Back in June 2006, I returned from a week-long professional development program authored by Mel Levine known as Schools Attuned. All year I have been working on the practicum part — the application of what I learned back in June in my classroom. I think I am finished. I just sent my portfolio to my facilitator.

It took an amazing amount of willpower for me to keep at it. Without the meetings as an impetus to finish, the only carrot I could use to dangle in front of myself was the promise of PLU’s that I desperately need in order to renew my certificate next month (yikes!).

I was pleased to learn that a grace period exists from the end of June until September so I can get all my items in for certification, but I must say that Georgia’s Professional Standards Commission website is really difficult to navigate on the issue of renewal.  I suppose that’s because a lot of systems take care of that issue for their teachers.  My school doesn’t, and it can’t be the only one.  I just hope I can get it all done.  This will be the second renewal, which feels like a milestone for me — it somehow means to me that I’m a veteran teacher.  I’ve been teaching long enough to have to renew twice.  That feels like a long time to me.

[tags]education, Schools Attuned, professional development, teacher certification[/tags]