The state role in teacher professional

development and education throughout

teachers
Author/s:

Susanna Loeb

Luke Miller

Katharine O. Strunk

Year of Publication:
2009
Publication:
Education Finance and Policy
Volume/Issue:
4(2)
Pages:
212-228
URL:
http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/edfp.2009.4.2.212

Professional development and teacher education policies have the potential to greatly affect
teachers' abilities to teach and, as a result, students' abilities to learn. States can play varied roles
in the provision of teacher education and professional development. This policy brief
summarizes states' policy approaches to teacher professional development and education
throughout teachers' careers. It explores what states are currently doing in the realms of pre-
service education, induction and mentoring, ongoing professional development, and teacher
evaluation, as well as the existing evidence regarding the effectiveness of such policies. We find
that states play disparate roles in the provision of teacher education and professional
development that fall along the regulatory spectrum from highly prescriptive to rather laissez-
faire. Research on the effects of such policies is still in the early stages, and more attention is
needed to determine the effectiveness of states' professional development policies.

Primary Research Area:

o Teaching and Leadership Effectiveness
Secondary Research Area:
o Federal and State Education Policy

Topic Areas:
o Educator Preparation and Development

Education Level:
o K-12

APA Citation
Loeb, S., Miller, L., & Strunk, K. (2009). The state role in teacher professional development and
education throughout teachers. Education Finance and Policy, 4(2),

Supply, retention and morale problems related to teaching are in themselves the
surface manifestations of deeper historical, structural and ideological
contradictions within state policy in education. Such issues cannot possibly be
explained without reference to the radical changes in state policy in education
which have transformed both the terms and conditions of service for teachers
and the nature of the educational process in England and Wales. This paper will
attempt to place problems of teacher supply, retention and morale in a wider
analytical context by outlining recent historical trends in teacher‐state relations
which are relevant to contemporary policy issues. It will then proceed to examine
the consequences of these changing social and power relations for teacher
supply, retention and morale problems. Finally it will attempt a critical reflection
upon the options available for a contemporary education policy which is informed
by the insights of critical scholarship rather than by the decontextualized analysis
of policy science.11. Policy science is understood to be a mode of analysis and
of policy formation which is premised upon a notion of ‘system malfunction’. It
characteristically excludes both the history and the wider socio‐political context in
which a specific malfunction occurs. It is, in C. Wright Mills’ (1973) terms a form
of ‘abstracted empiricism’. For further discussion see Fay (1975) and Grace
(1984b, 1990). A critical social science attempts to go beyond these limitations.
(See Carr & Kemmis, 1986 and Fay, 1987).View all notes
Roles of a Teacher in the Classroom
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Teachers play vital roles in the lives of the students in their classrooms. Teachers are
best known for the role of educating the students that are placed in their care.
Beyond that, teachers serve many other roles in the classroom. Teachers set the
tone of their classrooms, build a warm environment, mentor and nurture students,
become role models, and listen and look for signs of trouble.

Teaching Knowledge

The most common role a teacher plays in the classroom is to teach knowledge to children. Teachers are
given a curriculum they must follow that meets state guidelines. This curriculum is followed by the teacher
so that throughout the year, all pertinent knowledge is dispensed to the students. Teachers teach in many
ways including lectures, small group activities and hands-on learning activities.

Creating Classroom Environment

Teachers also play an important role in the classroom when it comes to the environment. Students often
mimic a teacher’s actions. If the teacher prepares a warm, happy environment, students are more likely to
be happy. An environment set by the teacher can be either positive or negative. If students sense the
teacher is angry, students may react negatively to that and therefore learning can be impaired. Teachers
are responsible for the social behavior in their classrooms. This behavior is primarily a reflection of the
teacher’s actions and the environment she sets.

Role Modeling
Teachers typically do not think of themselves as role models, however, inadvertently they are. Students
spend a great deal of time with their teacher and therefore, the teacher becomes a role model to them.
This can be a positive or negative effect depending on the teacher. Teachers are there not only to teach
the children, but also to love and care for them. Teachers are typically highly respected by people in the
community and therefore become a role model to students and parents.

Mentoring

Mentoring is a natural role taken on by teachers, whether it is intentional or not. This again can have
positive or negative effects on children. Mentoring is a way a teacher encourages students to strive to be
the best they can. This also includes encouraging students to enjoy learning. Part of mentoring consists
of listening to students. By taking time to listen to what students say, teachers impart to students a sense
of ownership in the classroom. This helps build their confidence and helps them want to be successful.

Signs of Trouble

Another role played by teachers is a protector role. Teachers are taught to look for signs of trouble in the
students. When students’ behaviors change or physical signs of abuse are noticed, teachers are required
to look into the problem. Teachers must follow faculty procedures when it comes to following up on all
signs of trouble.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/
Teachers and Learners – Roles That
Complement Each Other

Teachers should share their enthusiasm with students

In the process of learning, there are numerous things that play a significant role towards making
it a smooth, pleasurable and constructive process.

