What’s in a score?
Nov 23rd, 2009 by Cathy Nelson
As the National Board for Professional Teaching Candidates learned their scores this past week, I sat on pins and needles waiting to hear about the seven candidates I worked with.
Here is summary:
- 3 candidates from my field – Library Media – two passed, one will need to be a retake
- 4 candidates from outside my field – including two in reading, a math, and a science – one passed (and the passing candidate was a third time retake who sighed a huge breath of relief)
How many have I helped?
I did not keep information like this, as I wasn’t a formal mentor through my state, but instead just a willing person and when folks asked, I read and suggested changes or ways to improve. Here is what memory serves:
- During the school years06-07 and 07-08, I worked with a fellow LMS from Alabama that I had never met until after her portfolio was in the mail to be scored; we met at NECC 2008 in San Antonio.
- I have assisted two high school librarians in my own state, but my help was 100% virtual. Not once did I meet with them f2f, but instead relied on sharing files and email tag. Both passed.
- In that same year, I helped three teachers working in my school, and I’m happy to report even though they were not in my content area, all three of them passed.
Now in hindsight,I wish I had kept some records. Then at least as new folks request help, I could back up my qualifications with the passing rate for those I have helped.
Prove to me you can help
Today though for the first time ever, a library candidate who will be a retake candidate in the fall asked me to produce proof that I could help. Sigh. I could have just dismissed her. I don’t get paid to help people, and aside from them offering me a dinner or gift or two, I have freely provided my own time to help them achieve their goal of NBCT. So it came as a surprise to have the burden of proof resting on my shoulders today.
I passed on names and contact info for my new friend to contact and make inquiries. And tonight I located and found my scores form my certification. I remember when I finally passed, not “really” wanting to share my specific scores. I was troubled by some, embarrassed by others. But tonight, I am no longer troubled or embarrassed. I will share them freely here. Are they perfect? NOT by a mile. But passed I did. The funny thing is now after the fact, I can pick apart my portfolio and say exactly what is wrong with it!
So now starting this year, I will begin a spreadsheet to document the candidates I help. And I wil share my scores for library media NBCT.
Thought you’d like to decide if I was qualified or not, so here is my score report, copy/pasted.
Entry or Exercise Name
- Instructional Collaboration (Portfolio 1)
2.750 raw x 16.000 weight = 44.00
- Fostering an Appreciation of Literature (Portfolio 2)
3.000 raw x 16.000 weight = 48.00
- Integration of Instruction Technologies (Portfolio 3)
3.000 raw x 16.000 weight = 48.00
- Doc Accomplishments : Contributions to Student Learning (Portfolio 4 –consistent in all certification areas, I might add.)
3.000 raw x 12.000 weight = 36.00
- Organizational Management (Assessment area)
3.000 raw x 6.670 weight = 20.01
- Ethical and Legal Tenets (Assessment area)
3.750 raw x 6.670 weight = 25.01
- Technologies (Assessment area)
3.500 raw x 6.670 weight = 23.34
- Collection Development (Assessment area)
2.375 raw x 6.670 weight = 15.84
- Information Literacy (Assessment area)
2.750 raw x 6.670 weight = 18.34
- Knowledge of Literature (Assessment area)
2.250 raw x 6.670 weight = 15.00
Sum of Scaled Scores 294
Uniform Constant 12
TOTAL WEIGHTED SCALED SCORE 306
One more thing–a confession
To certify one needs a 275. Oh one more thing. I must make a confession. While I do believe it made me a better teacher in the library, I did not set the goal for NBCT for any other reason than I was jealous of another librarian that made it a couple of years before me-one I wasn’t particularly impressed with. (I’m so judgmental.) I took all my bad thoughts back though as I stressed over my portfolio, assessments, and score wait marathon so many years ago, and developed a whole new level of respect and awe for this previously IMHO unimpressive librarian. And yet another example that shows what do I know? Maybe I’m not qualified to help others after all.
