Monday, September 6, 2010

Good-Bye National Board Certification!!


Six months (or so) I signed up for National Boards Certification.  It is a program that requires 400 hours (about 10 weeks) of worktime, in addition, to a regular teaching schedule in which you videotape several lessons, write 15-20 page papers, and show evidence of how your lessons are effective teaching for student learning.

At the time, I needed a challenge.  The National Boards is a great program.  It helps a teacher to break down his/her teaching and reflect on what is working and what isn't working.  In our state, less than 1% of PE teachers are certified.  I admit, the esteem of being one of the few to reach certification was as appealing to me as the challenge of becoming a "student' once again.

When I accepted the new job as Activity Coordinator/Dean of Students, I realized there was no way I could also do National Boards.  Not only am I not in a PE classroom setting, I don't have the time to commit to the program.  After further conversations with my administrative team, it became very clear that doing NB this year would be foolish.  I sent an email a week or so ago, inquiring about how to be released and received an email that stated they could make it work for me, despite the new job.

That answer wasn't good enough for me.  I needed out of NB.   So, today, I sent an email stating, "I wish to be released" and...the next thing I know, I'm released!

Oh, the freedom!  The relief!  The joy!  

Maybe someday I'll seek the certification.

But I doubt it.

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