First of all, the teachers are those who set the tone for a great learning environment. However, a
lot depends on the way the learners face the lessons and overall, learning.
To begin with, a learner must seriously take into consideration that learning is a great
commitment. Most of the times, it requires hard work in order for it to be a successful procedure.
Building up knowledge should be continuous; that is, the learners should consistently study so as
not to have any gaps, for the reason that then they will have serious problems in their learning.
Learning is like a chain, and each lesson and studying time is a link in the chain. If the learners
fail to study or miss a lesson without making up for it, then they automatically break the learning
chain and their learning is disrupted. For that reason, teachers are there to remind learners that
both of them should stick to a schedule and that when a lesson is missed, it will surely be made
up for.
Secondly, learners must understand what kind of learner they are: are they visual, aural,
kinesthetic? This can be encouraged by the teachers. Not everyone learns the same way.
(Unfortunately, I have heard teachers say “Oh, why is that student constantly whispering when
he reads?” – Well, maybe he likes to hear himself and assimilate the text better, someone might
say? Or: “Don’t look at the board, everyone write it down!” – Well, what if the students are
visual and can cope well with that?) It is important for them to decide on what kind of learner
they are, as this will help them tremendously.

Learning will become much easier and naturally, more pleasant for them. Plus, they will help
their teachers enormously, as the latter will be able to adapt their lessons to their learners’ needs
and special traits. For instance, at a young age I realized I could learn better when hearing
something when the teachers spoke in my daily lessons at school. I later took advantage of my
personal learning style and enjoyed assimilating through listening to my teachers speak, from
tapes and television (here in combination with images), or from the radio, whatever the lesson.
Up to now, my aural learning style has assisted me in my teaching as well, for the reason that I
enrich my knowledge by attending seminars and conferences, where you can hear a number of
speakers. Thus, each person must look inside themselves and discover what type of learner they
are; it will help tremendously in promoting learning. A characteristic of the good learner is
concentration, both in class and in the study place. A good learner pays attention to the teacher
while delivering the lesson and also to their classmates, when they are asking a question about
the lesson or answering the teacher’s questions. (Naturally, the teacher has to be enthusiastic and
make the lesson as interesting as possible so that the students become engaged as well.) It is very
constructive to pay attention when classmates have questions, because for example it may be
something they cannot comprehend. Teachers need to encourage and remind this and try to
engage a number of students when someone asks a question. This is a very good opportunity for
the others in class to learn something new, something maybe they had not thought or about, or
they can even answer the questions themselves, if of course they can explain the unintelligible

point in question.
Moreover, there must be concentration in the study place as well. The learner must choose to
study in a comfortable, warm environment, if possible away from distractions like telephones,
computers or televisions. Above all, studying should take place at an appropriate time for the
learners: they should ask themselves what the best time of day for them is in order to study and
keep that as permanent study time. Therefore, learners have to create a good study schedule and
combine it with any other daily activities or work, if they are professionals. Having a schedule
aids the learning process a great deal, for the reason that it helps maintain organization. Last of
all, but equally important to all the aforementioned factors, learners should be prepared to study
hard. It is highly beneficial to study not only the work assigned by the teacher, but also to access
additional bibliography to read extensively on the given subject and moreover to recycle and
simultaneously comprehend all the components of the lesson delivered by the teacher. It may be
tiring at times, as it is extra work, but the benefits are numerous.
All elements combined, the learner is a person responsible for their advancement in learning and
should be organized, attentive and should be prepared to study, so as to be successful in the work
they have undertaken. In order for them to achieve this though, the teacher is responsible for the
learning process to a great extent. If the teacher turns the classroom into an enthusiastic and
encouraging place for learning (as well as organized), then the learner will enjoy being there as
well.

(The Role of the teacher and learner)

Many of the changes students will see in our teaching approach can be explained by our desire to
bring our teaching into harmony with the new discoveries about how the human brain learns. For
example, we want students to do more firsthand learning, group learning, practicing, reflecting, teaching
of others, and presentations because all of these learning activities require active learner engagement.
We know from neuroscience research that the dendrites of our brain cells only grow when the brain is
actively engaged and the neuron-networks formed in our brains only stay connected when they are used
repeatedly. We need to continually reinforce to our students that the learning tasks we are asking them to
take on, which require them to adopt new learning roles, are done to optimize the development of the
neuron-networks they need to be successful college learners.

A-) In the activity-based teaching:

The role of the teacher in this method is the role of the leader who leads an
orchestra that plays a nice and regular tune that wins the admiration of the
audience in a theatre because of its harmony. He starts his presentation with a
warm-up, then he does his presentation. The presentation
process must address the 5 senses and the inner feelings of the learner. The
teacher uses his mouth, gestures, motion, smiles, miming, acting, classroom
management, pointing and signals.
The teacher uses real situations as a practical means to present his
vocabulary. He uses choral reading and individual reading to present the new
words. He talks to the ears, eyes and the interest of his learners. The
presentation must satisfy the psychological and emotional side of the learners.
The teacher uses visual aids and audio aids beside the real things . He uses 4
skills, namely, listening, speaking , reading and writing to function the
vocabulary in sentences, situations and dialogues.
The teaching aids include the the role of technology in teaching. The
teacher claps once to proclaim the time of individual work then, twice to
proclaim the time of pair work in which the learners work in pairs or in peers .
One asks and one answers in a form of a mini-dialogue or a small interview.
Others correct their mistakes at the time , the teacher monitors, guides and
checks.
The teacher claps for the third time announcing the time of the group work
or team work. Each group or team includes a presenter, an organizer, a
dictator, a timer, a writer and an evaluator. Each group competes with the
other group in presenting their projects in a comparing and competitive
way. The third and fourth group evaluate the previous groups' work in a form
of written reports and these reports can be presented through an academic
interview inside the classroom.
The teacher guides, monitors and checks . The teacher enables the groups of
work to use songs, games, music, video tapes, internet, cassette tapes, wall
charts, flash cards, designs (made of paper, wood or leather), drawing,
painting, jumping and walking. Also, projects are used in teaching. They are
the real learning outcomes.
The classroom takes the form of a great conference that discusses
knowledge that learners have learnt in a practical way. The teacher is just a
guide but the learner is the centre of the education process.
Interaction, participation, elicitation and expressing one's self, guessing,
imagination and thinking can be clearly seen from the side of the learners.
It is a learner-centered method of teaching. The learner uses his
knowledge in dealing with the environment he lives in. It is a positive learning
that can't be forgotten." Let me do and I will learn."In the activity-
based teaching, teaching is a learner-centered teaching
evaluate themselves, their peers, and the teacher.

