Mrs. Mary Wilson teaches kindergarten at Acorn Elementary School. She recently furthered her education degree by completing the National Board Certification to become a National Board Certified Teacher. This means they have a higher understanding of advanced standards, and, use researched based educational practices. This certification can take up to three years (Arkansas.gov). She worked so hard through many trials, and because of her hard work and dedication she accomplished a huge task. Congratulations on behalf of the entire Ouachita River School District!!!!!!! Here are a few words from Mrs. Wilson:
Some of the many things I have learned from completing National Board Certification are; a sense of purpose for each and every activity in my classroom, effective reflection strategies, resilience, and an awareness of community. As teachers, we are responsible for so much growth in each of our students & we do not have time to waste on activities which do not address learning goals. However, it is my personal goal for every one of my students to LOVE school. So the challenge becomes, what can I do to make each & every learning opportunity meaningful and fun for my students?
Before seeking National Board Certification I would reflect on what worked, or didn't work, and why or why not? The certification process taught me to extend the process to, how can I make each lesson (even the successful ones) more effective for each of my students?
I did not achieve certification with my first attempt & I struggled with the failure. I had to accept it and make the choice to try again, which was not easy for me!
When I began teaching in Acorn, I thought I was aware of the close connections between the staff, students, families and community here. I could not have achieved without my tribe: my colleagues supported me every step of the way with prayers, proofreading & writing suggestions, classroom assistance, & food; and my students were awesome in doing their part. This certification process has truly opened my eyes to how blessed I am to be a part of the Tiger family!
Thank you for the opportunity to share what I have learned,
Mary Wilson, NBCT
"We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality. It takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort" (Jesse Owens).