Melvin E. Sine
teacher Jess Ledbetter had a REALLY good Thanksgiving: the special education
preschool teacher recently learned that she earned National Board Certification
(NBCT) from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
National Board
Certification is the most prestigious credential a teacher can earn. Like
board-certified doctors and accountants, teachers who achieve National Board
Certification have met rigorous standards through intensive study, expert
evaluation, self-assessment and peer review.
National Board Certification is a voluntary assessment program designed
to recognize and reward great teachers — and make them better. NBCTs have
successfully demonstrated advanced teaching knowledge, skills and practices.
Certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance-based assessment that
typically takes one to three years to complete. As part of the process,
teachers build a portfolio that includes student work samples, assignments,
videotapes and a thorough analysis of their classroom teaching. Additionally,
teachers are assessed on their knowledge of the subjects they teach. All 50
states, the District of Columbia and more than 700 local school districts,
including GESD, recognize NBCT as a mark of distinction.
Ledbetter is the
fifth GESD teacher to earn her NBCT in the last three years. Last year,
Bicentennial South teachers Qiana Harris and Catherine Ballentine, earned
theirs, and two years ago Bicentennial South teachers Willis Carlson and
Melanie Conger earned NBCT.
