INTRODUCTION

Role of teachers
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.

Professional standards for teachers

The Philippine Government has consistently pursued teacher quality reforms through a number of
initiatives. As a framework of teacher quality, the National Competency-Based Teacher Standards (NCBTS)
was institutionalized through CHED Memorandum Order No. 52, s. 2007 and DepED Order No. 32, s. 2009. It
emerged as part of the implementation of the Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA), and was
facilitated by drawing on the learning considerations of programs, such as the Basic Education Assistance for
Mindanao (BEAM), the Strengthening Implementation of Visayas Education (STRIVE) project and the Third
Elementary Education Project (TEEP).

The K to 12 Reform (R.A. 10533) in 2013 has changed the landscape of teacher quality requirements in
the Philippines. The reform process warrants an equivalent supportive focus on teacher quality – high quality
teachers who are properly equipped and prepared to assume the roles and functions of a K to 12 teacher.

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.

Teacher quality in the Philippines

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 21 st
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 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.

Domain 1, Content Knowledge and Pedagogy, is composed of seven strands:

1. Content knowledge and its application within and across curriculum areas
2. Research-based knowledge and principles of teaching and learning
3. Positive use of ICT
4. Strategies for promoting literacy and numeracy
5. Strategies for developing critical and creative thinking, as well as other higher-order thinking skills
6. Mother Tongue, Filipino and English in teaching and learning
7. Classroom communication strategies

Domain 2, Learning Environment, consists of six strands:

1. Learner safety and security
2. Fair learning environment
3. Management of classroom structure and activities
4. Support for learner participation
5. Promotion of purposive learning
6. Management of learner behavior

Domain 3, Diversity of Learners, consists of five strands:

1. Learners’ gender, needs, strengths, interests and experiences
2. Learners’ linguistic, cultural, socio-economic and religious backgrounds
3. Learners with disabilities, giftedness and talents
4. Learners in difficult circumstances
5. Learners from indigenous groups

Domain 4, Curriculum and Planning, includes five strands:

1. Planning and management of teaching and learning process
2. Learning outcomes aligned with learning competencies
3. Relevance and responsiveness of learning programs
4. Professional collaboration to enrich teaching practice
5. Teaching and learning resources including ICT

Domain 5, Assessment and Reporting, is composed of five strands:

1. Design, selection, organization and utilization of assessment strategies
2. Monitoring and evaluation of learner progress and achievement
3. Feedback to improve learning
4. Communication of learner needs, progress and achievement to key stakeholders
5. Use of assessment data to enhance teaching and learning practices and programs

Domain 6, Community Linkages and Professional Engagement, consists of four strands:

1. Establishment of learning environments that are responsive to community contexts
2. Engagement of parents and the wider school community in the educative process
 3. Professional ethics
4. School policies and procedures

Domain 7, Personal Growth and Professional Development, contains five strands:

1. Philosophy of teaching
2. Dignity of teaching as a profession
3. Professional links with colleagues
4. Professional reflection and learning to improve practice
5. Professional development goals

Career stages
Teacher professional development happens in a continuum from beginning to exemplary practice.
Anchored on the principle of lifelong learning, the set of professional standards for teachers recognizes the
significance of a standards framework that articulates developmental progression as teachers develop, refine
their practice and respond to the complexities of educational reforms.

The following statements, which define the work of teachers at different career stages, make explicit the
elements of high-quality teaching for the 21st century. They comprise descriptors that have been informed by
teachers’ understandings of what is required at each of the four Career Stages. The descriptors represent a
continuum of development within the profession by providing a basis for attracting, preparing, developing and
supporting teachers.

Career Stage 1 or Beginning Teachers have gained the qualifications recognized for entry into the teaching
profession. They have a strong understanding of the subjects/areas in which they are trained in terms of content
knowledge and pedagogy. They possess the requisite knowledge, skills and values that support the teaching and
learning process. They manage learning programs and have strategies that promote learning based on the
learning needs of their students. They seek advice from experienced colleagues to consolidate their teaching
practice.

Career Stage 2 or Proficient Teachers are professionally independent in the application of skills vital to the
teaching and learning process. They provide focused teaching programs that meet curriculum and assessment
requirements. They display skills in planning, implementing, and managing learning programs. They actively
engage in collaborative learning with the professional community and other stakeholders for mutual growth and
advancement. They are reflective practitioners who continually consolidate the knowledge, skills and practices
of Career Stage 1 teachers.

