Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

The West Virginia Wesleyan School of Education is offering a course for licensed teachers interested in pursuing National Board Certification. Offered through Wesleyan’s Masters of Education Program, the National Board Portfolio Development course is scheduled for the Fall 2010 Semester, and is designed for teachers who wish to apply for National Board Certification during this academic year. The first class session will be held on Saturday, September 18 from 9:00am until noon at the College. Additional class sessions for this two-semester sequence will be scheduled at this first class. Wesleyan is providing a reduction in graduate course fees for teachers who register for this course.

As described by the West Virginia Department of Education, National Board Certification was developed by teachers, with teachers, and for teachers as a symbol of professional teaching excellence. The certification process seeks to identify and recognize teachers who not only demonstrate a high degree of knowledge in their subject areas, but who also provide evidence of producing higher levels of student learning. West Virginia State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Steven Paine has stated that, “this is a rigorous, performance-based assessment that requires almost a year to complete. Teachers who receive the national certification are clearly among America’s best at their profession.”

Individuals seeking National Board Certification must hold a Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and have three years of successful teaching experience with a valid state teaching license for each year. Instructor Mark Lynch, NBCT, has trained National Board portfolio assessors, and is dedicated to providing support for teachers as they proceed through this challenging process.

Wesleyan’s Master’s in Education program is designed to provide advanced-level coursework and additional classroom and research opportunities to strengthen educational practice. The M.Ed. program is currently approved by the West Virginia Department of Education to offer Master’s degrees in Multi-categorical Special Education and in Reading Specialization, as well as a post-baccalaureate accelerated initial certification program in art, biology, chemistry, English, mathematics, physics, and social studies. Any of the Master’s courses may also be taken for professional development credit.

For additional information or to register for the National Board Portfolio Development course, please contact Dr. Susan Aloi, director of Wesleyan’s Master’s in Education Program, at 304.473.8580 or aloi_s@wvwc.edu.