Early adopter of National Board Certification outlines benefits
06/14/2016

 

Only 169 teachers in Indiana have achieved National Board Certification, while states like Kentucky and Ohio have thousands of certified teachers. National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT), Catherine Marchese, is working to change that statistic. After becoming an NBCT, she also serves as a candidate support provider guiding new candidates through the process.

Marchese described the most impactful outcomes from certification:

• National Board Certification is not initially about us [the teachers]; it’s about the kids.
• Certification results in tangible student learning and pushes teachers to evaluate their teaching practice.
• Until you go through the process, you don’t know how enriching of a professional development opportunity it is.
• I do not walk into my classroom without thinking about what I’m doing, and how it’s impacting my students. National Board Certification always takes you one step further.
• The learning never stops – that mindset. It’s always there. It’s one of the richest professional development opportunities out there. You develop yourself as a teacher and recognize your personal teaching practice.

The professional development extends beyond most of the typical webinars and conferences offered to teachers for licensure. Marchese recognizes the informal support she had from colleagues and mentors when she went through the process. She is giving back to new candidates mentoring four candidates and acting as an ISTA JumpStart trainer. While she isn’t able to share her submitted materials, Marchese walks candidates through interpreting instructions and pushes them to focus on student learning.

Her advice for teachers considering certification. “Get involved in the new support groups from ISTA,” said Marchese. “Make sure you have a personal support group. You shouldn’t do this alone.”

ISTA’s commitment to NBCT extends to offering scholarships through the ISTA Foundation for active candidates. Visit the ISTA website for more information on scholarships.

Read the summer issue of the Advocate for the full feature story on Marchese and her perspective on the value of National Board Certification.