Integrate Equity! Inclusiveness in Accomplished Teaching
Hope Teague-Bowling is an NBCT and ELA teacher at Lincoln High School in Tacoma. She has a BA in English from Biola University, and an MA in Teaching from the Evergreen State College. She worked as a paraeducator in the Shelton School District and later began her career as a Language Arts teacher in Kent School District, Clover Park School District, and now Tacoma. The following is a Q&A with Hope.
When did you decide to become a National Board Certified Teacher?
I have been an NBCT since 2010 and I decided to do this early in my career — my third year of teaching. I wanted to pursue a Nationally recognized certification that focused on knowledge of students, and equity issues in the classroom.
My district was really supportive of this at the time [Clover Park]. Many of the teachers in my building were certified or going through it. Our district provided amazing support through cohorts and mentoring. I think Clover Park still has some of the most NBCTs in the state.
What do you value most about being an NBCT?
I think it reinforces what many teachers are already doing. When I was going through the process, they emphasized the “plan, act, reflect” process. Sometimes teachers have a great idea and create a one-off lesson or activity. In a rush to do something fun or creative, we might forget about the long-term — the cycle of planning, acting (teaching), and reflecting. Effective teachers go through this process even in one class period. National Boards forces you to explicitly incorporate this process into your instruction. Specifically, teachers need to reflect constantly on our instruction and whether or not it’s working with the array of students we teach. Building relationships with students — getting to know them both as people and scholars — is crucial for effectively teaching content.
I also appreciate that becoming an NBCT has opened doors in terms of teacher leadership. I’m more confident about myself as a leader and eager to embrace new opportunities to grow in this capacity.
You are doing work with Washington State in equity and the Center for the Strengthening of the Teacher Profession (CSTP) Teacher Leadership Framework. Tell us about that!
I’ve been excited about this work! It’s essentially looking at the current framework and thinking about how we can apply an equity lens. The framework already provides a lens for effective teacher leadership, and it’s aligned with national standards. One consideration for revisiting the framework was that we didn’t want to slap on the word “equity” or “equity lens”. If we actually value equity it needs to be integrated into everything we do. Specifically, it needs to be intentional woven throughout the framework. I was excited that CSTP pulled an array of educators from various backgrounds, experiences, and expertise. That group carefully sifted through the existing framework, looking for gaps related to equity. During the process, we had to wrestle with what “equity” meant. The framework currently focuses on elements Working with Adult Learners, Knowledge of Content & Pedagogy, Collaborative Work, Systems Thinking and Communication styles. We wanted to be sure that these documents weren’t based on white, middle-class cultural norms or expectations. If we’re going to train teachers of all races and cultures, then framework must be inclusive. Besides reworking some elements of the original framework, we added a “stand alone” document that speaks explicitly to equity. I’m especially excited about the self-evaluation that was created — teachers can assess if they walk the talk.
I’m excited to see how the final product turns out. We wrote thoughtful scenarios and considered equity from multiple viewpoints. We wanted to say, “Here’s a situation that you’d encounter, and here’s how a teacher leader would handle it.” We have scenarios around racial equity, LGBTQ equity, and linguistic discrimination to name a few.
Is the NBCT process worth it?
Yes! The rigor, the tears, the frustrations… it’s all worth it. The process, in the end, does make you a better teacher. You become more reflective, and then you realize that you are doing the right things. You’re doing what other teachers at a national level have declared is good instruction. If you are looking for a way to push yourself, embrace it. It’s the perfect option.
