URDANETA CITY UNIVERSITY

San Vicente West, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

STUDENT REASEARCH PAPER

NO.

Name: Dianne C. Laganina

Kathlyn Anne Junio

Abegail Cachuela

Marilyn Nebrida

Year Level: Second Year

Subject/Course Code: The Teaching Profession/E296

Professor: Dr. Edwin R. Ferrer

I. Title: Professional Teachers are Competent

II. Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the characteristics of a professional competent teacher;

2. Discuss the core competencies for educators;

3. Explain the importance of a professional competent teacher in teaching and learning;

4. Present the concept of professional competence;

5.

III. Presentation of the Topic

A. Major Topic/s: The Teaching Profession

B. Sub Topic/s: Professional Teachers are Competent

IV. Development of the Topic

A. Legal Bases

Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7836

AN ACT TO STRENGTHEN THE REGULATION AND SUPERVISION OF THE PRACTICE

OF TEACHING IN THE PHILIPPINES AND PRESCRIBING A LICENSURE EXAMINATION

FOR TEACHERS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

ARTICLE I

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Teachers

Professionalization Act of 1994."

Sec. 2. Statement of Policy. — The State recognizes the vital role of teachers in nation-building

and development through a responsible and literate citizenry. Towards this end, the State shall

ensure and promote quality education by proper supervision and regulation of the licensure

examination and professionalization of the practice of the teaching profession.

B. Literature

Studies Defining Competency and Teaching Competency

Studies on defining Competency

Evolution of competency can be traced to the early 1970s; the psychologists and organizations

were seeking ways to predict job performance. There was significant evidence to show that

personality testing was very poor at predicting job performance. In 1973, David McClelland,

Professor of Psychology at Harvard University wrote a seminal paper "Testing for Competence

Rather than for Intelligence," which appeared in American Psychologist in 1973, that created a stir

in the field of psychology [195]. According to his research, traditional academic aptitude and

knowledge content tests seldom predict on-job performance. He went on to argue that the real

predictors of job performance are a set of underlying personal characteristics or "competencies."

McClelland's concept of competency has been the key driver of the competency movement and

competency-based education.
Evarts [97] defined competency as an underlying characteristic of a manager, which causally

relates to his/her superior performance in the job. According to Jacobs [153], it is an observable

skill or ability to complete a managerial task successfully. Hornby and Thomas [148] defined it as

the ability to perform effectively the functions associated with management in a work situation.

Spencer and Spencer [282] have defined competency, as "…A competency is an underlying

characteristic of an individual that is causally related to criterion-referenced effective and/or

superior performance in a job or situation." Underlying characteristic means the competency is a

fairly deep and enduring part of person’s personality and can predict behavior. Causally related,

means that a competency causes or predicts behavior and performance. Criterion-referenced means

that the competency actually predicts who does something well or poor, as measured on a specific

criterion or standard.

According to Hogg [142] "…Competencies are the characteristics of a manager that lead to the

demonstration of skills and abilities, which result in effective performance within an occupational

area. Competency also embodies the capacity to transfer skills and abilities from one area to

another." Another definition which is extensively accepted among human resources specialists is

"…An underlying characteristic of a person which results in effective and/or superior performance

on the job" [170].

According to Tobias [292] competency is defined as "…The cognitive (e.g. knowledge and skills),

affective (e.g. attitudes and values), behavioral and motivational (e.g. motives) characteristics or

dispositions of a person which enables him or her to perform well in a specific situation."

International Board of Standards for Training Performance and Instruction [152] defined

competency as "…An integrated set of skills, knowledge, and attributes that enables one to

effectively perform the activities of a given occupation or function to the standards expected in

employment." Whereas Boyatzis [43] analyzed managerial competencies and defined

competencies as "…An underlying characteristic of a person that could be a motive, trait, skill,

aspect of one’s self-image, social role, or a body of knowledge which he or she uses." These

characteristics are revealed in observable and identifiable patterns of behavior, related to job

performance and usually include knowledge, skill and abilities.

