Earning Highly Qualified Status

By Elizabeth Stein

Veteran teachers will agree that over the course of your career, you will receive countless gifts stating that you are the #1 teacher. I have received these gifts on key chains, plaques, mugs, pencil holders, t-shirts, blackboard erasers…well, you get the idea.

I am very thankful for the thought behind this gift giving. However, I always wonder specifically, what am I doing to earn this? And when I go into the classrooms of my colleagues and see their various #1 teacher gifts proudly decorating their rooms, I wonder how many of them really take the time to reflect on their practice and status as the #1 teacher.

The 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) outline the requirements for special education teachers to be considered highly qualified. To be considered a highly qualified teacher, one must obtain the appropriate certification and knowledge needed to teach core subjects. It takes years to earn this status—so much hard work and dedication goes into the process. And when it’s achieved, it is time to celebrate. But that sense of success is only the starting point. It is then time for the teacher to get to work.

The specific requirements must be translated into the question…how does my highly qualified status benefit my students? (If you would like to better understand the requirements and the purpose, click here for frequently asked questions from CEC.)

So, once the teacher is appropriately licensed, meets observation criteria, completes professional development, and takes tests to provide evidence of his or her status…what happens next? I’ll tell you. This teacher enters into a classroom and must put his or her high-quality teaching abilities to the real test: providing effective instruction for students.

Providing best practices for students in special education settings can become complex. There is much involved in the actual delivery of this instruction. For starters, we have individual IEP goals and students’ strengths and needs to attend to. In addition, those of us who teach in inclusion or resource-room settings must collaborate with general education teachers to provide appropriate accommodations and modifications. Implementing strategy instruction is one way to ensure that you are fulfilling your role as a highly qualified teacher.

Strategy instruction helps students become more independent in their learning process. It’s a tool that guides them to make decisions about how to problem solve and ultimately guides them to self-monitor their understanding of the material being learned.

For example, in my 5th grade inclusion class, students struggle to determine the importance of and remember information when reading content-area textbooks. My co-teacher and I worked together to model, scaffold, and gradually release responsibility to the students to apply the SQ3R strategy. Gradually over time, the students are showing the ability to turn the subtitles into questions and then read through sections of the text to answer the question they generated from the subtitle.

Another effective strategy to use is the Experienced-Text-Relationship. This strategy takes a few lessons to complete—but it is well worth the time. The focus is on guiding students to attach meaning to what they are reading. I use this strategy with all genres because it provides students with the mindset to apply what they already know in order to construct meaning from text. Students independently begin to visualize and apply their background knowledge as they gain new information. It’s all about having my students attach meaning to what they need to learn. When something is meaningful, the transfer of skills and knowledge are more attainable.

For me, the key to being considered a highly qualified teacher begins after I have earned degrees, attended professional development sessions, or completed any teaching tests… It begins once I enter my classroom doors.

Perhaps being considered a highly qualified teacher, and reflecting on this quality in your daily teaching, can help you find true and specific meaning in all of those “#1 teacher” gifts!

Comments

[genres of literature]

I think this is a great website for any teacher to reference

[Elizabeth Stein]

So here is a sense of the technical aspects of earning highly qualified status...

According to NCLB:
To be considered "highly qualified" teachers must meet the following three criteria:
1. Hold a bachelor's degree,
2. Hold full state certification or licensure, 3. Demonstrate competence in subject knowledge
in the core subject areas of English,
reading or language arts, mathematics,
science, foreign languages, civics and
government, economics, arts, history and
geography.
The first criteria is straightforward. Criteria two and three vary among states and depend on the standards required by each respective state.

Thanks to the meaningful comments of our recent posters, we are reminded of what is most important. Kimberlynn Kemp reminds us that earning highly qualifed status means that we are committed to learning and teaching as a lifelong process. The courses, tests, and mandates we complete are pretty much the easy part. Because after that--we must guide our own learning and professional growth in ways that ultimately benefit students.

