The results for the latest wave of rigorous testing from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards have come back and along with it are three new candidates that have achieved the distinction of National Board Certified Teachers. Our newest additions of National Board Certified Teachers include two of LPISD’s Instructional Coaches, Sheryl Alexander currently serving as a Literacy Coach and Sue Mullens currently serving as a Math Coach; and Lisa M. Waligora, an AP Social Studies teacher as well as the high school’s Distinguished Achievement Program Coordinator.
In addition to passing an exam in their respective content area, each candidate had to compile a portfolio of classroom practice consisting of four entries: one classroom-based entry with accompanying student work, two classroom-based entries that require video recordings of interactions between the teacher and students, and one documented accomplishment entry that provides evidence of the teacher’s accomplishments outside of the classroom and how that work impacts student learning.
Sheryl Alexander commented that this process made her examine her teaching practice and infuse the latest research-based approaches to teaching. This, she comments, is unlike anything that gets taught in any university program because you build from your professional experiences. It helps to align your teaching practices with national teaching standards.
Sue Mullens, a fourteen year veteran in the teaching profession, concurs with her Instructional Coach colleague. She comments that through this process, she learned more than in the fourteen years that she has taught. “At first I did not think that math would be an area that this program could work for, but the more I got into it, the more it made me think about the teaching process.”
Lisa Waligora commented that while it was a challenging process, the benefits will remain for the remainder of her career. She said, “We were told that after this process was over, we would never think of teaching in the same way. We will continually be comparing everything we do to these standards. This process changes the way you approach your classroom, students, content and all for the better.”
LPISD would like to extend a well deserved congratulatory salute to our newest National Board Certified Teachers! Other La Porte ISD National Board Certified Teachers include Dawn Beard, Andrea Beaman, Sandy Bright-Carpenter, Debra Klein, and Andrea Rivers.
For more information on the National Board program, visit http://www.nbpts.org/. |