Career Stage 3 or Highly Proficient Teachers consistently display a high level of performance in their
teaching practice. They manifest an in-depth and sophisticated understanding of the teaching and learning
process. They have high education-focused situation cognition, are more adept in problem solving and optimize
opportunities gained from experience. Career Stage 3 Teachers work collaboratively with colleagues and
provide them support and mentoring to enhance their learning and practice. They continually seek to develop
their professional knowledge and practice by reflecting on their own needs, and those of their colleagues and
students.

Career Stage 4 or Distinguished Teachers embody the highest standard for teaching grounded in global best
practices. They exhibit exceptional capacity to improve their own teaching practice and that of others. They are
recognized as leaders in education, contributors to the profession and initiators of collaborations and
partnerships. They create lifelong impact in the lives of colleagues, students and others. They consistently seek
professional advancement and relevance in pursuit of teaching quality and excellence. They exhibit
commitment to inspire the education community and stakeholders for the improvement of education provision
in the Philippines.

PHILIPPINE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS

Career
Career Stage 1 Career Stage 2 Career Stage 3 Career Stage 4
Beginning Teachers Proficient Teachers Highly Proficient Distinguished Teachers
Teachers
Beginning Teachers have Proficient Teachers are Distinguished Teachers
gained the qualifications professionally Highly Proficient embody the highest
recognized for entry into independent in the Teachers consistently standard for teaching
the teaching profession. application of skills vital display a high level of grounded in global best
to the teaching and performance in their practices.
learning process. teaching practice.
They have a strong
understanding of the They provide focused They exhibit exceptional
subjects/areas in which teaching programs that They manifest an in- capacity to improve their
they are trained in terms meet curriculum and depth and sophisticated own teaching practice
of content knowledge assessment requirements. understanding of the and that of others.
and pedagogy. teaching and learning
process.
They possess the
requisite knowledge, They display skills in They are recognized as
skills and values that planning, implementing They have high leaders in education,
support the teaching and and managing learning education-focused contributors to the
learning process. programs. situation cognition, are profession and initiators
more adept in problem of collaborations and
solving and optimize partnerships.
They manage learning opportunities gained
programs and have They actively engage in from experience.
strategies that promote collaborative learning They create lifelong
learning based on the with the professional They provide support and impact in the lives of
learning needs of their community and other mentoring to colleagues, students and
students. stakeholders for mutual others.
growth and advancement.

They seek advice from They are reflective

experienced colleagues to practitioners who colleagues in their They consistently seek
consolidate their teaching continually consolidate professional professional
practice. the knowledge, skills and development, as well as advancement and
practices of Career Stage work collaboratively with relevance in pursuit of
1 teachers. them to enhance the teaching quality and
learning and practice excellence.
potential of their
colleagues.

They continually seek to They exhibit

develop their commitment to inspire
professional knowledge the education community
and practice by reflecting and stakeholders for the
on their own needs, and improvement of
those of their colleagues education provision in
and students. the Philippines.

DOMAINS/ STRANDS/ INDICATORS FOR DIFFERENT CAREER STAGES

Domain 1. Content Knowledge and Pedagogy
Domain 1 recognizes the importance of teachers’ 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. This Domain encompasses teachers’ ability to apply
developmentally appropriate and meaningful pedagogy grounded on content knowledge and current research.
It takes into account teachers’ proficiency in Mother Tongue, Filipino and English in the teaching and
learning process, as well as needed skills in the use of communication strategies, teaching strategies, and
technologies to promote highquality learning outcomes.

