The National Board Certification For Teachers: Insights Concerning the NBPTS Five Core Propositions

Note: the propositions are taken directly from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards website.

Proposition 1: Teachers are Committed to Students and Their Learning

• NBCTs are dedicated to making knowledge accessible to all students. They believe all students can learn.
• They treat students equitably. They recognize the individual differences that distinguish their students from one another and they take account for these differences in their practice.
• NBCTs understand how students develop and learn.
• They respect the cultural and family differences students bring to their classroom.
• They are concerned with their students' self-concept, their motivation and the effects of learning on peer relationships.
• NBCTs are also concerned with the development of character and civic responsibility.

Comment : I have taught graduate courses in education (as a matter of fact I have taught courses in character education) and most of my students were educators, administrators and guidance counselors. This the one area where teachers need to be more engaged.

Proposition 2: Teachers Know the Subjects They Teach and How to Teach Those Subjects to Students.

• NBCTs have mastery over the subject(s) they teach. They have a deep understanding of the history, structure and real-world applications of the subject.
• They have skill and experience in teaching it, and they are very familiar with the skills gaps and preconceptions students may bring to the subject.
• They are able to use diverse instructional strategies to teach for understanding.

Comment : In areas such as science, math and special education, there are many teachers who are teaching out of their subject area (either their degree or certification is in another area or subject). This problem will continue as long as there is a mass exodus of older and retiring teachers and not enough new and incoming educators to replace them.

Proposition 3: Teachers are Responsible for Managing and Monitoring Student Learning.

• NBCTs deliver effective instruction. They move fluently through a range of instructional techniques, keeping students motivated, engaged and focused.
• They know how to engage students to ensure a disciplined learning environment, and how to organize instruction to meet instructional goals.
• NBCTs know how to assess the progress of individual students as well as the class as a whole.
• They use multiple methods for measuring student growth and understanding, and they can clearly explain student performance to parents.

Comment : Classroom and student management is an area that many teachers struggle with. Why? It is because there are so many variables. It is dependent upon the freedom you are given as teacher by your administrator; it is dependent upon classroom size and structure; it is dependent upon cooperation from parents and guardians. The committed educator can and usually does find a way to navigate.

Proposition 4: Teachers Think Systematically about Their Practice and Learn from Experience.

• NBCTs model what it means to be an educated person they read, they question, they create and they are willing to try new things.
• They are familiar with learning theories and instructional strategies and stay abreast of current issues in American education.
• They critically examine their practice on a regular basis to deepen knowledge, expand their repertoire of skills, and incorporate new findings into their practice.

Comment : In the education graduate courses that I have taught, I spent a great deal of time on the introspective approach to teaching. In other words, what is that I can learn, assess and impart, that will make me a better educator? Upon what do my current philosophies rest? Are my methods or is my system adaptable to the various classroom and student dynamics that I will inevitably face?

Proposition 5: Teachers are Members of Learning Communities.

• NBCTs collaborate with others to improve student learning.
• They are leaders and actively know how to seek and build partnerships with community groups and businesses.
• They work with other professionals on instructional policy, curriculum development and staff development.
• They can evaluate school progress and the allocation of resources in order to meet state and local education objectives.
• They know how to work collaboratively with parents to engage them productively in the work of the school.

Comment : As educators we feel so alone at times; we feel isolated. Successful schools and school systems have learned that they have a wonderful resource within their communities in each other.

Teacher mentoring programs have been something that has said to have help new teacher retention tremendously (I was a mentor in my old school district). Even without such a program, just being able to pick the brains and minds of veteran teachers is a tremendous help for new teachers.