National Board Certification Available for Teachers of World Languages Other than English

Message to NCJLT members by Jaci Collins, NBPTS candidate and Board Member, AATJ (mailed to AATJ members in November, 2002

November 28, 2002

Dear Member of NCJLT:

You are receiving this letter from me because you are a professional educator in the field of Japanese language and culture instruction. Your membership in NCJLT confirms that you are interested in improving your teaching, the status of education and student learning.

This is the first year that professionals in the field of Japanese language teaching have the opportunity to validate their professionalism and join the ranks of thousands of other education professionals by seeking National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) Certification. This year -- 2002-2003 -- is only the second year that the certification area of World Languages other than English (WLOE) is being offered. Japanese was not included in the first year of this professional certification area. NCJLT, AATJ, and ATJ protested this exclusion and lobbied for inclusion of Japanese language teachers in the WLOE Certification.

Only one candidate has applied to do the WLOE Certification in Japanese in 2002-2003. Congratulations to this single professional Japanese language teacher! However, I'm confident that there are more professionals in Japanese language education with equal qualifications. It is imperative that others in our profession step forward and begin the process in the very near future. If there is not a significant increase in the number of Japanese language WLOE candidates, there is a danger that this certification area will be eliminated in the near future.

National Board Certification is a process of professional development for accomplished educators. It is an opportunity for a teacher to "showcase" his / her accomplishments against a set of nationally approved standards. K-12 teachers with a minimum of 3 years' experience who are currently teaching at least one class with a minimum of 6 students are eligible. In addition, a candidate must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and hold a valid state teaching license if required by your state.

The Japanese language field poses some unique challenges in regard to the latter two requirements, because we have such a high percentage of native-speaking Japanese teachers who were educated in Japan and who teach in states that either issue emergency licenses or require no license at all. I have been assured that the process of validation of eligibility is a bit longer, but not impossible, for native-speaking teachers. Please check the website: www.nbpts.org; or telephone the NBPTS Service line 1-800-22TEACH and inquire about your status.

The NBPTS Certification process is rigorous and challenging. In brief, there are two parts. For the first part you will be preparing a portfolio that showcases four aspects of your classroom instruction and professional accomplishments in your school and greater community. For the second part you will go to an assessment center where you will respond to six exercises in a timed setting. Again, the best place to get information about the specifics of the portfolio requirements and the assessment center exercises is the NBPTS website: www.nbpts.org.

For 2002-2003 the cost of the process is $2300. (This is a substantial investment, but for most teachers who complete the certification process, the investment will be repaid very quickly in the form of salary increases or bonuses.) A non-refundable application fee of $300 is required of each potential candidate. After that, many states have subsidies available to help with -- and in some cases completely pay -- the remaining $2000. In addition, there are national corporations and foundations that provide scholarships for teachers seeking National Board Certification. You will find this information on the website: www.nbpts.org under the subcategory of Supporters and also State & Local Support & Incentives. Finally, you might consider applying for a small grant from AATJ to cover the cost of the initial $300 application fee.

In addition to financial support there is process support available through NBPTS Service by telephoning 1-800-22TEACH, through most state teacher associations and also some newly established national networks. Among these national networks, Martie Semmer of the National K-12 Foreign Language Resource Center at Iowa State University maintains an informative list-serve that is specifically geared to WLOE Certification.

Finally, please don't hesitate to contact me through NCJLT: ncjlt@hotmail.com. I will gladly answer questions that I can or direct you to a resource that will have the response.

The NBPTS Certification process in WLOE in Japanese language is a great opportunity for professional teachers in the United States, and an acknowledgment of the importance of Japanese language education in the United States. I hope that this letter has informed you of this opportunity and inspired you to begin investigating the potential of the process. The opportunity to apply for the 2002-2003 cycle is quickly drawing to a close-- on December 31, 2002. It would be wonderful to have more Japanese language teachers step up to the challenge this year. It is imperative that the Japanese language certification program shows an increase in candidates in 2003-2004 so that this opportunity will be available in the future. Please give NBPTS Certification your attention and serious consideration.

Sincerely,


Jaci Collins
Teacher, Manitowoc Public School District
Board Member, Alliance (AATJ)

Back to NBPTS main page
Back to Standards for Teachers and Teacher Educators main page
Back to Professional Development SIG main page
Back to ATJ SIG Main Page
Back to ATJ Main Page