Blaine teachers get top marks

By K. Cunningham

Two of Blaine high school teachers have reached the highest level of teaching you can get – national certification. The certification is given by the National Board For Professional Teaching Standards. It is considered the practical equivalent to a masters in education based on teaching performance.

Math teacher John Freal and science teacher Don Lotze both spent 200 hours preparing videos of their classes and turning in student work, as well as their own. All of this to make up six portfolios, which make up 60 percent of their overall score. The other 40 percent of the score is a six-hour test on how they would teach certain material.

Only one third of the teachers who apply for the National Certification pass and only 112 teachers have this credential in the state of Washington. “A lot of people drop out, it is a lot of work,” said Neal Nix, an English teacher who is in the process of putting his portfolios together. “ I would not try to get this unless I had a pretty good chance.” “This is good to get. Even if you fail you get feedback on what you are weak and what you are strong in,” said Lotze.

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