Another simple truth I’ve learned is that when you force someone to do something, the outcome isn’t going to be nearly as good as when that person is motivated from within. This is certainly true of professional development. Too often, the only professional development teachers are given is mandated by some external entity or policy. Empowering teachers to choose their own path to excellence is critical in improving Arizona’s schools.

I just got back from a visit to Chinle, Arizona, six hours northeast of Phoenix on the Navajo Reservation. It’s a part of the state that most people never see, but some amazing things are happening up there. I have visited Chinle many times since becoming Executive Director of the Center and have the odometer reading to prove it. The schools there suffer from limited resources and extremely high teacher attrition rates—challenges not unfamiliar to schools right here in Phoenix. But what keeps me coming back are the exceptional teachers working there, who despite the obstacles are committed to making a difference.

Last year, a group of these teachers signed up for Take One!, the single entry alternative to National Board Certification. Today, nine of these teachers, while waiting for their results, are pursuing full certification! This is an incredible testimony to their commitment to professional growth and the students in their community. They want to be the best they can be!

Closer to home in Phoenix, at Mitchell School in the Isaac District, another grassroots learning community is taking form. With the support of their principal, Linda Crawford, and the leadership of NBCT Daniela Robles, 20 teachers are pursuing either Take One! or full National Board Certification this year. That’s well over half the teaching staff of a school whose students live largely in poverty and is in a district in corrective action. These teachers mirror the kids they teach. They are minority educators setting a wonderful example to their students to work hard and take advantage of life’s opportunities. They all comment that this is their first opportunity to make their own choice about professional development.

I have been so inspired by these teachers and others that I have recently begun work toward a PhD. If these teachers have the heart and the energy and the focus to continue to grow professionally, why shouldn’t I? Why shouldn’t any of us? I’m tired of people basing policy decisions on unsubstantiated opinion instead of on what works based on real research or without talking to practitioners in the field. We all need to take a more active role in our learning.