Professional Qualities and Competencies of effective

teacher: A key for Success.

Vijay Kumar. R. & Anand.K School of Education, Pondicherry

University, Pondicherry

Abstract

Education is a natural harmonious development of child’s talent powers and innate

talents. Teacher’s role is pivotal in providing education and making the nation literature. To
make the nation totally literate and to attain educational for all to improve educational standards
and to increase the level of achievement, teacher should not be not only a committed and devoted
but also competent and creative. The professional quality of teacher is to focus on attention;
transforms knowledge into effective student understanding. Professional Competency has been
recognized as an important component of teaching-learning process and it is a reflection of
teaching success, teaching efficiency and teacher performance. Professional competency as those
of knowledge, abilities and beliefs a teacher possesses and brings to the teaching situation.
Present paper reflects upon the dimensions of professional qualities and competencies of
effective teacher.

INTRODUCTION

Flourishing national development and a society truly prosperous with knowledge all
begins from its teachers. While the role of knowledge and a skilled society with visions and
aspirations in the success of a nation cannot be stressed enough, it should also be remembered
that knowledge cannot be acquired if it is not sought and received through the help of the
teacher. This is why everyone should put efforts into seeking as much knowledge as possible,
and appreciate the teacher's importance in guiding us and the generations to come, to become
knowledgeable and morally upright people. Hence, “A teacher is like a light-house which shows
the right path to people in darkness”. Great teachers in the history of any period who changed the
world and still their teachings are affecting people throughout the world. So to be a teacher is in
fact a great responsibility and he should try to possess the qualities of such great people though

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it's not easy. Patience, persuasiveness, endurance, faith and consistency are core characteristics
of a teacher. A teacher must possess leadership qualities, to enable the students to follow him.
The role of a teacher in society is both significant and valuable. It has far-reaching influence on
the society he lives in and no other personality can have an influence more profound than that of
a teacher. Students are deeply affected by the teacher's love and affection, his character, his
competence, and his moral commitment. A popular teacher becomes a model for his students.
The students try to follow their teacher in his manners, costumes, etiquette, style of conversation
and his get up. He is their ideal. Teacher must have great confidence and strong will power to
obtain the best results from his students. Teacher must be a master in his subject, full command
over knowledge, dedication and devotion towards his students is must. Always be ready to give
time to students selflessly. He must be a very easy going person, using simple language in a very
lively way so his students get familiar with him and enjoy his presence with heart not with fear.
He must be a man of character indeed.

PROFESSIONAL QUALITIES OF A GOOD TEACHER

In 1990, the World Declaration on Education for All noted that the generally poor quality
of education needed to be improved and recommended that education be made both universally
available and more relevant. The Declaration also identified quality as a prerequisite for
achieving the fundamental goal of equity. While the notion of quality was not fully developed, it
was recognized that expanding access alone would be insufficient for education to contribute
fully to the development of the individual and society. Emphasis was accordingly placed on
assuring an increase in children’s cognitive development by improving the quality of their
education. It has far-reaching influence on the society he lives in and no other personality can
have an influence more profound than that of a teacher. Students are deeply affected by the
teacher's love and affection, his character, his competence, and his moral commitment. The
following qualities of a teacher

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1. Empathy: Teacher should possess the ability to bond with your students, to understand and
resonate with their feelings and emotions.

• To communicate on their level.

• To be compassionate with them when they are down and
• To celebrate with them when they are up.

2. Positive Mental Attitude: to think, act; feel always positively in all his deeds.

• To keep a smile on your face when things get tough.

• To see the bright side of things.
• To seek to find the positives in every negative situation.
• To be philosophical.

3. Open to Change:

Teacher should able to acknowledge that the only real constant in life is change. You
know there is a place for tradition but there is also a place for new ways, new ideas, new systems
and new approaches. You don't put obstacles in your way by being blinkered and are always
open and willing to listen to others' ideas.

4. Role Model:

Teachers are the window through which many young people will see their future. Be a fine

role model to the fullest extent.

5. Creative:

Teachers are able to motivate the students by using creative and inspirational methods of
teaching. You are different in your approach and that makes you stand out from the crowd.
Hence, that the reason why students enjoy your classes and seek you out for new ideas.

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6. Sense of Humour:

Teacher should know that a great sense of humour reduces barriers and lightens the
atmosphere especially during heavy periods. An ability to make your students laugh will carry
you far and gain you more respect. It also increases your popularity.

7. Presentation Skills:

Teacher should know that our students are visual, auditory or kinaesthetic learners. You
are proficient in creating presentation styles for all three. Your body language is your main
communicator and you keep it positive at all times. Like a great orator you are passionate when
you speak. But at the same time you know that discussion and not lecturing stimulates greater
feedback.

8. Calmness:

Teacher should always know that the aggression, negative attitudes and behaviours that
you see in some of your students have a root cause. You know that they are really scared young
people who have come through some bad experiences in life. This keeps you calm and in control
of you, of them and the situation. You are good at helping your student de-stress.

QUALITY TEACHING FOR

Quality teaching is characterized by teachers who can apply a wide range of organizational and
instructional strategies which are appropriate:

• to student learning styles and educational need

• to the subject being taught and

• to the school context in a disciplined and purposeful classroom.

