LTHS Social Studies teacher nationally certified

Lyons Township High School Social Studies teacher Katy Newcomb recently earned the title of National Board Certified teacher and Master Teacher designation on the Illinois Professional Educator License. Newcomb is LT’s only current Board-certified teacher.

National Board Certification was designed to develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide. It is considered the most respected professional certification available in K-12 education.

In order to become Board-certified, teachers complete a performance-based, peer-reviewed process, demonstrating their proven impact on student learning and achievement. Over the past three years, Newcomb worked to complete its four required components.

Newcomb enjoyed the certification process and says, “In my subject matter, I can more easily draw out themes from history that make my course more relevant to students’ lives. In day to day teaching, I can more immediately identify moments and reasons why my students struggle in their learning, and I can develop many options for closing the gap between where they are in their understanding and where I want them to be.”

The first component of certification is Content Knowledge, a computer-based assessment including multiple choice and essays that require analysis of historical documents and the economic and geographical trends that create patterns in graphs and maps. The assessment allows the candidate to demonstrate knowledge of history, social studies and related instructional strategies. Newcomb recalls one essay involved analyzing the 1832 South Carolina Ordinance of secession, explaining the historical issues relevant to its creation and an opposing point of view.

Differentiation and Instruction is the second component and requires candidates to develop, analyze and prove that a series of differentiated assignments increases student learning using student data and analysis of student work from various groups. Newcomb’s 14-page paper detailed an in-depth analysis of student work that included specific evidence of improved learning.

The third component involves Teaching Practice and Learning Environment. Newcomb provided instructional materials and analysis of and reflection on her teaching as displayed in two videos. She was evaluated on practice and analysis as it related to instruction, student engagement and the learning environment.

The fourth and final component, Effective Reflective Practitioner, involved Newcomb collaborating with families, colleagues and LT professional learning communities to advance learning and growth for one particular class. She created assessments to effectively plan for and positively impact those students, and she analyzed evidence from student performance that her collaboration with others helped advance student learning and growth.

Newcomb began at LT in 1997. She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Arts in History from the University of Illinois, Chicago and a Master of Arts in Educational Administration from Governors State University.