Preparing for National Board Certification?

Some Tips from National Board Certified Teachers

Are you applying for National Board Certification? Beginning to prepare for the computer-based assessment? Then you can use some advice from other teachers who have been in your shoes.

At a recent North Carolina  workshop, four National Board certified teachers -- Margaret Ebbs, Joanna Parks, Barbara Weaver, and Kari Egnot -- brainstormed and came up with 32 tips for teachers going through the Assessment Center portion of the National Board Certification process. Here's the list they developed:

First Steps

• Know that you need to prepare. Do it.
  
  
• Identify the components for each exercise:
  
  
  • Know which National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) standards apply
    
    
  • Identify the major strands of the question
    
    
  • Think how to help students learn
    
    
  • Read the scoring criteria available on NBPTS Web site
    
    
• Review the NBPTS standards, especially for areas of weakness. Read and re-read the standards as you prepare for the Assessment  Center.
  
  
• In your content area, review the knowledge base, how to teach that content, and the application of that knowledge.
  
  
• Use the Internet to locate resources on the content matter covered by your certificate.
  
  
• Know the National Standards for students. Science and math standards show students' misconceptions -- a possible category for a prompt.
  
  
• Learn the "Big Ideas" in science and math. 
  
  
• Prepare emotionally. Be well prepared. Know what to expect.
  
  
• Set a timeline to prepare for each prompt. Stick to your plan.
  
  
• Create notebooks or folders for each prompt -- collect articles, ideas on each topic.

Studying with Others

• Form a positive study group. Divide up the topics. Swap, trade, and study articles and ideas.
  
  
• Join an e-mail group if you don't have a local study group.
  
  
• Visit other teachers in content areas or grades that are covered by your certificate but where you have the least teaching experience.
  
  
• Consult other teachers for ideas about curriculum, student needs, best practices, and good resources to review in areas where your teaching experience is limited.

Practicing for the Computer-Based Exercises

• For the two prompts, focus on topics of weakness for knowledge of content and knowledge of grade span.
  
  
• Practice the prompts. Time yourself for 30 minutes. Put a clock at the top of the screen to help you keep track of time.
  
  
• Read the prompt. Then read the prompt again. Get the questions right.
  
  
• Believe the prompts. This is what you will need to know.
  
  
• Answer what they ask. Don't go off on tangents.
  
  
• Watch the arrow -- it means you have more parts of the prompt to complete.
  
  
• Practice composing at the computer.
  
  
• Practice the tutorial online. It will help you maneuver in the test.
  
  
• Use the assessment rubric on your practice writing.

The Night Before the Assessment

• Get organized for tomorrow. Pack a snack.
  
  
• Get a good night's rest.
  
  
• Allow for enough travel time to arrive early.

The Day of the Computer-Based Assessment

• Arrive early.
  
  
• Take the scratch paper and blue book when it is offered, even if you don't plan to use it. Your might actually need to make some notes for yourself.
  
  
• Plan your time wisely as you take the test.
  
  
• Eat the snack. Take the break. Refresh yourself.
  
  
• Meet the standards as you write the answer.
  
  
• Answer each question. Then go back to fill in more details if you have time.

Related Links

» NBPTS Web Site -- General information on National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and National Board Certification.

» NBPTS Candidate Resources -- The NBPTS candidate resource center.

» NBPTS Standards -- General information about the NBPTS standards.

» NBC Support -- State and local support and incentives.

» National Board Certification -- General information on National Board Certification.

» National Board Certification Resources -- Links to information about the various aspects of the certification process.

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Compiled by Marian Stallings Cook (February 2003).