Strand Beginning Proficient Highly Proficient Distinguished

Strand 1.1 Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers
Content knowledge 1.1.3 Model
and its application 1.1.1 Demonstrate 1.1.2 Apply effective 1.1.4 Model
within and across content knowledge knowledge of applications of exemplary practice
curriculum areas and its application content within and content knowledge to improve the
within and/or across curriculum within and across applications of
across curriculum teaching areas. curriculum teaching content knowledge
teaching areas. areas. within and across
curriculum teaching
Strand 1.2 areas.
Research-based 1.2.1 Demonstrate 1.2.2 Use research- 1.2.3 Collaborate
knowledge and an understanding of based knowledge with colleagues in 1.2.4 Lead
principles of research based and principles of the conduct and colleagues in the
teaching and knowledge and teaching and application of advancement of the
learning principles of learning to enhance research to enrich art and science of
teaching and professional knowledge of teaching based on
 learning. practice. content and their
pedagogy. comprehensive
knowledge of
Strand 1.3 research and
Positive use of ICT 1.3.1 Show skills in 1.3.2 Ensure the 1.3.3 Promote pedagogy.
the positive use of positive use of ICT effective strategies
ICT to facilitate the to facilitate the in the positive use 1.3.4 Mentor
teaching and teaching and of ICT to facilitate colleagues in the
learning process. learning process. the teaching and implementation of
Strand 1.4 learning process. policies to ensure
Strategies for the positive use of
promoting literacy 1.4.1 Demonstrate 1.4.2 Use a range of 1.4.3 Evaluate with ICT within or
and numeracy knowledge of teaching strategies colleagues the beyond the school.
teaching strategies that enhance learner effectiveness of
that promote achievement in teaching strategies 1.4.4 Model a
literacy and literacy and that promote comprehensive
numeracy skills. numeracy skills. learner achievement selection of
Strand 1.5 in literacy and effective teaching
Strategies for numeracy. strategies that
developing critical 1.5.1 Apply 1.5.2 Apply a range promote learner
and creative teaching strategies of teaching 1.5.3 Develop and achievement in
thinking, as well as that develop critical strategies to apply effective literacy and
other higher-order and creative develop critical and teaching strategies numeracy.
thinking skills thinking, and/or creative thinking, as to promote critical
other higher-order well as other and creative 1.5.4 Lead
thinking skills. higher-order , as well as other colleagues in
thinking skills. higher-order reviewing,
Strand 1.6 thinking skills. modifying and
Mother Tongue, expanding their
Filipino and 1.6.1 Use Mother range of teaching
English in teaching Tongue, 1.6.2 Display strategies that
and learning Filipino and proficient use of 1.6.3 Model and promote critical and
English to facilitate Mother Tongue, support colleagues creative thinking, as
teaching and Filipino and in the proficient use well as other
learning. English to facilitate of Mother Tongue, higher-order
teaching and Filipino and thinking skills.
learning. English to improve
teaching and 1.6.4 Show
learning, as well as exemplary skills in
to develop the and advocate the
Strand 1.7 learners’ pride of use of Mother
Classroom their language, Tongue, Filipino
communication heritage and and English in
Strategies 1.7.1 Demonstrate culture. teaching and
an understanding of 1.7.2 Use effective learning to facilitate
the range of verbal verbal and non- the learners’
and non-verbal verbal classroom 1.7.3 Display a language, cognitive
classroom communication wide range of and academic
communication strategies to support effective verbal and development and to
strategies that learner non-verbal foster pride of their
support learner understanding, classroom language, heritage
understanding, participation, communication and culture.
participation, engagement and strategies to support
engagement and achievement. learner 1.7.4 Exhibit
achievement. understanding, exemplary practice
participation, in the use of
engagement and effective verbal and
achievement. non-verbal
classroom
communication
strategies to support
learner
understanding,
participation,
engagement and
achievement in
 different learning
contexts.

Domain 2. Learning Environment

Domain 2 highlights the role of teachers to provide learning environments that are safe, secure, fair and
supportive in order to promote learner responsibility and achievement. This Domain centers on creating an
environment that is learning-focused and in which teachers efficiently manage learner behavior in a physical
and virtual space. It highlights the need for teachers to 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.
Strands Beginning Proficient Highly Proficient Distinguished
Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers
Strand 2.1 2.1.3 Exhibit
Learner safety and 2.1.1 Demonstrate 2.1.2 Establish safe effective strategies 2.1.4 Apply
security knowledge of and secure learning that ensure safe and comprehensive
policies, guidelines environments to secure learning knowledge of and
and procedures that enhance learning environments to act as a resource
provide safe and through the enhance learning person for, policies,
secure learning consistent through the guidelines and
environments. implementation of consistent procedures that
policies, guidelines implementation of relate to the
and procedures. policies, guidelines implementation of
and procedures. safe and secure
Strand 2.2 learning
Fair learning environments for
environment 2.2.1 Demonstrate 2.2.2 Maintain 2.2.3 Exhibit learners.
understanding of learning effective practices
learning environments that to foster learning 2.2.4 Advocate and
environments that promote fairness, environments that facilitate the use of
promote fairness, respect and care to promote fairness, effective practices
respect and care to encourage learning. respect and care to to foster learning
encourage learning. encourage learning. environments that
Strand 2.3 promote fairness,
Management of respect and care to
classroom encourage learning.
structure and 2.3.1 Demonstrate 2.3.2 Manage 2.3.3 Work with
activities knowledge of classroom structure colleagues to model 2.3.4 Model
managing to engage learners, and share effective exemplary practices
classroom structure individually or in techniques in the in the management
that engages groups, in management of of classroom
learners, meaningful classroom structure structure and
individually or in exploration, to engage learners, activities, and lead
groups, in discovery and individually or in colleagues at the
meaningful hands-on activities groups, in whole-school level
exploration, within a range of meaningful to review and
discovery and physical learning exploration, evaluate their
hands-on activities environments. discovery and practices.
Strand 2.4 within the available hands-on activities
Support for learner physical learning within a range of
participation environments. physical learning
environments.

