NBCT Reflections 2025

Aryin Bell, NBCT

I’m Ayrin Bell. I’m proud to be a newly certified National Board Early Childhood through Young Adult Exceptional Needs Specialist — a National Board Certified Special Education teacher.

Thank you for recognizing our work today and for supporting the Nurturing Teacher Leadership initiative — a powerful partnership between the Chicago Teachers Union and CPS that elevates teacher quality.

Your support of the new bargaining agreement is also greatly appreciated. It reduces administrative burdens, encourages collaboration, and gives special education teachers like me more time to focus on what matters most: student growth.

At my South Side school, our students are 100% minority — and 96% are economically disadvantaged. We’re labeled “hard to staff” by ISBE and have other unique challenges. But let me be clear: Our students deserve excellence. They deserve pathbreaking solutions that meet their unique needs.

That belief led me to pursue National Board Certification. Its rigor, along with professional development like NTL, and innovative policies from you, empower teachers to make lasting and necessary change.

My journey tested my limits. As the only middle school Special Education resource teacher in my building, I taught four subjects across three grade levels. And as the only teacher with an ESL endorsement, I was also assigned the role of the English Language Program Teacher.

Balancing all that — plus assessments and providing teacher support — could’ve derailed my progress. But my NTL cohort kept me grounded. Meeting regularly with candidates across the district gave me the push — and the growth I needed.

With your continued support and our new contract, I’m hopeful. I believe we’ll see more ESL-endorsed and National Board Certified teachers in our most diverse schools.

Because of the National Board process — and NTL’s emphasis on deep reflection — I’ve changed.

I’m more intentional with decisions and lead with inquiry. My teaching is more collaborative, which drives students to take ownership of their learning and growth. I reflect daily on student data and guide co-teachers to do the same to improve our practice. I’ve reshaped the way I engage families which guides me in creating lessons that are more student-centered and motivating.

The result?

Two of my National Board components earned near-perfect scores. But more than that —  I’m a more confident teacher, and my students are more engaged than ever.

Though I’m National Board certified, my journey isn’t over. In five years, I plan to renew. And today, I’m mentoring new candidates and working to increase the number of highly accomplished Black and Brown educators — especially in classrooms where students see themselves reflected in their teacher and feel seen.

To the Board of Education, CEO Martinez, and CEdO Chkoumbova — thank you for investing in teachers.

To the Chicago Teachers Union and President Stacy Davis Gates — thank you for your powerful advocacy and for NTL.

Together, we are building stronger schools and brighter futures for our students.

Nicole Cannon, NBCT

School Counselor, Bronzeville Classical Elementary School

I am Nicole Cannon, a National Board-Certified Teacher as a School Counselor from the Class of 2024. I am a Professional School Counselor at Bronzeville Classical Elementary School on the South side. Thank you to Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union for your dedication to providing this valuable National Board Certification experience to CPS school counselors, librarians and teachers. I am so appreciative of your stance toward building capacity within your own ranks and demonstrating it by funding and supporting our efforts to better ourselves and our school communities. 

I want to thank my Principal, Nicole Spicer, for her unceasing support and encouragement throughout my NBC process and afterwards. Whenever I make a statement about data, whether in a meeting or elsewhere, she shouts out, “Come on National Board!.” with a grin of pride. I’d like to thank Sheryl Bond for her mentoring which played a pivotal role in my success. Lastly, I’d like to thank Lynn Cherkasky-Davis for inviting an NBCT counselor to speak to you this evening.

Earlier in my career, I looked up to a friend and colleague, a National Board-Certified classroom Teacher, for her individualized, specific and differentiated teaching skills and practices, which resulted in high student achievement. I appreciated her devotion in serving students that looked like her, an African American NBCT, and I wanted that accomplished practice and achievement for my students and myself as a school counselor. Although I had attended many professional learning opportunities throughout my career to help me learn skills and practices that were designed to produce impactful student outcomes, I had varied successes when I put my learning into action. But with my NBCT colleague and role model, I saw a better path forward. 

