| Email this to a friend |
Contact Information: Communications, 617-635-9265 or communications@bostonpublicschools.org
|
Certification represents highest credential in teaching profession
May 5, 2009
BOSTON – Seven Boston Public Schools (BPS) educators earned certification and two others received recertification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). They were among 18 teachers statewide and 9,602 teachers nationwide to become National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT) in 2008 and were recognized earlier this year by the Boston School Committee in a special ceremony. National Board Certification is the highest credential in the teaching profession. A teacher-driven, voluntary process established by NBPTS, certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance-based assessment that typically takes one to three years to complete and measures what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. As part of the process, teachers build a portfolio that includes student work samples, assignments, videotapes and a thorough analysis of their classroom teaching. Additionally, teachers are assessed on their knowledge of the subjects they teach. “We commend these teachers on their achievement and thank them for their hard work and commitment to the students of Boston,” said Superintendent Carol R. Johnson. “Teachers truly make a difference in the lives of children each and every day, and we are fortunate to have so many extremely talented and dedicated teachers in the Boston Public Schools.” More than 50 Boston Public Schools teachers have achieved National Board Certification to date, and BPS encourages teachers to consider becoming candidates. The Massachusetts Department of Education partially subsidizes the registration fees for teachers. Through its Center for Leadership Development, BPS works with the Boston Teachers Union to provide incentives and support for teachers pursuing National Board Certification, including reimbursement for registration fees, workshops, and support groups. BPS teachers can also participate in the Take One! program, which allows them to complete one portfolio entry, based on the National Board standards, as a first step towards certification or as a stand-alone professional development activity. “National Board Certification is a sound investment - a force in student achievement and a factor in teaching excellence that is reshaping teaching and learning in our schools,” said Joseph A. Aguerrebere, president and chief executive officer of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. “At a time when policymakers, educators and the public at large are looking for ways to improve education, a critical element begins with the quality of the teacher in the classroom. We know that each new class of National Board Certified Teachers brings a better chance of providing a highly qualified teacher to every child in America.” NBPTS is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan and nongovernmental organization. NBPTS advances the quality of teaching and learning by developing professional standards for accomplished teaching; creating and administering National Board Certification, a voluntary system to certify teachers who meet those standards; and integrating certified teachers into educational reform efforts. For more information, visit www.nbpts.org. 2008 National Board Certified Teachers – Boston Public Schools • Siabhan Dooling (Brighton), Brighton High School – English Language Arts / Adolescence and Young Adulthood • Al Bird (Needham), Charlestown High School (renewal) – Science / Adolescence and Young Adulthood |
The Boston Public Schools serves more than 56,000 pre-kindergarten through grade 12 students in 135 schools, and in 2006 won the Broad Prize for Urban Education as the top city school district in the country. For more information, visit www.bostonpublicschools.org.