ABSTRACT
In 2004, I, a middle school language arts teacher, received my National Board Certification (NBC). The long and rigorous application process had stretched out over 2 years. During this journey, I transformed into a much stronger educator, an improved classroom-based reflective practitioner, and a better scholarly and practical writer. Along with the granting of the certification, I was allocated a monetary reward from Florida’s state legislators. Initially, I was given a bonus check of $4,000, which was to arrive every December for the 10-year life of the certificate. The financial benefits did not end there, however; I was given the opportunity to earn an additional $4,000 annually in exchange for mentoring teachers, whether first-year or more experienced, and for assisting National Board candidates with the application process. These funds would be distributed to me each June, assuming that 91 hours (equivalent to 12 days) of mentoring were logged.
