The University of Akron, as part of a grant received from the Ohio Department of Education, is an official provider of support services to candidates. Candidates are strongly advised to affiliate with an official provider in order to be mentored through the intense NB process. All direct mentoring services are provided by our team of highly qualified and experienced National Board Certified Teacher Facilitators.

The following are some of the benefits of joining the UA NBPTS Support Cohort Group:

• Orientation Sessions conducted each spring (usually in March/April) for teachers interested in becoming candidates for National Board Certification©. These sessions meet the requirements set forth by the ODE for those seeking funding toward the NBPTS application fee. Please e-mail our National Board Project Assistant if you would like to be put on our e-mail orientation notification list.

• Graduate Credit (either three or six semester hours) which may be applied toward completion of a graduate degree (typically through the Department of Curricular and Instructional Studies and only with expressed written consent of one’s advisor).

• Large-group meetings for all candidates (held several times during the candidacy year) which focus on a presentation of holistic concepts and requirements and small biweekly group meetings to provide opportunity for support among candidates completing same or similar National Board Certification© requirements. All sessions are facilitated by NBCTs.

• Utilization of e-classroom designed to promote collaboration and communication among our cohort learning community. With anytime access to our e-classroom, candidates can access a) content modules, b) discussion board, c) e-mail, d) chat rooms, and more. The communication features within our e-classroom allow for our learning community to talk with all cohort members and our NBCT Facilitators around the clock in a variety of ways.

• Critical Friends include former UA NBPTS cohort members, now NBCTs, who are willing to volunteer to provide additional mentoring (e.g., reading of entries) to current cohort members.

• Annual NBCT Reception to honor those newly certified National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT).

• Promotion of newly announced NBCT’s through press releases to NE Ohio community.

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