Pre-professional Competencies
for Teachers of the
Twenty-First Century
Florida Department of Education
(Adapted from Accomplished, Professional, and
Pre-Professional Competencies for Teachers of the Twenty-First Century)
ACCOMPLISHED PRACTICE #1- ASSESSMENT
Uses assessment strategies (traditional and alternate) to assist the continuous development of the learner.
Pre-professional: The pre-professional teacher collects and uses data gathered from a variety of sources. These sources will include both traditional and alternate assessment strategies. Furthermore, the teacher can identify and match the student's instructional plans with their cognitive, social, linguistic, cultural, emotional, and physical needs.
Sample Key Indicators:
1.1 Analyzes individuals' learning needs and practices techniques which accommodate differences including linguistic and cultural differences.
1.2 Draws from a repertoire of techniques to
accommodate differences in students' behavior.
1.3 Identifies potentially disruptive student
behavior.
1.4 Identifies students' cognitive, social,
linguistic, cultural, emotional, and physical needs in order to design
individual and group instruction.
1.5 Employs traditional and alternative assessment
strategies in. determining students' mastery of specified outcomes.
1.6 Guides students in developing and maintaining
individual portfolios.
1.7 Modifies instruction based upon assessed
student performance.
1.8 Provides opportunities for students to assess
their own work and progress. Assists
students in designing individual plans for reaching the next performance level.
1.9 Maintains observational and anecdotal records
to monitor students’ development
1.10
Interprets,
with assistance, data from various informal and standardized assessment
procedures.
1.11
Reviews
assessment data and identifies students’ strengths and weaknesses.
1.12
Communicates
individual student progress in student, parent, and staff conferences.
1.13
Develops
short and long term personal and professional goals relating to assessment.
ACCOMPLISHED
PRACTICE #2- COMMUNICATION
Uses effective communication techniques with students and all other stakeholders.
Pre-professional: The pre-professional teacher recognizes the need for effective communication in the classroom and is the process of acquiring techniques which she/he will use in the classroom.
Sample Key Indicators:
2.1 Establishes positive interaction in the
learning environment that uses incentives and consequences for students.
2.2 Establishes positive interactions between
teacher and students that are focused upon learning.
2.3 Varies communication (both verbal and
nonverbal) according to the nature and needs of individuals.
2.4 Encourages students in a positive and
supportive manner.
2.5 Communicates to all students high expectations
for learning.
2.6 Acquires and adapts interaction routines (e.g.
active listening) for individual work, cooperative learning, and whole group
activities.
2.7 Provides opportunities for students to learn
from each other.
2.8 Practices strategies that support individual
and group inquiry.
2.9 Provides opportunities for students to receive
constructive feedback on individual work and behavior.
2.10 Identifies communication techniques for use
with colleagues, school/community specialists, administrators, and families,
including families whose home language is not English.
2.11 Develops short and long term personal and
professional goals relating to communication.
ACCOMPLISHED PRACTICE #3 –
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
Engages in continuous
professional quality improvement for self and school.
Pre-professional: The pre-professional teacher realizes that she/he is in the initial stages of a life-long learning process and that self-reflection is one of the key components of that process. While her/his concentration is, of necessity, inward and personal, the role of colleagues and school-based improvement activities increase as time passes. The teacher's continued professional improvement is characterized by self-reflection, work with immediate colleagues and teammates, and meeting the goals of a personal professional development plan.
Sample
Key Indicators:
3.1 Identifies principles and strategies for effecting
changes occurring in her/his classroom and school.
3.2 Participates in and supports the overall school
improvement process.
3.3 Uses data from her/his own learning
environments as a basis for reflecting upon and experimenting with personal
teaching practices.
3.4 Participates in the design of a personal
professional development plan to guide her/his own improvement.
3.5 Communicates student progress with students,
families, and colleagues.
3.6 Reflects respect for diverse perspectives,
ideas, and opinions in planned learning activities.
3.7 Supports other school personnel as they manage the
continuous improvement process.
3.8 Works to continue the development of her/his
own background in instructional methodology, learning-theories, second language
acquisition theories, trends and subject matter.
3.9 Shows evidence of reflection and improvement in
her/his performance in teaching/learning activities.
