Monday, June 13, 2011

Test Day


During the last 14 months, I've been working on my National Boards certification, which includes a portfolio and assessment to prove that I'm an excellent teacher.

The National Boards process is grueling, and only a small percentage of candidates pass the first time. However, all of my hard work will pay off (literally) when I earn my certifcation and a 12% pay increase.

At the end of March, I turned in my portfolio, which included 129 pages of writing and artifacts.

On June 9, I took my National Boards assessment, which consisted of six 30-minute essay questions related to literature, technology, ethics, etc. Overall, I felt prepared for the assessment (for which I'd been studying 1-3 hours a day for the last 2 months).  As expected, however, the 30-minute time constraint was the biggest obstacle.

Now I wait...for 5 months. In November, I'll find out if I passed National Boards. Right now, however, I'm going to relax for the first time in 14 months.  I'm thrilled that I completed this professional journey, but  I can't wait to take a nap, watch TV, and play with Savannah--without feeling guilty that I should be working on National Boards instead.

My fingers are crossed that I receive good news in November!

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