Chulapol Thanomsing
EDTL 606: Unit 5 Assignment
Critical Analysis of the Five Core Propositions

The National Board Professional Teaching Standards was established in 1987 because of the effect of the U.S. federal government report in 1983 “A Nation at Risk” and the Carnegie Corporation’s Task Force on Teaching report in 1986 “A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century.”  Three missions of the NBPTS are to maintain high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do, provide a national voluntary system certifying teachers who meet these standards, and advocate related education reforms to integrate National Board Certification in American education and to capitalize on the expertise of National Board Certified Teachers.  According to the NBPTS missions, accomplished teachers must be committed to students and their learning, know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students, be responsible for managing and monitoring students learning, think systematically about their practice and learn from experience, and be members of communities learning (the NBPTS – Five Core Propositions).  Additionally, the goals of the NBPTS is an assessment based on teachers’ performance, and the purpose is to evaluate the complex knowledge and skills of teaching’s performance that teachers will be able to meet or exceed those five core propositions.

In order to be committed to students and their learning (proposition #1), accomplished teachers must act on the belief that all of their students can learn, treat students equally, and recognize the individual differences among their students.  Accomplished teachers are also expected to create the knowledge accessible for students.  Observation skill must be used effectively by accomplished teachers to understand their students’ knowledge, abilities, skills, interests, relationships with family and peers, and how their students learn and develop.

In order to know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students (proposition #2), accomplished teachers must know, in depth, their subjects that they teach and be able to find the best way to utilize background knowledge, and instructional materials and create new knowledge as well.  They also must be able to create multiple paths of teaching for students’ learning and to solve their own problems.

In order to be responsible for managing and monitoring students learning (proposition #3), accomplished teachers must be able to evaluate the individual student’s progresses as well as a whole class.  They also know when and how to engage group learning appropriately.  They can organize effective instructions and assessment processes for students to meet the school’s goals.

In order to think systematically about their practice and learn from experience (proposition #4), accomplished teachers must seek the capacities that are prerequisites for intellectual growth.  They must be able to adopt an experimental and problem-solving orientation to enhance their teaching experience.  They engage in the lifelong learning to strengthen their teaching as well as encourage their students to strengthen learning.
In order to be members of communities learning (proposition #5), accomplished teachers must be able to collaborate with other professionals in developing the effectiveness of their school.  They must also have knowledge about school and community resources and engage that knowledge to benefit their students.  According to the NBPTS proposition #5, accomplished teachers find ways to work collaboratively and creatively with parents, engaging them productively in the work of school.
Finally, evaluating themselves based on the Five Core Propositions can take teachers deeper and deeper to realize not only what they are actually doing as a teacher, but also why they are doing it.  In addition, teachers also can learn why and how things are going well and wrong.  Teachers will be able to use the Five Core Propositions of NBPTS as a guide for professional development (mission #1: maintaining high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do), a path toward increasing respect for teachers (mission #2: maintaining high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do), and a model for educational reform (mission #3: advocating related education reforms to integrate National Board Certification in American education and to capitalize on the expertise of National Board Certified Teachers).  Knowing and being able to do according to the Five Core Propositions, the missions of NBPTS will be accomplished.  Quality of teaching and student learning will be improved in all American schools.