3.10 Seeks to increase her/his own professional
growth by participating in training and other professional development
experiences.
3.11 Has observed others in the role of steward and
can demonstrate some of the skills involved.
3.12 Works as a reflective practitioner and develops
the skills to recognize problems, research solutions, and evaluate outcomes.
3.13 Learns from peers and colleagues and develops
professional relationships.
3.14 Reflects upon her/his own professional judgment
and .has the ability to articulate it to colleagues, parent, and the business
community.
3.15 Develops short and long term personal and
professional goals relating to continuous professional development.
ACCOMPLISHED
PRACTICE #4 – CRITICAL THINKING
Uses appropriate techniques and strategies,
which promote and enhance critical, creative, and evaluative thinking capabilities
of students.
Pre-professional: The pre-professional teacher is acquiring performance assessment
techniques and strategies that measure higher order thinking skills in students
and is building a repertoire of realistic projects and problem solving
activities designed to assist students in demonstrating their ability to think
creatively.
Sample Key Indicators:
4.1 Provides opportunities for students to learn
higher-order thinking skills.
4.2 Identifies strategies, materials, and
technologies, which she/he will use to expand students' thinking abilities.
4.3 Has strategies for utilizing discussions, group
interactions and writing to encourage student problem solving.
4.4 Poses problems, dilemmas, and questions in
lessons.
4.5 Assists students in development and use of
rules of evidence.
4.6 Varies her/his role in the instructional
process (instructor, coach, mentor, facilitator, audience, critic, etc.) in
relation to the purposes of instruction and the students' needs, including
linguistic needs.
4.7 Demonstrates and models the use of higher-order
thinking abilities.
4.8 Modifies and adapts lessons with increased
attention to the learners' creative thinking abilities.
4.9 Encourages students to develop open-ended
projects and other activities that are creative and innovative.
4.10 Uses technology and other appropriate tools in
the learning environment.
4.11 Develops short-term personal and professional
goals relating to critical thinking.
ACCOMPLISHED
PRACTICE #5 – DIVERSITY
Uses teaching and learning strategies that reflect each student's culture, learning styles, special needs, and socio-economic background.
Pre-professional:
The pre-professional teacher establishes
a comfortable environment, which accepts and fosters diversity .The teacher
must demonstrate knowledge and awareness of varied cultures and linguistic
backgrounds. The teacher creates a climate of openness, inquiry, and support by
practicing strategies such as acceptance, tolerance, resolution, and mediation.
Sample
Key Indicators:
5.1 Accepts and values students from diverse
cultures and linguistic backgrounds and treats all students equitably.
5.2 Fosters a learning environment in which all
students are treated equitably.
5.3 Recognizes the cultural, linguistic and experiential diversity of students.
5.4 Recognizes students' learning styles and
cultural and linguistic diversity and provides for a range of activities.
5.5 Has a repertoire of teaching techniques and
strategies to effectively instruct all students.
5.6 Selects appropriate and culturally and
linguistically sensitive materials for use in the learning process.
5.7 Analyzes and uses school, family, and community
resources in instructional activities.
5.8 Employs techniques useful in creating a climate
of openness, mutual respect, support, and inquiry.
5.9
Selects
and introduces materials and resources that are multicultural.
5.10
Acknowledges
the importance of family and family structure to the individual learner.
5.11
Promotes
student responsibility, appropriate social behavior, integrity, valuing of
diversity, and honesty through learning activities.
5.12
Provides
learning situations which will encourage the student to practice skills and
gain knowledge needed in a diverse society.
5.13 Develops short-term personal and professional
goals relating to diversity.
ACCOMPLISHED
PRACTICE #6 – ETHICS
Conduct of the Education Profession in
Florida.
Sample
Key Indicators – (The same for all levels)
6.1 Makes reasonable effort to protect the student
from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the student's mental and/or
physical health and/or safety.
6.2
Does
not unreasonably restrain a student from pursuit of learning.
6.3
Does
not unreasonable deny a student access to diverse points of view.
6.4
Takes
reasonable precautions to distinguish between personal views and those of any
educational institution or organization with which the individual is
affiliated.
6.5
Does
not intentionally distort or misrepresent facts concerning an educational
matter in direct or indirect public expression.
