ENSURING TEACHER QUALITY THROUGH COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK AND STANDARDS 

A. QUALITY TEACHERS AND TEACHER QUALITY DEFINED

What really is a quality teacher? Quality teachers are characterized by the different skills needed in the 21" century education. These are 

(1) Global awareness

(2) Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy, 

(3) Civic Literacy and

(4) Health Literacy. Also included are knowledge and values. 

With these themes in mind, the 21" century skills framework are clustered into three. 

• • Learning and Innovation Skills Framework include Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Creativity and Innovation and Communication Collaboration and Technology Skills

  • Information, Media and Technology Skills Framework. 

  • Literacy Life and Career Skills Framework 

Quality teachers are competent teachers. Teachers with global competence are able to demonstrate knowledge, skills, values and dispositions as described below: 

1. understand one's own cultural identity and its influence on personal dispositions and classroom practices; 

2. know and integrate global dimensions in the subject one teaches;

3. engage students in learning; 

4. use real-life local and global examples;

5. value the inputs of culturally and linguistically diverse learners;

6. create environment that encourage positive cross- cultural interactions;

7. model social responsibility in local and global context; and

8. help learners find appropriate actions to improve local and global conditions.

Teacher quality is a bit difficult to define. For some countries like the US, it has shifted its definition of teacher quality from the possession of a credential or certification to what students know and are able to do with what they were taught by their teachers (Teacher Quality, 2013). This is related to the outcomes-based education. On the other hand, some other countries use standards for teacher quality. The OECD has proposed in the discussion table that the core elements of the teacher-quality standards should include:

• Planning and Preparation: including knowledge of content and pedagogy, knowledge of students, coherent instructional plans, and knowledge on how to assess student learning . 

• Classroom environment: including creating a culture for learning and managing student behavior, Instruction: including communicating effectively, using appropriate discussion techniques, engaging students, and providing responsive feedback to learners; and

• Professional responsibilities: including reflecting on teaching, communicating with families, contributing to the school and community and developing professionally. (Teacher Quality, 2013)

There are differences in the context of how teacher quality is defined hence, there is no universal standard of teacher quality. The teaching profession needs to have standards in a way that other professions have to advance its status. These should be developed and owned by the teachers themselves like in Finland, Sweden and Denmark. In other countries, teacher standards for teacher quality are set at the national or state levels but with consideration for local flexibility in the implementation.

B. THE COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK FOR TEACHERS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA (CFT SEA)

  In collaboration with the Thailand's Teacher Education Council, SEAMEO Secretariat (SEAMES) and the SEAMBO Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology (INNOTECH) initiated the Competency Framework for Teachers in Southeast Asia which was developed in 2017. The purpose was to revitalize teacher education and to promote teaching as a profession of first choice by professionalizing teachers' pre-service and in-service development using this Regional Competency Framework as a guide,

As described earlier, teacher competencies make up quality teachers, Competencies as defined in the framework are a combination of skills, knowledge, behavior and attributes that enable effective or superior job performance. This Competency Framework for Teachers is a guide to improve teachers' performance across the region.

There are four (4) essential competencies and 12 general competencies in the framework. There are 31 enabling competencies and 136 success descriptors. The enabling competencies are a set of performance criteria with success descriptors that describe observable behaviors expected for teachers to perform in a high level. When used, this guide will promote common standards of performance among teachers across Southeast Asia.

FOUR ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES

1. Knowing and understanding what to teach - It is the ability of teachers to deepen and broaden their knowledge on what to teach, understand education trends, policies and curricula and be updated on local, national, regional and global developments.

2. Helping students to learn - It is the ability to know students, use the most effective teaching and learning  strategies, assess and give feedback on how students earn.

3. Engaging the community - It is the ability to partner with parents and caregivers, involve the community to help students learn, and encourage respect and diversity.

4. Becoming a better teacher everyday - This is the ability to know oneself and others, practice human goodness and then master the teaching practice.

C. THE PHILIPPINE QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK (PQF)

    As part of the ASEAN convergence and in the light of globalization each country in the ASEAN, the Philippines adopts national standards and levels for outcomes in education. This is called the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) which is provided by law. (RA 10968, s. 2018). Based on the level of education as PQF Level 6, the PQF describes the career path for baccalaureate degree programs including teacher education degrees.

