Component 4

Component 4 (C4) of National Board Certification is designed to evaluate the extent to which a candidate is both effective and reflective in their teaching practice. Like Component 1, C4 contains two main parts. In the first part, candidates showcase one unit, from beginning to end, in one of their classes. The focus is on how they use formative, summative, and student self-assessment to support student growth. In the second part, candidates select a professional need they have and a need their students have. Candidates show how they used a variety of resources to meet each set of needs and how it all resulted in improved student performance. This chapter mentors candidates on what constitutes an accomplished C4 portfolio submission, including how to select appropriate supporting documentation, generate and use assessment data, set worthwhile goals, choose appropriate professional and student needs, evaluate student progress, steer clear of common pitfalls, and write a strong Written Commentary. The chapter includes several case studies and Your Turn! workbook sections designed for candidates to process the requirements and map out ideas as they plan and prepare for each step of their C4 submission.