• Should have effective supervisory strategies to keep student safe

• Should match the students’ needs to the work being done

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 • Should know how to accommodate different learning styles

• have thought about: how they themselves learn best; the class room environment they
providing for all students; and the relationship between the two

• provide students with time to experiment with applications from a range of technologies

• create enjoyable and stimulating learning environments

• maximize actual net learning time

In the classroom that teacher (*the term ‘classroom’ in this document is used to include
all learning settings both inside and outside school)

• maintain a classroom climate conducive to quality teaching and quality learning

• provide opportunities for students to work individually and in small groups

• as well as with the whole class

• teach students how to work collaboratively

• provide opportunities for students to seek help from and work with peers

• link new material

• to what students already know

• to students’ own lives

• engage students emotionally as well as intellectually

Quality teaching depends on the creation of a learning environment which promotes and supports
the learning of all students.

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PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES

Professional Competencies are very important to teachers as they are levels of aptitude that are
measurements for teaching ability. These abilities are targeted for specific content area teachers but are
more broadly based for general classroom teachers. The use of teacher competencies wills also aide in the
choices of educational career path based on abilities and interest. Teacher competencies are an
outcome-based method for assessing teacher performance. They define key characteristics of
successful teachers without prescribing any specific curriculum or instructional practices.

1. Content Area Knowledge

In addition to a mastery of basic skills, effective teachers are expected to demonstrate a

thorough understanding of the content of their curricular areas. They should be able to
communicate this content material to students using methodologies that are appropriate for the
age and abilities of the learners. These teachers are competent planners, seek to incorporate other
disciplines into their lessons and stay abreast of changes and advancements in their specialty
areas.

2. Pedagogical Capabilities

Successful teachers are knowledgeable about multiple methods of instruction. They

understand levels of human development, both typical and atypical, and should be able to
diversify their lessons to meet the needs of learners of all ability levels. These teachers are
capable classroom managers and skilled at motivating students, and they perennially assess both
student and personal achievement.

3. Communication Skills

Not only should teachers exhibit the skills necessary for communicating ideas clearly to
students, but they must also communicate with parents, other teachers, their administrators and
their communities. They must be open, approachable and diplomatic in conveying information.
In a technologically oriented world, these teachers will use contemporary modes of

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communication like email and interactive websites in addition to traditional means of
communication.

4. Professionalism

Teacher excellence is reflected in a professional's efforts toward continual improvement in his

field. Professional teachers are marked by their personal presentation, reflection, collaboration,
the desire to advance and adaptability. These teachers believe students can learn, understand the
value of diversity in the workplace and in their classrooms, and understand the ethical
implications of working with students

5. Dynamism

Teaching is dynamic. No problem is completely isolated or completely solvable and one is

always at least partially in error. Teacher often tell the student that teaching is like trying to keep a seesaw
level. Anytime you feel relaxed you probably need to re-think. Each year, each day, each minute requires
adjustments and a teacher must have a keen sense of when and how to make minor changes.

CONCLUSION
Effective teaching is one of the central purposes of educational practice and research in
improving learning. But behind the mastery of learning stands the mastery of teaching.
Understanding teaching has presented a persistent and formidable challenge to those who have
sought to improve the quality of teaching and learning over the years. Teachers are important and
make a difference. The quality of teaching is a crucial factor in promoting effective learning in
schools. In other words, the teacher’s role goes well beyond information giving. The idea that to
learn effectively we have to work things through for ourselves does not mean that the teacher’s
role becomes a minor or peripheral one, where she/he withdraws into the background, or acts
only as a manager of learning resources. Effective teaching involves talking regularly with
learners about their learning, and listening to them. Interaction in classroom is often dominated
by the teacher. Teachers have both the right and the responsibility to develop a climate in the

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classroom which supports effective learning. In the classroom the way the teachers behave
determines the way learners behave. How teachers establish their authority, the tone of their
voice, the little things they continually say and do on a daily basis determine the climate in their
classroom

However, one of the most important issues to remember is that learning shifts cannot
occur without need or reason for the occurrence. The shift can be attributed to a number of
factors which include among others, the need to optimize the learning environment to create or
offer security enough that will enable us to explore our learning environment, and encourage us
to go forward with all the certainty and confidence of succeeding. Teaching should not be a
lonely or isolated activity. Teachers need opportunities not only to talk to each other about their
work, but to work together, and to use each other as resources. It is only when we work together
as a team of professional that we can overcome in security. Successful schools have a culture
which encourages and supports teachers to reflect on their purposes and principles as well as
their practices, and helps them to work together to improve these practices. In the absence of
such a culture, teachers fail to transform their teaching and learning approaches for fear that by
so doing it might upset the learners.

It should be noted that teaching is primarily concerned with developing qualities such as
curiosity, originality, initiative, cooperation, perseverance, open-mindedness, self-criticism,
responsibility, self confidence and independence. This is achieved by the child’s involvement, in
a personally meaningful way, in an enquiry, or more aptly a congeries of related enquiries, which
grow out of an issue which attracts his/her (sic) interest. There is both co-operative and
individual work, and success is assessed in terms of the development of individual potential. The
overriding aim is to help and encourage children to learn how to learn; to develop their own
ability to think; to develop a lively, enquiring attitude.

It is evident that the effective and efficient functioning of any institute primarily depends
on the quality and commitment of its human resources. The right attitude towards the
profession, involvement in teaching, concern over the profession, aptitude towards teaching zeal
and enthusiasm in his profession, mental health of the teacher are essential requisite conditions to

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prevail in a teacher who could definitely bring success in his school programmes, which is the
key for the success.

“Transformation of teachers leads to the transformation of students”