Role of the teacher

How can teachers help students to change?
Let the students do the work. Use firsthand learning, self-discovery, self-assessment, performance, and
team work.
Let discussions take place between students—keep our mouths shut! Have discussion guidelines that
require everyone to participate. Help students to see that effort results in improved intelligence and
abilities—effort is not an indication of a lack of ability.
What kinds of learning activities are best?
Use learning activities that are A-R-I-I:
Authentic Assignments that reflect what the information and skills will be used for in their careers.
Relevant Use guest speakers and former students to help map the connections between course material
and career work and lifelong learning skills.
Interesting Students arrive motivated; teachers need to discover what is motivating them (Zull, 2002).
Having some say in what and how to learn keeps students engaged. Important No busy work. Value the
work assigned. Value in our students’ minds means the work gets graded.

B-) In the traditional method of teaching:

In the GTM method, the teacher starts his lesson with a review for what
has been taught in the previous lessons. He uses his blackboard and the set-
books as teaching tools in presentation. He can't consult any other resources.
He takes care of his regular blackboard to include the ideas, the new
vocabulary. He neglects functioning the new vocabulary, idioms, language
notes, language expressions, language skills, topic text, language culture or
literature. Besides, he rarely uses technology in teaching.

The teacher uses the intensive reading then, the individual work through
a free discussion. He uses the GTM method of teaching. That method focuses
only on grammar and the text translation. He mainly uses the native language
to interpret the difficulties of the new vocabulary and the new structure. The
teacher doesn't give care to the text content. The learners answer the written
exercises in their workbooks and the teacher checks their answers till the bell
rings.

Always, the learner feels bored. The lesson seems boring. Technology,
games, plays, songs or music are not used in teaching. The learners have to
learn the new vocabulary or the piece of information by heart as they will deal
with them in the final written exam.

The teacher is just a dictator and the learner is a passive store or a

receiver. There is no interaction, participation or team work. It is a teacher-
centered method.There is a big gap between that theoretical teaching and the
practical benefit that can help the learner to use his knowledge in his daily life.
The information the learners acquire will soon be forgotten.

Do you know the following facts?

1- The mediocre teacher tells.
2- The good teacher explains.
4- The superior teacher demonstrates.
5- The great teacher inspires.
( Give me a book and a theatre and I will give you a good generation.)

Can the 2 roles exchange?

1- A perfect teacher:
Neither can teachers afford to distance themselves from the students they
teach. In the new, learner-centered environment, they must be prepared to
learn both about and from their students. The belief that teacher and student
should maintain a partnership based on mutual learning dominates thinking
about pedagogical praxis to an ever-increasing extent—from the elementary
grades to the college years. The term "dialogue education" has been used to
characterize this more equitable relationship between teacher and student:
"Two way, open dialogue needs to be a part of all learning activities" . It has
been demonstrated that class discussion in which students actively participate
and are encouraged to raise questions and pose problems themselves may
greatly increase critical thinking skills in students .
Thus teachers must be a learner. He must learn how to create an
environment in which students feel free to openly express and share their
ideas. The perception that learning is a mutual experience in which they
participate with the instructor has also been shown to contribute to higher
cognitive skills in students .

2-A perfect Learner:

Just as teachers have had to alter their own methods and shift from being
their students’ sole source of knowledge to one of the many sources, students
also have had to shift from being passive receptacles of knowledge to active
participants and even to being teachers themselves. Research in the areas of
constructivist teaching practices, cooperative learning, and technology have
opened new doors and have altered the roles and responsibilities of students
today.
Example:
One example of how students can accomplish this is through project-based
learning. Students can, individually or in groups, generate questions about a
real-world problem, investigate the topic through research, analyze and reflect
on their findings, and devise solutions to the problem. They then can teach the
rest of the students in the class, the teacher, and even the rest of the
community about their specific topic. Essentially, they become experts on the
topic. In this style of learning, the students take responsibility for their own
learning because they truly are interested in it.
Conclusion:
The teacher must be a learner and the learner can be a teacher.
 Types of teacher
Teaching is a stimulating, satisfying and rewarding career. It offers opportunities to shape young peoples'
learning experiences and help them develop the skills to live the lives they want.

There are more than 1500 schools in Victoria, offering different types of teaching jobs.

Before you start studying to become a teacher, you'll need to decide what type of teacher you want to be.

