Two Hundred Nineteen Educators Achieve National Board Certification
Nisa Nour, an MCPS teacher for 14 years, wanted to pursue National Board Certification (NBC) for some time, but was too scared to start.
After finding the courage to begin, she found support and strength from colleagues in the NBCT Network of Diversity (NNOD) program, an affinity group for educators of color pursuing NBC and those who have achieved the prestigious certification. She completed the rigorous program in one year.
Now an English Language Development teacher at Col. Zadok Magruder High School, Nour says she decided to pursue National Board Certification (NBC) because it’s the highest level of professional certification and achievement for a teacher. “It was an opportunity to push myself and prove that I could reach this milestone in my career.
“As a Black educator, this was a way for me to confront the implicit biases and, at times, explicit racism that impacts Black teachers, and to assert my value in a system that doesn’t always value and support teachers who look like me.”
This year, Nour is one of 219 MCPS educators and counselors who achieved National Board Certification. Another 48 successfully maintained their certifications.
NNOD helped Nour connect with educators who understood the journey. The group “facilitated many opportunities for connection, collaboration and growth,” Nour said. “I found a supportive community that provided the guidance, encouragement and resources I needed to navigate this challenging journey.”
She acknowledges that the experience was much tougher than she expected, more difficult than earning her master’s degree in teaching. Still, she says, “it is, without a doubt, the best professional development you can experience. It improves every aspect of your teaching.”
She believes that the certification will be invaluable to her students because they will get “the best version of me.”
“I’ve always held high standards, but through the certification process, I’ve refined and strengthened my practice,” Nour said. “It has reshaped how I approach teaching—my planning, my use of research-based strategies, my ability to analyze and use data and my focus on meeting each student’s needs. Every decision I make in the classroom now has intentionality and consistency and my relationships with my students are stronger than ever.”
National Board Certification is achieved through an assessment process designed to measure what accomplished educators should know and be able to do. The process requires educators to demonstrate how their activities, both inside and outside the classroom, strengthen student performance and contribute to student achievement.
To become National Board Certified, candidates voluntarily complete a rigorous process that consists of four components: assessment of content knowledge, reflection on student work samples, video and analysis of teaching practice, and documentation of the impact of assessment and collaboration on student learning. These components were designed by teachers, for teachers, to identify the essential knowledge and skills required to advance student learning and achievement.
Interested in learning more about National Board Certification? Visit the MCPS NBC information sheet and website.