Gale Klotsko Computer Information Systems Teacher Certifications Earned Microsoft Office Specialist Master Instructor - certified in Microsoft Word Expert, Excel Expert, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook   Employer Potomac Senior High School Location Dumfries, Virginia

In her own words: "Anytime a student can earn an industry certification, it benefits them. Knowing how to use the programs also helps them in their other courses."

Microsoft Office Specialist Master Instructor's Example and Enthusiasm Inspires High School Students to Earn Valuable Office Specialist Certifications
In only three years, over 100 certifications have been awarded to teacher, students in Virginia

Gale Klotsko's enthusiasm about Microsoft® Office Specialist certification is contagious at Potomac Senior High School in Dumfries, Virginia. The constantly increasing Office Specialist certificates on her classroom wall provide evidence the Microsoft Office Specialist Master Instructor is both trained and qualified to teach Computer Information Systems (CIS) and Advanced CIS courses. In only three years, Klotsko has improved her personal credentials and inspired over 100 students to earn Office Specialist certifications themselves. Her example has given her students computing skills and worldwide credentials that will serve them well in college and in their future careers.

BACKGROUND
During her first year teaching in the business education department at Potomac Senior High School, Klotsko realized she needed to quickly become well acquainted with the courses' core curriculum: the Microsoft Office system of business productivity programs. When she found out Prince William County encourages business education and marketing teachers to earn Office Specialist Word and Excel certifications and requires CIS instructors to earn additional certifications for any other programs they may teach, Klotsko committed to pursue Office Specialist credentials.

Potomac Senior High School offers its students the opportunity to earn Office Specialist certification, although when Klotsko started teaching, no students had certified. Klotsko knew the program was valuable and recognized the potential it had for improving the school's business program. She also acknowledged she couldn't expect students to earn certifications if she didn't have them herself.

PROCESS
With help from other teachers and the school's technology specialist, Klotsko used SAM Assessment and Training to educate herself, prepare lesson plans and get ready for Office Specialist certification. She completed all of the textbook lessons and exercised with practice tests before taking and passing all of the Office Specialist exams.

"My students enjoyed seeing my orange Office Specialist certificates appear on the wall in my classroom," she said. "They wanted to earn certificates like mine. I started offering free lunch to any student who beat my scores. Soon they were finishing their exams and begging the facilitator to tell them my score, so they knew if they had beaten me!"

To support students in their efforts to earn Office Specialist certification, Klotsko advertises how Office Specialist may qualify students for college credit through American Council on Education member institutions. "I tell my students – and their parents at back-to-school night – not to turn this down," she said. "They are earning hundreds of dollars worth of certifications at no cost to them, plus they can earn college credit. Anytime a student can earn an industry certification, it benefits them. Knowing how to use the programs also helps them in their other courses."

She helps students prepare for their exams by offering periodic reviews and timed quizzes to help them adjust to Office Specialist exam methodology. In addition, she encourages students to use critical-thinking skills. "The test is challenging. I tell my students they have enough knowledge to think through the exam questions. They have to be able to prove they can apply their knowledge," she said.

Now three years into her teaching at Potomac Senior High School, Klotsko teaches three CIS and two Advanced CIS courses, comprised of nearly 100 students. The courses focus on rudimentary computer history, hardware and ethics before concentrating a quarter each on Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint®. The high school is a Certiport Center, an authorized testing center. Arrangements have been made for Prince William County to pay for up to two Office Specialist exams while the high school pays for two additional exams, which, for some students, results in Microsoft Office Specialist Master certification. Students who have an A or B in class work and a score of 85 or higher on unit tests may take Office Specialist exams.