Early childhood
 You will likely work in long day care, kindergartens, playgroups, parent education or specialist children’s
programs.
 You work with children in individual or group programs that are developed to inspire, motivate and
stimulate skill development and learning.

Primary
 You have responsibility for a group of children, with most of the day spent with the one class.
 There are opportunities for creativity in the classroom, devising programs that are exciting and
challenging for students.
 You are generally expected to teach in seven key learning areas: English, mathematics, science,
technology, health and physical education, the arts, and studies of society and environment.
 Some also qualify and work as specialists in art, music, languages other than English or physical
education.
 Most are also qualified to teach in the general classroom and may combine teaching a particular class
with taking specialist classes.

Secondary
 You usually teach two or more subjects to a range of classes through to VCE level.
 Some school time is allocated each week out of the classroom to plan and prepare lessons.
 Secondary teachers have many opportunities for creativity, devising learning programs in their area of
expertise that are exciting and challenging for their students. Many teachers get involved in extra-
 curricular activities - coaching a sporting team, helping with drama productions and participating in school
camps.

Special education
 You work with primary or secondary students with learning difficulties or who have a disability or
impairment.
 You may also teach students with exceptional intellectual gifts or those with specific problems with
language
 You have usually finished extra study to get qualifications in a particular special education field.
 You may work in a specialist setting or mainstream school, in a regular classroom, with groups of
students or on an individual basis
 In mainstream schools, special education teachers are involved with the planning and implementation of
inclusive programs to enable students with difficulties to function successfully in the regular classroom.
 You work closely with mainstream staff helping with curriculum, assessment and reporting and often
direct teaching, tutorial assistance and pastoral care.

What makes a good teacher?

Teachers need strong verbal, literacy and cognitive abilities to do their job well. Research indicates that
good teachers also demonstrate these attributes:

 Motivation to teach.
 Interpersonal and communication skills.
 Willingness to learn.
 Resilience.
 Self-efficacy.
 Conscientiousness.
 Organisational and planning skills.
Universities and training providers consider academic and personal attributes when they select people for
initial teacher education courses. This is a requirement of the Victorian framework for selection into initial
teacher education.

9 types of teachers you see at school

ADVICE CRAZY TEACHERS EDUCATION HIGH
SCHOOL LEARNING SCHOOL STUDYING TEACHERS by The Prospect Staff | on November 27, 2013
| 3 comments| in Academics | Like it
 Image from Pexels.
Some of the most important people in school are, of course, the teachers. They are the people who transfer
their learning to you, expanding your mind with their knowledge. The joy of the class often depends entirely
on the teacher.

However, sometimes you can have that teacher. Which teacher? You know what I mean, that teacher, the one
who is the same across all high schools there almost always be one of these.
So here are the different types of teachers at high school (some good, some bad) and how you can deal with
them.

1. The Club-Focused Teacher. This teacher seems to be more obsessed with the club she is in charge of
instead of her classes. She often is off doing stuff for the club rather than teaching your class. Sometimes, she
even employs you to help with club activities—even if you’re not in her club!
How to deal: With this teacher, she will still expect you to learn everything and stay on task even if she is not.
Keep on working hard through her class! If you do not understand something because of her constant absences,
ask the teacher for some extra help!
2. The Personal Life-Obsessed Teacher. All this teacher does is talk about his personal life or past stories,
rather than teaching the class. He goes on constant tangents—talking about how to find the probability of
getting blue card to talking about his son’s recent graduation.
How to deal: Encourage this teacher to stay on track by reminding him what you were just learning about. If
you don’t want to, always keep some work for another class on hand that you can do while he talks about his
personal life for 10 minutes.
3. The Extremely Old Teacher. This teacher is ancient. You’re afraid of her falling over any second. She was
an excellent teacher about a couple decades ago, but now she’s forgetful, lazy and confused. This teacher can
often lose your papers or forget to tell you about the quiz happening next class
How to deal: Make sure you have a copy of everything you turn in to this teacher, as she’ll probably lose it,
and you don’t want to have to redo that 10 page paper you wrote for that class. Urge her to remember things
you are supposed to be doing so she does not get off track.
4. The Lazy Teacher. She sits at her desk most of the time, eating food, after telling you to read your textbook
and take “notes” of course. If there are problems in the class, she does not really care and just talks from her
desk. She does not answer questions fully nor does she attempt to help confused students.
How to deal: You’ll have to learn the material of the class independently if you want to succeed, as this teacher
will not teach you anything helpful. If you have other work to do, bring it to this class and get it done.
5. The Coach Teacher. According to Editorial Intern, Mary Catherine Carter, a common type of teacher is
the coach teacher. They always go by Coach _____ and concentrate more on his sport instead of the class
itself. They are strict and controlling to the class, threatening them in a way they would threaten their team.
How to deal: Embrace the class as a much-needed study hall. If the teacher expects you to still learn
everything in the class, buckle down and learn!
6. The Clueless Teacher. This teacher does not actually know what he is doing yet, and clearly tries to BS his
way through the subject and the class. He pretends to know the subject and even incorrectly teachers it to you.
How to deal: According to Gabrielle Scullard, a fellow Senior Intern, you will have to learn the subject
independently and just smile and nod during the actual class.
7. The Super-Strict Teacher. This teacher is the most organized person you have ever witnessed in your life.
If you get off of schedule in class or if some of her stuff gets moved around, she will freak out.
How to deal: Personally, I love strict teachers because I always know what is going on, but, if its too organized
for you, make sure you do not mess with her stuff and keep on top of her schedule.
8. The Too-Challenging Teacher. This type of teacher is the one who makes everything four million times
harder than it needs to be, according to Senior Intern Gabrielle Scullard. However, it is completely worth going
through the difficulty of the class as you get extra-prepared for the AP exam and know the subject inside and
out.
How to deal: Work really hard through this class, trying to absorb the extra information, even if you know you
might not need to even know it for the exam. It’ll come in use at some time! Try your best! Sometimes these
teachers seem unnecessarily unfair, but in the end, the hard work you put in will be all worth it.
9. The “Funny” Teacher. This teacher thinks he’s the funniest person on the planet, when truthfully his jokes
suck. He inserts these jokes everywhere you look-in your homework, tests, emails, the wall and the board. He
has several jokes in every set of notes you take.
How to deal: Pretend to laugh to make him feel better. It can be an awkward laugh, sure, but at least pretend.
It’s the nice thing to do.
Ah teachers, we love them. Sometimes we hate them. But however you feel, there will be at least one teacher
that has been your favorite, one that has touched your life, changed you irrevocably.

