There is ample research on programs and pathways to support novice teachers entering the field but minimal research on transitioning from novice to expert teacher. The problem addressed in the research is that there is no framework for understanding how teachers become experts. This study's purpose is to understand how teachers perceive the process of acquiring skills influences their progress toward becoming National-Board Certified Teachers. The overarching research question was: How do teachers perceive the process of skill acquisition influences their development in becoming an expert with five sub-questions relating to each stage in the Dreyfus and Dreyfus model of skill acquisition. A qualitative method was used to identify common events and experiences of current expert teachers as they perceive their journey toward becoming expert teachers. A case study design identified firsthand experiences from participants to gain insight and understanding on how teachers transition from novice to expert. Twenty-three renewed National Board-certified teachers completed the Expert Teacher Questionnaire. Eleven subjects participated in a one-on-one interview and four in a focus group. Protocols and open-ended questions served as tools to gather data. A six-step procedure was used to analyze the data and identify 11 themes that emerged from the data. The results revealed expert teachers align to the expectations of each stage in the model of skill acquisition. Four themes were consistent in all five stages: purposeful learning, a need for a supportive environment, distribution of knowledge, and a sense of identity. How these expert teachers developed and created their pedagogical practices and techniques has significant implications for teacher development programs at the university, district, state, and national levels. This research is substantial because the literature suggests that expert teachers positively impact educational quality, student learning, and teacher professional development. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]