I'm Certifiable (I hope)

As many of you already know, I am in the process of renewing my National Board Certificate.  It is a very daunting task.  It requires me to look back at 10 years of teaching and write about any professional development that has made a significant impact on my practice.  I have to show video taped evidence of how I have grown as a professional.  I have spent the last several weeks writing my professional growth experiences.  This is approximately 12 pages of me telling what I have been doing to become a better teacher over the last 10 years since my initial National Board Certification. Beginning later this week and next week, I will be video taping parts of my instruction.  If your child has not turned in a permission slip to video, please do so as soon as possible.  I do not want to accidentally video someone I do not have permission to video.

This process is long and tedious, but I can honestly say that it has made me a better teacher.  The best part of National Boards is the focus on student achievement.  Everything I have learned over the last 10 years has been geared toward how I can help my students learn as much as they possibly can.  It taught me to cut out all the activities that don't have a true purpose.  It is all about the students!  

My portfolio is due by 11:00 pm on May 18.  I will be working very hard and drinking lots of coffee over the next few weeks to get things complete.  I don't like putting things off to the last minute.  You never know when something can go wrong!  Soooo, like I tell the kiddos, I've got to work on a little bit at a time so that I'm not kicking myself and needing blood pressure meds in May!  If you have any questions about what is happening, please feel free to contact me.  Until then...

Happy reading-

Mrs. Tipton