Use Various Recruiting Strategies

Whether you're talking to another teacher, or discussing National Board Certification to a large group, try these strategies for tailoring your message and delivery to effectively impact your audience.

• Teacher-to-Teacher
• Your Principal
• Your Community
• Educators

Teacher to Teacher

Extend an Invitation

Sometimes simple personal contact is all a teacher needs to make a decision about candidacy. A personal invitation is often a successful and effective tactic. If a teacher has shown interest in National Board Certification in the past, now is the time to follow-up:

“I remember your interest in the process last year. I was wondering if there are questions I can answer that will help you decide to become a candidate.”

Share the Standards
When teachers are guided to examine their practice in light of the standards, they are more likely to apply for the process. If you know a teacher well, perhaps try saying something like:

“So much of what you do seems to reflect the National Board Standards. For instance, you use your knowledge of students to individualize instruction. Have you considered becoming a candidate for National Board Certification?”

Be a Point of Contact

Potential candidates are more comfortable asking questions about the process if they feel there is an open line of communication with someone who is knowledgeable about National Board Certification. If possible, share your phone number or email address with interested teachers. Provide them with a convenient time to call with questions or concerns.

 

Your Principal

Become a Problem Solver
Principals often welcome new ideas when they can see the positive impact they have on learning and understand that you are willing to help make the idea a reality. Share with your principal how National Board Certification can improve the school and support the school’s professional development efforts:

“National Board Certification was an incredible professional development opportunity for me and my students continue to reap the benefits of my experience. I hope you will help me share the power it has with more teachers in our school.”

Educators

Extend Your Reach

• Provide information about National Board Certification for newsletters, e-mail listservs, faculty announcements or even district-wide publications. A variety of NBPTS publications are available for download in the Products & Services section.
• Host an information session about certification, get added to a teacher’s meeting agenda or agree to be the contact for the school system's staff development office.

Success Stories

NBCTs across the country have created successful programs for recruiting potential candidates.

Example#1
A teacher from Utah takes the personal approach to recruiting candidates. She finds the time in her busy schedule to speak with individual teachers in her school about the benefits of National Board Certification. Interested teachers are then invited to an informal meeting during which she gives an overview of the process, including a discussion of the Five Core Propositions. She also provides copies of the standards for each participant’s certification area. She begins the meeting by sharing her own story. She tells the participants that she made an informed decision to undertake the process by first studying the standards to compare them to her classroom practice. In doing so, she was able to determine her level of readiness to begin the process. She encourages the participants to do the same with their own standards. She then closes the meeting by letting her friends know she will be glad to answer any further questions or provide assistance in beginning the process.

Example #2
Two teachers from North Carolina recruit prospective candidates by inviting them to a social and informational session at the beginning of the school year. Since their school district is relatively large, they enlist help from several NBCTs throughout the system. School-based NBPTS contacts invite teachers to attend the event. During the social, prospective candidates have the opportunity to speak informally with NBCTs. NBCTs disseminate brochures and informational materials provided by the National Board. Following the social, the teachers present an overview of the National Board Certification process, followed by a question and answer session.