The PQF is a legal document that adopts national standards and levels for outcomes of education in the country. It assists individuals to move easily between different education and training sectors and the labor market. Further, the PQF aligns the international qualifications for full recognition of the value of Philippine Qualifications. Also, the PQF will be used as the basis for accrediting certificates and licenses recognized by the government.

D. PHILIPPINES PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS (PPST)

     Based on the Teacher Education and Development Map in 2006, Philippine Teacher Education is defined as a lifelong journey from entry to basic education in the DepEd to entry to Teacher Education Institutions of the CHED to licensing as professional teachers of the PRC to employment to DepEd with attestation of the Civil Service or private basic education.

In both public or private education, a newly recruited teacher undergoes a Teacher Induction Program TIP) led by the Teacher Education Council (TEC) and the private institutions are assisted by the Private Education Assistance Council (PEAC). While in service the professional teacher continues professional development through trainings by the duly authorized service providers of the PRC or shall continue professional development through advancement in education (Masters' or Doctorate) or other activities on their own. The continuing professional development continues until the person retires from employment or continues to practice the profession in another capacity. In the middle of this professional lifelong cycle, are the professional teacher standards, known before as National Competency Based Teacher Standards (NCBTS, 2006) and now known the Philippines Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST, 2017, DepEd Order 42, s. 2017). Both are frameworks for teacher quality. The PPST, 2017 define teacher quality in a broader perspective attuned to the current demands and changes in the educational local and global landscape to include the reforms of K to 12, the Outcomes-Based Education of Higher Education, the ASEAN integration, the UNESCO's SDGs 2030 and the Ambisyon Natin 2040.

Being responsible for the pre-service development of teachers, teacher education institutions have a responsibility of graduating students with PQF 6 qualifications and to master the PPST Beginning Teacher Standards as well as the Program Outcomes of the CHED's PSG for teacher education (CMO 74-82, s. 2017). The mastery of the beginning teacher competencies is an expectation of the teaching industry in basic education.

There are seven (7) Domains in the PPST. The seven domains, collectively comprise 37 strands to refer to more specific dimensions of teacher practice. Each strand is calibrated according to the professional development scale or as described 

Career Stage 1: Beginning Teachers; 

Career Stage 2: Proficient Teachers, 

Career Stage 3: Highly Proficient Teachers, and 

Career Stage 4: Distinguished Teachers.

DOMAIN 1: CONTENT KNOWLEDGE AND PEDAGOGY STANDARDS

1.1 Content Knowledge and its Application within and across curriculum areas.

1.2. Research-based knowledge and principles of teaching and learning.

1.3 Positive Use of ICT

1.4 Strategies for promoting literacy and numeracy

1.5 Strategies of developing critical and creative thinking, as well as other higher- order thinking skills.

1.6 Mother tongue, Filipino and English in teaching and learning 

1.7 Classroom communication strategies

DOMAIN 2: LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

2.1 Learner safety and security

2.2 Fair learning environment.

2.3 Management of classroom structure and activities 

2.4 Support for learner participation.

2.5 Promotion of purposive learning.

2.6 Management of learner behavior

DOMAIN 3: DIVERSITY OF LEARNERS

3.1 Learner's gender, needs, strengths, interests, and experiences.

3.2 Learner's linguistics, cultural, socio-economic, and religious backgrounds. 

3.3 Learners with disabilities, giftedness, and talents.

3.4 Learners in difficult circumstances.

3.5 Learners from indigenous groups.

DOMAIN 4: CURRICULUM AND PLANNING 

4.1 Planning and management of teaching and learning process

4.2 Learning outcomes aligned with learning competencies.

4.3 Relevance and responsiveness of learning progress

4.4 Professional collaboration to enrich teaching practice 

4.5 Teaching and learning resources including ICT 

DOMAIN 5: ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING

5.1 Design, selection, organization and utilization of assessment strategies.

5.2 Monitoring and evaluation of learner progress and achievement.

5.3 Feedback to improve learning.

5.4 Communication of learner needs, progress and achievement to key stakeholders

5.5 Use of assessment data to enhance teaching and learning practices and programs. 

DOMAIN 6: COMMUNITY LINKAGES AND PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT 

