Cary High Principal Dave Coley named to national advisory panel on National Board for teacher certification
March 18, 2002 - Cary High Principal Dave Coley is one of 12 elementary and secondary school principals from across the nation picked to serve on the newly named advisory board for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
 Dr. Coley visits the classroom of one of Cary High's National Board-certified teachers, Norma Hill, a math and technology instructor. |
A long time supporter of the National Board certification process for teachers, Coley worked with the board's staff a year ago when he briefed congressional staffers in Washington, D.C., on the benefits of teacher certification. The board staff named Coley as one of three at-large principals on the 12-member panel.
"The Principals Advisory Board to the National Board of Teacher Certification was formed this year to help promote the National Board certification process across the country," Coley said. "They feel that principals are a key to inform teachers, encourage teachers and recognize teachers that elect to go through this process and seek this recognition."
Coley has already attended an initial meeting of the board and represented the board in Atlanta at a recent gathering of the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
"I'm very supportive of the National Board," Coley said. "Certification will be important in helping us attract and retain the best quality teachers. If I can play a small part in doing that on a national level, that motivates me to want to continue to promote this. Two weeks ago, I was in Atlanta speaking to principals about the positive changes it meant for our school. It was very well received by principals from Alaska to Arizona to Florida. I think it can be a very positive thing. I am excited to be able to participate in that."
When the National Board certification process first began in 1993-94, Coley encouraged his teachers at Martin Middle to seek it. As he opened Davis Drive Middle, he sought teachers who had certification and encouraged his faculty to pursue certification. Now at Cary High, Coley has 10 teachers who have earned certification and another five working toward that goal.
"The National Board process is extremely rigorous," Coley said. "Teachers liken it to having gone through a masters degree program in one year. The national rate of recognition the first year is only 50 percent. It's much higher in North Carolina. Part of that is because we have a much larger cadre of teachers who have the certification, and they are able to assist other teachers. That's one of the things I encourage. Teachers at Cary that are applying for it should contact a mentor and try to work closely with them."
Coley said he's tried to help his teachers by encouraging them to be comfortable with taking the days off they are allotted to prepare their certification materials. He's purchased videotaping equipment to help provide them a quality tape to submit. And he has encouraged teachers to work together, getting mentors to read portfolios and review videotapes with them. He says it's also important to listen and encourage teachers in the certification process.
Cary High's
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"The teachers receive a box," Coley said. "They call it 'the box.' It has all their materials in it. There are several different components: submitting the lesson plans and the analysis of the lesson plans, which includes the video and analyzing the video, and a narrative they have to write about their professional activities. They package all that up and mail the box in. In the spring, they have to sit for a written test. I've been talking with teachers. Their box is due March 15. Once they mail that in, that's a big relief."
Teachers document their subject matter knowledge, provide evidence that they know how to effectively teach their subjects to students, and demonstrate their ability to manage and measure student learning. Coley said the process strengthens teachers' skills and helps the school system retain quality teachers.
"First and foremost, it's a way of keeping that experienced valuable teacher in the profession," Coley said. "The financial reward is extremely important. A 12 percent increase can be huge, especially for someone who likes teaching but doesn't feel like it's financially rewarding enough. I have seen many, many teachers apply for this and get it that could have possibly gone elsewhere. For the student, it keeps the strong, committed teacher in the classroom. It provides a teacher that is more reflective on what they are doing and their emphasis is on the art of teaching and on the student success. The process itself reinforces the fundamental things we want teachers doing."
In the fall when the newly certified teachers are announced, Coley recognizes them at a staff gathering and presents them with a clock that has their name and date on it. For teachers that don't earn certification their first year, he works with them to develop a plan to build on the points they've already banked to help them earn certification the next year.
Coley said the certification process is still new and many people are just hearing about it.
"One of the important outcomes of this will be to improve the status of teachers in the community," Coley said. "National Board certification will help to improve the image of teachers."