December Webinars - Please Share

CERRA is pleased to announce the next round of webinars.  Please share this information.

National Board Renewal Workshop - This session is designed for NBCTs completing their 7th or 8th year of certification. During our time together, we will discuss the renewal process including timelines for registration and entry submission and the current legislation governing renewal.

Wednesday, December 11th, 2013

4:00-5:15 PM

National Board Awareness - Are you interested in learning more about the National Board process? If so, this session is for you. During our time together we will discuss the requirements of the process, the current legislation governing National Board supplements, the financial assistance available, and answer any questions you may have. 

Friday, December 13th, 2013	4:00-5:30 PM
Monday, December 16th, 2013	4:00-5:30 PM

Writing for National Board - As a National Board candidate you will be expected to provide clear, consistent, and convincing evidence demonstrating that you are an accomplished teacher.  This workshop will help you learn to unpack the National Board prompts and differentiate between the types of writing required for the various parts of your entries.  We will review descriptive, analytical, and reflective writing and relate these to the instructional context, planning for instruction, analyzing instruction, and reflecting components of your entries.

Tuesday, December 17th, 2013

4:00-5:30 PM

 

Videotaping for National Board - Entries two and three require all NB candidates to submit a video of their instruction.  This session will focus on the specific requirements for National Board videos, review hints and suggestions, highlight strategies for planning for the lesson, and discuss the analysis of the video.  Please have your general and certificate specific portfolio instructions available. 

Thursday, December 19th, 2013

4:00-5:30 PM

Opportunity for NBCTs - message from NBPTS

This message came from NBPTS and is for NBCTs.

Dear fellow National Board Certified Teacher: By now you have likely heard the exciting news that for the first time since 2001, the National Board is revising our certification process. These revisions are necessary in order to:  Incorporate the latest research. Just as we ask teachers to be reflective in their practice, we are reflecting to ensure Board certification mirrors the evolving nature of our profession and current research on best practices in teaching. Remove barriers. Working in concert with NBCTs and other experts in the profession, we will remove unnecessary barriers in the process that have nothing to do with whether a teacher is accomplished.  We are still finalizing the design, but expect the revised process for National Board Certification will be comprised of four components: Assessment Center Student Work Portfolio Video Portfolio Impact and Accomplishments Portfolio  Additional details regarding the revision, including a video, PowerPoint and other resources, are available on our Certification Revision page. This is important work and we need the expertise of NBCTs every step of the way.  If you are interested in participating in the test development process as an item writer or reviewer, we want to hear from you. Please use this link to provide us with information so that you can be considered for this opportunity and receive more specific information about this part-time work including the timeframe and compensation. We will select the team from those who express interest. Please complete the survey no later than December 1, 2013. If item writing does not interest you, we will be offering other opportunities to support this effort by volunteering to field test the revised components. Information will be available soon on our website (www.nbpts.org). On behalf of everyone at the National Board, thank you for your support and for your commitment to our profession and the students you serve. Best, Andy Coons, NBCT Chief Operating Officer

Time Management

This blog post comes from CERRA Program Facilitator, Virginia Bartels.  Virginia is a renewed NBCT who serves as a statewide candidate support specialist.  

In working with National Board candidates across the state, I often hear how concerned they are about time management.  Teachers’ lives are so busy, and finding two to three hundred hours of time to meet the portfolio deadline of May 16, 2014, can seem overwhelming.

Here are ten tips that might be helpful:

• Take time to study and process the portfolio instructions for your certification area.  Don’t try to start making decisions and selections until you are thoroughly familiar with the directions.This time invested up front will prevent your having to re-do sections of the portfolio.
•  Mark NB deadlines on your calendar:  December 31 for application; January 31 for eligibility prerequisite forms; May 16 for portfolio submission; June 15—assessment center.  Customize a timeline to fit your schedule.  Try to meet deadlines at least two weeks beforehand.  Then if you have something that interferes with your schedule (ex. illness, technological difficulties, etc.), you have some time to spare.
•  Use your calendar to designate chunks of time for NB work throughout the upcoming months: certain weekday mornings or afternoons to consult with NBCTs or fellow NB candidates; CERRA webinars and/or workshops; school holidays; weekend time.
• Decide which is better for you:  working on one entry almost through completion before beginning the next, or working on all four portfolio entries simultaneously.  Neither method is proven to be better than the other; the choice is up to you.
• Set mini goals.  The analogy I like to use is this:  A giant tree is not chopped down with one swing of the ax; the big task is completed with many swings of the ax.  NB is a giant goal; “chop away” at this monumental task by completing one little detail after the other.
•  Make to-do lists to serve as reminders and goals.  Checking items off as they are completed helps you keep on task and gives you a sense of accomplishment.
•  Create folders (electronic and hard copies) and keep duplicate files on data storage devices.  Organize your work into easily accessible files.  Save your work often. 
• Reduce other time-absorbing duties.  Explain to your colleagues and administrators that during this intense process, you might need to say “no” to additional tasks until your NB work is submitted.  Delegate household chores to other family members.  Be less of a perfectionist about some tasks, such as cooking and cleaning.
• Ask for help.  Sometimes hours can be spent as you try to solve a problem, find a resource, learn new technology, interpret NB instructions.  Ask others for their insight and assistance.
• Try to take good care of yourself by eating healthily, getting adequate sleep, and reducing your stress.   If you feel good, you will be more productive.

