NBCNY's Featured NBCT
David Amidon's Reflection on NBC
I found the National Board process to be very reflective and helped me fine tune my efforts and practices. The propositions shared in “What Teachers Should Know and Be Able to Do” helped me identify my areas of strengths and things I needed to work on. I think I have always strived to find opportunities to improve my knowledge and practice, but working through the components sharpened my focus. Proposition 3 was an area I needed to work on, specifically in regards to assessment. For too long I relied on state exams as a scaffold for my quizzes and tests, so I sought out programs to help grow in this area.
Last year I worked as a NY rep for the Stackable, Instructionally-Embedded, Portable Science (SIPS) Assessments project and currently I am working with the Institute for Practical Educational Science (IPES) and The Association for the Cooperative Advancement of Science and Education (ACASE). Specifically, I am building an “assessment kit” for the MS-ESS6-2 Performance Expectation that will be shared on ngssrubrics.org.
Additionally, I have been fortunate to work with some truly phenomenal educators over the years. Reflecting through my components, I was able to step back and determine how these relationships and connections have helped me grow as a person and an educator. I have had some amazing opportunities, from being a NOAA Teacher at Sea, to presenting at the American Meteorological Society Annual Conference, to working with collaborative groups, such as IPES, but I think my role as a Teacher Ambassador with the National Center for Science Education (https://ncse.ngo/) has had the greatest impact. I have helped build data-driven, NGSS-aligned storylines based on some tough topics, Climate Change. Evolution, and the Nature of Science, that are shared across the country for teachers to use. Not only have I contributed to a number of these lessons, but I was also able to work with the King’s Centre for Visualization in Science to produce online applets that help students experience data in a friendlier form (https://applets.kcvs.ca/ClimateContributions/ClimateContributions.html). I was also part of a team of educators that showcased these lessons for the American Association for the Advancement in Science (AAAS) Forum on Science & Technology Policy in Washington DC. I had the opportunity to share what I do with my classes with a number of policy makers and model how NGSS lessons are very different from many of their experiences in science education.
I thrive on these connections and my network, and I believe that teachers really do need to be involved in learning communities to flourish. I have realized that these do not have to always be formally selected programs or identified PLCs, they can be a group of people taking a class, teachers who meet up at a conference, or even just sharing with peers on a normal day. Regardless, if these groups will be transformative I have found that they need members that share a connection and leaders who are willing to share their expertise, and their struggles. Since completing the process, I have tried to step into this role more often, as I know I have benefitted from those who have helped me along the way. It's my turn.
David Amidon, NBCT, NYS Master Teacher emeritus
Early Adolescence Science
La Fayette CSD
Laura Rosner's Why...
My two sisters and I grew up on the Eastern End of Long Island in a small, close knit community. We went to school with our friends and neighbors and knew most of our teachers both inside and outside of the classroom. With that being said, when I was diagnosed with a rare, blinding eye disease in fifth grade, it was not a secret. After numerous appointments with eye doctors across Long Island and a visit with a specialist in New York City, my parents learned that I had Stargardt's Disease and that there was no cure for this juvenile form of macular degeneration. The diagnosis was difficult to understand as the doctors explained that little was known about the condition. I share this because my blinding eye condition is my “why” for teaching and for pursuing my National Board Certification. As a student, I faced many obstacles and challenges that I needed to overcome. These challenges changed in nature as I progressed from middle to high school and then undergraduate to graduate programs but they all, in conjunction with the support of my family, helped me grow into the independent, educated, empathetic teacher I am today. As a student with a disability, I saw first hand how imperative it was for teachers to understand learners with diverse needs. I started my teaching career through the Teaching Fellows program at P.S. 212 in Jackson Heights, Queens as a special education teacher in a special class setting. I worked with a variety of different learners with varying abilities and needs. I currently teach at an elementary school on the Eastern End of Long Island where I am a teacher in the integrated co-teaching setting. My own personal and unique experiences help me to understand how essential it is to ensure that all students get the support and education they need. In my sixth year of teaching, a colleague suggested that we attend an information session and consider pursuing National Board Certification. Although I was hesitant to begin the process I knew that in the long run it would be well worth it. Growing as a professional and reflecting on my practice would help improve my effectiveness in the classroom. I successfully obtained my certification and have since successfully completed the Maintenance of Certification process for the first time last year. I now have a family of my own and am a mom of two young boys. They keep me busy and full of laughter. I hope that my life experiences help them learn the importance of being empathetic and kind towards others. The support of my husband, sisters and parents have helped me continually accomplish any goal I set for myself. My own personal experience as a teacher with a disability in conjunction with my graduate work and National Board Certification have helped me effectively advocate for and educate students with diverse needs. I am honored to be chosen as NBCNY's Featured NBCT!
