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Assessment

Center Exercises
National Board Certification
2012-2013

Connie Wolf, NBCT
Better Teaching . . .
Better Learning
Demonstrate Your
Knowledge
The online assessment portion of the National Board
Certification process asks you to demonstrate
your content knowledge in response to 6
exercises developed and designed by practicing
professionals in your certificate area.

You will have up to 30 minutes to respond to each of
the exercises at one of 200 testing sites in the
U.S. All responses are written at a computer using
a basic word processing format.

Why are these exercises
part of the NBC process?
Teacher content expertise is embedded
in the Five Core Propositions.

The National Board Certification
process samples teacher knowledge
across six aspects of the content
referenced in the certificate standards
around content.

Being an accomplished
teacher implies mastery of
relevant disciplinary content.

5 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

Assessment Center
Exercises
1) Designed to assess fundamental
content knowledge that supports
quality instruction on a daily basis

o What do you know?
o How do you apply this knowledge
to student learning?
Assessment Center
Exercises
2) Cover the entire developmental age range
included in the certificate You are
expected to demonstrate knowledge of
appropriate content across the full range

3) Can focus on any number of things
germane to the content knowledge
outlined in the standards for a given
certificate area
Assessment Center
Exercises
4) May consist of 1 or more prompts or
questions designed to elicit evidence of
content knowledge

5) A scenario or student profile may be
presented for consideration before
responding to a set of prompts

Assessment Center
Exercises
6) May ask for a specific number of
examples as part of the response.
Candidates should only submit the
number requested because assessors are
trained to evaluate this number.

Assessors look for depth and quality,
not quantity.

When should you
schedule?
When it is convenientbut choose and
confirm a date as soon as possible after
all your fees are paid. This helps set a
target for your preparation.

There is no advantage in waiting until your
portfolio is completed. Some teachers
prefer completing the AC exercises well
before the portfolio is due, finding the
content review helpful as they create
lessons for their portfolios.
AC Calendar
Assessment Center Testing Window
2011-2012 Candidates:

July 1, 2012
thru
June 15, 2013

Schedule Early
Many other professions use these
testing sites. Call early to make sure
you can schedule an appointment that
is convenient to you.

The testing centers are closed on
several federal holidays.

Before Scheduling
Receive your Authorization to Test form in
the mail

Verify that all information on your
Authorization to Test form is correct.

If you have a disability that necessitates
special accommodations under the ADA,
submit the Nonstandard Testing
Accommodation Form by January 31, 2013.
Authorization to Test
(Sample)
Before Scheduling

Review all information and policies
outlined in the
Guide to National Board Certification
Assessment Center Orientation Policy and
Guidelines

Submit fees and forms:
First time candidates deadline: January 31,
2013
Retake Candidates deadline: December 31,2012
2007
GUIDE TO
NATIONAL
BOARD
CERTIFICATION
Scheduling an
Appointment
To schedule your assessment center
appointment, please call:

The Pearson Professional
Registration Center

1-888-288-3028

Testing Sites
4 Testing Sites in
Wisconsin
Brookfield
Pearson Professional Centers-
Brookfield Bishops Court,
Suite L10
Bishops Woods Centre
Brookfield, WI 53005

Eau Claire
Pearson Professional Centers-
Eau Claire WI3610
Oakwood Mall Drive
Suite 102
Eau Claire, WI 54701


Madison
Pearson Professional Centers-
Madison WI8517 Excelsior
Drive
Prairie Trail Office Suites
II, Suite 105
Madison, WI 53717

Kenosha
Pearson Professional Centers-
Kenosha WI7500 Green
Bay Road
Johnson Bank Building
Suite 311
Kenosha, WI 53142


Additional Testing Sites
Nearby

Where can you test?
The Pearson Professional Centers on
the NBPTS.org website can help you
locate a testing center. Simply enter
your zip code to locate the closest
center near you.
Rescheduling If you need to reschedule their appointment, you will be
charged a $50 rescheduling fee

Cancellations - Please note that by canceling your appointment, you will also
rescind your eligibility for the testing in the year which you apply.

Reinstatement If you miss or cancel your appointment, you will be
charged a: $175 reinstatement fee (2007-2008 candidates) to reinstate
your candidacy.

Change of Specialty Area If you wish to change your certification area,
you will be charged a $75 fee.

You must pay rescheduling fees
immediately after your appointment is
rescheduled

Changes to your
Appointment
Preparing for the
AC Exercises
Do you have to study?
National Board standards support staying
current in disciplinary knowledge, so
professional reading for the Assessment
Center tests fits with this idea of
continuous growth in your practice.

It is likely that content review will be
helpful for some of your Assessment
Center exercises.

What should you study?
Textbook chapters (including student texts and
teachers manuals)

Web resources, including content discipline
associations websites Professional development
books and journals

Resources recommended by colleaguesoften
these are tried and true

Prepare for Your
Appointment
Get Organized read the Assessment
Center Orientation Policy and
Guidelines for policies, information
about test day, and additional
instructions for first-time, retake,
music and world languages
candidates.
Download Your
Exercise Descriptions
The assessment center component
provides six exercises, each allowing
up to 30 minutes for candidate
response. For a complete description
of each assessment center exercise,
select your certificate area from the
drop-down menu.