National Board Deadlines

I just checked the NBPTS website and found an updated deadline chart.  Please notice that the date for e-portfolio submission is April 1 - May 16, 2014.  This is different from last year and different from what was included on the chart earlier this year.  You can find the chart at http://www.nbpts.org/sites/default/files/documents/Candidate-Center/Deadline_Chart_2013_NEW_JAN31.pdf.

Please share this information!!

How can I help my students develop the skills they need to participate in a discussion?

I know that many of the NB certificates require the students to engage in a discussion.  This was a challenge in my classroom because the students did not know how to carry on a conversation.  I had to back up and teach the aspects of a discussion before I could include discussions in my lessons.  

Recently Dr. Allen Mendler posted a blog on Edutopia entitled "Teaching Your Students How to Have a Conversation".  I thought I would share the link in case some of you are struggling with discussions in your classroom.  

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-your-students-conversation-allen-mendler

Opportunity to Help Pre-Service Teachers

We received the information below from Barb Trainor, Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Exploration Summer Programs.  I thought I would share in case anyone is interested in some extra work.  This activity could be included in Entry 4:  Documented Accomplishments since this is a leadership role within the learning community (other professionals).

Pre-season Curriculum Advisors Needed

Overview

Exploration Summer Programs is seeking creative and experienced educators to serve as

Pre-Season Curriculum Advisors (PCAs) during the winter and spring for our summer

enrichment courses. Over the course of a six-week development cycle, PCAs communicate

with course instructors via phone and email to help them transform their ideas into creative

lesson plans for a three-week enrichment course that will be taught during the summer.

Each summer, Exploration offers more than 150 unique courses and more than 90 unique

workshops in a wide array of academic disciplines. (See our website, www.explo.org, for a

sample of the kinds of courses we offer.) These enrichment courses are hands-on, not-forcredit,

and ungraded. They are taught by summer instructors who are passionate about the

fields in which they are teaching, but who are primarily undergraduate and graduate

students with little or no teaching experience. The primary responsibility of the PCA is to

mentor these young teachers in the development of student-centered, activity-based

curriculum that will encourage our summer students to challenge themselves, discover the

world of people and ideas, and experience the joy of learning.

Position Details

A brief online training for PCAs takes place in early winter. Curriculum advising takes place

between January and May 15. Most PCAs advise between one and six courses. PCAs

coordinate an advising schedule with instructors, such that the advising process for a single

course or workshop is completed in a six-week period (of your choosing). A full course takes

about 15 hours to advise; a workshop takes takes approximately 7 hours to advise

depending on the course and teacher.

Monetary Compensation + Graduate Credit

PCAs may elect to receive either monetary compensation or graduate credit (or a mixture of

the two) for their work as PCAs. PCAs are compensated $200 per full-course and $100 per

workshop advised to completion. Exploration is a Professional Development Provider and,

as such, can award recertification points for this work.

Application Process

Please apply online at http://www.explo.org/faculty/curriculum_advisors. For questions,

please contact Barb Trainor, Director of Curriculum and Instruction at btrainor@explo.org.

About Exploration

Exploration Summer Programs is an international leader in summer academic enrichment.

Each year, Exploration runs programs for more than 3000 boarding and day students who

hail from more than 40 states and countries. The Program was founded in 1977. Explo at

Wheaton enrolls rising 4th through 7th graders at Wheaton College in Norton, MA. Explo at

Wellesley enrolls rising 8th and 9th graders at Wellesley College. Explo at Yale enrolls rising

10th through 12th graders at Yale University. Students attend either one or two three-week

sessions and enroll in academic enrichment courses (and one or two workshops) per

session. Thirty-one people work 10.5 months a year in Exploration’s

main office located in Norwood, MA. During the summer, the staff/faculty increases to more

than 350 and operations move to the summer sites.

Additional Summer Curriculum Opportunities

In addition to hiring PCAs, Exploration also hires several Curriculum Advisors (CAs) who live

and work on the campuses of our Programs during the summer. Summer CAs help coach

new teachers in the development of their teaching skills through formal and informal

observations, oral and written feedback, goal-setting, reflection, and one-on-one problemsolving

sessions. Additional information and the online application is available at

http://www.explo.org/faculty/curriculum_advisors.

Exploration Summer Programs as part of Exploration School , Inc. does not discriminate on

the basis of physical handicap, sex, race, creed, color, sexual orientation, or national or

ethnic origin.