What other types of teachers do you find at school?

What are the requirements to be a
professional teacher in public or
private school in Philippines?
Socialize It →

Due to recent changes in the educational system of

our country, the Department of Education is expecting more teachers to work in public
and private school starting next school year of 2013.

This is a good news and a great opportunity for those who want to become a teacher. I
have been teaching for a decade, and I can honestly say that this profession will always
be in demand, and will never cease.

If you are planning to be a school teacher in our country then you must have the
following requirements:

First, you must be a graduate of Education in Elementary or Secondary, or you

must be a Bachelor Degree plus a Certificate in Teaching Profession to be able to
teach in secondary level.

In some places, a CTP is not that important, only a Bachelor degree matters. (The
reason why some schools accepts non-Education major without CTP is because of the
lack of teachers in that area.)

However, having CTP for non-Education majors will give advantage and will make you
eligible to take the Licensure Exam for Teachers.

Second,you must passed LET to be a certified and licensed teacher.

A teacher that has a license has advantages compare to non-license teachers. Below
are the following:
 A license teacher receives more salary.
 A licensed teacher easily gets a job.
 A licensed teacher becomes a regular worker in his/her school.
 A licensed teacher receives more benefits especially in government schools.
 A licensed teacher easily gets hired if planning to work and teach abroad.

What if you do not have Certificate in Teaching Profession?

The best thing to do is to enroll in a university or college that offers the 21 units in
Education (Certificate in Teaching Profession) prescribed by PRC.

I know it is time consuming, and not ideal for those who are working full time. However,
there are ways to do it.

 You can study during the weekend

 You can study online (This is what I highly recommend).
 You can visit a university and speak to the Dean of the College of Education of the university, and
ask him/her if you can do self study through modules.

If you are planning to take a CTP online, then I recommend the following open
university in our country:

 University of the Philippines

 Philippine Women University
 Philippine National University
 Central Luzon State University

Those universities are highly recommend by many students. However, if you are not used in an
online learning, then enroll in a traditional university that I've mentioned above.
 217

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 Teaching

Top 9 Characteristics and

Qualities of a Good Teacher
Updated on September 7, 2018

Syed Hunbbel Meer

more

Contact Author

Source

Every teacher wants to be good, but what exactly are the qualities that make a good teacher?
What are the skills, talents, and characteristics, and can they be taught or learned?
Teaching can be quite satisfying for people who do it well. I know this because I am a teacher,
too. Although I do not think I'm always the best teacher, do I know that the majority of my
students love me, and I guess this is partly why good things happen in my classroom.
I have spent a lot of time thinking about—and done a lot of research into—the question of what
characteristics make a teacher effective and how I can succeed in the classroom. Although every
great teacher has their own special, unique style, I have found that there are nine specific
universal qualities that are necessary for anyone who wants to teach effectively, whether they
want to teach in an elementary school or a university. If any teacher possesses the following
characteristics and qualities, he/she can become a very good teacher with large fan base.

What Makes a Great Teacher

 expert communication skills
 superior listening skills
 deep knowledge and passion for their subject matter
 the ability to build caring relationships with students
 friendliness and approachability
 excellent preparation and organization skills
 strong work ethic
 community-building skills
 high expectations for all
Each of these characteristics is described fully below. Although great teachers may also possess
a number of other wonderful qualities (like a sense of humor, personality, flexibility, kindness,
leadership, classroom management, a calm demeanor, experience, and the ability to multitask),
these are the qualities the best teachers universally possess.

Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire.

