Jana Lynn Hunzicker

The Leverage of National Board Candidacy: an Exploration of Teacher Learning Jana Lynn Hunzicker

The Leverage of National Board Candidacy is written for teachers considering the pursuit of National Board certification as well as for those currently engaged in the certification process. Capturing the experiences of Anne, Barbara, and Jamie, three teachers who sought NBPTS certification during the 2004-2005 school year, the book vividly describes their teaching practices, guiding philosophies, and thought processes before exploring each teacher's learning as it occurred during the certification year. Comparing the three teachers' certification experiences to the findings of recently conducted research, the book explores characteristics of readiness for National Board candidacy, common learning outcomes of the NBPTS certification process, and possible explanations for the varying nature and degree of learning that occurred for the three teachers through the experience. The final chapter presents the theory of leverage during National Board candidacy, an interactive dynamic that creates an uncomfortable yet positive pressure that makes the pursuit of National Board certification one of the most powerful professional development experiences currently available to teachers.