Studies on defining Teacher Competency

A critical examination of the following definitions put forth and the views expressed by various

educationists on the meaning and evaluation of teaching competency make more explicit the

absence of a clear-cut and universally acceptable definition of teaching competency.

According to Haskew [135] "…The possessions of the teacher, his knowledge, skills, attitude,

personality configuration and the like are referred to as competencies, they lend the character

dimension to teaching". Medley and Mitzel [197] defined "…The competency of a teacher is

defined as the average success of all his behaviors in achieving their intended effects." Whereas

Biddle and Ellena [35] reported, “…Teaching competency is one or more abilities of a teacher to

produce agreed upon educational effects".

Gage’s views [109] about teaching was, “…Teaching skills are specific instructional techniques

and procedure that a teacher may use in the class-room. They represent an analysis of the teaching

process into relatively discrete components that can be used in different combination in the

continuous flow of the teacher's performance.”

Hoyle [149] defined a competent teacher is one who:

i) “…has the skill of accurate perceptions of the class-room situation and the changes that

occur within the class-room,

ii) ii) is aware of the teacher’s role which are appropriate to different situation and

iii) iii) possesses the personality skills, which allow him to adapt to changing situations.”

According to Clarke [64] teaching constitutes activities that are designed and performed to produce

change in pupil behavior. In 1973, many researchers came up with defining teacher competency.

Cooper et al. [70] defined "…Teacher competencies are the resultant of attitudes, understandings,

skills and behaviors that facilitate intellectual, social, emotional and physical growth in children."

Whereas Good [118] defined “…Teaching competency is those skills, concept and attitudes

needed by teachers for the act of instructing in an educational institution". In addition to it, Travers

[295] defined "…Competent teaching is assumed to be made up of a collection of modular skills

and a chain of performances on such modules constitutes effective teaching performance."

Oliver [219] summarized four exclusive definitions of competence as follows:

1. Competence can be viewed as a behavior. In terms of teachers and teaching, it means being able

to identify or designate specific behaviors independent of thought or analysis of appropriateness.

2. Competence can be viewed as having a set of skills or a collection of knowledge that one selects

and implements. The selection of action is attended by reflection. Teachers choose to teach in a

certain way. Teacher cognition and the application of knowledge are central to this view of

competence. Shulman's [274] typifies this view.

3. Competence can also be viewed as being at a degree or level of capability that must be judged

by someone outside the teacher's personal perspective. This value or judgmental notion of

competence is attended by difficult ethical, professional, and moral questions.

4. A fourth conception of competence is that it is a quality of a person or state of being. How a

given teacher's identity is defined by the ever-present interaction of student, teacher, content, and

experience gives evidence of that teacher's quality of character.

Brown and Armstrong [46] identified the following basic skills of explanation:

 Clarify and fluency- through defining new terms clearly and appropriate use of explicit

language, Emphasis and interest- making good use of voice, gestures, materials, and

paraphrasing,

 Using examples-appropriate in type and quality,

 Organization- presence of a logical sequence and use of link words and phrases,

 Feedback- offering a chance for pupils to ask questions and assessing learning outcomes.

Raju [243] found planning, presentation of lesson, closing, evaluation and managerial dimensions

are the best predictors of teachers' teaching competency. Whitty [309] identified professional

competence, which includes knowledge and understanding of children and their learning, subject

knowledge, curriculum, the education system and the teacher’s role. Professional competence also

necessitates skills such as subject application, classroom methodology, classroom management,

assessment and recording and undertaking a wider role. Ovando [224] found that teachers with

leadership competency are more innovative and exude positive effect in the classroom. For Edward
et al. [96] core competencies of teacher include abstract thinking, problem solving ability,

encouraging teamwork and above all effective communication. Wong [312] claimed that positive

effect on student learning is observed when there is a strong bond of fellowship between principal

and teachers. Collaboration among teachers increases personal understanding and enhances

adaptability for teamwork [181].

