Why school counselors should pursue National Board Certification
Annie Goldberg, NBCT – Burlington, North Carolina Being a school counselor these days feels like a nearly impossible task; our to-lists seem only to grow, and the needs we aim to meet are complex and ever-changing. When I first considered National Board Certification, I thought there was only one feasible way to accomplish it with…
Black and Latine Youth Defy Post-Pandemic Learning Loss
By: Dr. Amanda Hill-Hennie, NBCT – Philadelphia, PA Statewide Assessments Cancelled This was the headline across all news channels on March 19, 2020. I remember feeling very disappointed because the COVID-19 Pandemic was adding another layer of disruption to my life as a first-year school leader. Being charged with turning around the academic performance of…
Ten Tips for Promoting Social and Emotional Learning at Your School
By: Dr. Amanda DeSua, NBCT – Waukesha, WI Social-emotional learning is crucial as it helps students develop self-awareness, empathy, problem-solving, and effective communication skills. These skills improve interpersonal relationships, self-esteem, academic achievement, and well-being. Learn ten tips for promoting social and emotional learning at your school. Model healthy problem-solving and coping skills for your students…
Coming Full Circle: My journey to achieving National Board Certification
By: Janice Avellana, NBCT – Honolulu, Hawaii I graduated in 2000 with my Master’s of Education in Teaching and began my first year as a fourth-grade teacher at a Title 1 school. After a tumultuous start, I finished out the year and got bumped out to another school. That second year was better, but I…
Retaining Teachers Through Reimagined Career Pathways
By: Jessica Kato, NBCT Recently, I attended a conference session for mid to late-career educators, which I expected to be focused on strategies to support teacher retention, an issue I care deeply about. Instead, I was surprised to find myself actively participating in a passionate and emotional conversation about what it means to have an…
Geography Deserves a Place in Every Classroom
By: Carol Hofer, NBCT It’s one of my “ha, ha” photos – a snapshot of a package addressed to me, who lives in Indianapolis, with a prominent stamped notice in all caps “MISSENT TO INDIA.” A stamp for this actually exists – it lead me to wonder how often it’s needed. Under Indianapolis it did…
The National Board keeps growing in Texas
By: Magdalena Mata, NBCT – San Antonio, Texas Texas is heating up its National Board status! Since 2019, with the establishment of the Texas National Board Coalition for Teaching (TXNBCT) Network, Texas has grown the number of candidates each year. In 2019, the Texas legislature passed House Bill 3 that included the Texas Incentive Allotment…
Life. Teaching. Mauna Loa.
BREAKING NEWS FLASH-At approximately 11:30 p.m. HST November 27, lava broke to the surface within Moku‘āweoweo, the summit caldera on Mauna Loa, for the first time in 38 years. (Mauna Loa USGS) The eruption became a viral topic, caused trepidation to many, and brought a notion that the end was near. Who would not be…
Why do I Still Choose to Teach?
By: Noraa Ransey, NBCT My why is simple: the kids of Kentucky deserve a voice! “A child’s life is like a piece of paper on which every person leaves a mark.” This Chinese proverb was most apparent during the pandemic. We became all hands on deck, and every stakeholder stepped up to do what it…