National Board Certified Teachers: an untapped resource for school improvement?

Jill B. Farrell

Jill B, Farrell is Assistant Professor and Director off Curriculum and Instruction and Elementary Programs, Barry University, Miami Shores, Florida.

When state and national policymakers seek ways to boost student achievement and enhance teacher quality, why don't they tap the talent pool of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs)? This resource represents over 32,000 teachers who are nationally certified through a rigorous process, requiring demonstration of high levels of teaching knowledge and skills (Rotherman, 2004). School districts and states recognize this achievement by providing bonuses and salary differentials for successful national board teachers. Yet NBCTs are not allowed to serve in expanded instructional leadership roles beyond their own classrooms, or as change agents in the very districts and states where they teach (Southeast Center for Teaching Quality, 2002).

NBCTs engage in more leadership activities compared to their non-NBCT counterparts. In a recent survey, NBCTs reported enhanced career satisfaction, an increase in their desire to remain in the profession, and a greater sense of feeling significant within the profession. These teachers were more committed not only to the profession, but also to supporting fellow teachers. Leadership activities undertaken by NBCTs included mentoring and/or coaching of new, future, and struggling teachers; thus, they exemplified the role of teacher leader. So, why aren't we using NBCTs, our "best and brightest," to strategically develop comprehensive programs that align the areas of teacher preparation, recruitment, retention, and continuous professional development in our school improvement efforts?

Most NBCTs do not want to leave their classrooms; they are committed to offering the best learning opportunities for their students. While they meet the definition of the term "instructional leader," their expertise is ignored. Rather than try to figure out what seems to be the problem, a more constructive response might be to address how we can effectively use these professionals' skills and talents to address our schools' most pressing problems.

From my work with a group of NBCTs in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, I have seen firsthand that these are highly qualified, professional educators. The NBCT process embodies what we advocate in schools of education and what policymakers should be nurturing as critical, reflective inquiry among classroom teachers. My NBCT group examined their own practices, linking their daily teaching skills and strategies to the impact on student learning and, subsequently, to student achievement. Furthermore, they analyzed their knowledge base as well as re-examined their dispositions, attitudes, values, and beliefs about teaching. Throughout this process, this group recognized that their practices and decisions did make a difference with their students and positively affected their achievement.

To discover how we can mine this rich resource, I contacted national board teachers from the southeastern United States, which has the largest concentration of NBCTs. These NBCTs responded rapidly to my E-mail, offering examples of how they have begun to make some inroads within their schools and respective districts. Then I discussed the issue with two Miami-Dade County teachers, Lori Nazareno, President of the NBCTs of Miami-Dade County, and Dr. Michelle Ivy, Vice-President of the Miami-Dade County NBCTs. What follows represents a small "wish-list" for the roles in which NBCTs can serve, or current roles that could be greatly expanded.

Mentoring

"In our district, we are a valuable resource that is not being fully utilized. We set up monthly mentoring sessions at five different locations around the district and both the district and the teachers' union have helped publicize these. But we feel that there needs to be a more formal structure for doing this than the current hit or miss that we are able to accomplish with our monthly sessions and other initiatives we have undertaken."

--Carolyn Guthrie, NBCT, High School Math Teacher, Partnership in Academic Communities, Miami-Dade County Public Schools; Teacher Leadership Network Fellow; Teacher Network Leadership Institute MetLife Fellow.

Currently, NBCTs serve as mentors for candidates undergoing the National Board Certification process through teacher education center courses, or, in some cases, via one-on-one tutoring. Some states offer a stipend for this service, as well as offering stipends to mentor new or novice teachers. The mentoring of new teachers is still not a formalized process, but this support is greatly needed to retain and nurture the teachers newest to the profession. Since most NBCTs who are mentoring have received training and support to be mentors, doesn't it make sense to match these individuals to beginning teachers? A growing body of research identifies the reasons we are not keeping teachers once we have attracted and recruited them: lack of support, isolation, no collegial contact, insufficient preparation in their content area, and lack of classroom management or effective teaching skills. Mentoring from NBCTs could counteract attrition by offering novice teachers the requisite longitudinal, professional, and personal support.

We suggest pairing these novices with highly accomplished NBCTs and allowing the NBCT to be a true mentor and a coach. The NBCT can observe the new teacher, as the novice observes the NBCT. Give them both adequate release time to do some meaningful work together, whereby the NBCT could coach and guide the novice, helping to identify areas in need of development and providing ways to expand the novice's repertoire. Thus, mentoring and coaching involve them both in the highest form of professional development activity. Furthermore, we'd be more successful in retaining many new teachers, making it less likely that they'd leave within three years due to lack of support and nurturing.

Teacher Induction 

"Our school system has been very slow to use NBCT teachers, but after a meeting this summer we are finally in the process of implementing one of our goals--partnering with first-year teachers. We have designed four after-school forums to meet and discuss our teaching practice and are basing our topics on the Five Core Propositions."

--Betsy Rogers, NBCT, Jefferson County School District, Birmingham, AL; 2003 National Teacher of the Year; NBPTS Board of Directors

Why not let the Board-certified teachers coordinate and facilitate teacher induction programs? Put them in charge! These are top-notch people who know what they're doing and can identify other mentors, as well as teaching and classroom management strategies that need to be developed, and offer much-needed support for novices. Let's not penalize them for the time they need to be out of the classroom to do these things by taking away some of the extra money they have earned, and certainly deserve, for the investment they have made in becoming highly qualified. They could still be teaching one-half of a regular school day, while using the rest of their time to work with novice teachers on areas of concern that they have jointly identified. Most new teachers indicate that in their first six weeks of teaching they do not have anyone observing them on a regular basis or providing them with critical, constructive feedback.

