Both teachers completed a yearlong performance-based assessment series to become National Board Certified Teachers, according to a Dec. 18 release by the NBPTS. They join 37 other Charles County Public Schools teachers who hold current national certification status.
Derencin is a language arts teacher at Milton M. Somers Middle School and earned her certificate in the area of English language arts/adolescence and young adulthood. She has been teaching language arts at Somers for the past nine years and works with eighth-grade students. Derencin has a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from McDaniel College.
Gartland is a science teacher at Somers and earned her certification in the area of science/early adolescence. She has been teaching at Somers for the past eight school years and teaches eighth grade physical science. Gartland has a bachelor’s degree in secondary education – biology/group science from Western Michigan University, and a master’s degree in education/instructional technology from Walden University.
National Board Certified Teachers must complete a rigorous review of their skills and work, which includes teacher portfolios, student work samples, videotapes, and thorough analysis of the candidates’ classroom teaching and student learning. Teachers also complete a series of written exercises that probe the depth of their subject-matter knowledge and their understanding of how to teach that material to students.
These teachers join more than 4,000 teachers nationwide who were certified in 2013. Certification is valid for 10 years, after which a teacher may seek renewal. Maryland has 2,575 teachers who are nationally certified and is one of the top 10 states with the highest participation in the certification process.
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