A UISD teacher has become the first in Laredo to receive National Board Certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).
Rosa Salazar, who teaches world geography at United High School 9th Grade Campus, worked diligently to achieve this accomplishment. It is a rigorous process that typically takes between one to three years to complete. Ms. Salazar certified on her first attempt and completed the certification in two years. Only 40% of candidates pass the certification on their first try.
Created by teachers, for teachers, the National Board Standards represent a consensus among educators about what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. Board Certification is available in 25 certificate areas spanning 16 disciplines from Pre-K through 12th grade. It is the most respected professional certification available in K-12 education.
National Board Certification was designed to develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide. It is the gold standard for teaching excellence, recognized across the country as one of the highest achievements in the teaching profession. It is the most respected professional certification available in education. Certification requires teachers to complete four components:
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Content Knowledge - A computer-based assessment on the teacher’s subject area.
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Differentiation in Instruction - A portfolio demonstrating how the teacher tailors instruction to meet diverse student needs.
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Teaching Practice and Learning Environment - Video recordings of classroom teaching with written reflections.
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Effective and Reflective Practitioner - Evidence of professional accomplishments and their impact on student learning.
Teachers are given up to five years to complete certification.
There are over 130,000 National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in the United States, representing just 3% of teachers nationwide. Texas has approximately 1,375 National Board Certified Teachers representing about 0.36% of the state's teaching workforce.
For Ms. Salazar, the purpose of earning National Board Certification was to help her be a more effective teacher for the sake of her students. “I learned a lot from board certification,” she said, “It's a very reflective process. So, even though I've been teaching for over 20 years, there are things now that I do in my classroom that I haven't done before because it's about reflection. It's about why you're doing things in the classroom, and the bottom line is that it's to make an impact on kids.”
For more information on National Board Certification for Teachers, visit the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards at https://www.nbpts.org/.
Rosa Salazar conducts a lesson on the French language in her 9th grade world geography class
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