A Day to Breathe

Wow. I didn't realize what a day was like without stress! I am working towards my National Board Certification this year. I have to complete 4 rather large portfolio entries that reflect and analyze my teaching and accomplishments, take two video tapes of myself teaching, and a written test. They estimate it to be a 200-400 HOUR commitment. Anyway my school district gives 5 paid days to work on your portfolio. Which is really nice! So today I took a NB day. I woke up at my usual time and got ready. Then I went to Panera with my laptop and began writing. I started around 7:30 am. I got home this afternoon around 3:15. I had written a little more than 10 pages today, almost the whole draft of Entry 4 - Documented Accomplishments. It was so NOT stressfull of a day for me! I didn't have to repeat myself 10 times for anything! I didn't even talk to anyone until after lunch when I was getting rather lonely so I decided to call Andy and check in on the boys. It was a really quiet day. Around 10ish this morning I moved over to the public library to keep writing. It was quieter there and I focused a little easier. By 3 though my brain was shot. So for Entry 4 I only have a 2pg reflection left to draft. I'm going to have Andy proof it tonight (he was thrilled when I asked!) and then have Jenn proof it (she just found out last week that she is National Board Certified!) and then my NB Mentor proof it. During all the proofing I'll be gathering my evidence- I can have 16 pages of evidence to prove my documented accomplishments. The whole process is very detailed and specific all the way down to which pages you can paper clip together. I really hope I can keep on top of this process- next I'll be working on the reading entry. I'm sure you'll be hearing about this off and on from now till March 31st- that is the day my portfolio is due. If (I mean when) I pass, I'll be Rank I certified!!