National Board Certification
My Experience with the National Board Certification Process
If you are a School Counselor thinking about pursuing National Board Certification and need a little support or motivation, you are in the right place. I am by no means an expert, but I can share somethings that helped me along the way and will help you too!
**please note: I certified in December 2019 so as you pursue your certification, make sure you review current expectations as requirements might have changed**
Here is a little background information on my journey.
I have always thought about becoming a National Board Certified Counselor but was worried about not being able to complete the process with everything else I had going on at the time; however, a co-worker of mine convinced me to pursue the journey despite my self-doubt. So I went on the website to pay the registration fee and begin the process. I had all intention of completing all four components in one year. But life happened, I became pregnant with my oldest son, and had to move my one year timeline to two years. I stayed focused, revised my original plan, and gained certification. All that to say, if you are thinking about certifying….DO IT!
The following will show some things I’ve learned along the way..
~~~Take time to review the entire National Board Certification site. Familiarize yourself with the portfolio instructions and specific certification areas including requirements, standards, available resources, timeline, scoring, etc..Link to National Boards: https://www.nbpts.org/national-board-certification/
~~ Create a notebook with dividers that represent each component. Print off all of the instructions, forms, etc. Add dividers, sheet protectors (to add student work samples/evidence inside), add a binder pencil pouch and include highlighters, pencils, pens, and sticky notes inside. Put a calendar in the front of the notebook and begin to plan out your timeline.
~~ Because you will have to upload and submit all of your work electronically, I suggest you create a digital google folder and label the folder National Boards. Create four folders inside of the main folder and label each folder a component. For example, name folder one: Assessment, folder two: Differentiation in Instruction, folder three: Teaching Practice and Learning Environment, and folder four: Effective and Reflective Practitioner. That way, you can upload data inside of each corresponding component.
~~Conduct research of your own, join support groups, and build a supportive team. One resource I found helpful was the savvyschoolcounselor blog. This blog is full of informative information regarding the National Board process for school counselors, check it out here: https://savvyschoolcounselor.com/national-boards/
Lastly, here are my overall Tips:
- Read the overview for each component- pay attention to “What I need to do?” and “What do I need to submit?” under each section.
- Answer all of the questions.
- Pay attention to forms, page limits, font size, and margin requirements.
- Read and study your standards.
- Plan out the process.
- Proofread your work and get someone else to proofread your work.
- Attend your District National Board support sessions regularly.
Let’s Get Started…..
Component 1: Assessment
* One thing that has brought me success throughout this component was my study group. If I can make a recommendation, it would be to surround yourself with professionals who are just as dedicated as you.
* National boards provides you with sample assessment items and scoring rubrics, use them!
* This component is broken into two parts: Selective response (multiple choice questions and Constructive response (three essay questions.)
* As you are taking the assessment, remember the following;
- Answer all questions
- Pace yourself (don’t run out of time).
- Quality over quantity–don’t worry about filling the page, worry about typing quality responses.
- Breathe, focus, relax. You know this stuff.
Here is a list of study materials that helped me..
1. Secrets of the National Board Certification School Counseling: Early Childhood through Young Adulthood Exam Study Guide. -Mometrix Test Preparation (Actual Book)
2. Encyclopedia of Counseling by Howard Rosenthal
3. Mastering the National Counselor Exam and the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam by Bradley Erford, Danica Hays, and Stephanie Crockett
4. The ASCA National Model: A Framework for school counseling programs.
~ This book is a must read! All school counselors need to familiarize themselves with the content in this book as it is a framework for our practice.
Component 2: Differentiation in Instruction
How do you differentiate instruction? Do you use visuals, learning groups, technology, hands on practice, etc…
Spend some time researching ways to differentiate your instruction and activities. Once you found some ideas, made sure those ideas will meet the learning needs of my students.
~As you create your lessons, Think…what are the lesson goals and how are they connected to the student need? How are students different as a result of the instruction?
Be sure to show this in your written commentary.
Component 3: Teaching Practice and Learning Environment
For this component you will need to record two videos, highlighting two different lesson, with two different instructional units. Decide which delivery method will work best for your students so that they understand the goals/objectives of the lesson.
- When writing out your plan, keep in mind each student’s developmental level/skills.
- Presentation is very important…how are you planning to present the information so it meets the needs of the students?
- Classroom community/relationships are important. How will you catch and keep students’ attention?
- Do not try to record a session with a group of students if it is your first time meeting them.
- Think about guided practice, independent practice, or collaborative practice. How will you utilize them in your lesson?
- Video tape several different lessons, that way you will have options to choose from.
Additional factors to consider…..
- Get parent/guardian/teacher permission.
- Try not to edit the videos, in fact, I would advise you not to edit.
- Show as much of the class, group, or student as possible.
- Pay close attention to video formatting and submitting directions.
Component 4: Effective and Reflective Practitioner
I thought a lot about the words “Effective and Reflective”. What does it mean to be an effective school counselor? What does it mean to be a reflective school counselor?
For this component, kept in mind seven things:
- Collaboration (teachers, parent, outside agencies; If needed, administration, etc..)
- Communication (teachers, parent, outside agencies; If needed, administration, etc..)
- Assessment choices (will this assessment test student knowledge, can they apply information learned, is there an opportunity for them to be creative?)
- Who are your students (gather data)
- Reflect (are you meeting the needs of your students?)
- Effectively plan (are the lessons, assessment choices, activities, and data conducive to student learning? Did you choose appropriate resources according to the “information learned about your students” that will support student learning?)
- Professional learning (will you need additional teaching/professional development or will you provide professional development to individuals according to the learning need)
As you compose your written commentary, think about the bulleted points above and how they relate to you and your practice. What evidence will you use to show you collaborated, communicated, and gather information from students and stakeholders to help you make instructional decisions that will support student learning.