6.1 Establishment of learning environments that are responsive to community contexts

6.2 Engagement of parents and the wider school community in the educative process.

6.3 Professional ethics

6.4 School policies and procedures 

DOMAIN 7: PERSONAL GROWTH AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

7.1 Philosophy of teaching

7,2 Dignity of teaching as a profession

7.3 Professional links with colleagues.

7.4 Professional reflection and learning to improve practice

7.5 Professional development goals

COMPETENCY INDICATORS FOR BEGINNING TEACHERS

1.1.1 Demonstrate content knowledge and its application within/and or across curriculum teaching areas

1.2.1 Demonstrate an understanding of research-based knowledge and principles of teaching and learning 

1.3.1 Show skills in the positive use of ICT to facilitate the teaching and learning process. 

1.4.1 Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that promote literacy and numeracy skills.

1.5.1. Apply teaching strategies that develop critical and creative thinking/ and or other higher order thinking skills. 

1.6.1 Use of mother tongue, Filipino and English to facilitate teaching and Learning.

1.7.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the range of verbal and non-verbal classroom communication strategies that support learner understanding, participation, engagement and achievement.

2.1.1 Demonstrate knowledge of policies, guidelines and procedures that provide safe and secure learning environments.

2.2.1 Demonstrate understanding of learning environments that promote fairness, respect and care to encourage learning.

2.3.1 Demonstrate knowledge of managing classroom structure that engages learners, individually or in groups, in meaningful exploration, discovery and hands-on activities within the available physical learning environments. 

2.4.1 Demonstrate understanding of supportive learning environments that nurture and inspire learner participation. 

2.5.1 Demonstrate knowledge of learning environments that motivates learners to work productivity by assuming responsibility for their own learning. 

2.6.1 Demonstrate knowledge of positive and non-violent discipline in the management of learner behavior.

3.1.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of differentiated teaching to suit the learner's gender, needs, strengths, interests and experiences,

3.2.1 Implement teaching strategies that are re- sponsive to the learner's linguistic, cultural, socio-economic and religious backgrounds.

3.3.1 Use strategies responsive to learners with disabilities, giftedness and talents. 

3.4.1. Demonstrate understanding of the special educational needs of learners in difficult circumstances, including geographic isolation; chronic illness; displacement due to armed conflict, urban resettlement or disasters, child abuse and child labor practices.

3.5.1 Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are inclusive of learners from indigenous groups.

4.1.1 Prepare developmentally sequenced teaching and learning process to meet curriculum requirements.

4.2.1 Identify learning outcomes that are aligned with leaming competencies.

4.3.1 Demonstrate knowledge in the implementation of relevant and responsive learning programs.

4.4.1 Seek advice concerning strategies that can enrich teaching practice. 

4.4.2 Show skills in the selection, development and use of variety of teaching and learning outcomes, including ICT to address learning goals.

5.1.1 Demonstrate knowledge of the design, selection, organization and use of diagnostic, formative and summative assessment strategies consistent with curriculum requirements.

5.2.1 Demonstrate knowledge of monitoring and evaluation of learner progress and achievement using learner attainment data.

5.3.1 Demonstrate knowledge of providing timely, accurate and constructive feedback to improve learner performance.

5.4.1 Demonstrate familiarity with a range of strategies for communicating learner needs, progress and achievement.

5.5.1 Demonstrates an understanding of the role of assessment data as feedback in teaching and learning practices and programs.

6.1.1 Demonstrate an understanding of knowledge of learning environments that are responsive to community contexts.

6.2.1 Seek advice concerning strategies that build relationships with parents/guardians and the wider community.

6.3.1 Demonstrate awareness of existing laws and regulations that apply to the teaching profession, and become familiar with responsibilities specified in the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers.

6.4.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of school policies and procedures to foster harmonious relationship with the wider school community.

7.1.1 Articulate a personal philosophy of teaching that is learner-centered.

7.2.1 Demonstrate behaviors that uphold the dignity of teaching profession by exhibiting qualities such as caring attitude, respect and integrity. establish professional

7.3.1 Seek opportunities to links with colleagues.

7.4.1 Demonstrate an understanding of how professional reflection and learning can be used to improve practice.

7.5.1 Demonstrate motivation to realize professional development goals based on the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers.