practices for the future.
After you have completed all sections of the components, upload everything to the National Board ePortfolio server and be patient. Scores are typically released on or before December 31.
The Benefits
When looking at the amount of work it takes to complete National Board Certification and the financial obligations that must be met, it is easy to say this is not for me. Trust me, I thought the same thing myself. But the benefits outweigh the doubt in your mind. In a study assessing the effect of elementary level teachers who are National Board Certified, Goldhaber & Anthony (2007) state that this study “appears to confirm that there is value to the NBPTS assessment 25 process in distinguishing between more- and less- effective teachers: teachers who are certified by NBPTS tend to be more effective than unsuccessful applicants to the program”. Effective teachers are what A Nation at Risk was looking for and through the National Board Certification process we are changing the trajectory of music education in this state, and essentially in this country. Being an effective teacher alone is benefit enough to go through the process, but the State of Alabama takes it a bit further. Each year, though it is not guaranteed, the State of Alabama awards a $5,000 stipend, minus benefits, to board certified teachers who complete the entire process. Currently, the certification lasts for 10 years, but beginning in the year 2021, the certification will only last for 5 years. The face of education is quickly changing, and National Board wants to ensure the most recent, vigorous standards are in place for teachers to meet the growing demands of our global world.
Where to find help
As a music educator, being the only person in your building can be a lonely experience. Outside of general academics, no one in our schools truly understand what we do and why we do it the way that we do. If you decide to go through the process of National Boards, you do not have to do it alone. Start by checking with your school systems to see if there are support systems in your district, or contact the Alabama Department of Education to find a cohort near you. I have the great pleasure of serving on the Alabama Network of National Board Certified Teachers board and we are working with
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school systems in the state, with grant funds from the National Board, to increase the number of board certified teachers in our state. The Alabama Network hosts conferences and professional development throughout the year where initial certification, as well as, renewals are always discussed. Email
alabamanetwork@gmail.com for more information. Lastly, if you know of an NBCT, talk to them. We are generally willing to help anyway that we can.
Of Alabama’s 2,339 National Board Certified teachers, only 54 are music teachers. As a profession, we are underrepresented in this area. If we truly want a seat at the table when education issues are being discussed and definitions of a well-rounded education for children are being developed, then we must consider National Board Certification. Time and money seem to be the two roadblocks that discourage music teachers from taking the journey. The new National Boards have addressed this issue by making the process more affordable and more accommodating to time. Daily, we give our students the best we have, and they respond by giving us their best. The time has now come to make our best better. Consider National Board Certification for Music Educators.
References
Carnegie Commission. (1986). A nation prepared: Teachers for the 21st century. In New York: Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy.
Darling-Hammond, L., Amrein-Beardsley, A., Haertel, E., & Rothstein, J. (2012). Evaluating teacher evaluation. The Phi Delta Kappan, 93(6), 8-15.
Gardner, D. P. (1983). A nation at risk.Washington, DC: The National Commission on Excellence in Education, US Department of Education.
Goldhaber, D., & Anthony, E. (2007). Can teacher quality be effectively assessed? National board certification as a signal of effective teaching. The Review of Economics and Statistics, 89(1), 134-150.
Thorpe, Ronald (2014) “Sustaining the Teaching Profession,” New England Journal of Public Policy: Vol. 26: Iss. 1, Article 5.
An educational festival for elementary, middle, and high school students in band, choir, and orchestra
2017 dates: April 21-22, April 28-29, May 5-6
2018 dates: April 20-21, April 27-28, May 4-5
www.SMMFestival.com or call:1-855-766-3008
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Phil R. Wilson is the music teacher at Ogletree Elementary School in Auburn, Alabama, where he has taught for the past fourteen years. Prior to coming to Auburn, Phil taught at Thomasville High School in Thomasville, Georgia, where his duties included directing the chorus, assisting the band director, and directing literary activities.
Phil graduated from Troy (State) University in 2001 with a Bachelors of Music Education degree and went on to pursue his Masters of Music Education from Auburn University in 2007. In 2010, Phil became a National Board Certified Teacher in the area of Early and Middle Childhood Music. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Music Education from Auburn University. Phil is the 2010-2011 Alabama State Teacher of the Year.
Phil is a member of NAfME; The National Association for Music Education, the Alabama Music Education Association where he serves as President-Elect of the Elementary division, the Alabama Education Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Professional Music Fraternity of America. He also serves on the board of the Alabama National Board Certified Teachers Network.
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