developing as a professional educator

DOMAIN F: DEVELOPING AS A PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR

Domain F: Developing as a Professional Educator

Lara Landry

National University

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Abstract

The following paper describes my professional development goals and my plan to

achieve these goals. In five years my plan is to obtain a California Clear Multiple Subject

Credential, National Board Certification, California Clear Single Subject Credential, and

an Administration Credential. Included in the paper is a five-year timeline that maps out

my goals as well as artifacts that support the feasibility of my professional goals.

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A teacher's education never really comes to an end. I believe however, in order to

stay current in any field, employees should participate in professional development. I

have put together a six-year career plan mapping out my goals for professional

development as an educator. The timeline is listed below. After completion of this

graduate program I will have a California Preliminary Teaching Credential. During the

first two years of employment, in a state accredited school, Preliminary Credentialed

Teachers complete the BTSA (Beginning Teacher Support & Assessment Program)

program to clear their credential. After completion of the BTSA program and clearing my

credential, in my third year of teaching, I plan to complete the course work and CSET test

to obtain a single subject credential. In my fourth year I plan to apply for my NBCT

(National Board Certified Teacher) certification and complete all necessary work to

obtain the NBCT Credential, and in my fifth year I plan to start the administrative

credential process, completing the CPACE test and video requirement. My goal is to

work in administration by my sixth year teaching in public school.

BTSA is a two-year program designed for teachers with a California Preliminary

Credential. The program pairs a Participating Teacher with a Support Provider who meets

weekly with the Participating Teacher to engage in professional dialogue and act as a

guide in the formative assessment process. Ventura Unified School District (VUSD)

utilizes Formative Assessment for California Teachers (FACT) for their formative

assessment system and teachers participating in the program are responsible for creating a

FACT portfolio during the BTSA program. BTSA Induction is the required pathway to

the Professional Clear Credential for all contracted teachers in VUSD holding an SB

2042 Preliminary Credential, the credential you receive upon completion of any

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credential program. As soon as I am hired by VUSD, which will hopefully be for the

2014-2015 school year, I will begin the BTSA program. I plan to obtain my California

Clear Credential by the end of the 2015-2016 school year.

After completion of the BTSA and clearing my credential I wanted to work

towards obtaining an additional credential in a single subject. Obtaining an additional

credential after clearing your first requires only limited coursework and the passing of the

CSET test in the subject desired. Per the Sate of California Commission on Teacher

Credentialing, if you are a holder to a valid Clear Multiple Subject Teaching Credential

and are seeking a Clear Single Subject Teacher Credential, you are required to take a

three-semester-unit or or four-quarter-unit course in methodology directly related to

teaching in a departmental setting and must demonstrate content area subject-matter

competence by taking the CSET test for your subject. However, after reading further into

National Board Certification, which is another goal of mine but can only be started after

three years of teaching in a state approved school, I found out that you can request an

additional credential without having to take any additional classes or take a subject

competency exam after becoming a NBCT (National Board Certified Teacher).

Before starting the National Board Certification, teachers can go through a

process called Take One! to "sample" National Board Certification. Teachers are asked to

reflect on their own classroom instructional practices within the context of national

teaching standards. The Take One! prepares a teacher for the NBCT process. I plan to

complete the Take One! and start planning for the National Board Certification during the

2016-2017 school year, which would be my third year and then plan to complete the

NBCT during my fourth year.

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National Board Certification is a voluntary assessment program designed to

develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers, and to embed ongoing

improvement in schools nationwide. While state teacher credentialing programs set the

basic requirements to teach in each state, National Board Certified Teachers have to

demonstrate advanced teaching knowledge, skills and practices. Completion of National

Board Certification signifies that a teacher has developed and demonstrated the skills

required of an accomplished education professional. There are 25 certificated areas to

choose from when becoming a NBCT. My experiences in my first three years of teaching

in public school will allow me to determine in which area to focus. Looking into it now I

can see myself focusing on either English language arts, Generalist, Literacy, or Social

Studies-History, and within each area I see myself focusing on early to middle childhood.

When completing the NBCT, teachers must create a portfolio that consists of four entries,

each requiring direct evidence of teaching as well as commentary describing, analyzing,

and reflecting on this evidence. The National Board Certification process takes about a

year and a half. I plan to submit my NBCT Portfolio by the deadline in May 2017.

During the Fall of the 2017-2018 school year, once I am National Board Certified, I will

apply for a second Clear Teaching Credential in a single subject, yet to be determined.

After acquiring these three certifications in my first four and a half years, I plan to

get an administrative credential during my fifth year. To be eligible to obtain an

Administrative Credential, teachers must have a prerequisite credential, compete at least

three years of teaching in a school recognized and approved by the state, and complete

either an Administrative Services preparation program or an examination alternative. The

examination alternative is a test called the CPACE, which stands for California

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Preliminary Administrative Credential Examination. This test covers California school

law, finances, organization and English learner needs. There are two components: a

written test and a video submission.

