TEACHER
COMPETENCES AND THE CORE CRITERIA
Core
Criteria
Underlying
the teacher competences are certain qualities of the teacher which enable him or
her to employ the individual competences and apply them in a professional
context.
Professional
values
A
person who:
•
likes and cares for children, and seeks to promote the development of the whole
child;
•
is enthusiastic about teaching and is committed to the value of the education
process;
•
believes in the promotion of equal opportunities, recognises differences
occasioned by race, religion, sex, class or disability, but adopting
non-discriminatory policies in all of these respects;
•
accepts the role of parents in the educational process;
•
possesses high professional standards.
Professional
development
A
person who:
•
engages in self appraisal and critical evaluation of his or her work;
•
engages in professional development both as an individual and through working
constructively and in a spirit of collegiality with others in a
professional context;
•
keeps up to date with relevant aspects of his or her subject(s);
•
is open to the possibilities of change and innovation.
Personal
development
A
person who:
•
has a lively mind and a range of cultural, intellectual and other interests;
•
has self-confidence arising from the ability to give a reasoned justification
for actions;
•
shows a willingness to learn;
•
shows perceptiveness and insight.
Communication
and relationships
A
person who is:
•
able to communicate easily and effectively;
•
able to establish and maintain constructive relationships with children,
colleagues, parents and others;
•
sensitive to the emotional dimension of interaction with children and others.
Synthesis
and application
A
person who is able to:
•
implement, plan, manage, organise and evaluate to ensure learning;
•
integrate a wide range of knowledge and skills;
•
apply knowledge and skills appropriately and effectively in practical
situations.
Understanding
of the Curriculum, and Professional Knowledge
.
Demonstrates
knowledge of child development, spiritual, moral, intellectual, physical, social
and emotional, and an
understanding
of how it can be promoted.
.
Demonstrates
knowledge of the various ways in which children learn, both generally and in
particular subject contexts.
.
Demonstrates
understanding of social, psychological, developmental and cultural influences on
children’s attainment.
.
Demonstrates
knowledge of the role of language in learning.
.
Demonstrates
understanding of the learning which can take place through non-verbal means.
.
Demonstrates
understanding of the range and importance of play for learning.
.
Demonstrates
understanding of the importance of motivation, attitude to schooling and the
dynamics of peer group influence in the promotion of effective learning.
.
Demonstrates
knowledge of the principles involved in fostering good discipline.
.
Demonstrates
understanding of the importance of assessment
as an integral part of teaching and learning.
.
Demonstrates
awareness that there are differing views about the aims of education.
.
Demonstrates
awareness of contemporary debates about education.
.
Demonstrates
knowledge of the part of the education system in which he or she is working and
its relationship
to
other parts of that system.
.
Demonstrates
understanding of the relationship between the education system and other aspects
of society.
.
Demonstrates
general knowledge of the history and context of education in the
.
Demonstrates
understanding of the appropriate provisions of the Education Reform (
.
Demonstrates
knowledge of the organisation and management of schools, and the place within
these of
school
policies and development plans.
.
Contributes
to the formulation of the school’s aims and objectives.
.
Demonstrates
understanding of schools as institutions and their place within the community.
.
Demonstrates
understanding of the arguments in favour
of
a balanced and broadly-based curriculum.
.
Demonstrates
awareness of the extent to which learning in schools takes place outside the
formal curriculum
(the
hidden curriculum).
.
Demonstrates
knowledge and understanding of the requirements of the Northern Ireland
Curriculum, and in
particular
of the areas of study and the educational themes
embodied
in it and of their interdependence.
.
Demonstrates
knowledge of the range of resources available to support the curriculum.
.
Demonstrates
understanding of the ways in which education technology contributes to
children’s learning.
.
Demonstrates
awareness of the skills and processes common to a range of subjects.
.
Demonstrates
understanding of the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.
Subject
Knowledge and Subject Application
.
Demonstrates
understanding in depth, of the knowledge, concepts and skills of his or her
specialist subject(s), going beyond the immediate demands of the school
curriculum for the relevant age-phase.
.
Demonstrates
breadth of knowledge in all of the subjects forming the content of his or her
teaching.
.
Demonstrates
knowledge of the relationships between
different
subjects and their contribution to areas of study.
.
Plans
appropriate lessons within teaching programmes.
.
Demonstrates
a knowledge of the particular methodologies and procedures necessary for
effective teaching of the
subject(s)
forming the content of his or her teaching.
.
Shows
awareness of potential areas of learning difficulty within the subject(s).
.
Plans
and employs a variety of teaching strategies to the subject or topic.
.
Uses
an appropriate combination of thematic and subject approaches.
.
Prepares
coherent teaching programmes, taking into account statutory requirements for
both the subject(s) and
the
educational themes, and school curriculum policies.
