“This changes everything. My classroom is so much richer this year.”
- comments from a recent candidate for
National Board certification
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is a private, non-partisan,
professional organization that has been assessing and certifying teachers since 1994. Through a
rigorous assessment process, carefully aligned with a set of high standards for accomplished
teaching, teachers analyze and reflect on their teaching practice. Teachers complete a portfolio of
their work and an exam of content knowledge. The process is one that has been identified by
most participants as one of the most singularly transformative of their professional lives.
Research has now substantiated that National Board Certified Teachers are making a significant
difference in classrooms, as well. Find out more at the NBPTS website at www.nbpts.org
Do you want to learn more about National Board
certification and the difference it can make in your
teaching?
The National Board Resource Center at Stanford University offers one-day introductory
seminars that will provide prospective teachers with an overview of the certification process. At
the conclusion of the seminar teachers will have enough information to make an informed
decision about whether now is the time to pursue this process. Candidates will leave with
strategies for beginning the portfolio development and ideas for planning their candidacy year.
The seminars are led by National Board Certified Teachers
Please select from the following seminar dates. The seminars are
from
9:00 until 3:30 with breakfast and lunch provided.
April 29,2006
May 13,2006
July 22,2006
August 19,2006
How to register for an information seminarPlease go to http://nbrc.stanford.edu. Seminars are held at the
Center for Educational Research at Stanford University, Room
300. Directions and further information will be sent
electronically with a confirmation of your
registration.
For additional information about NBRC contact Sandy Dean at 650724-7349.
What support is available to me as a National Board Candidate?
The National Board Resource Center at Stanford has run a support program for teachers pursuing
National Board Certification since 1998 under the direction of Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond. The
support group provides a forum for candidates to collaborate with other National Board
candidates and National Board Certified teachers while completing their portfolios and preparing
for the assessment center exercises. In addition to general sessions for all candidates, National
Board Certified Teachers facilitate certificate area small group meetings. In these groups,
candidates share experiences, and help one another to analyze their work and reflect on it as a
way to develop and refine their instructional practices.
Candidates meet monthly on Saturday mornings at Stanford University.
Attendance at seven of the ten meetings is required. Continuing Studies Units from Stanford are
available for a fee. The program also hosts a website where support materials and other
information can be accessed at http://nbrc.stanford.edu
Want to get started before the summer?
The National Board Resource Center has recognized that there are many candidates who will be
better able to complete this process successfully with some additional working time. For this
reason, we encourage anyone who wishes to get a head start on the process to attend the
Introductory Session on March 25 if you have not previously attended a one of these sessions.
There will be two additional sessions offered in the spring and early summer of 2006 to help
these candidates get started on preparing for the assessment center and planning their portfolios.
2006-07 Support Meeting Schedule
The support program will meet on the following Saturdays in 2006-07 from 9:00AM - 12:30PM:
August 26,2006
What lies ahead for candidates?
September 9,2006
Standards Workshops
October 7,2006
Writing for the portfolio
November 4,2006
Standards workshops
December 2,2006
Understanding the scoring process
January 13,2007
The architecture of accomplished teaching
February 3,2007
Concentration on portfolio development
March 3,2007
What to expect at the assessment center
April 7,2007
Assessment center study groups
May 5,2007
Assessment center study groups
Celebrating completing the process
Meeting schedule for Early Applicants* includes the following additional dates:
April 15,2006
Standards Workshops
May 13,2006
Planning the portfolio (emphasis on Entry 4)
*Early applicants are those who are ready to apply now and begin work April 1.
If you plan to participate in the Stanford Support Program, participation in one of the
introductory seminars is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED since information and material will be
addressed in these seminars and will not be repeated in the support program meetings.