To make the whole certification experience both challenging and fun for students, Klotsko designed "The Apprentice: The CIS Version," a team-based competition inspired by The Apprentice television show. At the end of each course unit, students are divided into two teams, and Klotsko (a.k.a. "The Donald") asks them to select a project manager. They are given an assignment-to complete the unit review section of their text and to gather a portfolio of real-life uses of the applicable Microsoft Office program from faculty members in the school. Then the project manager assigns tasks for team members to complete. Finally, teams meet in "The Boardroom" to review their portfolio of materials and earn a quiz grade. The team with the highest grade is told, "You're Hired!"

CERTIFICATION
Klotsko passed Microsoft Word 2000, Word 2000 Expert, Excel 2000, Excel 2000 Expert, PowerPoint 2000, Access 2000 and Outlook® 2000 tests in her first year at Potomac Senior High School. She has subsequently passed Office 2003 exams and is an Office Specialist Master Instructor.

Master Instructor certification is for individuals who are or aspire to be Microsoft Office teachers or trainers. Recognized for their skills and hands-on abilities to use Microsoft Office programs, Master Instructors are required to earn Expert certifications in Microsoft Word and Excel along with Specialist certifications in PowerPoint and either Access or Outlook. In addition, Master Instructors must satisfy an instructional experience requirement, which includes having a teaching degree, training degree or certified experience providing Microsoft Office or other software training.

"I believe my Master Instructor certification helps show my students and their parents I am a highly qualified teacher for CIS," Klotsko said. "I believe it also sets a good example to the students. They see me studying right along with them, and we all cheer on each other!"

To date, 115 certifications have been awarded to Klotsko's students. Some students have earned Office Specialist Master certification. Klotsko has even had to make good on her free-lunch promise: during her first year, a student tied her PowerPoint exam score. Three other students beat her Microsoft Word score, and she proudly distributed candy bars to reward their efforts. In addition, one Potomac Senior High School student was one of the USA's leaders in the annual Certiport Worldwide Competition on Microsoft Office this past summer.

RESULT
Word spread quickly about the useful, relevant information students learn in Klotsko's CIS and Advanced CIS classes. By her second year of teaching, enrollment in her courses doubled and student certification successes were being announced on the school's public-address system.

Micah Hafich, an 11th-grade Advanced CIS student at Potomac Senior High School who is certified in both Microsoft Word and Excel, hopes to attend the United States Air Force Academy after graduation. "Office Specialist certification exams test you on skills necessary in today's technological world," he said. "They will apply to a variety of careers, as well as look good on resumés and college applications. And they are exclusive — not everyone has them."

Joshua Porto, a 12th-grade student at Potomac Senior High School, serves as an aide for Klotsko's Advanced CIS course. He is an Office Specialist Master with certifications in Microsoft Word Expert, Excel Expert, PowerPoint and Access. A family friend's certification experience motivated him to pursue certification himself. "My brother's friend had Microsoft Word certification," he explained. "He went to a college fair and the schools were jumping all over his credentials. My Master certification should look really good on my college applications."

"Certification helps you gauge whether you have a thorough knowledge of a Microsoft Office program," Klotsko said. "You are meeting Microsoft's standards. It made me more confident to teach the programs to others."

Hafich agreed Klotsko's certifications help her to teach her courses well. "Her knowledge of the programs is a big help; plus, it's comforting to know she's been through the certification experience herself. It's great to see all of her certificates up on the classroom wall," he said.

Klotsko uses her Microsoft Office knowledge often, especially while serving as the advisor to the Potomac Chapter of Future Business Leaders of America. "I do a lot of mail merges. I am more organized, efficient and professional," she said.

Porto's Microsoft Office skills have come in handy when applying for jobs and at work. When his employer needed flyers put together, he stepped up and put everything in place with just a couple of clicks of the mouse. "They were amazed a 16-year-old could do this," he said.

He enjoys adding professional touches to his high-school homework assignments as well. "In any job you do, you'll encounter Microsoft Office," Porto said. "This piece of paper from Microsoft says you can do it."

"Even if you don't have a job in a business field, you will probably use a computer," Hafich said. "These skills are good for life."