Some Florida school districts have led initiatives. In Fernandina Beach, NBCTs created mentoring pods at each school site for new teacher induction. New teachers are required to attend the training/discussion, which meets once every two weeks. They receive a small stipend for their attendance, and NBCTs earn mentoring hours for state bonuses. The NBCT training for new teachers is an integrated part of what this district provides for all new teachers. In Miami-Dade County, NBCTs attend and help with the district's New Teacher Orientation. They also host their own "Survive and Thrive" mini-conference, along with the support of the local education fund and the teachers' union.

If these initiatives are working successfully in one area, why not in all areas where large numbers of NBCTs exist? Considering the cost of replacing a new teacher who leaves after the first year, wouldn't it be fiscally irresponsible NOT to utilize this model?

Professional Development

"Working with the district Professional Development Director, the NBCTs are running 'Super Saturdays' once a month where we provide an array of workshops for both elementary and secondary teachers, focusing on reading and math strategies, as well as use of technology. Breakfast and lunch are provided by a local teachers' association and participants receive inservice points. The idea started small, but is growing each time it's offered. We continue to evaluate how we can make it better, and have developed a real partnership with our district administration."

--Virginia White, NBCT, Fernandina Beach, FL

Both mentoring and new teacher induction coincide with professional development. Why aren't we letting the NBCTs who have engaged in self-study through action research be more actively involved in facilitating and coordinating their district's professional development efforts? Within their own schools, they could create and facilitate learning communities, offer in-house professional development on early release days, and help teachers who are on prescription. In their districts, they could lead workshops focusing on specific subject areas or content knowledge, or present seminars on specific effective teaching strategies. Since most NBCTs have taken additional workshops, courses, travel/study seminars, as well as written and received grants, etc., they certainly have expertise and knowledge to share with their colleagues.

The National Board Certification process can serve as a professional development tool in low-achieving or hard-to-staff schools. At these sites, NBCTs could mentor the teachers and provide a nonthreatening way of supporting teachers who might otherwise be resistant. Successful candidates of the National Board process readily attest to its effectiveness as professional development, pointing out the myriad ways it has made them more effective and professional teachers.

In some areas, efforts are underway by NBCTs to provide the much-needed professional development for both new and veteran teachers. However, this is not widespread practice in school systems. Therefore, the needs of large numbers of new teachers, particularly those entering the profession through alternative certification, will not be met.

Teacher Preparation

"We have a district full of expert practitioners who are not getting an opportunity to share their expertise with preservice teachers. It's a huge pool of talent going to waste."

--Lori Nazareno, NBCT, Alternative High School Science Teacher, Miami-Dade County Public Schools; President, NBCTs of Miami-Dade County; Teacher Leadership Network Institute MetLife Fellow

Colleges and schools of education could benefit from this incredible pool of talent, working in partnership with their local school districts and the NBCTs in those schools. As a teacher educator, one of my greatest concerns has been sending students out for their clinical experiences in schools, then finding them assigned to burned-out teachers who just need an "extra hand." Some of these teachers represent models of what not to do. Even worse, they tell my students to forget what they learned in their classes! After such unfortunate experiences, students don't even want to go into teaching. NBCTs have asked to mentor and coach, but are being denied opportunities to work with preservice teachers, in favor of assigning the college students to the "principal's pets." Numerous NBCTs have asked me how they can get field experience students, and student teachers (interns), because they think our university is in charge. Instead, the local school district controls the assignments. When we have pursued this question, no one seems to know "who's in charge"! After two years of raising the question, we still have no answer and no changes!

We suggest that districts, in collaboration with universities, create a policy that requires assigning preservice teachers to NBCTs or other highly accomplished teachers. Since this is a form of mentoring, NBCTs should receive some credit towards mentoring hours and be allowed to choose this option as one of the ways that they can fulfill this requirement.

At my university, our education programs do utilize NBCTs to teach our methods courses. They also work with students as they prepare their portfolios, a Florida Department of Education graduation and certification requirement. Many of our graduate programs include NBCTs working on advanced degrees. Additionally, we created a strand within some graduate programs that integrates the Core Propositions, and provides some foundational knowledge for experienced teachers considering the National Board Certification process.

School systems' utilization of NBCTs has been a slow, uneven process. Answering why it has taken so long is problematic. One teacher responded, "The keys to success in some districts are in the evolving relationships of collaboration and trust created between NBCTs and the district office." In some cases, it has taken five years to get to this point. It seems that in the smaller districts, where accessibility to decision-makers is easier, things happen more quickly, if district administrators would recognize the monetary value of the investment in these professionals and the "return on their dollar," then the benefits of a NBCT partnership would be obvious.

In most instances, the NBCTs serve on district committees, are involved in numerous reform efforts, and cultivate personal relationships with district office personnel. As Ginny White sums it up, "When those in power have positive relationships with the NBCTs involved, when they personally know and respect the individuals asking to initiate these activities, the district administrators are more willing to 'share their power.' When a successful relationship is formed, it opens the door to learning and growth, just as it does in the classroom."

References

Rotherman, A. (2004). Opportunity and responsibility for National Board Certified Teachers. Washington, DC: Progressive Policy Institute.

Southeast Center for Teaching Quality. (2002). Teacher leadership: An untapped resource for improving student achievement. Teaching Quality in the Southeast: Best Practices and Policies, 11, 1-2.

The author acknowledges the contributions of the following teachers: Lori Nazareno, Dr. Michelle Ivy, Carolyn Guthrie, Virginia White. and Betsy Rogers, along with all of the other NBCTs who responded to her queries.