— William Butler Yeats

1. Excellent Communication Skills

You'd think that the most important quality for a teacher to possess would be knowledge, since
that's what the job is all about, after all: sharing knowledge. But no matter how knowledgable a
person is, if they can't convey what they know to others in a way that is not only understandable
but engaging, the knowledge itself is useless.
 If a teacher's communication skills (verbal, nonverbal, and visual, which involve speaking,
writing, imagery, body language, and the organization of ideas into understandable
structures) are good, they can convey knowledge with better skill and results.
 Since a large part of good communication is knowing when the audience has understood,
these teachers notice when they have communicated effectively and when they have not.
 They will often paraphrase, illustrate, or take another tact entirely when it becomes apparent
that their communication has fallen flat or has not reached or connected to the entire class.
 A good teacher notices when even one student among many does not understand, and
makes an effort to communicate individually when necessary.
 Communication also involves explaining exactly what the assignments and expectations
are. When students fully understand what is expected of them, it's much easier for them to
deliver.
 Interestingly, not only are communication skills incredibly important in the classroom, but
they are among the most important skills in any setting. According to a recent survey by the
Pew Research Center, most Americans view communication as the most important skill for
long term success “to get ahead in the world today.” So by being good communicators,
teachers are modeling important lifetime skills by example.

2. Superior Listening Skills

In addition to being good communicators, good teachers also happen to be excellent listeners. As
the Turkish proverb says,"If speaking is silver, then listening is gold." Of course, effective
communication only happens when at least two parties are actively involved in the process
together, and the only way to know if communication is heard is by asking (and listening to the
answer).
So in an ideal learning environment, teachers ask important questions and then actively,
carefully, empathetically listen to what learners have to say. When good teachers develop this
patient quality in themselves, they start to become great. Great teachers listen hard and then use
what they hear to improve the communication.

Those who know, do. Those who understand, teach.

— Aristotle

3. Deep Knowledge of and Passion for the

Subject Matter
There is a saying that a teacher is only as good as what they know. If a teacher lacks knowledge
in a subject, that dearth of understanding is passed along to the students. And keep in mind that
although formal education is one way a teacher might gain the knowledge they need in order to
teach well, there are other ways.
Passion is infectious. Love of a subject matter inspires a person to learn more, dig deeper, and
think harder about it, so passion inspires deeper knowledge. The best teachers are those that
clearly love their subjects and pass that passion and desire to learn more on to their students.
When the teacher not only has the right answer to a student's question but can expand the
discussion with vivid examples, amusing illustrative anecdotes, and relevant facts, and when the
teacher has a deep well of understanding and expertise to draw on, then every lesson is enriched,
and every student might be inspired.
4. The Ability to Develop Strong Relationships
With Students
It's not enough just to know what you're talking about, though, and a great teacher doesn't only
teach from the head. In the best classrooms, hearts are involved, as well. In order to create
successful learning environments, great teachers need to be able to build caring relationships
with their students. It is the caring student-teacher relationship that facilitates the exchange of
information.
The best teachers are often the ones that care the most deeply, not only about their jobs, but
about every student they serve. It's not enough just to love the subject matter: Great teachers also
share a love of students. Caring about the students is what inspires teachers to reach out, do
better, communicate more, ask, learn, refine, and improve. This is something that can't be taught,
not even in the best school.

5. Friendliness and Approachability

Because it's the teacher's job to help students learn, they must be easy to approach. Students will
have questions that can't be answered if the teacher isn't friendly and easy to talk to. The crabby,
unapproachable, terse, mean, arrogant, rude, all-business teacher can't last long. If the students
think of their teacher as their enemy, they certainly won't learn much. The best teachers are the
most open, welcoming, and easy to approach.

6. Preparation and Organization Skills

No matter how charming you are, if you show up for a class without an excellent plan for how to
teach your material, you won't succeed. Great teachers spend endless hours outside of the
classroom preparing, designing lessons, learning more (both about their subject matter
specifically and how to teach, in general), participating in professional development, and
thinking of fresh and interesting ways to reach the students.
The best teachers have excellent lesson plans, lectures, and assignments that they continually
improve. They have studied extensively and read widely about how to teach and methods to
facilitate learning. They structure their days, lessons, and units in a way that fosters maximal
understanding and interest. They collaborate with other teachers and attend classes to learn more
about their subject matter and how to best convey it. They are available outside of class, and they
grade papers quickly, writing personal notes to help their students understand.

A good teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.
— Henry Adams

7. A Strong Work Ethic

Anyone who's done it knows that teaching is one of the hardest jobs there is. The secret that
keeps them going is that great teachers really, really want to be great teachers, and they'll stop at
nothing do succeed. A great teacher will do almost anything to help their students. They always
make time and they're always willing to help. If something doesn't work, they'll work tirelessly
until they find a solution. A teacher's work is never done but the best ones never stop trying, they
never quit.

8. The Ability to Build Community

The best teachers understand the importance of building supportive and collaborative
environments. In addition to forming caring relationships with each student, the best teachers
foster healthy and mutually respectful relationships between the students. They know how to
establish guidelines and assign roles to enlist every student's help and participation. Every
student feels like they are not only accepted by the larger group, but that their presence is a
necessary ingredient in the classroom's magic. Their classrooms are like little communities
where each individual plays a part and feels at home.

9. High Expectations for All

Studies show that a teacher's expectations have a huge impact on student achievement. The best
teachers have high expectations for all of their students. They expect a lot from each student, but
those expectations are both challenging and realistic. This doesn't mean they hold all students to
the same high standard, but instead that they know what each student is capable of individually
and strive to help each one attain their personal best.

What do you think?

