Teacher Competencies
Teacher Competencies
Teacher Competencies
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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