6.6
Does
not use institutional privileges for personal gain or advantage.
6.7
Maintains
honesty in all professional dealings.
6.8
Shall
not on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, national or ethnic
origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition if otherwise
qualified, or social and family background deny to a colleague professional
benefits or advantages or participation in any professional organization.
6.9
Does
not interfere with a colleagues’ right to exercise political or civil rights
and responsibilities.
ACCOMPLISHED
PRACTICE #7 – HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING
Uses an
understanding of learning and human development to provide a positive learning
environment, which supports the intellectual, personal, and social development
of all students.
Pre-professional:
Drawing upon well established human
development/learning theories and concepts and variety of information about
students, the pre-professional teacher plans instructional activities.
Sample
Key Indicators:
7.1 Recognizes developmental
levels of students and identifies differences in a group of students.
7.2 Uses previously
acquired knowledge to link new knowledge and ideas to already familiar ideas.
7.3 Uses multiple
activities, which engage and motivate students at appropriate developmental
levels.
7.4 Communicates with
students effectively by taking into account their developmental levels,
linguistic development, and cultural heritage, and experiential background and
interests.
7.5 Varies activities
to accommodate different student learning needs, developmental levels,
experiential backgrounds, linguistic development, and cultural heritage.
7.6 Recognizes
learning theories, subject matter structure, curriculum development, student
development, and first and second language acquisition processes.
7.7 Uses alternative
instructional strategies to develop concepts and principles and is aware of the
rationale for choosing different methods.
7.8 Develops short-term
personal and professional goals relating to human development and learning.
ACCOMPLISHED
PRACTICE #8 – KNOWLEDGE OF SUBJECT MATTER
Demonstrates
knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.
Pre-professional: The pre-professional teacher has a basic understanding of the
subject field and is beginning to understand that the subject field and is
beginning to understand that the subject is linked to other disciplines and can
be applied to real world integrated settings. The teacher's repertoire of
teaching skills include a variety of means to assist student acquisition of new
knowledge and skills using that knowledge.
Sample
Key Indicator:
8.1 Communicates
knowledge of subject matter in a manner that enables students to learn.
8.2 Increases subject
matter knowledge in order to integrate the learning activities.
8.3 Uses the materials and
technologies of the subject field in developing learning activities for
students.
8.4 Acquires currency in her/his
subject field.
8.5 Has planned and
conducted collaborative lessons with colleagues from other fields.
8.6 Develops short and long term personal and professional goals relating to knowledge of subject matter.
ACCOMPLISHED
PRACTICE #9 – LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
Creates and maintains positive learning environments in which students are actively engaged in learning, social interaction, cooperative learning and self-motivation.
Pre-professional: The pre-professional teacher understands the importance of setting up effective learning environments and has techniques and strategies to use to do so including some that provide opportunities for student input into the processes. The teacher understands that she/he will need a variety of techniques and work to increase their knowledge and skills.
Sample
Key Indicators:
9.1 Practices a
variety of techniques for establishing smooth and efficient routines.
9.2 Applies the established rules and standards for
behaviors consistently and equitably.
9.3 Involves students
in the management of learning environments including establishing rules and
standards for behavior.
9.4 Recognizes
cognitive, linguistic, and affective needs of individual students and arranges
learning environments and activities to meet these needs.
9.5 Uses techniques
to align student needs, instructional settings, and activities.
9.6 Provides
opportunities for students to be accountable for their own behavior.
9.7
Provides
a safe place to take risks.
9.8
Respects
any student’s right to use a home language other than English for academic and
social purposes.
9.9
Monitors
learning activities by providing feedback and reinforcement to students.
9.10
Implements
instructional activities to meet cognitive, linguistic, and affective needs.
9.11
Arranges
and manages the physical environment to facilitate student learning outcomes.
9.12
Uses
learning time effectively, maintains instructional momentum, and makes
effective use of time for administrative and organization activities.
9.13
Provides
clear directions for instructional activities and routines.
9.14
Maintains
academic focus of students by use of varied motivational devices.
9.15
Develops
short-term personal and professional goals relating to learning environments.
Plans, implements, and evaluates effective instruction in a variety of learning environments.