Makeba Robinson reminds us that our students are the best mirrors when we are reflecting on our effectiveness...

K. McClenton sums it all up... It's a great accomplishment to be completing the criteria for a state's (in this case Georgia's) requirements. But that is just one area of evidence that you are a highly qualified teacher. You know this because you are reflecting on your students' progress.

So far, in a nutshell, we've agreed that truly HQTs are:
- individuals who reflect on students'
performance and progress
- are lifelong learners

So here's a question:

What professional development experiences would you recommend to anyone interested in finding the meaning of their HQT status?

[Kimberlynn Kemp]

I  enjoyed reading this article on "Earning Highly Qualified Status" The question in my mind is how can I be a highly qualifid teacher without meeting the requirements.  I believe that learning how to teach is a lifelong journey.  We have to constantly examine not only our belief systems, but our knowledge base about the content we are tasked with teaching, the learners with whom we work, and our repertoire for chunking the content in developmentally appropriate ways, while concentrating on the essential understandings.  I feel that I'm highly qualified because teaching is a lifelong journey.

[Makeba Robinson]

I love this article. I have in the past walked into the classrooms of veteran teachers’ classrooms and seen displays of #1 teacher memorabilia displayed for all to see. When I look at these things I think to myself what did these teachers do to receive such a title? As I reflect on this article I realize that being called #1 by the students we teach, those that we have the greatest influence on, can an is one of the highest displays of appreciation one can receive. The students that bring in these gifts saw or felt something as they were being taught that made them see that teacher, if even for just that day, as number one.

[K. McClenton]

This article was a take on Highly Qualified outside of the box. I feel I am highly qualified because of the success of my students through the years. It has been a long road from the time I started to now. One thing is for sure change is going to happen. Although I have to take 1 more GACE test to be Highly Qualified, working with my students and hearing about the positive changes taking place at the students' home makes me realize I AM HIGHLY QUALIFIED.

[Elizabeth Stein]

Hi Phil,
Since states have varied plans, I am not 100% sure if your course will apply.
Check this link out...

http://www.ade.az.gov/asd/hqtp/teacher.asp

You will also find a contact and phone #. If you still do not get a direct answer...perhaps you will be guided in the right direction.

Also, did you check with the college where you earned your degree?

Here's another link that may be helpful...

http://www.ed.gov/nclb/methods/teachers/hqtflexibility.html

Does any of this help? Best of luck!

[phil grieves]

will a physics or engineering credit constitute one of the 24 credits that make one highly qualified to teach math?

Phillipgrieves@gmail.com

arizona

[Elizabeth Stein]

Ooops...should've previewed before posting my earlier message...small edit needed (although not necessary). I'm sure it's self expanatory.

In my previous post I left out the word "not" in #2. So, I'll add it here.
Talk about being one's own worst critic!

Here's what I do:
1. I have learned to focus on what I have
accomplished.
2. I learn from situations that I feel did
not go particularly well and I now know for
the future.

[Elizabeth Stein]

Lydia,
You are right where all effective special education teachers find themselves...
Sometimes caught in the tangled web of balancing all the variables...yet needing to untangle the web so that the students are provided with the absolute best! All while keeping your sanity and stamina, sigh...
In your efforts to always want to do things better...do not lose sight of what you ARE doing. I speak from the heart (and experience) when I say this...don't beat yourself up! I've been there too...and I know there are so many teachers like us out there!

Here's what I do:
1. I have learned to focus on what I have
accomplished.
2. I learn from situations that I feel did
go particularly well and I now know for
the future.

Being too critical of yourself will only take that precious, dedicated energy you have away from where it belongs.

It all comes back to your compass...stay true to yourself--listen to your husband and father-in-law. You already answered the question, "what do they see in me?" You are committed to your students and our profession! That is truly the main acknowledgement and validation you really need--amd you gave it to yourself...

So anytime you feel the need for acknowledgement...look into the faces of your students...and the reflection in the mirror...