 The Rights and Privileges of
Filipino Teachers
REX BOOK STORE·WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2015·READING TIME: 3 MINUTES

Those who educate children well are more

to be honored than parents, for these only
gave life; those the art of living well. -
Aristotle
Teachers have long been touted as our “modern day heroes” (way before overseas
workers became honored as such). Teachers’ indispensable role in education, the
competence and integrity that they uphold, as well as their active community
involvement draw worthy admiration from the entire society that benefits from their
work.

As we celebrate National Human Rights Consciousness Week this December, it’s time
for us to review the privileges that are concomitant with Filipino teachers’ role. Below,
we’ve rounded up our modern heroes’ most important rights along with their legal bases.

Rights and privileges of all teachers in the Philippines:

 Authority, respect, and protection1 -- “Teachers and school administrators are

persons in authority when in lawful discharge of duties and responsibilities… [and] shall
therefore be accorded due respect and protection.”2

 Fair wages -- “The State shall assign the highest budgetary priority to education and
ensure that teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents
through adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment.”3
 Punishment against attackers -- “This [imposes]... a penalty of imprisonment ranging
from six months and one day to six years and a fine ranging from 500 to 1, 000 pesos
upon any person found guilty of assault upon those teaching personnel.”1

 Professional development -- “The State shall enhance the right of teachers to

professional advancement.”3

 Freedom of expression -- “Free expression of opinions and suggestions...”2

 Labor group participation2 -- “Establish, join, maintain labor organization of their

choice to promote their welfare and defend their interest.”4

 Free legal services -- “To be provided with free legal service by the appropriate
government office in case of public school personnel and the school authorities
concerned in case of private school personnel, when charged in administrative, civil
and/or criminal proceedings, by parties other than the school authorities concerned, for
actions committed directly in the lawful discharge of professional duties and/or in
defense of school policies.”2

 Freedom from non-compensated mandatory assignment -- “Right to be free from

compulsory assignment not related to their duties defined in their appointment or
employment contracts unless compensated thereof.”2

 Freedom from extraneous contributions -- “To be free from involuntary contributions

except those imposed by their own organizations.”2

 Right to intellectual property2

 Career alternatives -- “Teachers shall be given opportunity to choose career

alternatives for advancements.”2

Educators in the Philippines deserve to (and ought to) be aware of these benefits that are
part and parcel of their role. Nonetheless, there is no doubt that the best privilege of
teachers is having the influence to mold young minds and the power to change the world
for the better through the noble act of teaching.
 MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government has remained steadfast with its
commitment in ensuring that education will always be a top priority. In fact under the law
as stated in Article XIV, Section 5 (5) of the 1987 Constitution, it expressly provides that:
“The State shall assign the highest budgetary priority to education and ensure that
teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents through
adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment.”

Th Department of Education (DepEd) has also worked hand in hand with teachers to
ensure that their welfare and rights are upheld. Thus, for the year 2019, teachers under
DepEd get to enjoy several benefits, allowances and perks as mandated by the law.

The DepEd Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development (DepEd-

BHROD) has listed the following benefits that public school teachers are expected to
receive:

YEARLY BENEFITS

Clothing/Uniform Allowance P6,000

Mid-year Bonus 1-month basic salary

Year-end Bonus 1-month basic salary

Cash gift P5,000

Productivity Enhancement P5,000/year

Incentive (PEI)

Anniversary Bonus P3,000

Performance-Based Bonus - Ranges from 50-65% of the basic monthly salary depending on
school performance

Proportional Vacation Pay 70 days PVP during summer and Christmas break for those who
(PVP) have rendered full services during the school year

Cash/Chalk Allowance P3,500/year/teacher

OTHER BENEFITS AND INCENTIVES:

 One step increment for every three (3) years of continuous satisfactory performance
 One of two step increments due to meritorious performance using the Results-based
Performance Management System (RPMS)
 Loyalty Cash Incentive depending on the number of years in service (starting on the
10th year amounting to P10,000 and P5,000 after every 5 years)
 Special Hardship Allowance to teachers assigned in hardship posts (cannot be reached
by regular means of transportation through hiking or banca/motorcycle rides), mobile
teachers and multigrade teachers (15-25% of basic salary)
 Honoraria for teaching overload subject to funds availability
 Leave privileges (Maternity, paternity, study leave)
 Additional incentive/allowances from LGU (selected divisions)
 Vacation service credits (maximum of 15 days per year)
 For mobile teachers, P2,000 per month for transportation allowance (Program Support
Fund)
 For mobile teachers and DALCs, P5,000 per year for instructional materials
 In-service training (Program Support Fund)

SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS:

 GSIS Benefits: Retirement and Life Insurance Premiums (RLIP)

 PhilHealth Benefits: Hospitalization, Annual Physical Exam
 Employees Compensation Program (ECP) Benefits

Some of the significant developments in teachers’ compensation and benefits this year
were due to the expanded welfare benefits for teachers. Among the changes were the
Anniversary Bonus and the increase in the Chalk Allowance.

Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones shared that they remain committed in
empowering our teachers. She earlier said, “Because we recognize their fundamental
role in educating the Filipino learners and carrying out our reforms at the grassroots, we
are relentless in our desire to capacitate and empower our teachers.”
 ACADEMIC FREEDOM BY DR. SYLVIA B. CONCEPCION
 August 25, 2017
 Latest News And Events
Liberty to Learn. The exercise of Academic Freedom. The liberty to explore, innovate, to
advance the search of knowledge.

