Matt Ford, a history teacher at The Donoho School, was recently certified as part of the National Board of Certified Teachers. The certification is obtained after completion of a voluntary assessment program which recognizes “effective and accomplished teachers who meet high standards based on what teachers should know and be able to do.” The certification complements the teacher’s state license and it is valid for 10 years.
The teachers are evaluated on the following five core propositions:
- Teachers are committed to students and their learning.
- Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students.
- Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning.
- Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience.
- Teachers are members of learning communities.
“This process was truly enlightening, and I have no doubt that I am a more effective educator because of it. I would like to thank Jan Hurd, Laura Phillips, and the Donoho Board of Trustees for granting me the opportunity to undertake certification. I also owe a massive debt of gratitude to Lisa Light for her guidance in the process and to Russ Connell for his tireless effort and encouragement along the way. This would not have been possible without them,“ says Ford.
Mr. Ford began his National Board certification in the fall of 2011 and received recognition of certification on Saturday, November 17, 2012. He has been a teacher at Donoho since the fall of 2006 and is also an assistant baseball coach for the Falcons, sponsor of the academic team and the community service coordinator. He is married to Emily Ford and has one daughter, Abigail.
