Congratulations to our National Board Certified Teachers! Meet Libby Phillips
Amanda (Libby) Phillips was recently named a National Board Certified Teacher. She has been teaching elementary physical education for 22 years, 20 of which have been with the Solvay Union Free School District. Prior to this, she taught for two years in her home state of Georgia.
When asked what is one of her favorite things about coming to work each day, Ms. Phillips reflected on the joy she finds in “watching a student execute a skill for the first time.”
“The genuine joy on his/her face is why I do what I do,” said Ms. Phillips. “This is especially satisfying when the student has struggled or overcome a fear.”
Ms. Phillips decided to harness this joy and anticipation into a career goal of her own, deciding to work toward becoming a National Board Certified Teacher. Ms. Phillips realized that after teaching elementary physical education for 20 years, she wanted to take on a new challenge.
“I knew that if I wanted to achieve National Board certification I would have to step up my game,” said Ms. Phillips. “Go outside of my comfort zone.”
And go outside of her comfort zone she did. In working on her certification, Ms. Phillips was forced to examine every aspect of her teaching. She was soon able to note her areas of strength along with areas in need of improvement. Even though Ms. Phillips has achieved her certification, she is still very aware that she has room to grow and improve as a teacher.
“The certification process is very rigorous, as it should be,” said Ms. Phillips. “The work you are doing is always in the back of your mind. When I heard that I achieved National Board certification, I felt both relief and satisfaction. Achieving a goal that I set for myself several years ago was very satisfying.”
For the upcoming school year, Ms. Phillips plans to help raise awareness about National Board certification. She speaks highly of the process she went through to achieve this certification.
“The process is unparalleled,” she said. “While it can be a daunting goal, there are many supports to help you achieve certification. You do not have to go it alone.”
When asked what she was most excited about bringing to the Solvay UFSD with this award, Ms. Phillips was quick to reply that she is looking to assist others by providing encouragement and support for those who wish to pursue certification. She is grateful to everyone in the Solvay community who helped her on the road to her certification.
“I had many people who supported and encouraged me throughout my journey,” said Ms. Phillips. “From my colleagues who were flexible with their schedules and allowed me to bounce ideas off of them, to my mentors who read and reread my work and offered critical feedback as well as encouraging words. Their support was critical to my success.”
