Board certification is ‘by teachers’ and ‘for teachers’

By Christine Bordelon
Clarion Herald

Madison “Madi” Hannan, an anatomy and physiology, animal science and biology AP teacher at Mount Carmel Academy, now has the letters NBCT behind her name. This signifies that she has achieved national board certification by the National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT) Network.

On March 8, the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) and the Louisiana NBCT branch recognized Hannan and three other first-time National Board Certified Teachers and an additional 41 teachers in Louisiana who have maintained their certification.

Gov. John Bel Edwards proclaimed the day as “Louisiana National Board Certified Teacher Day.”


“I really wanted to challenge myself and further my knowledge and expertise as an educator,” Hannan said about achieving the prestigious certification. “It required pretty extensive research and application skills, as well as a lot of self-reflection. I felt like I would be a great candidate as I achieved my master’s about three years ago, and I wanted to continue to push myself as an educator to be the best I can be in the classroom.”

A rigorous process
“This is a type of certification that is a rigorous process,” said Dr. Dolores Cormier-Zenon, president of the Louisiana NBCT Network, mentioning that only 3% of teachers nationwide are board certified. “It requires teachers to reflect and examine their teaching process.”
  
The national board for professional teaching standards has existed since 1987, said Laura Jewitt, the Louisiana NBCT Network advocacy and policy chairperson.

The certification process requires teachers to demonstrate standards-based evidence of their “commitment to students and their learning, that they know the subjects they teach and how to teach them, take responsibility for managing and monitoring student learning, think systematically using data and assessments to enhance their teaching practice and learn from experience and are members of a learning community.”

Jewitt, 35, a KIPP New Orleans school teacher, was first certified in 2017 in exceptional needs and maintained her certification in 2021. She said it required reflecting on her classroom teaching methods and how she made decisions and submitting a video of classroom teaching and a portfolio of student works.

She said the recognition is by teachers, for teachers, with board members certified in one of the 25 different disciplines assessing those who apply.

“It makes me feel proud of my profession and not feel isolated,” Jewitt said. “I have a group of people to go to to bounce ideas off of when I have questions. It opened a lot of doors for me and helped me be a more reflective teacher. It helps you to step back and learn why you make certain choices as a teacher.”

Teachers who apply for the certification complete four components: an overall assessment, an evaluation of how they provide differentiated instruction, a video showing their classroom environment, and reflection with the aid of others in the school community. The certification process could take anywhere from 18 months to five years.

A quick study
Hannan completed her process in 18 months. Certification is valid for five years, after which teachers have to get recertified.

“It is all about self-reflection,” Hannan said. “It’s less about the content you’re putting out, and more about ‘why’ you’re putting out this content and how you approach how to be better. You have to be an engaging, reflective teacher, always looking to better yourself in the classroom.

“It’s easier to just do the same thing every year without reflecting if it is impactful for students; however, evaluating its impact can help me and my students have a better relationship and help me be the best teacher I can be. I think collaborating with teachers is one of the most important ways to grow as an educator, so I did find it really helpful to network with teachers from all across the country to get and give feedback.”

In Louisiana, there are 1,957 certified teachers, said Cormier-Zenon, who has been board certified three times and owns Wise Owl Scholar Academy in Lafayette and the Wisdom Inspired Scholar Education Foundation.

The first Louisiana teacher was certified in 1990. While Louisiana no longer offers teachers stipends for certification fees or salary incentives, other states, such as Mississippi, do.

“With national board certification, we continue to grow our teachers and grow our students and remain current and relevant in the field,” Cormier-Zenon said. “The process is pretty intense. You’re growing as a teacher and defending the process. It’s a benefit to our students.”

Cormier-Zenon said more than 60% of Louisiana teachers who are certified teach at schools ranked A or B in the state. And, many national teachers of the year finalists have national board certification.

The NBCT network provides occasional webinars and online support during and after certification, Cormier-Zenon said. It was a lifesaver to many during the COVID lockdowns, Jewitt said. The network also is working to establish funds for the network to help defray the $495 out-of-pocket expenses incurred by teachers for each part of the certification.

Hannan  recommends certification, believing that self-evaluation  is an important part of growth.

“Having this certification really gave me the confidence that I am making a positive difference in my school community,” Hannan said. “It also helped me realize that I can be a great mentor to other teachers, and I am a qualified, well-rounded educator.”

[email protected]