Pre-professional: Recognizing the importance of setting high expectations for all students, the pre-professional teacher works with other professionals to design learning experiences that meet students' needs and interests. The teacher candidate continually seeks advice/information from appropriate resources including feedback, interprets the information, and modifies her/his plans appropriately. Planned instruction incorporates a creative environment and utilizes varied and motivational strategies and multiple resources for providing comprehensible instruction for all students. Upon reflection, the teacher continuously refines outcome assessment and learning experiences.
Sample
Key Indicators:
10.1 Identifies student performance outcomes for
planned lessons.
10.2 Plans and conducts lessons with identified
student performance and learning outcomes.
10.3 Plans activities to promote high standards for
students through a climate which enhances and expects continuous improvement.
10.4 Provides comprehensible instruction based on
performance standards required of students in Florida public schools.
10.5 Provides comprehensible instruction in
effective learning procedures, study skills, and test-taking strategies.
10.6 Plans activities that utilize a variety of
support and enrichment activities and materials.
10.7 Accesses and interprets information from
multiple sources.
10.8 Assists student in using the resources
available to them.
10.9 Incorporates the visual and physical
environment when planning learning activities.
10.10 Plans activities that engage students in
learning activities and employs strategies to re-engage students who are off
task.
10.11 Demonstrates instructional flexibility and an
awareness of the teachable moment.
10.12 Plans and conducts lessons that are
interdisciplinary.
10.13 Helps students develop concepts through a
variety of methods.
10.14 Regularly
reflects upon her/his own practice and modifies behavior based upon that
reflection.
10.15 Cooperatively works with colleagues in planning
instruction.
10.16 Develops
a community resource file for use in planning instructional activities.
10.17 Develops short and long term personal and
professional goals relating to planning.
ACOMPLISHED
PRACTICE #11 – ROLE OF THE TEACHER
Works with various education
professionals, parents, and other stakeholders in the continuous improvement of the educational
experiences of students.
Pre-professional: The pre-professional teacher communicates and works cooperatively with families and colleagues to improve the educational experiences at the school.
Sample
Key Indicators:
11.1 Develops
and expands strategies that are effective in fulfilling the role of student
advocate and is familiar with the laws (State and Federal and court-ordered
Consent Decrees which assure the rights of students.
11.2 Provides
meaningful feedback on student progress to students and families and seeks
assistance for self and families.
11.3 Proposes ways in which families can support and
reinforce classroom goals, objectives, and standards.
11.4 Uses the community to provide students with a
variety of experiences.
11.5 Works with school volunteers appropriately.
11.6 Can describe overt signs of child abuse and
severe emotional distress and knows to whom such observations should be
reported.
11.7 Can describe overt signs of alcohol and drug
abuse and knows to whom such observations should be reported.
11.8 Works with colleagues to identify students'
educational, social, linguistic, cultural, and emotional needs.
11.9 Uses continuous quality improvement techniques
in school improvement efforts.
11.10 Communicates with families of culturally and
linguistically diverse backgrounds.
11.11 Develops short and long term personal and
professional goals relating to the roles of a teacher.
ACCOMPLISHED
PRACTICE #12 – TECHNOLOGY
Uses appropriate technology in teaching and learning processes.
Pre-professional: The pre-professional teacher uses technology as available at the school site and as appropriate to the learner. She/he provides students with opportunities to actively use technology and facilitates access to the use of electronic resources. The teacher also uses technology to manage, evaluate, and improve instruction.
Sample
Key Indicators:
12.1 Uses, on a personal basis, learning media,
computer applications, and other technology.
12.2 Utilizes instructional and other electronic
networks to gather information.
12.3 Can identify and use standard references in
electronic form.
12.4 Selects and utilizes education software for
instruction and management purposes based upon reviews and recommendation of
other professionals.
12.5 Teaches students to use available computers and
other forms of technology.
12.6 Uses technology in lesson and material preparation.
12.7 Uses technology to assist with instructional
and classroom management.
12.8 Can identify and use standard references in
electronic form.
12.9 Works with on-site technical and instructional
technology specialist(s) to obtain assistance for instructional delivery.
12.10 Develops short-term personal and professional goals relating to technology integration.