Seeking professional development is a very big part in starting a teaching career

in public education. I will make professional development a huge focus of mine to ensure

I stay on track to accomplish the goals I have laid out for myself. If I decide during my

third year, after completing the Take One!, that I am not interested in National Board

Certification anymore and instead am ready for the challenge of working in

administration for the bigger paycheck, I may pursue the administration credential during

my fourth year rather than the National Board Certification. There is an opportunity to

make much more money in administration than in teaching, if you are up for the

challenge. The starting annual salary for an assistant principle in a VUSD middle school

is just over $76,000, for an elementary school principle is almost $89,000. In my third

year of teaching I will be making just under $50,000 (if working in VUSD). Currently I

am looking forward to my time in the classroom and I see myself pursuing the National

Board Certification before an Administration Credential.

One of the artifacts I have chosen to include is the 2013 Guide to National Board

Certification. In it, the National Board and the five core propositions of the National

Board are described. The experience and benefits of completing the Take One! are also

described. The guide tells you about the assessment, scholarships and rewards available

to candidates, and how to apply for the NBCT. This guide gives a clear, straight-forward

explanation of the Take One! and the National Board Certification process.

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Another artifact I wanted to include is the requirements for adding a subject area

to a multiple subject credential. As stated on the top of this form, California credentialed

teachers are allowed to obtain an additional general education credential without

completing the full professional preparation program for that credential. The first section

of the form lists the possible scenarios in applying for an additional credential, of which

you would check the one pertaining to you and read the requirements to do so below it.

After, the form provides details on how to apply, terms and definitions for subject matter

competence, and terms for National Board Certification.

The last artifact I chose to include is the California Preliminary Administrative

Credential Examination (CPACE) Content Specifications, which is a ten page document

that lists the standards for each of the four domains of the CPACE; Visionary and

Inclusive Leadership, Student learning, Systems for Capacity Building, and Resource

Management and Educational Law. In addition to describing the range of content that is

eligible to be included on the test, it describes the qualities needed to effectively meet the

"rigors, challenges, and complexities" of an administration position. It was for this reason

that I thought it was a good item to include. It describes the many responsibilities of an

administrator within the school and with community, and also discusses the strong core

of values and ethics an administrator must have.

Having a well thought-out plan for professional development is one way to

impress a panel of teachers and administrators interviewing you. It shows discipline,

initiative and responsibility. I would like those interviewing me and to be aware that I

plan to seek National Board Certification, and after that another teaching credential, a

Single Subject Credential, to be able to teach at a higher level and be a more versatile

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teacher. Explaining in an interview process, and making my principal aware, that I have a

goal to obtain an administrative credential and possibly work in administration in the

future, may lead to future opportunities. It shows I am driven and desire to be a dynamic

player in the education profession. By making others aware of my goals too, not only

does it hold me more accountable to them, it also opens the opportunity for others to help

me attain my goals.

Professional Development Timeline

Year 1-2: Complete BTSA/Clear CredentialMarch 2014 Apply for teaching position for 2014-2015 school yearJune- Aug. 2014 Get hired by a local school districtAug. 2014-June 2016 Start CA Clear Credential process, complete within 2

years, by end of 2015-2016 school yearJune 2016 Complete Clear Multi-Subject Credential

Year 3: Complete Take One! , Start NBCT Planning Fall 2016 Complete the Take One! Process of the NBCT for

preparation for NBCTSpring 2017 Start NBCT Certification planning

Year 4: Complete NBCTFall 2017 Start NBCT Certification, complete by June 2018May 2018 Complete all NBCT work: portfolio, interview, & test

Year 5: Apply for Single Subject Credential, Complete Administrative CredentialFall 2018 Apply for Single Subject Credential based on NBCT

Start Administrative Credential process, take CPACE June 2019 Complete CPACE and Administrative Credential

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References

2013 guide to national board certification (2013). National Board For Professional

Teaching Standards. Retrieved From

http://www.nbpts.org/sites/default/files/documents/candidate-

center/guide_to_nb_certification%203.25.13.pdf

Adding a teaching or subject area to multiple and single subject credentials (2012). State

of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Retrieved From

http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/leaflets/cl621a.pdf

California preliminary administrative credential examination (CPACE):

Content specifications (2010). State of California Commission on Teacher

Credentialing. Retrieved From

http://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/pdf/cpace_content_specifications.pdf

Teacher support and expanded learning services (2012). Ventura County Office of

Education. Retrieved From

http://www.vcoe.org/portals/vcssoportals/tss/handbook%20final%202012-

2013a.pdf

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