LEYTE COLLEGES

PATERNO ST, TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE 6500

TEACHING
PROFESSION
Learning References:
South African, Mother, Kids, Education, Psychology, Philosophy
Marzano, RJ (1992). A Different Kind of Classroom: Teaching
with Dimensions of Learning.

Adapted from: Crisp, G. et al (2009) Peer Review of

Teaching for Promotion Purposes: a project to develop and
implement a pilot program of external Peer Review of
Teaching at four Australian universities, University of
Adelaide, an ALTC-funded project, 2007-8. Final Project
Report June 2009.  Thanks to RMIT and UNSW.

Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST)

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 LEYTE COLLEGES
PATERNO ST, TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE 6500

 1. What is Teaching Profession?

“Teaching is the noblest profession in the world,” stated President David O. McKay. But
teaching is a profession that only appeals to a special type of person—a person who is
concerned about others, one who has a desire to touch the lives of his students and somehow
leave them better than they were. The richest rewards of teaching come when a teacher can
observe growth and development in his students.

A professional attitude is important if teachers want society to recognize them as

professionals.  There is no substitute for a constructive, positive attitude towards teaching.
Dedication towards learners, the subject and the school in totality is imperative.

In its broadest sense, teaching is a process that facilitates learning. Teaching is the specialized
application of knowledge, skills and attributes designed to provide unique service to meet the
educational needs of the individual and of society. The choice of learning activities whereby
the goals of education are realized in the school is the responsibility of the teaching
profession.In addition to providing students with learning opportunities to meet curriculum
outcomes, teaching emphasizes the development of values and guides students in their social
relationships. Teachers employ practices that develop positive self-concept in students.
Although the work of teachers typically takes place in a classroom setting, the direct
interaction between teacher and student is the single most important element in teaching.

 2. Dimensions of Teaching Profession

I.

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 LEYTE COLLEGES
PATERNO ST, TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE 6500

The five Dimensions of teaching and learning form the basis of every
teacher’s professional practice.At its centre are students. Each dimension links to
and supports the others. No one dimension exists in isolation.
There is no fixed starting point — most teachers begin by considering the mandated
curriculum while taking into account what students already know and the best teaching
strategies to support learning.
Teaching not only involves selecting the curriculum for students but also
entails assessing and evaluating students’ understanding of what they have
learned. Attending to these teaching and learning dimensions becomes an
iterative process as teachers ask questions, evaluate the evidence and think about
what, when and how to teach for effective learning for all students. Ultimately,
working in the dimensions of teaching and learning becomes an organizational
routine.

II.

The following nine Dimensions of Teaching should inform the process of peer observation of
teaching. In a teaching session, it is unlikely that a teacher would demonstrate all nine
dimensions and teaching strategies. Some teachers may use a few selected dimensions and
strategies while others may use alternative dimensions and strategies suited to their discipline
and/or students.

The dimensions of teaching are provided as a broad guide only while the strategies outlined
are an attempt to illustrate the types of teaching behaviours judged to relate to, and enhance,
the respective dimensions of teaching observed, and do not represent a list of required
practices. The nine dimensions of teaching are not independent; inevitably there is overlap
across different dimensions. The dimensions largely reflect the “traditional” lecture/tutorial
presentation format adopted by many academic staff.

Other dimensions may be added/substituted to adjust to different teaching settings and styles,
such as online teaching, small-group or problem-based learning sessions. What is essential
during the observed teaching session is the effective demonstration of a planned approach to
teaching using dimensions and strategies that have been identified in the pre-observation
meeting.

Dimension 1: Students are actively engaged in learning

Dimension 2: Students' prior knowledge and experience is built upon 
Dimension 3: Teaching caters for student diversity
Dimension 4: Students are aware of key learning outcomes

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 LEYTE COLLEGES
PATERNO ST, TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE 6500

Dimension 5: Students are encouraged to develop/expand their conceptual understanding

Dimension 6: Actively uses links between research and teaching
Dimension 7: Uses educational resources and techniques appropriately
Dimension 8: Presents material logically
Dimension 9: Seeks feedback on students' understanding and acts on this accordingly

 3. Characteristics of Teaching Profession

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 LEYTE COLLEGES
PATERNO ST, TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE 6500

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.

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

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PATERNO ST, TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE 6500

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.

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 LEYTE COLLEGES
PATERNO ST, TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE 6500

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.

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

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 LEYTE COLLEGES
PATERNO ST, TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE 6500

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.