So, I decided I would also become a National Board Certified Teacher as a School Counselor and joined the Nurturing Teacher Leadership’s candidate support program. It was not until going through the National Board process myself that I found the best professional development that led me to meet my goal of becoming a highly impactful school counselor who produces higher student success, enhanced student well-being, and more improvement in social-emotional growth than I had been able to produce before my NBC journey began.  Let me tell you why and how that happened!

The Nurturing Teacher Leadership program understands that the success rate of an NBC candidate increases when there are experts to coach and mentor candidates through the National Board process. Because of this support, I am now, for example, more skilled in utilizing confidential formative assessments to inform my instructional planning as I did for the students in the Sticks and Stones small group which I created to address the unsafe learning environment that was developing in my school from students using biased-based language with each other.

Through pre-assessment data, I identified that the students I counseled in Sticks and Stones group had a casual attitude toward the use of biased-based language and indicated that using it was, as they said, “no major deal.” They said they were simply “roasting” other students. I used knowledge I gathered from the pre-assessment to develop learning objectives and differentiated student activities to counsel the group members on the impact of their behavior. Through one assignment I created to address the issue, the students demonstrated through a comic strip, a recipe or a poem, how they would maturely handle a “roasting” scenario I provided them using key pieces they learned in our sessions.

Prior to the National Board process, I knew how to administer pre-surveys but lacked the understanding of what to do with the data. Through professional development and coaching from NTL, I learned to reflect on the data, identify trends and use those trends to target what students needed to learn, as in the Sticks and Stones group, to decrease the use of biased-based language while still being able to have their roasting sessions. Utilizing assessment data enhanced student well-being as reported by my group members and by those who had been negatively impacted by the biased based language their peers had used. 

Through confidential follow up summative assessment data, students reported giving more thought to the use of appropriate content and tone and being more empathetic when engaging in a roasting session. The data also showed a decrease in the use of biased-based language and the number of students using it. Had I not used these assessment techniques I learned while going through Board Certification and only relied on reports from impacted students feeling safe enough to come to me, I might not have created Sticks and Stones, nor been able to improve the school culture.

Looking back over my journey through NBC makes me proud I undertook this rigorous process, and I have now joined the 3,300 school counselors nationwide who are National Board-Certified. Becoming an NBCT has rewarded me by improving my skill set, transforming my practices and fulfilling my goal of impacting my students’ learning and well-being. Because of pursuing the NBC process, I also have more confidence in my ability to demonstrate standards-based evidence of the positive effect I have on my school culture. I would now like to become a lead in our network’s Counseling Professional Learning Community. Turn your head and Give a nod to CEdO Chkoumbova.

Currently there are only 17 CPS School Counselors who are National Board-Certified. I am excited that two thirds of these NBCTs are counselors of color. Having learned about the benefits of becoming an NBCT through a trusted friend, colleague and NBCT of color myself, I will work to be that same champion of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards by sharing my experience in hopes of recruiting more CPS counselors to sit for and achieve National Board Certification. I will also work to increase the number of school counselors of color earning NBC recognition so that more students of color have counselors who look like them. Research shows that having teachers and counselors who look like their students builds trust and understanding, creates a sense of belonging, makes students feel more safe and secure, and can lead to better academic and social emotional outcomes.

With gratitude to CTU Vice President Jackson Potter and CPS Chief Education Officer Chkoumbova for acknowledging National Board Certification in both your words and practice, as well as in our contract, and thank you for supporting me through the NBC process. I believe the more we build capacity in ourselves, the greater impact we have on our students.” I plan to live by these words as a National Board Certified Teacher as a School Counselor. Thank you all for your attention.

Ryan Johns, NBCT

Disney II High School

I am Ryan Johns, I teach Integrated Math III at Disney II High School in Irving Park. I am an adolescent and young adulthood math National Board Certified Teacher. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to be here tonight. Standing before you and sharing my journey toward becoming an NBCT is an honor. It has been a transformative endeavor that has profoundly impacted my teaching practice and enriched my students’ learning experiences. I will describe that in a minute. I appreciate being asked to represent the class of 2024 here this evening.

