Mitchell 20

Spring break is here and almost gone.  I have had some fun family time, but I have also been working on my Take One entry as a beginning step into my National Board candidacy.  The past four months I have been reading, researching, recording lessons, reflecting, recording more lessons, re-reading and now I am writing.  This has been the hardest step, as it is the part my own teaching cycle that is not in my routine.   I know the feeling I get when a lesson has surpassed my own idea of effectiveness by my student's achievement surpassing my expectations. I find it difficult to justify the quality of my teaching in twelve pages of writing and a 14 minute video snapshot of a lesson.  I know there is a rubric with numbers that they use when reviewing my portfolio entry (they give you a numerical score for your results).  I want that rubric so badly!  What candidates are given is a list of subjective items that must be seen consistently throughout the entry.  Whaaatttt?  I do so much better with cut and dry rubrics, but I suppose that is why only half of who submit entries actually pass.  It is in the magic of understanding and exhibiting high quality teaching throughout each and everyday. 

Luckily the window has extended into late May to submit the entry because the organization has just recently changed from paper to electronic submissions.  Late last night I was inspired to rent the documentry Mitchell 20.  Yikes! Now I am even more stressed out than before.  It has pushed me to move forward no matter how long it takes.

The next 8 weeks (and next school year) will be tough, stressful, and beyond fulfilling.  I love teaching and at this point in my life couldn't imagine another career.  National Board Certification has already empowered me to move forward in my own development.  I feel like it is a movement that empowers teachers to be the professionals who understand high quality instruction, not an evaluator with a clip board who has been out of the classroom for years.  A teachers holds the experience of implementing today's high expectations, rigerous goals, and they are the ones who understand the feeling of success and meeting milestones with each and everyone of their students and families.