Conversations with Educators

A+ is pleased to present a conversation with Linda Silvern. Linda was awarded NBPTS Certification in 1996.

With board certification, we raise the teaching profession to just that, a profession. For too long, parents have complained about our schools and not felt needed or empowered to be advocates for their children as well as their teachers. Just as an individual must trust his/her doctor yet still seek a second opinion, so too must a parent treat a teacher as a professional by trusting him/her and seek second opinions through other professionals to best help their child.

With certification we create a bank of individuals whose opinions based on knowledge and experience cause them to become specialists in their fields. Their opinions are highly respected and sought out. This strengthens the teaching community as well as aids our children by providing mentors, second opinions (not second guessers) and expertise.

How has the process of becoming board certified changed your perspective of teaching?

My personal teaching has improved as I took the time and effort to truly self evaluate and identify weaknesses to be strengthened and strengths to be exploited. Since I teach at a lab school, I have been able to become a better teacher trainer by becoming more in touch with how I teach and why I do what I do.

What suggestions would you offer to others going through the process?

Those interested in going through the process must know that it is arduous. The time spent in self examination is worthwhile even if you are not successful. I have spoken with unsuccessful teachers and they have no regrets as to the time and energy spent on the process. While working on the portfolio, there comes a time when you "hit the wall"--to use a sports term. You want to stop, you are done. Yet, you keep going. When you do, your mind denies the pain and you are able to finish. This is what happens with the portfolio. You don't want to do it anymore. You feel you have learned all there is to learn, you have said all there is to say. The task seems overwhelming. Take a short break. You can do this. You revise, rethink, restate, reevaluate and you do finish. The sense of completion is quite wonderful and scary, too. You know you did your best. Time will tell if it is good enough. But it is your best for now and therefore good enough for you.

What do you feel is the impact of Alabama school systems developing their own teacher evaluation standards based on the NBPTS process?

School systems that are developing standards based on NBPTS process will aid teachers to be thinking teachers rather than workbook teachers. However, teacher training and inhouse workshops will be necessary for many of our teachers to be able to deal with the written components and administrators will need to be trained to look for reflective teaching not teaching to the SATs.