You will then find that your compass that you mention will become your anchor when it merges in the real world...
Did I just ramble on...or did this make sense to you?

[Elizabeth Stein]

Natalie,
You sound like a true lifelong learner. You realize that research brings along new techniques and strategies and it is up to us(each individual special educator)to stay current on strategies, policies...etc.

The fact that you strive to keep up on new ideas clearly states that you have the intangible qualities necessary for all HQTers...

You are not alone. (That's good to know...right?) It is easy to feel like you need to catch up. When I feel that way, I stop and realize it is just my intense passion to know as much as I can so I can provide the best practices etc...for my students. How great is that! I translate that feeling of "catching up" to a more productive feeling. Just think of it like this...you are adding to what you already know. It's not so much that you have to catch up...but more like you have to remain open minded and see the connections between what you already know to the new strategies, etc that you learn about.

This will deepen your understanding of the new information that can flood your mind.

You will learn to sift through it--and keep what is most important--while not feeling like you're on a conveyor belt that moves too quickly. Does any of this make sense?

I still reflect on my highly qualified status...even after all these years...I'm just getting started too!

Did any of this help?

[Lydia S.]

I like the reflective question of "what am I doing to earn [#1 teacher] status?" I do everything "they" tell me I need to do. Sometimes I am so focused on what others are telling me I am supposed to be doing that I lose focus of my own compass. Years ago my father-in-law started referring to me as Master Teacher. How's the Master Teacher today? What's the Master Teacher up to today? Now my husband has followed suit. What is it that they see in me that causes them to see me as a master teacher? I believe it is my teaching ethics: my commitment to students and my commitment to my profession.

Part of my striving to do all that is expected of me is to give my students the best I have to offer. Another part is I am a team player for my profession and I want to do whatever I need to in order to improve the educational system. There are times I struggle with being told to follow the letter of the law that in doing so can interfere with the spirit of the law. For example, in Ohio we are struggling to learn how to write IEP’s with an entire set of new forms. My district, specifically two people at central office, has decided to go over our IEP’s with a nit-picking comb. Colleagues who have labored over these new forms are now being faced with having IEP’s returned for changes to be made after the meeting. I understand the need to have legally sound documents, but train us in the verbiage for which you are looking before you punish me. Treat me as a Highly Qualified Professional. A teacher that “is appropriately licensed, meets observation criteria, completes professional development, and takes tests to provide evidence of his or her status.” A HQT who has taken course work in content areas to better serve my students and profession. I am an educator working towards her master’s degree to improve my teaching strategies and special education leadership.

Consider the hours spent on this one task and how crushing it is to be told it has been done wrong. Think of the humiliation of calling a parent back in to “fix” a document that everyone on the team thought would best serve the student. Bear in mind that as a professional I want to be prepared as I write and later meet to develop the IEP with the team. Just give me the tools and I’ll do whatever I can to follow the rules. I am my biggest critic; I continually strive to do things better. I wish my desire to do the right thing for my students translated easier onto paper. I yearn for the acknowledgement that I am a master teacher and that is enough.

[natalie ross]

This was a fun post to read! I am participating in a Master's Program right now and a question we were asked is if we think we are high qualified teachers. Reading this, assures me that I am not there yet. This is my third year of teaching, and it still feels like I just started! There is so much for me to learn yet, and so many new techniques and strategies develop every year. I feel that I am always trying to catch up to the new "stuff". Do you have any words of wisdom for me?

[Elizabeth Stein]

Jordan, good to hear your thoughts--thanks for sharing. You are clearly on the right path as a reflective, effective teacher--Best of luck!

[Jordan]

This post is helpful in many ways. First thanks for the reminder to think about what it means to be a highly qualified teacher. The FAQ link is great. The strategy links are helpful and I am going to include in my plans.
I have not received any #1 teacher gifts yet, but I will be sure to think about what it means when I do, thanks.