The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards announced that 2,073 teachers became National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in the 2020-2021 school year. Showing their deep commitment to student learning and the teaching profession, these teachers represent 49 states plus the District of Columbia.
With the 5,304 teachers who renewed or maintained their certificate this year, there is now a total of 130,630 teachers from all 50 states who teach to the highest standards in the profession and impact culture and learning for vast numbers of students, schools, and communities.
Rebecca McGee, a Star City resident and teacher at Reed Elementary School in Dumas, has successfully completed the rigorous work required to become a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) in the 2020-2021 school year.
To attain this rare distinction, individuals must become highly reflective practitioners of the teaching art and be willing to challenge themselves for the betterment of their fellow staff members and students.
McGee graduated from Wayland Baptist University in Honolulu, HI where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Education. She earned her Master’s Degree in Education at Henderson State University with a certification in ESL (English as a Second Language). She started her career at Kingsland Elementary School in 2007 and began at Reed Elementary in 2017. During her 15 year teaching career, she has served on a variety of committees and currently serves on the leadership team, facilitates the 5th grade level PLCs (Professional Learning Community), and is the Personnel Policy Committee secretary. In 2021, she was chosen as an ASTA (Arkansas State Teachers Association) Advocacy Fellow–one of only 20 in the state. In recognition of her exceptional leadership and professionalism, Reed Elementary School nominated her as their Teacher of the Year for 2021-2022. She was also selected as the Dumas School District’s Teacher of the Year for 2021-2022. Though she currently teaches 5th grade math and science, she also holds certifications in middle school language arts, social studies, math, and science as well as ESL Pre-K-12th grade.
“I’ve always known I was going to be a teacher,” McGee said. “My mom is a teacher and even as a child I played teacher. There is no better job. You get to make a difference every day, are constantly learning new things, and have the same schedule as your own children. And while the pay is not the best pay in the world, the benefits make up for it. We travel every summer and I have all the same vacation time as my kids. Priceless.”
From the National Board website: “The founding mission of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is to advance the quality of teaching and learning by: maintaining high and
rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do; providing a national voluntary system certifying teachers who meet these standards, and advocating related education reforms to integrate National Board Certification in American education and to capitalize on the expertise of National Board Certified Teachers. Recognized as the “gold standard” in teacher certification, the National Board believes higher standards for teachers means better learning for students.”
In order to earn certification, McGee had to pass a written exam, record two teaching videos with written commentary, and submit two portfolios showing evidence of student learning and progress along with written commentary.
“It was a lot of work and I actually failed by four points the first year. I started from scratch with one of the components, resubmitted it, and passed the second year. Once you start the process, you have 5 years to pass. I am very blessed at Reed because we have amazing building level administrators, supportive co-workers, and helpful students and families. I had a lot of encouragement, support, and practical help from my principals, instructional facilitator, and literacy co-worker.”
McGee encourages other teachers to explore National Board certification. “It’s not for everyone. Only about 30% of teachers pass their first year and after so much hard work, many choose to give up. But it is well worth exploring. The process is much more flexible than it once was and there is a greater level of both financial and technical support available throughout the process. I’d be happy to talk to any teacher who is considering accepting the challenge of becoming National Board Certified.”
In closing, McGee would like to thank her principals, Nancy Chapman and Karan Stewart, as well as her instructional facilitator, Lisa Yarnell, and her co-worker, Cindy Griffin, for all their help at school and for providing feedback. Also, Brandi Williams, her support site facilitator for keeping her on track. A big thank-you to her parents, David and Ruth Wylie, who prayed earnestly for her to pass for two years! Thanks also to her friends who got her through the long days and nights of writing and encouraged her to keep trying after failing the first year. “A huge thank-you to my husband, Chris, who talked me into doing this and sticking with it until I passed. He never believed for a second that I couldn’t do it. And finally, thank-you Jesus, for blessing me with this beautiful life and opportunity and being with me through it all.”
