Documented Accomplishments: Entry 4 for NB Bankers/Retake Candidates CERRA National Board Candidate Support Workshop Toolkit WS6 2014

CERRA National Board Toolkit 2 Essential Questions What makes an activity an “accomplishment”? How can I encourage participation in student learning from parents and community members? How do my professional development and leadership experiences impact the students and professional educators in my building? What influence do I have on the school culture and educational reform?

CERRA National Board Toolkit 3 Discussion NB Terminology used in the Documented Accomplishment Entry

Nature, Significance and Impact Nature: In this section the candidate should narrate what he/she did. Significance: This section should explain the reasons for his/her actions. - What goal was accomplished? -What problem was being prevented or solved because of the actions previously described? -How did this make the candidate a more effective teacher? Impact: This section should mention students by name, citing examples of their learning that resulted from the accomplishment. CERRA National Board Toolkit 4

Partnering and Collaboration Are Key Parent/Community partnering means those outside interactions that make a direct difference in what you teach, how you teach, and/or the grades your students receive. Collaboration implies interdependence. Different members of a group may serve different functions. Verbs used in the commentary should reflect the active part you played. Were you facilitator, encourager, initiator, promoter, clarifier, reporter, presenter, writer, etc.? For a score of four (4), the evidence must be clear, consistent and convincing. A four (4) entry contains a large quantity of high quality interactions throughout the allowable time period. CERRA National Board Toolkit 5

Accomplishments As a partner with students’ families and community (current year) As a learner (within the last five years) As a collaborator and/or leader (within the last five years) Your accomplishments must demonstrate an impact (direct or indirect) on student learning! CERRA National Board Toolkit 6

One Way to Think about It Category 1: Teacher as a partner with students’ families and the community Category 3: Teacher as a collaborator and/or leader at the local/state/national level Category 2: Teacher as a learner CERRA National Board Toolkit 7 Example: Taking a course to learn about a cultural group. Example: Mentoring Example: Involving parents as speakers

Writing Your Description and Analysis What is this accomplishment? Be specific. Why is it significant? How do you know it impacts/enhances student learning (examples)? How can I demonstrate for assessors a clear connection between my professional accomplishment and student learning? CERRA National Board Toolkit 8

Documentation Defined as “evidence that verifies that you have done what you say you have done in the description and analysis.” Artifacts – documents produced from engaging in activities Communication Log – running log Verification Form(s) – forms completed by others to comment on your description of an accomplishment and its accuracy CERRA National Board Toolkit 9

10 Activity 1 Family Communication

Communication with Parents In what ways do I communicate with parents? How is this communication interactive? How does this impact student learning? sAsk a question at the endJohnny’s mother said he really likes motocross and thought he might be interested in reading if he could read about this sport. NewslettersFamily challenge boxTamara’s father mentioned sent a picture of them doing the science experiment. Tamara was willing to share what she learned about crystals. She felt more confident. CERRA National Board Toolkit 11

Hints for Communication Establish a systematic approach to family contact/professional growth. Family contacts should be on-going and year long, not just at the beginning of the year or at grading periods. Use and include a contact log! Contacts should be detailed, distinctive and communicate something about the student as a learner. Whenever possible, they should be two-way. CERRA National Board Toolkit 12

Hints for Communication (cont.) Devise and make constructive use of parent/participant survey(s). Include a place for parent comments and signatures on everything you send home. Send home information about your teaching! Whenever appropriate, documentation submitted should be “touched” by a parent or student. CERRA National Board Toolkit 13

Communication with Students In what ways do I communicate with students? How is this communication interactive? How does this impact student learning? WikispacesStudents post their ideas and respond to their classmates’ ideas. I can add thoughts and monitor the conversation. S tudents are engaged through technology. My shy students are willing to share in this format. I quickly recognized that the students did not understand the theme of the Poe poem. For example … I was ready to provide support the next day instead of finding out they were confused when class started. CERRA National Board Toolkit 14

The most important questions to ask as you assess the finished entry follow: If I were a parent of a student in this teacher’s classroom… What would I know about what was taught in the classroom? What would I know about my child as a learner? How much would my input be valued? If I were a student in this teacher’s classroom… What would I know or be skilled to do because of this teacher’s professional involvement(s)? How would I benefit from his/her professional knowledge and activities? How did this teacher’s professional choices prevent or correct problems on my behalf? CERRA National Board Toolkit 15

CERRA National Board Toolkit 16 Activity 2 Community Involvement Community involvement should be tied to your classroom curriculum and your students’ learning.

Community Involvement Community Involvement Activities How does this involvement include students, parents, other professionals? How does this activity/experience impact student learning? I wrote a grant that allowed me to partner with a local senior center Students wrote letters to their senior buddies and then participated in a story-telling opportunity. Students worked with parents to brainstorm traditions. The students helped to sew a class traditions quilt for the senior center. I shared my grant with another teacher. Reinforced the standards on letter writing, speaking, summarizing main idea, traditions, life long-ago Cameron has a speech impediment and stutters. He generally does not participate in class. He said his senior buddy reminds him of his grandfather. Cameron willingly shared his story. CERRA National Board Toolkit 17

CERRA National Board Toolkit 18 Activity 3 Professional Development

Professional Development Opportunities Personal Involvement in the Experience How is this experience significant to my role in education? How did this experience directly impact the students in my classroom? Attended professional development at the Peace Center ParticipantMy school was transitioning to an arts magnet school. I do not have any previous training in arts integration. I took an idea from the training involving stretchy bands in math and wrote a lesson to teach 3D shapes. Shanika has struggled with identifying vertices edges. After building the shapes …. CERRA National Board Toolkit 19

Leadership Take time to look over documents reflecting your tenure as a classroom teacher. As you look over the evidence, you may be surprised by how many times you took on leadership roles which you may not have seen as “leadership” at the time. These documents may include, but are not limited to the following: Resume of professional teaching experiences Certificates, plaques, awards reflecting appreciation of others Transcripts from universities or records of professional development activities CERRA National Board Toolkit 20

Leadership (cont.) Letters of thanks from students, parents, principals, colleagues, community members, etc. Brochures, handbooks, other publications you wrote or helped write Curricular documents, handbooks, and other written materials that were the result of committees on which you served or perhaps even led Photos of sports, social, and academic activities in which you were involved Newspaper clippings, student yearbooks, and other documentation in which your name appeared or which described a project in which you were involved CERRA National Board Toolkit 21

Leadership Chart Year (s)LocationInformal Leadership Formal Leadership Impact on Students D ocumentation Rank 2013My schoolShared what I learned in a PD with grade level My coworker Sharon used the new idea and said … from Sharon and the her student’s parent 3 CERRA National Board Toolkit 22

Resources Guide to National Board Certification Scoring Guide for Candidates NB Customer Support 1-800—22TEACH (83224) NB link CERRA National Board Toolkit 23