As an educator, I have always believed in the power of lifelong learning. I am a career changer after all, and have been in education for the last seven years. Believe me, I was not this grey when I started. My decision to pursue National Board Certification stemmed from a desire to challenge myself and to elevate my teaching to new heights. The rigorous process demanded not just a commitment of time, but included a deep analysis and reflection on my teaching, evidence of how I improved some practices, a demonstration of how I fostered student engagement, and detailed descriptions of how I improved the overall learning environment I fostered in my classroom and school.

I know you are expecting to hear what I learned in the Nurturing Teacher Leadership program, how I implemented that knowledge to the benefit of my students, and how I achieved Board Certification in this intense program (and I will get to that in a bit). However, I am going to take a little different route in my remarks in hopes that all in the audience (including current candidates) will know that any CPS teacher, counselor, or librarian who sits for National Board Certification, no matter their obstacles, can achieve it, thanks to the support of this program. 

Unfortunately, my journey to becoming an NBCT was quite atypical. A year and a half into my candidacy, my family and I, like so many other Americans, fell victim to gun violence. Two years ago, on the last Friday of winter break, somebody decided to shoot haphazardly at a tow truck parked in front of my home. Bullets flew into my bedroom where my wife and I slept, missing my wife’s head by mere inches. Luckily, neither we nor my two daughters were hurt. To say the least, however, my wife and I were traumatized. I struggled with teaching and, therefore, took a leave of absence. I certainly could not finish my National Board journey, something I had wanted for so long. NBC became far down on my list of needs, so I decided to withdraw my candidacy altogether, figuring I would never come back to it, even though I had only a few months left to complete the process. While Lynn and my Mentors, Kristen and Kelly, completely understood and supported me, they wouldn’t allow me to withdraw and quit. So, in my stead, they worked with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards to arrange for a leave of absence from candidacy and the NTL program.

At the end of that school year, Kelly (who is being recognized tonight for renewing her NBCT credential) and Lynn reached out to determine if I would rejoin the NTL program the next year to complete my candidacy. National Board Certification was furthest from my mind, but their coercion — I mean persistence — brought it to the forefront. It was obvious they wanted what was best for me. At first, I was reluctant. Summer had arrived, and I only wanted to focus on enjoying what this great city has to offer with my family. The NTL team assured me that my candidate support would be differentiated and my needs would be met, just like what we do for our students, even though I would have to start the second year over with all new students and teaching sequences. They would even arrange to mentor me off-cycle. After giving it some thought, I decided to return and join the class of 2024. Thankfully, I did. 

Now I’d like to tell you what I learned, how I implemented it in my practice, and how my new learning benefited my students: the reason that I am standing before you tonight. Throughout the National Board process, I examined my teaching strategies and those of my cohort in detail. I learned the importance of utilizing data to understand my students’ individual needs, likes, and dislikes. Then I incorporated this information into my lesson design. I also honed my questioning to connect to their interests, to be more thought-provoking, and to motivate student engagement. Becoming an NBCT has guided my reflective practice to be a more effective educator for my students by creating a more inclusive learning environment where every student feels valued and empowered.

The benefits of my National Board Certification extend far beyond my personal growth. They have transformed my school and positively impacted more than just my math students. I have become Disney II High School’s STEM department co-chair and have led my team through significant changes in our grading practices and curriculum. I mentor my team to improve student outcomes by not only focusing on math skills, but how to apply them in real-world problems. Our students have been able to take ownership of their learning because we give them choice during our WIN (What I Need) time. Some students practice skills based on STAR360 assessments on Freckle, or practice for the ACT, while others participate in targeted small-group instruction that I designed based on data from prior assessments. Students’ improved engagement and performance are testaments to my team’s shared success.

Moreover, my journey has sparked collaboration among colleagues in other schools. As National Board Certified teachers, we have formed a supportive community, sharing best practices, mentoring one another, and ultimately lifting our entire educational environment. This collaboration has led to improved instruction and increased engagement at our respective schools.

In closing, becoming National Board Certified has not only enriched my career but has profoundly benefited my students and our school community. I encourage all educators to consider embarking on this rewarding journey. Together, let us commit to elevating the standards of teaching and ensuring that every student is truly enabled to thrive.

