The 2021 update of the Reference Framework for Professional Competencies for Teachers is available online. This new version includes 13 new professional competencies. The new Framework has been integrated into the B.Ed. and MATL programs, including Field Experience/Internship assessments, beginning in Fall 2021.
On this page, you will find a summary of the 13 core professional competencies, as well as a guide to how they should be evaluated during all student teaching placements.
Summary of the 13 core professional competencies of teachers and the level of competency acquisition expected by the end of initial teacher education
| AREA / COMPETENCY | BY THE END OF TEACHER EDUCATION... | |
|---|---|---|
| FUNDAMENTAL COMPETENCIES | ||
| Competency 1 | Act as a cultural facilitator when carrying out duties | Mostly mastered |
| Competency 2 | Master the language of instruction | Mostly mastered |
| COMPETENCIES CENTRAL TO WORKING WITH AND FOR STUDENTS | ||
| Competency 3 | Plan teaching and learning situations | Mostly mastered |
| Competency 4 | Implement teaching and learning situations | Mostly mastered |
| Competency 5 | Evaluate learning | Mostly mastered |
| Competency 6 | Manage how the class operates | Mostly mastered |
| Competency 7 | Take into account student diversity | Partially mastered |
| Competency 8 | Support students’ love of learning | Partially mastered |
| COMPETENCIES UNDERLYING COLLABORATIVE PROFESSIONALISM | ||
| Competency 9 | Be actively involved as a member of the school team | Partially mastered |
| Competency 10 | Co-operate with the family and education partners in the community | Beginning of acquisition |
| COMPETENCY INHERENT IN TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONALISM | ||
| Competency 11 | Commit to own professional development and to the profession | Beginning of acquisition |
| CROSS-CURRICULAR COMPETENCIES | ||
| Competency 12 | Mobilize digital technologies | Mostly mastered |
| Competency 13 | Act in accordance with the ethical principles of the profession | Partially mastered |
For detailed information on each competency, and the foundations, principles, and vision that informed their framework, please consult the Reference Framework for Professional Competencies for Teachers.
Professional Competency Evaluation Guide for Student Teaching
As noted in the Reference Framework for Professional Competencies for Teachers, "the competency of interns in a teacher education program cannot be evaluated by simply describing and commenting on their behaviours. It is necessary to consider their overall performance, the way in which they interpret their work situation, the specifics of that situation, and its particular constraints and resources. The behaviours of interns in a teacher education program are therefore only signs, or manifestations, of the competency." (p.38) "In brief, the evaluation of competencies requires that the teacher’s development be taken into account." (p.39)
Evaluation Criteria and Scales
Competencies that should be mostly mastered by the end of teacher education (C1-6, 12) are assessed on a 4-point scale based on the degree to which the teacher candidate is demonstrating the expected level of competency acquisition (see relevant chart below):
-
Deficient: Not at all mastered; consistently does not meet expectations
-
Emerging: Mastery is developing; demonstrates expectations with some needed improvements
-
Proficient: Mostly mastered; demonstrates expectations
-
Exceeding: Fully mastered; exceeds expectations
Competencies that teacher candidates should begin to acquire (C10, 11) or partially master (C7-9,13) are assessed (with Yes/No answer) as to whether the competency acquisition is to an appropriate level, given the current stage of the student's professional development (see relevant chart below).
Professional Competency Evaluation Charts
For teacher candidates in the B.Ed. programs:
| FE1 | FE2 | FE3 | FE4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CONTEXT | Develop initial understanding of PCs in context of the classroom and school. Begins to apply some PCs in teaching and learning activities and situations as possible and relevant, with support of the CT and/or peers. | Increases acquisition of PCs through more researched observations. Demonstrates application of PCs in collaboratively (with CT and/or peers) planned and implemented teaching and learning activities and situations. | Demonstrates application of PCs in solo teaching and learning activities and situations, and through some different forms of outside-the-classroom engagement. | Demonstrates advanced application of PCs in solo teaching and learning activities and situations, and through active engagement outside the classroom. End of teacher education; therefore, should be at the final expected level of PC acquisition for this stage. |
| C1 | Recognizes how rich and meaningful cultural references are integrated into teaching and learning situations. | Includes rich and meaningful cultural references into teaching and learning situations. | Integrates rich and meaningful cultural references into teaching and learning situations. | Integrates rich and meaningful cultural references into teaching and learning situations and takes a cultural approach to instruction. |
| C2 | Regularly communicates appropriately in the language of instruction, both orally and in writing. | Regularly communicates appropriately in the language of instruction, both orally and in writing. | Communicates appropriately in the language of instruction, both orally and in writing. | Communicates appropriately in the language of instruction, both orally and in writing. |
| C3 | Recognizes how appropriate teaching and learning activities and situations are planned. | Collaboratively plans teaching and learning activities and situations that are appropriate for the students, the learning content and the education objectives. | Designs and plans teaching and learning activities and situations that are appropriate for the students, the learning content and the education objectives. | Designs and plans teaching and learning activities and situations that are appropriate for the students, the learning content and the education objectives. Bases the choice of intervention strategies on research findings in didactics and pedagogy. |
| C4 | Recognizes how appropriate teaching and learning situations are implemented and supervised. | Collaboratively implements and supervises teaching and learning situations appropriate to the students and the educational aims. | Implements and supervises teaching and learning situations appropriate to the students and the educational aims. | Implements and supervises teaching and learning situations appropriate to the students and the educational aims. Uses diverse approaches and strategies, and adjusts their work methods when necessary. |
| C5 | Recognizes how different methods of student evaluation are developed, chosen, and used. | Collaboratively develops, chooses and uses different methods for evaluating students' knowledge acquisition and competency development. | Develops, chooses and uses different methods for evaluating students' knowledge acquisition and competency development. | Develops, chooses and uses different methods for evaluating students' knowledge acquisition and competency development. Evaluation meets the ministerial guidelines for evaluating students. |
| C6 | Supports the CT's organization and management of the class. | Actively contributes to the organization and management of a class in such a way as to maximize student development, learning and socialization. | Organizes and manages a class in such a way as to maximize student development, learning and socialization. | Organizes and manages a class in such a way as to maximize student development, learning and socialization. Helps students to recognize and appropriately manage their behaviours and emotions. |
| C7 | Recognizes how strategies for differentiating teaching practices are implemented. | Supports strategies for differentiating teaching practices are implemented. | Implements, as part of an inclusive teaching approach, some initial strategies for differentiating teaching practices so as to support the full participation and success of all students. | Implements, as part of an inclusive teaching approach, some researched strategies for differentiating teaching practices so as to support the full participation and success of all students. |
| C8 | Recognizes how students' love of learning is cultivated. | Supports the cultivation of the students’ love of learning. | Provides some stimulating and meaningful teaching and learning situations that support students' love of learning. | Frequently provides stimulating and meaningful teaching and learning situations that support students' love of learning. |
| C9 | Co-operates with CT, other teachers and student teachers, and other school team members. | Co-operates with CT, other teachers and student teachers, and other school team members. | Co-operates with CT, other teachers, and other school team members. Makes efforts to be actively involved in the school team. | Actively collaborates with the members of the school team in supporting, developing and/or implementing school-wide projects. |
| C10 | Recognizes how family and community partnerships are developed. | Supports, when possible and reasonable, the development of family and community partnerships. | Co-operates with family and/or education partners in the community. Makes efforts to be actively involved in these partnerships. | Establishes all necessary relationships and involvement with family and/or education partners in the community. |
| C11 | Reflects on their professional development and commitment to the profession. | Reflects on their professional development and commitment to the profession. | Using the appropriate resources, implements the means needed to develop their professional competencies. | Using the appropriate resources, implements the means needed to develop their professional competencies. Supports and encourages peers in their professional development where possible and relevant. |
| C12 | Supports the CT's use of digital technologies. | Actively contributes to the use of digital technologies. | Uses digital technologies in order to benefit students and all education stakeholders. | Adopts innovative and creative approaches to the use of digital technology. |
| C13 | Acts and behaves in a respectful manner. | Acts and behaves in a respectful manner. | Acts and behaves in a respectful manner. Makes active efforts to adopt ethical, equitable, transparent, and inclusive practices. | Acts and behaves in a respectful manner. Adopts ethical, equitable, transparent and inclusive practices. |
For teacher candidates in the MATL program:
| IN1 | IN2 | |
|---|---|---|
| CONTEXT | Demonstrates application of PCs in solo teaching and learning activities and situations, and through some different forms of outside-the-classroom engagement. | Demonstrates advanced application of PCs in solo teaching and learning activities and situations, and through active engagement outside the classroom. End of teacher education; therefore, should be at the final expected level of PC acquisition for this stage. |
| C1 | Integrates rich and meaningful cultural references into teaching and learning situations. | Integrates rich and meaningful cultural references into teaching and learning situations and takes a cultural approach to instruction. |
| C2 | Communicates appropriately in the language of instruction, both orally and in writing. | Communicates appropriately in the language of instruction, both orally and in writing. |
| C3 | Designs and plans teaching and learning activities and situations that are appropriate for the students, the learning content and the education objectives. | Designs and plans teaching and learning activities and situations that are appropriate for the students, the learning content and the education objectives. Bases the choice of intervention strategies on research findings in didactics and pedagogy. |
| C4 | Implements and supervises teaching and learning situations appropriate to the students and the educational aims. | Implements and supervises teaching and learning situations appropriate to the students and the educational aims. Uses diverse approaches and strategies, and adjusts their work methods when necessary. |
| C5 | Develops, chooses and uses different methods for evaluating students' knowledge acquisition and competency development. | Develops, chooses and uses different methods for evaluating students' knowledge acquisition and competency development. Evaluation meets the ministerial guidelines for evaluating students. |
| C6 | Organizes and manages a class in such a way as to maximize student development, learning and socialization. | Organizes and manages a class in such a way as to maximize student development, learning and socialization. Helps students to recognize and appropriately manage their behaviours and emotions. |
| C7 | Implements, as part of an inclusive teaching approach, some initial strategies for differentiating teaching practices so as to support the full participation and success of all students. | Implements, as part of an inclusive teaching approach, some researched strategies for differentiating teaching practices so as to support the full participation and success of all students. |
| C8 | Provides some stimulating and meaningful teaching and learning situations that support students' love of learning. | Frequently provides stimulating and meaningful teaching and learning situations that support students' love of learning. |
| C9 | Co-operates with CT, other teachers, and other school team members. Makes efforts to be actively involved in the school team. | Actively collaborates with the members of the school team in supporting, developing and/or implementing school-wide projects. |
| C10 | Co-operates with family and/or education partners in the community. Makes efforts to be actively involved in these partnerships. | Establishes all necessary relationships and involvement with family and/or education partners in the community. |
| C11 | Using the appropriate resources, implements the means needed to develop their professional competencies. | Using the appropriate resources, implements the means needed to develop their professional competencies. Supports and encourages peers in their professional development where possible and relevant. |
| C12 | Uses digital technologies in order to benefit students and all education stakeholders. | Adopts innovative and creative approaches to the use of digital technology. |
| C13 | Acts and behaves in a respectful manner. Makes active efforts to adopt ethical, equitable, transparent, and inclusive practices. | Acts and behaves in a respectful manner. Adopts ethical, equitable, transparent and inclusive practices. |