I’m a National Board Certified Teacher and can tell you first hand that the experience of pursuing National Board Certification was incredibly valuable.  I was able to reflect on my practice in ways I never had before and it helped me evaluate my growth as a professional.  I highly recommend pursuing National Board Certification to any teacher who is driven to excel and be a change agent in the profession.

The certification process is currently undergoing changes to make it more accessible and feasible.  It is now less expensive to certify and you can complete the four components over three years instead of all at once like in years past.  Here are some links to sites you’ll want to visit to learn more about National Board Certification.  There are support groups all over the country (you’ll definitely want to sign up for one to help you certify) and more and more opportunities for our most accomplished teachers to occupy leadership roles in our field.

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards – Here’s where it all begins!

Board Certified Teachers – The support site for candidates.  All the most current information about the process can be found here.

National Board Resource Center at Stanford University – An outstanding program with the most wonderful director, Linda Bauld.

Candidate support through California Teachers Association – Online support from an excellent resource, Stacy Begin.

Candidate support programs – This list is from California Department of Education.  Check out your state’s education department for similar information.

25 Certificate Areas – There are many different certifications available.  Find the one that’s right for you!