These are the words that appear in your student handbook.

What exactly is academic freedom? What does the exercise of academic freedom entail?
The 1987 Philippine Constitution, specifically Article Fourteen (XIV)(Education, Science,
and Technology, Arts, Culture and Sports.)

Section 5. #2. States that“Academic freedom shall be enjoyed in all institutions of

higher learning.”While this states the desired policy direction for government
administrators, it falls short of defining what academic freedom means.
Let me try to share with you my own thoughts on academic freedom. I shall start with my own
definition of this term.

Academic freedom is the freedom of an academic institution through its faculty, researchers
and students to search for the truth (thus, research), and to pursue knowledge (thus, teach and
study), wherever it may lead without unreasonable interference or restriction from the state,
church or public pressure.

I emphasize the freedom of the academic institution because one has to be in an academic
institution to have the right to academic freedom. Academic freedom is enjoyed in the context
of an institution of higher learning, not in corporations or NGOs,

“Academic freedom” includes the freedom to seek the truth where it may be found, and to
pursue knowledge in order to increase the flow of information and understanding in the world.
It also includes the power to shape knowledge as a source of power.

Michel Foucault once said that “The university and in a general way, all teaching systems,
which appear simply to disseminate knowledge, are made to maintain a certain social class in
power, and to exclude the instruments of power in another social class”.
The search for truth, the continuous uncovering of hidden ideas is essential to the mission of
any educational institution, of whatever level of learning. If we stop, and do not improve or
change what we teach, we help to propagate the status quo, and therefore help any existing
powerful group to maintain its power.

In the Philippines, there once was a time when our history books were written from the
perspective of the Spaniards and the Americans. For many decades, our children studied that
Magellan discovered the Philippines. Did he really? He became the discoverer only because
he was the first Foreigner who claimed it with a sword. Many years before the Spaniards
came, headed by the Portuguese Magellan, the Chinese, and some historians even say, the
Dutch, were trading with us regularly.One antique collector I know, does not consider
artifacts that are from the Spanish times as antique. He considers antique those that are from
the 10th century or older. In his collections, one will find Chinese vases from the 8th and 9th
century. He found them in burial grounds in the Ilocos and Bohol. He has a collection of
celadon plates and dishes from the Han and Shang Dynasty of the 3rd Century.

In this example, the knowledge about history of a generation of Filipinos, were defined by the
perspective of our ruling elite who were direct descendants of our conquerors.

Randy David once said, “As a right to be enjoyed by the university itself, academic freedom
meant the university’s right to determine for itself, solely on academic grounds, who may
teach, what may be taught how it shall be taught, and who may be admitted to study. The
enjoyment of that freedom depends in large measure on the capacity of the institution to draw
its sustenance from society in return for performing a role in the social division of labor,
while protecting its academic prerogatives from intervention by the dominant institutions of
the same society – in particular, the church and the state (Randy David, 2008, Modernity and
the University).

REALITY is almost always defined by the dominant group. Sometimes, we may perceive a
different reality from what our colleagues perceive. We see a different version of the truth.
Because seeing truth is like looking at a prism and depending on the light.
In the advocacy for gender fairness, the struggle is when we try to make our colleagues
understand, that their taken for granted reality may not be our reality. Family structures have
changed across time. The definition of the family of tatay, nanayanak, is no longer the same.

It is only when we render the status quo as problematic that we are able to find the best
version of or communities and ourselves. As Japanese philosophy KAIZEN would say, a state
of continuous improvement.

Through academic freedom – students and teachers can discuss freely without fear of
censorship or retaliation. We can preserve the intellectual integrity of our institution and
maintain our academic standards. We can challenge one another’s views but we should not
penalize the other for holding a different view.

Academic freedom does not mean faculty can harass the students or students cannot be
required to have mastery of their subjects. The curriculum belongs to the institution, not the
faculty and thus have certain standards that must be upheld. The admission process belongs to
the institution, not the faculty. Academic freedom is a product not only of individual
academic research but of vigorous, sustained intellectual exchange and dialogue among
scholars and non-academics, a free and open exchange of ideas.

The authority to define and enforce academic freedom lies with the institution, as long as it is
explicitly stated in writing at the time of employment. However, your freedom ends where my
nose begins.

How do we practice academic freedom?

in the context of academic life, academic freedom is practiced in the

grant of tenure to the faculty and the protection of the faculty, researchers and students in
their exercise of academic freedom inside and outside the classroom.The faculty as a
collective, not just the individual faculty, through a collegial decision-making process, is
given primary responsibility in the application of academic freedom.

While students also have academic freedom. They cannot dictate to the faculty their own
curriculum and how it should be taught. When they enter the university, they are submitting
themselves not only to the standards of and rigors of academic excellence but also to the
values of social responsibility taught by the faculty.

What is the price of academic freedom?

1) Time – to think, to create, to study
2) Energy – continuous improvement
3) Passion – zest the desire to engage in discourse, to exchange ideas.
4) Creativity – to innovate, not the same idea all the time, but a progressive, dynamic search
for ideas.
Academic freedom has a price. The liberty to explore, to innovate, to advance the search for
knowledge may cost us our lives, our families, our friends, if we stand by our right to seek the
truth and to continuously seek a better way of life for ourselves and society. So, stand and be
courageous.

Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and
proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise.