Competent Teachers and Their Practices

     The profession of teaching is constantly undergoing change with each and every trend, innovation, or demand.  Teachers are caught shuffling their beliefs as to what constitutes a good teacher and  what is being demanded of them.  What has been standard practices of pedagogy is sometimes swept under the rug for a trend or “something new”.  Most of the time these trends turn out to be fleeing fads.  Competent teachers know that teaching has some age old standards.  Coupled with innovative and researched techniques, the competent teacher finds his or her students still excelling when other students are failing to reach a high standard.   Here are some of the practices that competent teachers continue to employ: 

a.  Increasing  Knowledge of Their Subject Matter and Students - Teachers of old generally had assignments which kept them in the same grade or teaching the same subject matter as in previous years.  Mrs. Glen, for instance, was known as a Third Grade teacher, while Mr. Baker was the Social Studies teacher.  This has changed.  With budgets being cut and teachers transferred to new schools, sometimes assignments call for teachers becoming familar with new and different subject matter and grade levels.   Competent teachers will automatically capture these move as opportunites to learn new bodies of knowledge and techniques.  They will take classes, read books and materials, ask collegues around them for advice, and seek the most up-to-date ways to assist their students who are assigned to them. 

     Competent teachers will assess and learn their students through reading their files, talking with their parents and having discussions with them.  They will observe their learning styles and seek to adjust their teaching methods to give each student the best possible advantage.  At no time will they stop learning about their students and the best practices that can put their class on top.  When something is not working, they regroup and try something else.  The competent teacher never feels he or she has “arrived” but is ever seeking that higher ground where “best” is stationed. 

b.  Utilizing All Resources Available in the Area and Reaching Out Beyond 

     Competent teachers keep abreast with technology, scientific discoveries, and research which will give them information on “best practices”.  It sometimes means backing up and taking additional seminars or courses that will make improve their skills.  It means building on what they have and reaching out to add to their fund of knowlege and increase their awareness of others around the world in their quests for excellence.  A competent teacher will spare no energy to be the very best in their school.  Even if their resources are outdated, they will find ways to obtain what they need for their classrooms.  Teacher- made resources have been used down through the years.  Because they are geared towards a particular concept or grade, a teacher can use them and  improve them with each passing year.  Even with tight school budgets, competent teachers will look for grants or funding to purchase new and better equipment that will enhance their learning.