Alabama National Board Seekers Meeting Jan 3

I hope everyone had a wonderful, productive Christmas break! Our meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 3rd from 5 to 7 pm. in Wills 200.

Our special guest will be Tricia Clark, Sylacauga High School history teacher AND a brand new National Board Certified Teacher!!!!!! She was in your shoes last January and remembers the feelings you may be experiencing right now. I hope you will make plans to join us.Her focus will be on best tips to get you through the next couple of months. We will close with a question and answer session. Mentors will be present and available after the speaker.

You are entering the stress zone period...but repeat after me, I CAN DO THIS, I CAN DO THIS, I WILL DO THIS!

BELOW IS AN INSPIRATION FROM RALPH MARSTON. I'm posting it just for you.

YOU CAN

You could come up with all sorts of very reasonable excuses for not taking action. Or you can simply do what is to be done.

You could worry about what might or might not happen. Or you can get busy and make sure you achieve the result you desire.

You could take one look at the immensity of the challenge and decide that there's no way around it. Or you can begin to work your way, step by step, through that challenge.

You could delay and procrastinate and find plenty of ways to distract yourself from the task at hand. Or you can choose to enjoy the real fulfillment of making a positive, substantial contribution to life.

You could listen to all those people who tell you with certainty that it can't be done and that you're not qualified to do it. Or you can decide that you'll find a way to make it happen.

In the end, whatever the excuses or distractions or challenges may be, the decision is always yours. For when you choose to, you can do it.
-- Ralph Marston

November Meeting this Thursday!

We will have one of our CSP (candidate support person) share her National Board experience, along with a presentation on videotaping. After a question/answer session, those assigned to mentors will have a chance to sit down and talk about their progress.

Stellar folks, bring your wealth of knowledge and share with us!

Future meeting dates:
December-personal contact with CSP only
January- 3rd Wills 200 (if available)
February-7th Wills 200
march 26th Packing party and celebration

Keep writing!

New Meeting Date

Hi Ala NB Seekers!
The November 15th meeting has been cancelled due to threat of severe weather. The meeting has been rescheduled for November 30th from 5 to 7 pm in my favorite meeting place, Wills 200. I will be introducing our candidate support people and presenting on "Lights, Action, Camera, Showing the Best You!"
Video taping can be tricky. Bring your concerns, questions, and lots to brag about on the 30th.

Stellar folks, you are always welcome to our meetings!

Now, make a big pot of soup for tonight, get cozy with your computer, and write!

See you on the 30th!

Pattie Thomas

ps. I am thankful you all have the vision and drive to work on the National Board Process. It will become a blessing in your life and in the lives of your students!

New Location!

Please note that our next NB meeting on Nov. 15th will be in BLOCH room 205 from 5 to 7 pm. BLOCH is next to Wills.
Bring your portfolio manuals.

See you there!

Check out these bright faces that appeared at our last NB meeting. We discussed the types of writing and what they would look like as questions in a portfolio. I am working on loading on our blog the powerpoints I have created just for this group. Thanks for your patience.

Come join the quest to become national board certified. Our next scheduled meeting is N0vember 15th from 5 until 7 pm. We will meet in Wills 200. We will know of our grant recipients and can celebrate.

Candidate Support Providers (mentors) will be on hand to offer support and guidance. Bring your portfolio directions to serve as a guide. Just think of it as exercise lugging that big notebook around.

PD Web...sign up now available!

You will find our Tuesday, October 17th meeting on the PD web now! Sign up to be listed on the sign in sheet and help track your inservice hours. The web says "An overview" but we will be discussing the types of writing involved in the process.

Just like with an iceberg, National Boards has a lot of information under the surface, but our goal is to chip away toward your understanding and completion of the process. YOU can do this!

See you Tuesday!

It's all in the writing!

Our next scheduled meeting of the Alabama National Board Seekers is October 17th in Wills 200 at 5:00 pm. We will be celebrating your accomplishments (please plan to brag on yourself) and discussing different types of writing. I also want to discuss the contextual information part and why the rubrics are so important.

Bring your troubles, ideas, hopes, fears, and dreams....I'll see you there.

Ralph Marston Is speaking to YOU!

Below is the inspiration on www.dailymotivator.com for today.
Just wanted to share......

Happy Writing!


