Those Who Can, Teach

Copyright © Mitch Tobias

Plan to achieve National Board Certification.

My single most profound professional development experience was National Board Certification in Early Adolescent Mathematics. At the time, my district supported the process, and I worked with a coach and another teacher from my school. In Southern California, the UCLA National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Project is an excellent resource for teachers seeking certification. The in-depth reflective process, going on during the school year while I was teaching, had great impact on my instruction. I videotaped my classroom, analyzed student work, wrote about my teaching and met with other teachers going through the certification process to discuss issues and get feedback. Outside the classroom, I pushed myself to do more professional development for other teachers and to reach out to parents and the local community. The process spoke to me about the professionalism of teaching. And I needed the motivation. It will take 200–400 hours to get National Board Certification.

Join a professional organization.

I know you've heard this before; it's an axiom of every profession. Become a member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics or the National Science Teachers Association. They'll connect you to the broader world of your profession and open local experiences for teaching and learning as well.

Take care of yourself.

Find a way to rejuvenate between school years. Teaching takes a lot out of us, especially in low-performing schools, where excellent teachers are most needed. This also means knowing when to leave the classroom. The burned-out teacher undermines our professionalism and, most importantly, harms our students.

Published Jan 1, 2007 8:00 AM