Hopkins and Stern [147] yielded this list of characteristics of excellent teachers:

 Passionate commitment to doing the best for students,

 Love of children enacted in warm, caring relationships,

 Pedagogical content knowledge,

 Use of a variety of models of teaching and learning,

 Collaborative working style with colleagues,

 Reflective practice.

After a review of the teacher effectiveness literature, Sammons [261] concluded that effective

teachers are associated with the following characteristics:

 They teach the class as a whole,

 They present information or skills clearly and animatedly,

 They keep the sessions task-orientated,

 They are non-evaluative and keep instruction relaxed,

 They have high expectations for achievement and give more homework, pace lessons faster

and create alertness,

 They relate comfortably to students and in such reducing behavior problems,

 Emphasize academic goals,

 Make goals explicit and expect students to be able to master the curriculum,

 Organize and sequence the curriculum carefully,

 Use clear explanations and illustrate what students are to learn,

 Ask direct and specific questions to monitor students’ progress and understanding,

 Provide students with ample opportunities to practice,

  Give prompts and feedback to ensure success,

 Correct mistakes and allow students to use a skill until it becomes automatic,

 Review work regularly and hold students accountable for their work.

Karacaoglu [165] aimed to determine the teacher’s competencies Turkey needs in the European

Union harmonization process. The research used Delphi technique to determine the teacher’s

competencies. Delphi application was completed by participation of 37 experts. Removal and

combination of overlapping opinions was done and hence 137 competency items were obtained.

The competencies were divided into four competency categories, which are as follows:

1) Competencies regarding Professional Knowledge,

2) Competencies Regarding Field Knowledge,

3) Competencies Regarding Improving Oneself,

4) Competencies Regarding National and International Values.

Vegas and Petrow [303] categorized the variables that influence teacher effectiveness as follows:

 Student characteristics and behaviors,

 School and teacher characteristics and behaviors,

 Organizational factors.

C. Discussions

List of Core Competencies for Educators

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.

1. Interacting Well 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.

2. Creating 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.

3. 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.

4. Able to Use 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.

5. Able to Assess

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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

National Competency-Based Teaching Standards

The assessment standards for teachers in the Philippine setting are incorporated in the National

Competency Based Teaching Standards (NCBTS). These competencies were created to set

standards on a set of behaviors, attitudes and skills that each teacher must have. These standards

enable teachers to carry out better performance on their teaching. The NCBTS is anchored on the

core values of Filipino teachers, and the principles of effective teaching and learning. There are

seven domains that serve as indicators of teachers’ performance (The National Competency Based

Teachers Standards, p. 2):

(1) Social Regard for Learning. Teachers as positive role models. Describes the social interaction

of teachers with students. There is only on subdomains that include the teacher’s actions

demonstrating value for learning.

(2) Learning Environment. Providing a social, psychological and physical environment within

which all students, regardless of their individual differences in learning, can engage in the different

learning activities and work towards attaining high standards of learning. The subdomains include

(2.1) The teacher creates an environment that promotes fairness, (2.2) The teacher makes the

classroom environment safe and conducive to learning, (2.3) The teacher communicates higher

learning expectations to each learner, (2.4) The teacher establishes and maintain consistent

standards of learners’ behavior.

(3) Diversity of Learners. Teachers can facilitate the learning process even with diverse learners,

by recognizing and respecting individual differences and by using knowledge about their

differences to design diverse sets of learning activities to ensure that all learners can attain the

desired learning goals. The subdomains include: (3.1) the teacher is familiar with learners’

background knowledge and experiences, (3.2) the teacher demonstrates concern for holistic

development of learners.

(4) Curriculum. All elements of the teaching-learning process that work in convergence to help

students understand the curricular goals and objectives, and to attain high standards of learning

defined in the curriculum. These elements include the teacher’s knowledge of subject matter and

the learning process, teaching learning approaches and activities, instructional materials and

learning resources. The subdomains include (4.1) the teacher demonstrates mastery of the subject,
(4.2) the teacher communicates clear learning goals for the lessons that are appropriate for learners,

(4.3) the teacher makes good use of allotted instructional time, (4.4) the teacher selects teaching

methods, learning activities and instructional materials or resources appropriate to learners and

aligned to objectives of the lesson.

