| SEARCH OnWEAC |
|---|
Kelly Kasdorf (left), Rachel Kloss (center) and Sarah Halverson agree that the preparation for their National Board Certification portfolios is intense, but that the process has been enlightening. They were among the teachers who took advantage of support offered at WEAC's 2008 Winter Conference in Appleton.
Quick facts 47 teachers were involved in the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Dare to Think Candidate Support Retreat during Winter Conference. This was the 3rd year that the retreat was offered at the Winter Conference. Two retreats are offered each year. They are planned collaboratively with the Wisconsin National Board Network and sponsored by WEAC. The goal of the mentors is to offer the most ethical and helpful guidance possible. |
Dozens of teachers seeking National Board Certification took advantage of an opportunity to work with mentors during the 2008 Winter Conference February 22-24 in Appleton.
The quest to achieve National Board Certification requires careful planning and intense preparation, and it's not something done easily alone, teachers involved in the Winter Conference track said. The opportunity to talk to each other, and those who have already achieved their certifications, provides important feedback and support.
For three 1st-grade teachers at the Milwaukee Sign Language School, the opportunity afforded to focus on their certification applications was too good to pass up. Working on their projects in a small conference room, the trio said certification has benefits to them professionally and to the children they teach.
Kelly Kasdorf has been working on her portfolio since the fall, and said the March 31 deadline has her putting the final touches on the materials she will submit. Rachel Kloss and Sarah Halverson agreed that it’s a busy time, but that the process has been enlightening. They noted that two other MSLS teachers took part in the Winter Conference offerings.
“It was a good time to pursue this,” said Halverson, who has been a teacher for 12 years. “I’m always trying to improve my teaching, and the financial incentive is appealing, also.”
“It seemed like the next logical step,” Kloss added.
“This kind of weekend candidate support retreat is unique to Wisconsin and WEAC is proud to sponsor and support this valuable member-driven professional development activity,” said Ron Jetty, IPD Consultant in the WEAC Teaching and Learning Department.
Wisconsin is among the top 10 states in the country in terms of growth in the number of teachers achieving National Board Certification. In 2007, Wisconsin had a 49% increase in the number of teachers who achieved National Board Certification over the previous year. Out of those 110 teachers recognized, 108 were WEAC members.
Related links:
110 state teachers earn National Board Certification in 2007 [12/4/08]
OnWEAC Resource Page on National Certification
Posted February 25, 2008