Thursday, September 28, 2006
Start where you are If you want to get something done, then start it. That may sound obvious, yet all too often it is that first step that keeps getting put off for way too long.
If you can't decide on where to start, just start somewhere, with the first thing that comes to mind. You'll be much better able to come up with an effective plan once you get going and get a feel for what you're doing.
Yes, you'll probably make some mistakes and yes, there will certainly be challenges. So get moving and get busy dealing with them right away.
Once you start, the momentum begins to build. Once you start, you'll find a workable way to finish.
Take the first step on a journey, and the next step comes a little more smoothly. As each step prepares the way for the next, your momentum begins to carry much of the load.
The way to get where you want to be is to start from where you are. Now is when you can surely begin to make your best possibilities come to life.
-- Ralph Marston

Carve out time for NB

Just carving out one hour for National Boards, is an hour you have spent on your goal. If you are waiting to hear about the grant, this is a perfect time to learn more about the process. This way, you will be ahead since you can print out your standards and portfolio directions now. I know of some wonderful reading material...THE STANDARDS! Remember www.nbpts.org will give you more information that you could ever want.....:0)

For inspiration, you may want to make it a habit of checking www.dailymotivator.com It has amazed me how many inspirational messages pertain to the National Board Process!

If you are already a candidate, it is my hope that you already have a secure place to work, have your portfolio directions printed out and divided into the 4 parts. I just know you have begun to plan which entry you will do first! When you decide which one, go ahead and type in the questions. The entry will begin to build itself.

I hope to see your smiling faces at our next meeting, Sept. 17 in Wills 200. We will look at the different types of writing.



Happy Writing!

Grant Seekers

Just a reminder that all grants for National Board Certification funding are due at the Alabama State Department of Education on Monday, September 25th!

We plan to celebrate when you receive your award letter that you got the $$$!

Inspiration for the NB Seekers

Friday, September 22, 2006

Choose today
Choose today to face the challenges, and you'll come away stronger. Decide that you will find a way to do what you know must be done, and the value you create will endure long after this day is over.
Rediscover the sense of real, honest and irreplaceable fulfillment that comes from moving in the direction you know is right. Experience the satisfaction of knowing that you are truly making a positive difference.

Plant seeds of hope and encouragement with those you encounter. Keep your heart filled with gratitude for the beauty and the possibilities that flow through your world at all times.

Enjoy the reality of being alive and aware at this moment in this place. Look for the positive in every situation and you will find it.

This day is your opportunity to put your dreams, your values, your hopes and goals and desires into action. This day is your opportunity to allow the best that is inside you to flow out into the world.

Jump enthusiastically into this day and live it as if everything you become depends on the path you choose to follow. For on this day, it does.

-- Ralph Marston

Jana Kintz

If you know how I can email or call Jana Kintz, please comment or email me at pthomas@mail.talladega-cs.net. She did not sign the "sign in sheet" for the September 21st meeting.
Thanks!
Happy Writing......

FYI

The official date for our next meeting is Tuesday, October 17th from 5:00-7:00 pm. The meeting will occur in Wills Hall and the exact room will be announced at a later date.


You can contact Janet Taylor, Technology In Motion Specialist, at
taylorj@montevallo.edu. Her cell phone # is 205-965-5211. She really wants to help!

I enjoyed our session on September 21st. I hope Dr. Buck's presentation gave you "food for thought" and perhaps a better way of managing your time. Your participation shows your interest and dedication to the NB process.

If you know someone who did not attend the session, please share with them that I videotaped it! We are going to make several copies to pass around.

Thanks again for attending. I have high hopes for you ALL!

Happy writing!

Let's Get Organized!

Just a reminder for the first hour, our special guest Dr. Frank Buck, will share special tips on how to complete and organize a huge task such as National Boards . We will also be discussing the directions for the portfolio entries and things that each certification area has in common.

Please plan to share anything you have already set up or plan to set up. If you can, plan to bring your portfolio directions (download at www.nbpts.org) under candidates (I think). I suggest putting them in a notebook or folder.

See you on Thursday, Sept. 21st at 5:00 in Wills 200.

Happy Writing!
Pattie

Welcome Alabama N B Seekers

I am excited that you have decided to pursue National Board Certification. As I thought about our members, I felt we needed a way to communicate as a whole in addition to email. So, I created a blog just for our Univ. Of Montevallo Inservice Center on-going learning group. You can post comments, too!

As I discover information, dates for meetings, opportunities, websites, etc. I will post them to the blog. Be patient, this is a new adventure but one I think will connect us better!

Happy writing!
Pattie Thomas