Training Mentors to Support Candidates for National Board Certification

1. Training Mentors to Support Candidates for National Board Certification Ethics & Updated Myth Training Aug. 27th, 2011

2. Today’s Goals • Definition of mentor • Myths and misconceptions of National Board • Achieving ethical support of candidates • Resources to support candidates

3. Five Core Propositions: • Teachers are committed to students and their learning. • Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to their students. • Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning. • Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience. • Teachers are members of learning communities.

4. MYTH: • There’s only one way to teach to become an NBCT. FACT: There are many ways to demonstrate the standards of accomplished teaching practice.

5. MYTH: With the focus on standardized testing, and curriculum mandated by some administrations, teachers can’t be original enough to become certified. FACT: NBCTs are teachers who meet the NBPTS standards and live by the five propositions. Your teaching is being scored, not your curriculum, so small or large, private or public, prescriptive curriculum or original thinking- it’s always about the teacher and teaching, not about class size, school size, or even administrative restrictions.

6. MYTH: • If I could you could see the scores from the assessors, you would know what you did wrong. FACT: Assessors don’t look for what’s wrong. They are trained to record evidence of accomplished teaching. Not passing is not a failure. It simply means you have not provided enough evidence to the assessors to support your candidacy. NBPTS assessors look for evidence of teaching, not for evidence of mistakes.

7. MYTH: • Candidates should spend time looking at the portfolios of successful NBCTs. FACT: Every portfolio should reflect the individuality of the candidate. Every candidate and every portfolio is and should be unique. What worked for me, might not work for you.

8. MYTH: • It is really important to develop a perfect video. FACT: The video should reflect the reality of your classroom. Events may not go exactly as planned- your narrative will fill in the gaps and explain your teaching strategies and approaches.

9. MYTH: • Completing the portfolio first will help you get a better score on the assessment exercises. FACT: The portfolios and exercises assess different aspects of teaching. The assessment center tests content, the portfolio applies content knowledge to pedagogy.

10. MYTH: • Working with a candidate support provider guarantees a passing score. FACT: While CSPs have insights about what entries should look like, ultimately the responsibility for the portfolio is in the hands of the candidate. You can do this on your own- I did! I don’t recommend this, by the way. Help is available- use it!

11. MYTH: • Assessors are punitive about rules and regulations. Miss a margin and you flunk the whole thing. FACT: There are no fatal flaws. However, assessors are instructed to be FAIR- so entries that are too long are not scored beyond the allowed length. It’s a rewards based scoring system, but it also seeks to be fair and equitable to every candidate.

12. MYTH: • Entries are scored by masses of people who are not real teachers, and who are brought in for one quick weekend scoring session. FACT: Assessors are teachers- like you, in your content area. A minimum of 12 teachers score a candidate’s entries, and 25% are double scored for accountability. All assessors are extensively trained.

13. MYTH: • If you have a tattoo and like to wear slippahs and cut-offs, and don’t want to change the way you dress, you will be punished for how you look. FACT: There is NO dress code for teachers in the standards. Assessors will not penalize you for looking local-kine. Suit or slippahs- your teaching is what is being scored, not your taste in fashion

14. MYTH: • If you have kids who are rowdy and lively but who are learning, the assessors won’t like that. Your students have to be well behaved, or you will be penalized. FACT: Classroom management is NOT a scored category. Learning is the only scoring criteria- loud or quiet, rowdy or in rows, what kids are learning in your classroom is what is important and what is scored

15. MYTH: Documented Accomplishment Entry • You have to have an impressive resume of awards to become certified. FACT: There is nothing in the standards about awards and recognitions. The Documented Accomplishment Entry simply tracks the connection between your work as a professional, and its impact on student learning. Being Teacher of the Year isn’t as important as your teachingthis year. Awards don’t matter. How you as a professional impacted not just your students, but the professional community as a whole- that does matter and is scored.

16. Guidelines for Ethical Mentor Support • Mentors refer candidates to the NBPTS Certification Denial or Revocation policy and its consequences • Mentors emphasize that National Board does catch cases of plagiarism/misconduct and follows through with consequences. Criminal investigations are launched and licenses are placed at risk • Toll-free number for reporting suspected misconduct is 1-800-779-3339

17. Ethical Support (cont.) • Mentors explain consequences of misconduct as stated in the policy including release of names to principal, media, state, etc. • Mentors don’t rewrite entries for candidates. • Mentors don’t supply candidates with other entries to read

18. Final Thoughts: Contact: • www.tpat.org • www.nbpts.org • Presenters contact information • Cynthia Vega: cvegaher@austinisd.org • Adapted from NBPTS Candidate Support Guidelines for TPAT by Linda Loveless, NBCT and Janis Walker, NBCT; 2007 • Debunking the Myth By: CrisRathyen, NBCT

19. Acknowledgments: • Information on the myths obtained from the Candidate Support Provider Participant Guidebook, published by nbpts