Teachers study, too. This concepts really blows the minds of my students. I am working on National Teacher Certification this year, and will be taking the exam in a couple of weeks. So, of course, I am reading everything I can put my hands on! Collection development, technology, ethics...The kids ask, "How was your weekend?" I respond, "Pretty good...I studied for a test all weekend..." Silence. Dead silence. "Why do YOU have to take a test?" "Hmmmm...so I can pass my national teacher exam." (And here's the best question of all!) "But I thought you already WERE a teacher!" Aren't kids great?

And everyone knows just how important this exam is for me. My daughter has tickets to see the Houston Symphony Orchestra perform "The Planets" - this is on the day of my exam. As much as I wanted to travel to Houston to join her for this awesome opportunity, the only thing I could do was stick out my lower lip and pout.

Building my portfolio for certification has really been a challenge. But if you are a teacher...DO IT! Consider what your day is like now....then think about adding a full-time job on top of that...and you have a small idea of what this entails. But it has really changed me. How I think about teaching. How I think about the kids.

So when are the results in? Would you believe NOVEMBER???!!! That's right! They make us all wait for our scores until November. And there's only a 40% passing rate! Actually, my odds of passing are better than my friend's - she is pursuing national certification in Art, and that only has a 15% passing rate! So why go through all the hassle? Pride, perhaps. Wanting to be the best of the best...

So it's time to go back to studying...some more...