I want to specifically thank my mentors, Kelly Shereyk and Kristen Beyer, and of course, the boss herself, Lynn Cherkasky-Davis, for not only supporting me through National Boards, but also during a difficult time in my and my family’s lives. Your understanding, patience, and persistence are why I am up here today. I’d like to thank the board of education for funding the NTL program and our annual stipends. I’d like to thank the CTU for their mentoring support, which made it that much easier for me to return to NBC candidacy after such a traumatic event. I also want to encourage the current candidates here this evening who may be feeling weary. You can do it, finish strong, and make sure to rely on your NTL team. The end of the tunnel feels great! Thank you.

Anita Martinez, NBCT

Mariano Azuela Elementary School 

I am Anita Martinez, a new Early Childhood Generalist National Board-Certified Teacher. I teach first grade dual language at Mariano Azuela School. I chose to pursue National Board Certification to further my professional growth, earn my master’s degree, and become a highly accomplished teacher. Thanks to your CPS/CTU Nurturing Teacher Leadership (NTL) program partnership, I have met all three goals. I benefited from the program design, support and funding. Thank You.

Going through the rigorous NBC process was challenging. It was especially difficult as I am also an English Language Learner. In addition to weekly classes, I spent many nights and weekends reading and studying the Early Childhood Standards, and analyzing whether or not, and to what degree, I met them. I dedicated much time to writing portfolio entries, working with my mentor team, analyzing videos of my teaching and students’ work. 

I spent hours in my classroom trying out new research-driven techniques. I reflected daily on what and how I would need to improve in order to meet these high teaching standards. I read many articles and books on pertinent topics. For example, “The Foundation of Children’s Learning” by Lisa Murphy reinforces the importance of play for six and seven year olds. In fact, I suggest Board members read this book to help inform your decisions for early childhood programming, including the importance of play in first and second grades. 

I now fully understand the importance of addressing the needs of the whole child, recognizing that each student is unique, capable, and naturally inquisitive. Through play, even first grade students regulate their emotions, develop social skills, and build critical thinking abilities. 

Even though this is a rigorous professional development process, it is doable for all our teachers. In fact, I was one of the few candidates who did not achieve certification on my first attempt, but you were there with your cohort model to support me through the retake process, and I am now part of NTL’s 93% success rate. 

Since becoming an NBCT, I have taken on more leadership roles to add value to my school and district. This year I provided professional development at the CPS Dual Language Conference on Mastering Conventions: Developing Strong Writing Skills Through Weekly Dictations and Bridge Lessons. I taught teachers that it is essential for their young students to develop strong word study skills, including mechanics, spelling, punctuation, fluency, and organization of ideas. 

To support this learning, I taught the strategy of El dictado (Dictation), which reinforces these foundational skills in an engaging and structured way. It was in NTL that I learned the importance of using explicit vocabulary instruction because this is a strong predictor of reading comprehension.

I will end by sharing that I stand with our new bargaining agreement in advocating for increased support for ELLs such as providing more bilingual staff and assistants. My refugee and newcomer students who are non-readers or writers surely thank you for agreeing with CTU about the importance of this in our district.

I am grateful to CPS and CTU for providing me with this opportunity to grow in my profession and helping me achieve my goals. It has reinforced my commitment to student learning, deepened my understanding of the subjects I teach and how to effectively deliver them, strengthened my role as a student advocate, and enhanced my ability to monitor student progress. I no longer need to rely on behavioral charts or fill-in-the-blank answers. 

This learning has made a significant impact on my students who actively engage in meaningful collaborative discussions, self-monitoring their own behavior, and demonstrate respect and empathy toward one another. My school has also benefited from my NTL experience as I have brought my learning to our kindergarten through second grade colleagues. Again, thank you President Davis Gates, CEO Martinez, and members of the Board of Education.

Mirelle Rivera, NBCT

Walter Payton College Prep High School

I am Mirelle Rivera, a proud Social Studies NBCT teaching at Walter Payton College Prep. I’m also a proud product of Chicago Public Schools — a first-generation Latina college graduate who grew up on the Southeast Side, someone who never imagined she’d one day be standing here as a National Board Certified Teacher — and now, an NBCT who’s renewed her certification.

