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Monday, November 21, 2005
Pros and Cons of National Board Certification
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Someone in an earlier post mentioned National Board Certification. Some see this as a way to improve teacher quality and to identify truly excellent teachers who could serve as mentors to others. Teachers who have gotten their national certification say it’s a ton of work. They videotape themselves in the classroom and then analyze the tape and see what they can do to improve. Teachers say this exercise is beneficial even to veteran pros.
But of course there are downsides and others have complained that these are additional hoops teachers must go through to get a respectable wage they should have gotten to begin with. Also, some see it as a program for teachers who are already motivated to improve. What about teachers currently in the classroom who desperately need to improve but do not in the same league as nationally certified teachers?
Teachers who have gotten nationally certified, are you a better teacher for it? Parents, are you impressed when your child’s teacher is nationally certified? Are there better ways to help teachers improve?