 4. Proof the Teaching is a Profession in the Philippines

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.

The Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers defines teacher quality in the Philippines.
The standards describe the expectations of teachers’ increasing levels of knowledge, practice

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PATERNO ST, TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE 6500

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, well-structured 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

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PATERNO ST, TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE 6500

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.

- Mark Anthony Llego Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers

(PPST)

 5. The Hallmark of the Teaching Profession

Teachers can be popular just because they are friendly and helpful, but to be truly professional
and effective they need other qualities. Students may not be able to put their finger on just why
one teacher is more effective than another but we need to be able to identify the skills and
behavior we require in a true professional.

Thus, a good teacher is one who not only has a through knowledge of his subjects but also has
the ability to communicate and transfer the knowledge to his charges in an interesting and
meaningful way.

A professional teacher needs to be confident without being arrogant. Nobody can expect to
have all the answers, so if a student asks a real stinker, the professional teacher should be able
to admit defeat but offer to find out more for the student. And they must carry that promise
out.

Proper preparation is another crucial requirement of professionalism. When the teacher enters
the classroom s/he should have all the required materials and the lesson plan ready. Nothing is
more sloppy than poor preparation.

Interaction with the group needs professional standards of behavior: polite, firm and fair just
about sum it up. And in orchestrating the class the teacher must give everyone their chance to
contribute and should be flexible enough to modify lessons if they are obviously not going on
plan. Indeed a fall-back position is part of good planning.

It stands to reason also that teacher must observe punctuality and appropriate tidiness and
dress code: it is not possible to demand such behavior from students if the teacher doesn't set

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PATERNO ST, TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE 6500

the standards. Indeed I can remember occasions on which students have complained to me
about “scruffy” teachers.

The last thing I would mention is that teachers should be able to feel that their professionalism
entitles them to back-up from the school directors. If a teacher has a problem class or student
then the school should have procedures for handling the difficulties. The teacher should not
have to feel alone and vulnerable if a difficult situation arises. So, yes, professionalism cuts
both ways: in the standards we demand of teachers and the framework we have for giving
them support.

 6. Five (5) Concepts of the Teaching Profession

The Authority Style

The authority style is primarily used in a lecture or auditorium setting, whereby the teacher
will give a lengthy, one-way discussion on a pre-assigned topic whilst students take notes and
memorise key pieces of information.

Though popular in higher-education when there is a large group of students present, the
authority or lecture style is less common in the standard classroom setting. This is because the
strategy offers little to no student participation, making it impossible to meet the needs of each
individual pupil.

The Delegator Style

For subjects that necessitate group work, peer feedback or lab-based learning, a delegator or
group style of tutoring is often adopted. As a delegator, the teacher may take an observer role
to promote collaboration and encourage peer-to-peer learning.

Despite becoming increasingly popular, some critics consider the delegation or group style to
be a poor teaching strategy given that it removes the teacher from a position of authority.

The Facilitator Style

Teachers who adopt a facilitator or activity-based style encourage self-learning in the

classroom through increased peer to teacher learning. Unlike the lecture style, teachers ask
students to question rather than simply have the answer given to them. In this style, activities
are used to promote self-discovery and develop problem-solving skills, which can often lead to
the student developing a much deeper understanding of the topic.

There are however, downsides to this technique: as the facilitator, teachers must actively
interact with individual pupils, which can be difficult in a large classroom setting, so the

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PATERNO ST, TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE 6500

design layout of the room should be deeply considered.

The Demonstrator Style

Like the lecture or authority style of teaching, the demonstrator retains authority in the
classroom. However, instead of relying solely on a verbal lecture, the demonstrator style
combines lectures with other teaching forms, including multimedia presentations,
demonstrations and class activities.

This style is particularly well suited to music, art and physical education subjects, where
demonstrations are required to fully understand a topic. In other areas of study however, the
demonstrator style may not be suitable. Like the authority style, there is little direct teacher to
pupil interaction, so it can be difficult to accommodate the needs of all students.

The Hybrid Style

Some teachers adopt an integrated teaching style that incorporates their personality,
preferences and interests into their teaching. This strategy is known as the hybrid style, and is
popular in subjects like English, Science and Religious Studies. Teachers who use the hybrid
style are able to tailor their tutoring for different pupils, incorporating extra-curricular
knowledge to develop a deeper knowledge of a particular topic. However, some critics claim
that the hybrid style can weaken the learning process, as teachers try to be all things to all
students.

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