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RES teacher Zanger joins exclusive company
By Byron Painter
Editor
Riverton Pre-Kindergarten teacher Susan Zanger recently joined a rare club.
She became one of just 9600 teachers nationwide who are now National Board Certified Teachers; she is one of 703 in the state of Illinois and the first-ever from Riverton.
The rigorous process could last up to three years, but Zanger, a Quincy Notre Dame High School graduate, was able to complete it in a year.
Zanger, who is in her fourth year as a RES Pre-K teacher, got her undergraduate degree from Quincy University and a master’s degree from Southwest Baptist in Bolivar, Mo.
Zanger heard about the board through a contact in Quincy, and she had to write four portfolios as part of the process, as well as tape herself teaching, among other
requirements.
She made monthly trips to Quincy as part of a cohort with others trying to become board-certified, and she also was part of Yahoo! groups online where people could bounce
ideas off each other as they were trying to complete the process.
“It was a lot of work, but it offered a lot of opportunities,” said Zanger, who also has taught in Pittsfield and Quincy.
She hopes that she is able to bring some of what she learned during the process to her RES colleagues.
Riverton Elementary School principal Stacey Binegar was ecstatic for Zanger.
“Becoming a Nationally Certified Teacher is a very in-depth, rigorous process that very few accomplish on their first attempt,” said Binegar. “This certification is very highly
respected in the field of education.
“I am so proud of all that Susan has dedicated to make this happen. She deserves it.”
Riverton superintendent Tom Mulligan echoed Binegar.
“I am very proud of Susan for her hard work and her accomplishment,” said Mulligan. “It is quality teachers that truly make a difference for students.”
Mulligan continued: “Our district strongly supported Susan in her efforts to obtain her National Board Certification because we believe that the nature of activities that are
required to obtain her certification fit right within our belief system as a district and that belief system is that: It is quality teachers that truly make a difference for students; staff
growth occurs best when the professional development activities are job-embedded and occur in the classrooms and; that the most effective learning occurs in an environment
of self-reflection.”
Not only will this national board certification allow Zanger greater opportunities to share her knowledge, including conferences, but also for 10 years, she receives
compensation from the state of Illinois.
According to the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Web site, there are five core propositions for teachers:
Teachers are Committed to Students and Their Learning;
Teachers Know the Subject 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; and
Teachers are Members of Learning Communities.
There are eight Springfield District 186 teachers who earned honors in 2008, as did Williamsville High School science/math teacher Jason Potter.
The NBPTS was created in 1987.
By Byron Painter
Editor
Riverton Pre-Kindergarten teacher Susan Zanger recently joined a rare club.
She became one of just 9600 teachers nationwide who are now National Board Certified Teachers; she is one of 703 in the state of Illinois and the first-ever from Riverton.
The rigorous process could last up to three years, but Zanger, a Quincy Notre Dame High School graduate, was able to complete it in a year.
Zanger, who is in her fourth year as a RES Pre-K teacher, got her undergraduate degree from Quincy University and a master’s degree from Southwest Baptist in Bolivar, Mo.
Zanger heard about the board through a contact in Quincy, and she had to write four portfolios as part of the process, as well as tape herself teaching, among other
requirements.
She made monthly trips to Quincy as part of a cohort with others trying to become board-certified, and she also was part of Yahoo! groups online where people could bounce
ideas off each other as they were trying to complete the process.
“It was a lot of work, but it offered a lot of opportunities,” said Zanger, who also has taught in Pittsfield and Quincy.
She hopes that she is able to bring some of what she learned during the process to her RES colleagues.
Riverton Elementary School principal Stacey Binegar was ecstatic for Zanger.
“Becoming a Nationally Certified Teacher is a very in-depth, rigorous process that very few accomplish on their first attempt,” said Binegar. “This certification is very highly
respected in the field of education.
“I am so proud of all that Susan has dedicated to make this happen. She deserves it.”
Riverton superintendent Tom Mulligan echoed Binegar.
“I am very proud of Susan for her hard work and her accomplishment,” said Mulligan. “It is quality teachers that truly make a difference for students.”
Mulligan continued: “Our district strongly supported Susan in her efforts to obtain her National Board Certification because we believe that the nature of activities that are
required to obtain her certification fit right within our belief system as a district and that belief system is that: It is quality teachers that truly make a difference for students; staff
growth occurs best when the professional development activities are job-embedded and occur in the classrooms and; that the most effective learning occurs in an environment
of self-reflection.”
Not only will this national board certification allow Zanger greater opportunities to share her knowledge, including conferences, but also for 10 years, she receives
compensation from the state of Illinois.
According to the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Web site, there are five core propositions for teachers:
Teachers are Committed to Students and Their Learning;
Teachers Know the Subject 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; and
Teachers are Members of Learning Communities.
There are eight Springfield District 186 teachers who earned honors in 2008, as did Williamsville High School science/math teacher Jason Potter.
The NBPTS was created in 1987.
Issue Date: Jan. 29, 2009
