National Board Certification: Why Every Teaching Professional Is After It?

The profession of teaching is based on the zeal for a continuous learning. When it comes to professional development opportunities in the field of teaching, there is a mixed bag. Out of these, the most rewarding, and progressive is, applying for the National board teacher certification (NBTC). 

The performance centric post-standardization era has sky-rocketed the overall expectations from teachers all over. But ironically there are not enough trustworthy barometers that exist for an evaluation of a teacher’s performance. National Board Certification belongs to few of those barometers as it provides a solid framework for evaluating teachers. As good things never come easy, NBTC is acquired by the teachers through a rigorous process that includes expert evaluation, self-assessment, and peer reviews.

The process takes into consideration the five characteristics of accomplished teachers listed by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). The validation of NBC expires after ten years. Teachers interested in renewal must begin the process during the eighth or ninth year of teaching. 

The process and benefits behind National Board Certification 

Fifteen years back, the process was rather tedious and involved a six portfolio entries, a reading list, and a long-winded test. Since then, the process has been reshaping itself and has finally come down to ten assessments the are scrutinized under the aegis of trained teachers, four portfolio entries, and six constructed response exercises that assess content knowledge.

Applicants need to choose a subject and development area in order to receive the portfolio requirements for the particular certificate. For example, the English Language Arts (ELA) certificate requires four portfolio entries that includes analyzing the quality of students’ writing skills, instructional analysis of Whole-Class and Small Groups that requires a submission of a 15 minute video from the applicant, and documented accomplishments which demonstrates the applicant's partnerships with students' families and community, and with other professionals.

Taking about the benefits of certification, there are many. First and foremost, it enriches the practice of teaching, diverts students towards the course of success, and serves as a definite proof of leadership skills. Also, as many states consider National Board Certification as an equivalent of state licensure, it facilitates a hassle free shifting of teachers from state to state. Teachers become eligible for receiving continuous credits for pursuing higher education. Some schools also provide fee reimbursement and an additional $3,000 for NBC status.

High School Educational Programs and Holiday Recommendations

The growth rate of students graduating from U.S. high school programs have been uniform from last four years. The U.S. department of Education has validated the fact in their yearly released preliminary educational data. According to that report, the overall high school graduation rate marked a high of 81 percent. So that means a splurging increase in college admissions! For many of our hard working high schoolers, this winter brake was an anxious stretch as they were more apprehensive about their college admissions. High school educational programs run a fully devised programs for their students so that they can easily deal with the bout of college anxiety. As many of the high school goers have already applied (and some of them already received their early conformation letters) to various universities and affiliated colleges across America, colleges are busy filling up their freshman seats with ecstatic students.

This admission process has made up most of the holiday time for the students with some of them eager and geared up for the beginning of the college year with their selected educational institute while others dealing with the rejection stress, hopes of enrollment into deferred colleges and looking for other best options.

To counsel the high school seniors to deal with their share of acceptance, rejection and deference here are few tips – 

Case 1 – Approved and Accepted

Many of the high school students apply early for college admissions and hence receive an early decision on the same. It’s more beneficial for both students and educational institute as well because it reduces the count of admission applications which the college (or university) has to review. Also, it gives an outline for general admissions to these institutions as they have their accepted student pool filled up. Most colleges receive an early admission application by 15^th October (or may be 1^st November) and the decision is out by December 15th.

It’s a great feat if your college application have been accepted but that doesn’t give you any reason to sit ideal. Here is why –

Students need to take care of their high school grades as they will not like to fall behind the expected grade scale of their college acceptance. Secondly, they must pull out other college applications in order to vacate spaces for other qualified applicants. 

Case 2 - Rejection

It’s all part of the process. Students should not waste their time patting over their regrets. The next wise thing they can do is to have an action plan i.e. get other best colleges on their list. With grades of first school semester, SAT and ACT landing up soon, it is time to sit and discuss with admission and school counselors, seniors and parents for an insight. Ponder over other diversified college option matching your interests and scores.

Case 3 – Deference

Nothing big to lose your heart on, in other words, you still have reasons to be hopeful but do not bet all your admission hopes on this. Remember there are hundreds or may be thousands of other students in the deferred list so it’s better you look over other options as well. To concrete your admission application to that deferred college, you can update your educational stats like fall grades, new achievements, and additional recommendations.

A Progressing Trend of Online Degree Programs

The trend of enrolling in an online degree program in United States of America has escalated in past few years. Some time back, in 2010, the online enrollment graph clinched a rocket-high figure of 6.1 million (students) according to a study and if we go with the facts and figures presented in the report by Babson Research group, they predicted that this trend will escalate in coming years.

The credit should be given to the depressing economy and cut – throat competition in the job market that derived the surpassing admissions in online degree programs in 2007-11. Also, many eminent private and public educational institutions proffered their online degree programs which won over many enrollments. Observing this escalating trend, universities and colleges across the states of America incorporated these new-age education programs into their long term strategy plan. Hence, within few years more than 2600 institutions comprised online degree plans as a part of whole educational policy.

The online course programs which are catching up the trend wheel, as reported by U.S. News were related to business, engineering, nursing, education and computer information technology. These ratings were given on the basis of the availability of the course content of a university or college on the World Wide Web. The above mentioned bachelor courses had up to 80% of their content online. Around 200 bachelor degree programs were ranked in this report and were divided into three different categories – the evaluation of student’s engagement (or assessment), student services and technology, and faculty credentials and training. Whereas around 550 master’s degree programs were ranked on the same list. The criteria was similar except for student assessment was replaced by student engagement and accreditation.

The Pace University in New York and the University of Florida ranked among the top choices for an online bachelor’s degree program, whereas Auburn University (Alabama) and George Washington University (Washington D.C.) topped the choice for master’s program which mainly includes degree in education, business and nursing.