National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT)!

Good luck charms work.  Remember these guys, from this photo taken this March 31?  That was the deadline for submission of this blue box, THE box, containing many, many pages of carefully constructed and edited portfolio entries on different aspects of my music teaching.  I had Andrew and Ethan touch it before I headed to the post office and I am so glad I did!

The process was really, really difficult for me.  Last year marked my 12th year as an elementary music educator, but I felt like a first-year teacher (and this bunny) in many ways.

I had just come off of three solid years as a stay-at-home-mama (wouldn't have traded those years for the world) and the transition was not an easy one AT ALL.  I was so happy to have a job again, but quickly realized much had changed over my three-year teaching hiatus.  I was in a new school in a new district in a new state.  There was so much to be learned about the way this new bunch of folks did things.  My confidence level about teaching took a major nosedive. 

But, the state was offering a wonderful financial opportunity to teachers who tried to achieve national board status.  I couldn't pass it up.  So, I threw another log on the fire and went for it.  Stress level = instantly WAY HIGHER.  I did not expect to achieve it on my first try (we have three years), but I was still cautiously optimistic.

In addition to the portfolio entries that I mailed at the last possible second on March 31, there were some dreaded tests.  I went to a computer assessment center one Saturday in May and took six 30-minute exams on music history, applied theory, diagnostics, and a few other facets of teaching.

The long-awaited scores were supposed to be posted Friday.  So many candidates checked for their scores, the website crashed.  It was still down yesterday.  This morning, however, it was up and running!  I logged on to see this very exciting greeting:

After checking my scores in disbelief about a million times, I read this sentence on an attached letter.  Aaaaaaaaah.

This achievement means a lot of wonderful things for my career and for my family.  I am so happy and relieved and thankful and proud.

Good luck charms work.  Period.