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Mrs. Monica Griffith has become Upper Perk’s first nationally board certified teacher. Mrs. Griffith, a technology teacher, who is also in charge of yearbook, has recently accomplished this after a long period of hard work.
Teachers applying to become nationally board certified must dedicate hard work and effort over a long period of time. To be eligible for this designation, the teacher must hold a bachelor’s degree, have three years of teaching completed, and have a valid teaching license.
Mrs. Griffith said that she was influenced to apply by the school district and, after attending the first meeting about it, she was very interested. To prepare for the process, she took two college classes. She then had to submit four portfolios, three of which were recorded videos of her teaching, and one which related to her accomplishments as a teacher.
After that she took a three hour assessment test and had to wait for her results. She said that it is common for teachers to either drop out or have to retake the test up to three times, though she only had to re-submit one of her entries just one time before she passed.
Altogether, it took a total of eighteen months to achieve certification.
According to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards website, “National Board Certified Teachers are highly accomplished educators who meet high and rigorous standards.”