Faith Hurst-Bilinski recently joined an elite group of teachers whose commitment to education and lifelong learning have positioned them to be among the most effective teachers in the nation.
Having a growth mindset isn’t just a catch phrase the veteran educator uses to motivate herself or her fourth- and fifth-grade students at Davidson Elementary School. As a mentor, Hurst-Bilinski works with other San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) teachers to guide them in their quest for teaching excellence.
“I’m always talking to teachers about growing and improving,” said Hurst-Bilinski, a Cal State San Bernardino alumna who has taught in SBCUSD for 23 years. “Some people think that those of us who have been teaching for a long time can’t improve.”
Two years ago, Hurst-Bilinski decided to take her teaching to the next level. She began the arduous process of becoming a National Board Certified Teacher. Late last year, she became one of more than 3,800 teachers to achieve National Board Certification in the U.S. Hurst-Bilinski is the only teacher in all of San Bernardino County to earn certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in 2019. Her certification is considered the most respected professional credential available in K-12 education.
To become board certified, teachers complete a performance-based, peer-reviewed process, demonstrating their proven impact on student learning and academic achievement. About 125,000 of the nation’s teachers are National Board Certified.
Research conducted in Arizona in 2004 and Los Angeles in 2012, along with research in many other U.S. cities and school districts, have shown that students taught by National Board Certified Teachers end their school year with educational gains equivalent to one to two months more of instruction than students taught by non-Certified teachers, even when accounting for the years of teaching experience.
“It is time consuming, but I would absolutely recommend it to other teachers, especially those who have been teaching for a while,” Hurst-Bilinski said.