Registration is now open for the NBPTS Teaching and Learning Conference

National Board is holding its first ever Teaching and Learning Conference in Washington D.C. on March 14-15th.  The press release below provides an overview of the conference.  You can get more information and register at http://www.teachinglearning2014.org/conference/about-us/.  National Board is offering some pre-conference opportunities on Thursday, March 13th.  These sessions will be held at the local museums (Holocaust museum, Library of Congress, and the National Geographic Society).  Educators and other stakeholders may choose to attend one or two days of the conference.  Early bird discounts expire on November 15th.  NBCTS may register for the reduced rate through March 15th as long as they have their candidate ID number available.

National Board Announces Inaugural Teaching & Learning Conference to Secure the Future of Pre K-12 Education

For Immediate Release
Oct. 10, 2013

National Board Announces Inaugural Teaching & Learning Conference to Secure the Future of Pre K-12 Education
Registration now open for groundbreaking conference that will bring all major players in PreK-12 education together in Washington, D.C., on March 14-15, 2014.

WASHINGTON – The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards invites all educators, advocates and policymakers to register for its inaugural Teaching & Learning Conference to be held on Friday, March 14, and Saturday, March 15, 2014, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Teaching & Learning 2014 (T&L 2014) is a new, flagship event of the National Board in support of its mission to advance student learning, professionalize teaching and elevate the priorities of educators nationwide. Through groundbreaking keynote speakers, inspiring panels and practical workshops, T&L 2014 will provide attendees with unique opportunities to share their stories, gain new tools, learn from the nation’s top innovators and get inspired to achieve greatness in their classrooms and communities.

“T&L 2014 will be bold in its statements and broad in its experience,” said Ron Thorpe, president of the National Board. “With the guidance and support of our partners, community allies, educators and sponsors, the nation’s capital will be our classroom and laboratory. No matter what kind of a school they teach in, educators should expect the unexpected as they gain unique opportunities to advance their profession and shape education for years to come.”

From Common Core State Standards to technology to advancing issues of equity in the classroom, T&L 2014 will tackle some of the toughest challenges facing educators today and showcase solutions that work. One-of-a-kind keynote, plenary and workshop speakers will come from various disciplines to reimagine the most effective and innovative approaches to education in the 21st century.

“We’re very pleased to sign on as a leading sponsor for T&L 2014 to ensure this unparalleled tradition lives on and rises to new heights,” said Dennis Van Roekel, president of the National Education Association. “This exciting initiative of the National Board’s will undoubtedly serve to elevate the discussions surrounding education and inspire our members and the teaching profession to think in bold, new ways to help their students succeed.”

On the afternoon of Thursday, March 13, a dynamic pre-conference event will kick off T&L 2014 festivities. Educators will be offered exclusive opportunities to connect the capital to their classroom by visiting with elected representatives and attending unique, off-site workshops at some of the city’s most notable landmarks and museums.

T&L 2014 is the successor to the Celebration of Teaching & Learning, a conference created by WNET- New York that set a high standard for bringing the profession together. Now situated in the heart of Washington, D.C., and presented by the National Board, T&L 2014 will amplify the experience found in this unique setting by engaging with the profession’s and nation’s best thinkers to inspire innovation among educators and activate the nation’s most influential policymakers.

"The Celebration of Teaching and Learning was the most important regional learning event in the country,” said Ken Kay, founding president of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. “Now Teaching & Learning 2014 will put the concept on a well-deserved national stage. School and district leaders have much to gain in joining with teachers as they explore the best new ideas for teaching, learning and leading education in the 21st century."

In a time of fierce debates and partisan divides in education, cross-cutting collaboration and partnership will be the driving component that sets T&L 2014 apart. Several major membership associations and state and district officials have joined community and corporate partners to help develop content strands and strategic thinking that will inform T&L 2014 and shape education for years to come.

“All children deserve a great public education that enables them to not only dream their dreams but achieve them. And every teacher needs the tools, resources and time to create deep, enriching learning experiences in the classroom,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “Teaching & Learning 2014 will bring together educators, policymakers, parents and advocates to strengthen the teaching profession, strengthen our schools, help teachers make the Common Core work in their classrooms and reclaim the promise of public education for all children.”

To learn more, stay up-to-date on the latest announcements or register for the event, please visit www.TeachingLearning2014.org, follow T&L 2014 on Twitter (@TeachLearnConf) or like it on Facebook.

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About the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
The mission of the National Board is to advance student learning and achievement by establishing the definitive standards and systems for certifying accomplished educators, providing programs and advocating policies that support excellence in teaching and leading, and engaging National Board certified teachers and leaders in that process. For more information, visit www.nbpts.org.

About Teaching & Learning
Teaching & Learning is a flagship event of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in support of its mission to advance student learning, professionalize teaching and elevate the priorities of educators nationwide. Through one-of-a-kind keynote speakers, inspiring panels and practical workshops, Teaching & Learning is where the profession meets to secure the future of PreK-12 education.