When I first pursued National Board Certification, I did it because I wanted to challenge myself. Renewing my certification was not just a professional milestone — it was a personal commitment. I chose to renew because I believe in continuous growth and in showing my students that excellence is not a destination — it’s a practice. Since my initial certification, I’ve been focused on deepening my impact as a teacher leader alongside staying at the top of my game as a classroom teacher. 

The renewal process has reinforced one of the most transformative elements of my teaching: the integration of culturally relevant pedagogy. This approach isn’t just a framework — it’s a commitment to ensuring that every student sees themselves reflected in the curriculum, that their lived experiences are honored, and that the classroom becomes a space of critical inquiry, cultural affirmation, and empowerment. In my AP African American Studies class, culturally relevant pedagogy shapes everything we do. Together, my students and I engage in meaningful conversations about the African American experience — not only through historical events, but through an analysis of contemporary issues, art, identity, and resistance. We grapple with the attempts to erase or distort this history, and we center student voice and inquiry as a way of reclaiming that narrative. I have spent hours developing the curriculum for this course to better align with culturally relevant pedagogy. In doing so, it has become more than an academic study — it’s become an act of self-discovery, healing, and civic responsibility. 

Going through renewal has inspired me to find new ways to center my students in my classroom at a higher level. In AP Government, I’ve become more purposeful about inviting students into dialogue about the world they live in — current events, policy debates, and issues that matter to them personally. Through these conversations, we examine structures of power, critique systems of oppression, and imagine more just futures. My students don’t just learn content — they learn to become empathetic listeners, critical thinkers, and change agents. Because of the reflection and intentionality instilled in my practice by National Board Certification, both in my first achievement and again during my renewal process, my classroom is a space where academic excellence and cultural affirmation are not mutually exclusive — they are deeply intertwined.

My students have learned how their identities are sources of strength and how to mobilize that strength in their Civics Action Projects, where they lead real initiatives in their neighborhoods, addressing systemic issues in Chicago. For example, a former AP Government student of mine wrote a policy memo to her alderman, Byron Sicho-Lopez, about high rates of sexual assault and the lack of resources for survivors in her community of Pilsen. It was through her policy work that she had an opportunity to partner with her alderman to create a community group focused on educating and supporting survivors. By partaking in this work, she was able to make an impact in her community and support others. 

Becoming an NBCT and maintaining my certification through the renewal process has also opened doors to leadership beyond my classroom. For four years, I’ve mentored other teachers pursuing Board certification through the Nurturing Teacher Leadership program. It’s been a privilege to help my colleagues reflect on and enhance their practice, whether it’s differentiating writing instruction for Document-Based Question Essays, incorporating student voice into discussions of contemporary history, or building culturally responsive lessons that resonate more deeply. I support candidates in using formative assessments to inform instruction, foster higher-order thinking, and ultimately, elevate student engagement and performance. 

As a mentor, I co-create spaces where candidates feel empowered to examine how their identities, values, and positionalities shape their teaching. As a mentor, I also model reflective practice by asking intentional questions that prompt candidates to connect their instructional decisions to student impact. For example, I asked a first-time social studies candidate earlier this year, “How did your own experience as a learner inform the way you scaffolded this writing lesson?” These conversations allow candidates to see themselves not just as teachers, but as culturally responsive practitioners who recognize how their unique perspectives influence student learning. By creating this space for honest dialogue, candidates have felt empowered not just to meet the National Board standards but to grow in how they approach their roles as reflective educators. The ripple effect of this work is powerful. When candidates in the social studies/history cohort I facilitate grow in their practice, entire school communities benefit.

That’s why I’m deeply grateful to the CTU–CPS National Board Partnership. The guidance, affirmation, and solidarity I’ve found through this program have sustained me, especially during difficult moments. My students — those in my AP African American Studies and AP US Government classes, among others— have thrived because their National Board Certified teacher is committed to culturally relevant pedagogy, reflective practice, and data-informed, student-centered instruction. 

So to my fellow educators here today: whether you’ve achieved for the first time, you’ve renewed, are a current candidate, or are a fellow mentor, I see you. Your voice, your story, and your leadership matter more than ever. Thank you once again to CTU and CPS for their unwavering support throughout this process.