(5) Planning, Assessing, and Reporting. The alignment of assessment and planning activities. In

particular, the dimension focuses on the use of assessment data to plan and revise teaching-learning

plans; integration of assessment procedures in the plan and implementation of teaching-learning

activities, and reporting of the learners’ actual achievement and behavior. The subdomains include:

(5.1) The teacher communicates promptly and clearly the learners’ progress to parents, superiors

and to learners themselves, (5.2) the teacher develops and uses a variety of appropriate assessment

strategies to monitor and evaluate learning, (5.3) the teacher monitors regularly and provides

feedback on learners’ understanding of content.

(6) Community linkages. The ideal that classroom activities are meaningfully linked to the

experiences and aspirations of the learners in their homes and communities. Thus, this domain

focuses on teachers’ efforts directed at strengthening the links between schools and communities

to help in the attainment of the curricular goals. There is only one subdomain, that is, the teacher

establishing learning environments that respond to the aspirations of the community.

(7) Personal Growth and Professional Development. Emphasizes the ideal that teachers value

having a high personal regard for the teaching profession, concern for professional development,

and continuous improvement as teachers. The subdomains include: (7.1) The teacher takes pride

in the nobility of teaching as a profession, (7.2) the teacher builds professional link with colleagues

to enrich teaching practice, (7.3) the teacher reflects on the extent of the attainment of students’

learning goals.

Standards for Teacher Competence in Educational Assessment of Students

Other countries have already advanced on specifying the assessment competencies of teachers.

This includes the United States where the National Council on Measurement and Evaluation

(NCME), American Federation of Teachers, and the National Education Association (NEA) joined
together to set the “Standards for Teacher Competence in Educational Assessment of Students.”

This set of standards was developed in order to fully realize the benefits of student assessment and

address the problem of inadequate training of student assessment. There were seven principles

drawn in the standards (AFT, NCME, & NEA, pp. 1-2):

1. Teachers should be skilled in choosing assessment methods appropriate for instructional

decisions. Skills in choosing appropriate, useful, administratively convenient, technically

adequate, and fair assessment methods are prerequisite to good use of information to support

instructional decisions. Teachers need to be well acquainted with the kinds of information provided

by a broad range of assessment alternatives and their strengths and weaknesses. In particular, they

should be familiar with criteria for evaluating and selecting assessment methods in light of

instructional plans.

2. Teachers should be skilled in developing assessment methods appropriate for instructional

decisions. While teachers often use published or other external assessment tools, the bulk of the

assessment information they use for decision-making comes from approaches they create and

implement. Indeed, the assessment demands of the classroom go well beyond readily available

instruments.

3. The teacher should be skilled in administering, scoring and interpreting the results of both

externally-produced and teacher-produced assessment methods. It is not enough that teachers

are able to select and develop good assessment methods; they must also be able to apply them

properly. Teachers should be skilled in administering, scoring, and interpreting results from

diverse assessment methods.

4. Teachers should be skilled in using assessment results when making decisions about

individual students, planning teaching, developing curriculum, and school improvement.

Assessment results are used to make educational decisions at several levels: in the classroom about

students, in the community about a school and a school district, and in society, generally, about

the purposes and outcomes of the educational enterprise. Teachers play a vital role when

participating in decision making at each of these levels and must be able to use assessment results

effectively.
5. Teachers should be skilled in developing valid pupil grading procedures, which use pupil

assessments. Grading students is an important part of professional practice for teachers. Grading

is defined as indicating both a student's level of performance and a teacher's valuing of that

performance. The principles for using assessments to obtain valid grades are known and teachers

should employ them.

