, I’m thinking of this blog as part of a pattern of reflecting on what we’re doing, where we’re going, and how I can make that reflection a bit more open than the usual “newsletter.”