Lesson 1

 THE DEMANDS OF SOCIETY FROM THE TEACHER

AS A PROFESSIONAL

Teacher professionalism has long been a topic of great interest to various

stakeholders in education. In general, skills and knowledge are two key elements
central to the constitution of teacher professionalism. Teachers are sometimes
being empowered but sometimes are being depowered during the changes. In
facing challenges coming from the changes, some teachers can get further
personal growth and professional development (Wu, J., et al.,2017).

Teachers play a crucial role in nation building. Through quality teachers, the
Philippines can develop holistic learners who are steeped in values, equipped with
21st century skills, and able to propel the country to development and progress.
This is in consonance with the Department of Education vision of producing:
“Filipinos who passionately love their country and whose values and competencies
enable them to realize their full potential and contribute meaningfully to building
the nation” (DepED Order No. 36, s. 2013).

Evidences show unequivocally that good teachers are vital to raising student
achievement, i.e., quality learning is contingent upon quality teaching. Hence,
enhancing teacher quality becomes of utmost importance for long-term and
sustainable nation building.

The changes brought about by various national and global frameworks such as
the K to 12 Reform and the ASEAN integration, globalization, and the changing
character of the 21st century learners necessitate improvement and adaptability
of education, and a call for the rethinking of the current teacher standards.

Parents expects so much of teachers, it is because teachers spend at least

6 hours a day, 5 days a week in 10 months of the school year with students, thus
teachers spend more time with the students than parents. Teachers have
tremendous power to influence students. From his/her very title “teacher,” to
teach well is what society primarily demands of teachers. The learning of the
learner is the teacher’s main concern.

The societal primary expectation from teachers is a good teaching. Teacher is

considered the single most important factor in the learner’s learning according to
research. The effective teacher makes the good and the not so good learner learn.
Clearly, a teacher’s impact on learners lasts. The teacher is the key to student
achievement. Then you have to compare yourselves to become the best and the
brightest, the most caring, competent and compassionate teachers. The best and
the brightest are those that possess the competencies expected of professional
teachers.

The Teacher as a Professional

1. A professional is one who went through long years of preparation to

earn a teacher education a degree recognized by the Commission on Higher
Education.

2. Hurdled a Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) administered by

the Board for Professional Teachers with the supervision of the Professional
Regulation Commission.

3. By passing the LET, he/she obtains a license which he/she is obliged to

renew every three years on condition that he/she can show proof of
Continuing Professional Development.

4. As a professional teacher he/she is expected to abide by the Code of

Ethics for Professional Teachers. Violation of the Code of Ethics can be a
ground for the revocation of license.

The aforementioned ensure that as a professional teacher, he/she practices

his\her profession with technical and ethical and moral competence.

The Demands from the Teacher as a Professional

The Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers spells out the demands of the
state, community, higher authorities and school officials and parents from
teachers. The word “teacher” suggests that the main responsibility of the
professional teachers is to teach. The teacher’s primary customer is the learner.
In the country, we have the Philippine
Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST), these are standards for effective
teaching.

Models of Teaching Effectiveness

Charlotte Danielson James Stronge McREL Model Robert Manzano

Framework for Teacher (Mid-Continent Causal Teacher
Teaching Effectiveness Research for Evaluation Model
Performance Education and
Evaluation System Learning)
(TEPES) System
1. Planning and Instructional Teachers facilitate Planning and
Preparation planning learning for their Preparing
students. -for lessons -for
Assessment of/for use of technology
Learning Teachers know the -for needs of
content they teach. students receiving
Special education -
for needs of students
who lack support for
schooling.
2. Instruction Professional Teachers know the Classroom and
Knowledge content they teach. strategies and
behaviors -
Teachers facilitate communicating
Instructional Delivery
learning goals and
learning for their
feedback and
Communication students. establishing rules and
procedures. -involve
addressing content
by helping students
interact with new
knowledge, practice
and deepen the new
knowledge. -helping
students generate
and test hypotheses.
3. The Classroom The learning Teachers establish a Teachers facilitate
Environment Environment respectful learning of their
environment for a students.
diverse population of
Student Progress- the
students.
work of the
teacher results
4. Professional Professionalism- Teachers Collegiality and
responsibilities maintains a demonstrate Professionalism
commitment to leadership.
-reflecting on professional ethics, -lead in their Teachers reflect on
teaching -maintaining communicates classrooms - their practices -
accurate records - effectively and takes demonstrate promoting positive
communicating with leadership in the interactions with
responsibility for and
friends school colleagues, students
-participating in the participates in and parents
-lead the teaching
professional professional growth profession -seeking mentorship
community -growing that results in -advocate for schools for areas of
professionally - enhanced learning. and students - need/interest -
demonstrate high mentoring other
showing teachers and sharing
professionalism ethical standards
ideas and strategies -
adhering to school
rules and procedures
-participating in
school activities
 Since the main task of the professional teacher is to teach, society demands
from him/her teaching competence. Teaching competence is spelled out in the
PPST and in the four models of effective teaching given in the preceding
paragraphs. This means that if he/she has to teach effectively he/she has to:

