Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Certifiable: Teaching, Learning, and National Board Certification

For anyone who was a candidate for National Board certification or might be a candidate in the future, Certifiable: Teaching, Learning, and National Board Certification is a must-read book. Dr. Lustick (NBCT, 1998 & 2008) explores all aspects of the certification process in an accessible and meaningful style. Lustick uses his own considerable experiences as a science teacher, National Board candidate, National Board assessor, and educational researcher to provide evidence of NBPTS as an opportunity for professional growth. What are teachers learning from National Board certification? Dr. Lustick interviewed more than 140 teachers from 42 states to find an answer. In a report to congress, the National Research Council described Dr. Lustick's work as one of only two studies "that objectively evaluated the impact of [certification] on teachers' practices." Whether a candidate was ultimately identified as accomplished or not, David Lustick's research indicates that certification offers all candidates a chance to improve their practice. This book provides educational stakeholders an important resource for understanding NBPTS as a means to improve teacher quality in an environment of high stakes testing. Review In his book, Certifiable: Teaching, Learning, and National Board Certification, author and researcher David Lustick addresses the critical issue of National Board certification at perhaps the most important juncture in its young history. Lustick presents a thoughtful examination of National Board certification based largely on his rather impressive national study of candidates seeking National Board certification in Adolescence and Young Adult (AYA) Science. The primary focus of his study was to answer what seems to be a straightforward question: "What are candidates learning from National Board certification?" Lustick's book reveals that what appears to be a simple question is not simple at all.--Eastern Education Journal A splendid book that provides the best perspective on National Board certification yet.--Lee Shulman, president emeritus, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Emeri I really enjoyed Certifiable. It makes a great contribution to the literature with an extensive description of what the Board is, what's involved in preparing for certification, and what a candidate has to do for portfolio entries. Lustick's writing is very accessible easy to read for the layperson yet substantive for the academic world and, his perspective as a National Board Teacher and academic makes him a very compelling resource. Lustick makes the process come alive.--Judy Shulman, Judy Shulman senior research associate emerita, West Ed Certifiable is excellent and, best of all, I learned a great deal from it. It is well written, clear, and free from academic jargon, with one of the best summaries of the National Board and its work that I have seen. The reporting of research is a model of intellectual transparency and disarmingly honesty. This book should be read by anyone who may have doubts about the wisdom of investing in a professional certification system for and by teachers. They will be convinced that such an effort is both possible and desirable.--Lawrence Ingvarson About the Author David Lustick is an assistant professor of science education at the University of Massachusetts Lowell's Graduate School of Education. In 1998, Dr. Lustick became one of the first National Board certified teachers in secondary science and in 2008 successfully renewed his certification.