Teacher Competencies

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Being a teacher at any level requires a significant amount of knowledge and skill.

Paying attention to
the core competencies for educators helps to ensure that all teachers and others who work in
education are prepared to make school a positive experience for students and their families.

Interacting with Students

Educators must be able to positively interact with all students. This includes difficult students, students
who work below grade-level and students whose personalities just grate on a teacher. Teachers must
put aside their prejudices and feelings in order to treat all students with respect, provide them with
equal opportunities for learning and make them feel confident.

Create a Learning Environment

Creating a safe learning environment that is conducive to learning is essential. Educators must set high
expectations for student performance and behavior. All rules must be enforced consistently and fairly.
Students should not have to worry about being bullied in the classroom and should feel comfortable
when speaking up.

Good at Lesson Plan Design

All educators must be capable of designing lesson plans to meet student needs and cover the standards.
This requires knowing how to choose and create instructional materials to accommodate students at
different levels. It also requires creating a scope and sequence that provides students with enough time
to master the standards.

Able to Employ Varied Teaching Strategies

Best practices and other appropriate teaching strategies allow competent educators to effectively teach
the curriculum. Competent educators may lecture, but they also incorporate a variety of strategies,
including non-traditional teaching strategies, to help students with multiple learning styles learn and
stay engaged. Educators also attend regular professional development sessions to learn new strategies
and the latest best practices.

Use Assessments Well

Educators must design or select and administer effective assessments. An assessment must accurately
measure what has been taught and what students have learned. Competent educators combine
informal and formal assessment techniques to monitor student performance. They also incorporate
technology, portfolios and other creative methods to assess students.

Able to Identify Student Needs

Being able to identify and address student needs is a crucial component of an educator's job. This is
done by partly using formal and informal assessments to help guide instruction. However, it also
involves getting to know students beyond an instructional level, learning about their interests,
recognizing changes in mood and making sure students are mentally and emotionally focused on
learning.

Good at Communication

Communicating effectively with parents and other stakeholders in a child's education is a key
component of an educator's job. A quality educator provides regular updates on a child's progress and
immediately addresses any concerns that may arise. The educator also knows how to calmly discuss
issues with difficult parents and how to come to decisions that have the best interests of the child in
mind.

Able to Collaborate

Educators must be able to collaborate with other teachers and school staff. Teachers can learn from one
another and grow into better teachers through collaboration. They can also collaborate to make the
school a safe, effective learning environment for all students and to improve the overall image of the
school and the instruction that takes place there.

Maintaining a Professional Appearance

Being an educator requires maintaining a professional appearance at all times. This includes dressing
appropriately and acting professionally. Educators often serve as role models for students. Actions such
as using foul language, gossiping about teachers and students or dressing inappropriately can cause
students to lose respect for an educator.

Demonstrating a Commitment to the Profession

Educators must make a commitment to education and professional development. Subject matter
knowledge fades, teaching strategies change and new research is always modifying the way students
learn and teachers teach. By furthering their education and taking part in professional development
sessions, educators can continue to improve the quality of the education they provide.

Teacher Competencies
1. Knowledge of Students and Their Development

 Understands and appreciates diversity


 Forms constructive relationships with students
 Connects students' prior learning, life experiences and interests with learning goals
 Uses a variety of instructional strategies and resources to respond to students' diverse needs
 Facilitates learning experiences that promote autonomy, interaction and choice
 Engages students in problem solving, critical thinking and other activities that make subject
matter meaningful
2. Creates an Effective Learning Environment

 Establishes a climate that promotes fairness and students


 Establishes a collaborative learning environment
 Creates a physical environment that engages all students
 Plans and implements classroom procedures and routines that support student learning
 Uses instructional time effectively

3. Understands Subject Matter

 Demonstrates knowledge of subject matter content and skills


 Interrelates ideas and information within and across subject matter areas
 Uses instructional strategies that are appropriate to the subject matter
 Uses materials, resources and technologies to provide meaningful learning

4. Plans and Designs Appropriate Learning Experiences

 Establishes goals for student learning


 Develops and sequences instructional activities for student learning
 Modifies instructional plans to meet the needs of all students
 Uses resources to meet the needs of student

5. Uses On-going Assessment to Monitor Student Learning

 Communicates learning goals to students


 Collects and uses multiple sources of information to assess learning
 Assists students in assessing their own learning
 Maintains up-to-date records a analyzes data
 Communicates with students and families about student progress

6. Develops Professional Practice

 Reflects on teaching practice to extend knowledge and skills


 Establishes goals for professional development
 Meets the responsibilities of a professional educator
 Works with families in supporting student learning
 Maintains positive relationships with other professionals
 Works with colleagues to improve professional practice

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