1. prepare and plan very well for instruction

2. execute or deliver that instruction plan very well because
he/she has professional knowledge (mastery of the subject matter)
3. create a conducive or favorable learning environment for
diverse groups of learners
4. assess and report learner’s progress
5. demonstrate professionalism as he/she deals with superiors,
colleagues, students and parents

The first step of competent teaching is instructional preparation. This

entails clarifying learning outcomes and choice of appropriate teaching-learning
activities and use of assessment tasks aligned to the learning outcomes to check
on learner’s progress. The professional teacher possesses pedagogical content
knowledge. He/she is fully aware that pedagogical content knowledge (how to
teach particular subject matter content) is central to teacher effectiveness.

The Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST)

The Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers, which is built on NCBTS,

complements the reform initiatives on teacher quality from pre-service education
to in-service training. It articulates what constitutes teacher quality in the K to 12
Reform through well-defined domains, strands, and indicators that provide
measures of professional learning, competent practice, and effective
engagement. This set of standards makes explicit what teachers should know, be
able to do and value to achieve competence, improved student learning outcomes,
and eventually quality education. It is founded on teaching philosophies of learner-
centeredness, lifelong learning, and inclusivity/inclusiveness, among others. The
professional standards, therefore, become a public statement of professional
accountability that can help teachers reflect on and assess their own practices as
they aspire for personal growth and professional development.

The Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers defines teacher quality

in the Philippines. The standards describe the expectations of teachers’ increasing
levels of knowledge, practice and professional engagement. At the same time, the
standards allow for teachers’ growing understanding, applied with increasing
sophistication across a broader and more complex range of teaching/learning
situations.
The following describes the breadth of 7 Domains that are required by teachers
to be effective in the 21st Century in the Philippines. Quality teachers in the
Philippines need to possess the following characteristics:
• recognize the importance of mastery of content knowledge and its
interconnectedness within and across curriculum areas, coupled with a sound and
critical understanding of the application of theories and principles of teaching and
learning. They apply developmentally appropriate and meaningful pedagogy
grounded on content knowledge and current research. They display proficiency in
Mother Tongue, Filipino and English to facilitate the teaching and learning process,
as well as exhibit the needed skills in the use of communication strategies,
teaching strategies and technologies to promote high-quality learning outcomes.

• provide learning environments that are safe, secure, fair and supportive in
order to promote learner responsibility and achievement. They create an
environment that is learning-focused and they efficiently manage learner behavior
in a physical and virtual space. They utilize a range of resources and provide
intellectually challenging and stimulating activities to encourage constructive
classroom interactions geared towards the attainment of high standards of
learning.

• establish learning environments that are responsive to learner diversity. They

respect learners’ diverse characteristics and experiences as inputs to the planning
and design of learning opportunities. They encourage the celebration of diversity
in the classroom and the need for teaching practices that are differentiated to
encourage all learners to be successful citizens in a changing local and global
environment.

• interact with the national and local curriculum requirements. They translate
curriculum content into learning activities that are relevant to learners and based
on the principles of effective teaching and learning. They apply their professional
knowledge to plan and design, individually or in collaboration with colleagues,
wellstructured and sequenced lessons that are contextually relevant, responsive
to learners’ needs and incorporate a range of teaching and learning resources.
They communicate learning goals to support learner participation, understanding
and achievement.

• apply a variety of assessment tools and strategies in monitoring, evaluating,

documenting and reporting learners’ needs, progress and achievement. They use
assessment data in a variety of ways to inform and enhance the teaching and
learning process and programs. They provide learners with the necessary feedback
about learning outcomes that informs the reporting cycle and enables teachers to
select, organize and use sound assessment processes.

• establish school-community partnerships aimed at enriching the learning

environment, as well as the community’s engagement in the educative process.
They identify and respond to opportunities that link teaching and learning in the
classroom to the experiences, interests and aspirations of the wider school
community and other key stakeholders. They understand and fulfill their
obligations in upholding professional ethics, accountability and transparency to
promote professional and harmonious relationships with learners, parents, schools
and the wider community.
• value personal growth and professional development and exhibit high
personal regard for the profession by maintaining qualities that uphold the dignity
of teaching such as caring attitude, respect and integrity. They value personal and
professional reflection and learning to improve their practice. They assume
responsibility for personal growth and professional development for lifelong
learning.