.
Can
justify the selection of material in terms of curricular principles and child
development.
.
Understands
how to organise field work and exploit its educational potential.
Teaching
Strategies and Techniques, and Classroom Management
.
Plans
and employs a wide range of teaching strategies appropriate to the age, ability,
interests, experiences and
attainment
level of the pupils and to the objectives of each lesson.
.
Can
justify the teaching methods being used.
.
Demonstrates
awareness of individual differences among children - the uniqueness of each
child - the needs which
arise
from these.
.
Takes
account of pupils’ diversity of talents.
.
Is
able to recognise pupils’ special needs and provides appropriately for these.
.
Takes
account of cultural differences among children.
.
Contributes
to ensuring continuity and progression in children’s learning within and
between classes and subjects.2
.
Teaches
in whole class, group, pair or individual modes as appropriate for particular
learning experiences.
.
Manages
play and activity-based learning when appropriate.
.
Is
able to make a smooth transition between different learning activities or
lessons.
.
Encourages
pupils to develop powers of observation and inquiry.
.
Creates
appropriate problem-solving situations in which pupils can exercise newly
acquired skills.
.
Is
able to prepare appropriate learning materials for pupils.
.
Captures
and maintains pupils’ attention, interest and involvement.
.
Maintains
pupils’ motivation.
.
Contributes
to the development of pupils’ language and communications skills, reading,
numeracy, information handling and other skills.
.
Makes
pupils aware of appropriately demanding expectations for their progress.
.
Encourages
pupils to take initiatives and become responsible for their own learning.
.
Questions
pupils effectively, responds and supports discussion.
.
Makes
appropriate use of the range of available resources.
.
Uses
information technology to enhance children’s learning.
.
Deploys
a range of strategies to create and maintain a purposeful, orderly, safe and
appropriate environment for learning.
.
Establishes
good classroom rapport by providing a pleasant, psychologically secure and
stimulating environment in which each pupil may progress, grow in confidence and
develop a positive self-image.
.
Establishes
clear rules and expectations for pupil behaviour.
.
Pre-empts
inappropriate pupil behaviour and confrontation.
.
Deals
with inappropriate pupil behaviour, within the policy of the school, by an
appropriate use of investigation, counselling, academic help, rewards and
punishments.
.
Manages
his or her own time and that of the pupils effectively.
.
Manages
space effectively through awareness of a variety of classroom layouts.
.
Is
able to make effective use of non-teaching staff.
.
Seeks
advice when necessary.
.
Demonstrates
understanding of the effects on children’s learning of teachers’
expectations, including those which may arise from stereotyping.
.
Demonstrates
the ability to devise, implement, monitor and review individual education plans
for each stage of the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.
Assessment
and Recording of Pupils’ Progress
.
Demonstrates
understanding of the nature and purposes of the different kinds of assessment
which may be used.
.
Assesses
and records pupils’ performance in a systematic manner, using attainment
targets and level descriptions
where
applicable.
.
Judges
pupil performance against appropriate norms, taking due account of the character
of the intake of the school.
.
Uses
different methods of assessment as appropriate in order to monitor the progress
of individual children.
.
Participates
in moderation procedures within the school.
.
Demonstrates
an awareness of children’s extra-curricular
achievements.
.
Uses
the outcomes of assessment, as appropriate, in order to evaluate teaching and
plan for the future.
.
Provides
pupils with regular thorough feedback on their progress in a constructive manner
which fosters their
self-confidence
and self-esteem.
.
Encourages
pupils to play a positive part in their own assessment.
.
Provides
helpful reports to parents on their children’s progress.
.
Identifies
and assesses pupils’ special educational needs in accordance with the Code of
Practice.
Foundation
for Further Professional Development
.
Accepts
and undertakes the pastoral responsibilities of a teacher.
.
Liaises,
when appropriate, with members of other professions concerned with the welfare
of pupils.
.
Demonstrates
knowledge of his or her contractual, legal, pastoral and administrative
responsibilities.
.
Demonstrates
awareness of how to respond to current social problems
which may manifest themselves in schools.
.
Demonstrates
understanding of how to draw upon sources of professional help and expertise.
.
Demonstrates
awareness of his or her role as a member of a professional team within the
school.
.
Relates
effectively with parents.
.
Develops
effective working relationships with teachers and other colleagues within the
school and, where applicable,
in
associated schools.
.
Contributes
to cross-curricular aspects of school work.
.
Contributes
to activities with pupils outside the formal curriculum.
.
Takes
appropriate responsibility for curriculum leadership.
.
Communicates
effectively, where appropriate, with
representatives
of the community of which the school
is
a part.
.
Demonstrates
awareness of the importance of informed critical
reflection in evaluating his or her professional practice.