How to Prepare
Create a notebook, file or other

organizational study system a section for each
exercise

Familiarize yourself with the computer

Gather the 6 AC exercises and the corresponding
level 4 scoring rubrics

Review your standards

Unpack each prompt

Review Scoring Guide
For additional information you should
also read the Scoring Guide for your
selected certificate. These guides
contain the rubrics that are used to
score assessment center exercises
and two retired prompts in your
certificate area.
Use the Online tutorial
Locate the Tutorial at
http://www.nbpts.org/tutorial
Introduction
Testing Tools
Taking the Test
Post-test

Assessment Exercise
Writing
ON DEMAND WRITING
Read each descriptor carefully
scroll down to read all parts to this
exercise
Respond appropriately and focused to
all of the questions

Assessment Exercise
Writing
You do not need to write an essay you
may make bulleted lists (use * or >)
Dont go off on tangents stay focused
Quickly identify what is asked
Think rapidly about your ideas and how to
organize them
Write concisely

Assessors look for depth and quality, not
quantity.

Practice an Exercise
Try a sample assessment exercise
in your certificate area. These
retired prompts can be found at:
www.NBPTS.org
Candidate Resources
Scoring

What kind of questions
do they ask?
Assessment Center exercises focus on
themes, ideas and principles that
represent core concepts in a discipline.
For EA/Gen and MC/Gen candidates,
the content often is inextricably linked
to pedagogiesthe knowledge of how to
teach the concept is the content.
Assessment Center prompts do not
test recall of trivia or obscure
content.

Early Childhood Generalist Assessment Exercise
Prompt (retired)
Mathematics
Introduction
In this exercise, you will use your knowledge of mathematical
concepts and processes to apply these concepts to real-world
applications. You will be asked to respond to 4 prompts.

Criteria for scoring
To satisfy the highest level of the scoring rubric you must provide
clear, consistent, convincing evidence of the following:
A deep understanding of mathematical concepts and processes
An accurate identification of the students
misconception/difficulty
A well-developed instructional strategy or learning experience that
is clearly linked to real-world applications and appropriately
addresses the childs needs
Developmentally appropriate choice of materials to teach the
mathematical concept and a rationale for your choice of these
materials.


Early Childhood Generalist Assessment
Exercise Prompt Example
A kindergarten child is having difficulty with a
math concept

Students were asked to mark an X on
each triangle.
PROMPTS:
1) Identify the student
misconception/difficulty on this student
work sample.
2) What fundamental concepts are prerequisite for students at this grade
level in order to learn these skills?
3) Based on real-world application, state your goal for a learning
experience to help this student. Plan a learning experience based on
this goal that would further student understanding of this
mathematical concept .
What materials would you use to teach this concept to this child.
What is your rationale for your choice of materials?
Who can help you
prepare?
Preparing for the Assessment Center can be done
effectively in groupsbut there are often single
candidates who must prepare for a unique
certificate area. These candidates can turn to
other teachers (not necessarily NBCTs) to help
them think about likely questions, using the
exercise descriptions.

Candidates sign a confidentiality agreement upon
taking the AC exercises. Protecting the integrity
of the National Board process is a responsibility
for all candidates as well as NBCTs. Please do not
divulge information about your actual
Assessment Center prompts.
Test Day
Arrive 30 minutes early to familiarize yourself
with the testing center
You will be asked to:
Surrender your Authorization to Test
Show your valid photo ID
Sign a confidentiality statement
Have your photo taken
Leave your belongings in a secured locker
Raise your hand at any time with problems or questions
Scratch paper will be provided for your use during
exercises
Sign in and out of the testing room whenever you leave

Test Day Schedule
(first-time candidates in most certificates)
Check in 15 minutes
Computer Tutorial 30
Exercises 1 - 3 90
Break 15
Exercises 4 - 6 90
TOTAL TIME: 4 hours
What to Bring
Your Authorization to Test

The appropriate ID with your photo
bearing your signature - read the
Assessment Center Orientation Policy
and Guidelines for exact instructions

Sheet of bar code ID labels sent with your
Authorization to Test if applicable
TIPS
Practice your typing skills. You have only 30
minutes to write your answers to each
exercise

Read all parts of each exercise before you
start typing so you know what is expected in
the exercise

A clock on your computer screen will keep you
aware of your time the clock never stops!

MORE TIPS
The sample test items are just that. . . there
are specific questions that are quite different
than those on the actual test.

Make sure that you cover all of the area and
age groups that you are applying for in the
test. . . . if you don't teach that age group, talk
to others who do to get ideas from them about
activities, characteristics of that age and what
works and what doesn't.

. . . AND MORE TIPS
Prepare a study sheet for each exercise

Research what is current in your certificate area

Do your very best. These six exercises weigh
6.67% each, or 40% of your total score.

Review your standards this is what accomplished
teaching looks like in your area

NBPTS Code of Ethics
Do not discuss the contents
of your assessment
exercises with anyone
What do other candidates say
about the AC Exercises?
It helps to prepare, especially in areas where you
feel you may need shoring up.
Remember: each exercise is worth only a small
percentage of your score. One weak AC exercise
score is not fatal. If you encounter something
difficult, dont let it derail you.
Preparing for the Assessment Center can actually
be a great content review, and lead to a sense of
better preparation for teaching, as well as new
ideas for instruction.

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