The Graduand Teacher Competencies Framework (GTCF) provides a holistic integration of the revised V3SK model (i.e. Values, Skills and Knowledge of the 21st Century teacher) and MOE’s competencies framework of beginning teachers as expounded in the Enhanced Performance Management System (EPMS).
Choose ONE core competency from EACH of the following dimensions:
- Professional Practice
- Leadership and Management
- Personal Effectiveness
Professional Practice
As professionals, I believe that teachers need to always set their sights on and be clear about who we are working for - the students. As such, a commitment to providing quality learning for the child is crucial. This in itself is no easy task, as it requires the teacher to have an integrated understanding of how students learn and develop in general, as well as the specific background, needs, and interests of their own students. This requires a great deal of work outside the classroom, as the teacher needs to take time to get to know each student in order to maximise both their learning and their character development. On top of this, the teacher must be able to effectively manage the classroom environment, as there would be no point in having a thorough understanding of how to approach the class (e.g. through designing a wide range of instructional materials that are intended to cater to various learning styles) if basic discipline and order has not been established. Though this sounds like a tall order, teachers must be able to juggle the (often scarce) resources of time, space, activities, and student attention in order to engage their pupils. Meaningful assessment is also important, and I believe that assessment for learning should take place as often as - if not more often than - assessment of learning. Providing prompt and constructive feedback to students on a regular basis can go a long way to promoting learning, and also helps teachers to monitor students' progress and modify their instructional activities where necessary. As such, it contributes to the development of both teacher and students, since both can grow to become reflective learners who are resilient, adaptable, and open to improvement.
Leadership and Management
Working in teams is one core competency which I feel is very important for teachers, especially with the new emphasis on collaborative learning in not just the classroom but the staff room as well. Many Humanities teachers have a bad reputation for hoarding instructional materials, perhaps because of the difficulty involved in generating and consolidating them. I feel, however, that this is a practice that will ultimately backfire - if teachers keep their information and ideas to themselves with the aim of preventing their colleagues from borrowing from the materials that they have so painstakingly created, it is impossible to gain a fresh perspective on their work. This third-party point of view can be very helpful, as colleagues (particularly those teaching the same subject) also have experience in communicating the content and concepts, and may therefore be in a position to target existing "blind spots" and offer new insights or teaching strategies that could boost the overall quality of the work. In my opinion, the ideal working relationship is one where both parties have positive feelings about each other and are open to exchanging their work and seeking constructive feedback. The resultant synergy could well make the whole greater than the sum of its parts, and the students are thus able to benefit from the hard work of two or more teachers as opposed to just one.
Personal Effectiveness
The core competency under this domain that resonates most with me is resilience and adaptability. Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once famously expressed this idea in this simple quote - "never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever give up". Having had some teaching experience prior to embarking on my practicum journey, I must say that this rings true, especially at low points when the classroom feels like a treacherous jungle that is impossible to navigate, and when work just never seems to end. Lesson plans do fail embarrassingly during the execution process, and the spread of extra-curricular events (all of which require involvement) can be very tiring, especially when layered on top of the already heavy classroom commitments. At these moments, a tough spirit and positive outlook is necessary, and I've found for myself that perseverance and optimism need to go hand-in-hand in order for me to reach that metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel. and that . Given that the students whom I will be encountering belong to the so-called "strawberry generation", whose feelings are easily bruised and who tend to give up when faced with obstacles rather than attempting to stay the course, I feel that this is one quality which I would definitely like to pass on. I hope to lead by example and teach my students that reaching a breakthrough at the end of a challenging period is one of the most satisfying feelings in the world.
As for adaptability, I believe that teachers really need to be very quick-thinking in the classroom, as the successful delivery of a lesson depends on so many different variables, some of which - such as student behaviour or even the proper functioning of necessary technology - are extremely unpredictable. This means that a teacher needs to always be on her toes and ready to modify previous plans to suit the classroom context. This adaptability is really what I would consider a "survival skill" of sorts, and I look forward to exercising it during the ten weeks ahead.