6. Teachers should be skilled in communicating assessment results to students, parents, other

lay audiences, and other educators. Teachers must routinely report assessment results to students

and to parents or guardians. In addition, they are frequently asked to report or to discuss assessment

results with other educators and with diverse lay audiences. If the results are not communicated

effectively, they may be misused or not used. To communicate effectively with others on matters

of student assessment, teachers must be able to use assessment terminology appropriately and must

be able to articulate the meaning, limitations, and implications of assessment results. Furthermore,

teachers will sometimes be in a position that will require them to defend their own assessment

procedures and their interpretations of them. At other times, teachers may need to help the public

to interpret assessment results appropriately.

7. Teachers should be skilled in recognizing unethical, illegal, and otherwise inappropriate

assessment methods and uses of assessment information. Fairness, the rights of all concerned,

and professional ethical behavior must undergird all student assessment activities, from the initial

planning for and gathering of information to the interpretation, use, and communication of the

results. Teachers must be well-versed in their own ethical and legal responsibilities in assessment.

In addition, they should also attempt to have the inappropriate assessment practices of others

discontinued whenever they are encountered. Teachers should also participate with the wider

educational community in defining the limits of appropriate professional behavior in assessment.

More Than Knowledge: The Concept of Professional Competence

The concept of professional competence may offer a third route to understanding teacher success.

Based on definitions from several domains, competence can be defined as the skills, knowledge,
attitudes, and motivational variables that form the basis for mastery of specific situations.

According to this approach, skills, knowledge, attitudes, and motivational characteristics are not

innate, but learnable and thus teachable. The term “professional competence” is the application of

the concept to working life, particularly in highly complex and demanding professions, in which

mastery of situations is especially dependent on the interplay of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and

motivation. Several researchers have suggested that the concept of professional competence may

be fruitfully applied to the teaching profession and that the multidimensional concept of

professional competence makes it possible to integrate several strands of empirical research on the

necessary characteristics of teachers. There is ample evidence that aspects beyond knowledge may

be important in determining teacher success. These aspects include teachers’ beliefs, work-related

motivation, and ability for professional self-regulation. Beliefs. Teachers’ beliefs are implicit or

explicit conceptions about school- and learning-related matters that influence their perceptions of

the environment and their behaviors. Theoretical distinctions have been drawn between

professional values, epistemological beliefs, and beliefs about learning content and instructional

practice. For instance, two sets of beliefs concerning the teaching and learning of mathematics

have been described: A “transmission view” that draws on traditional learning theories and tends

to see students as passive receivers of information, and a “constructivist view” that endorses the

principles of active and constructive learning in a social context. Studies show that teachers who

endorse less transmissive or more constructivist views provide better learning support and select

more demanding tasks, resulting in better student learning outcomes. Motivational orientations

and self-regulation skills. The teaching profession is characterized by a relative lack of external

constraints on teachers’ behavior. The typical career path offers few direct incentives or rewards

to enhance occupational commitment. At the same time, the profession makes high demands on

teachers’ attention, energy, and tolerance for frustration. Motivational research has identified inter-

individual differences in motivational orientations and shown that these differences are manifested

in the quality and persistence of behavior. Thus, adaptive motivational orientations are vital for

teachers to succeed in their profession in the long term. More specifically, prior research has

demonstrated a systematic link between high self-efficacy beliefs and more effective and

innovative teaching behaviors. Furthermore, studies of intrinsic motivation indicate that teachers
who experience their job as enjoyable and intrinsically rewarding provide more support to

students, which in turn has a favorable impact on their students’ motivation. Teaching is not only

a cognitive challenge; it is also socially and emotionally demanding. In order to meet these

challenges over extended periods of time, teachers need to regulate their engagement and to

develop ways of coping with the constant demands of their work. Empirical research has found

that a combination of high engagement and a lack of stress management skills comprise a risk

factor for reduced well-being and performance. Teachers therefore need to develop self-regulation

skills in order to maintain their occupational commitment over time and to preclude unfavorable

motivational and emotional outcomes. Note that “self-regulation” has a specific meaning in this

context. In contrast to the use of the phrase with respect to student learning, “self-regulation” in

this context indicates the ability to engage oneself while simultaneously monitoring one’s own

behavior and, in stressful situations, finding ways to cope adaptively.