Common Overall Pitfalls

While each of the four National Board Certification Components includes its own specific set of pitfalls, this chapter focuses on the pitfalls candidates can encounter in the entire process as a whole. First, are planning-related pitfalls, and these often stem from a lack of proper planning. Second, are prompt-related pitfalls in which candidates fail to accurately interpret all parts of the writing prompts. Third, are writing-related pitfalls where candidates largely misunderstand when to describe versus when to analyze. Fourth, are specificity-related pitfalls, in which candidates fail to home in on the exact prompt answer and support it with specific data, instead favoring a general and unconvincing response. Lastly, candidates can fall into the pitfall of not finishing strong by, for example, failing to review their work with the rubrics and not stepping away and coming back fresh when fatigue sets in. This chapter helps candidates recognize and avoid each of these pitfalls, resulting in stronger portfolio submissions.