2.4.3 Work with 2.4.4 Facilitate

2.4.2 Maintain colleagues to share processes to review
2.4.1 Demonstrate supportive learning successful the effectiveness of
understanding of environments that strategies that the school’s
supportive learning nurture and inspire sustain supportive learning
environments that learners to learning environment to
Strand 2.5 nurture and inspire participate, environments that nurture and inspire
Promotion of learner cooperate and nurture and inspire learner
purposive learning participation. collaborate in learners to participation.
continued learning. participate,
cooperate and
collaborate in
continued learning.
 2.5.4 Lead and
2.5.1 Demonstrate 2.5.2 Apply a range 2.5.3 Model empower
Strand 2.6 knowledge of of successful successful colleagues in
Management of learning strategies that strategies and promoting learning
learner behavior environments that maintain learning support colleagues environments that
motivate learners to environments that in promoting effectively motivate
work productively motivate learners to learning learners to achieve
by assuming work productively environments that quality outcomes
responsibility for by assuming effectively motivate by assuming
their own learning. responsibility for learners to work responsibility for
their own learning. productively by their own learning.
assuming
2.6.1 Demonstrate responsibility for
knowledge of 2.6.2 Manage their own learning. 2.6.4 Provide
positive and non- learner behavior leadership in
violent discipline in constructively by 2.6.3 Exhibit applying a wide
the management of applying positive effective and range of strategies
learner behavior. and non-violent constructive in the
discipline to ensure behavior implementation of
learning focused management skills positive and non-
environments. by applying violent discipline
positive and non- policies/procedures
violent discipline to to ensure learning-
ensure learning focused
focused environments.
environments.

Domain 3. Diversity of Learners

Domain 3 emphasizes the central role of teachers in establishing learning environments that are responsive to
learner diversity. This Domain underscores the importance of teachers’ knowledge and understanding of, as
well as respect for, learners’ diverse characteristics and experiences as inputs to the planning and design of
learning opportunities. It encourages the celebration of diversity in the classrooms and the need for teaching
practices that are differentiated to encourage all learners to be successful citizens in a changing local and
global environment.
Strands Beginning Proficient Highly Proficient Distinguished
Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers
Strand 3.1 3.1.3 Work with
Learners’ gender, 3.1.1 Demonstrate 3.1.2 Use colleagues to share 3.1.4 Lead
needs, strengths, knowledge and differentiated, differentiated, colleagues to
interests and understanding of developmentally developmentally evaluate
experiences differentiated appropriate learning appropriate differentiated
teaching to suit the experiences to opportunities to strategies to enrich
learners’ gender, address learners’ address learners’ teaching practices
needs, strengths, gender, needs, differences in that address
interests and strengths, interests gender, needs, learners’
experiences. and experiences. strengths, interests differences in
and experiences. gender, needs,
strengths, interests
Strand 3.2 3.2.3 Exhibit a and experiences.
Learners’ linguistic, 3.2.1 Implement learner-centered
cultural, socio- teaching strategies 3.2.2 Establish a culture that
economic and that are responsive learner centered promotes success 3.2.4 Model
religious to the learners’ culture by using by using effective exemplary teaching
backgrounds linguistic, cultural, teaching strategies teaching strategies practices that
socio-economic and that respond that respond to their recognize and
religious linguistic, cultural, affirm diverse
backgrounds. to their linguistic, socioeconomic and linguistic, cultural,
cultural, socio- religious socioeconomic and
economic and backgrounds. religious
Strand 3.3 religious backgrounds to
Learners with 3.3.1 Use strategies backgrounds. 3.3.3 Assist promote learner
disabilities, responsive to colleagues to success.
giftedness and learners with 3.3.2 Design, adapt design, adapt and
talents disabilities, and implement implement teaching
giftedness and teaching strategies strategies that are 3.3.4 Lead
talents. that are responsive responsive to colleagues in
 to learners with learners with designing, adapting
disabilities, disabilities, and implementing
Strand 3.4 giftedness and giftedness and teaching strategies
Learners in difficult talents. talents. that are responsive
circumstances 3.4.1 Demonstrate to learners with
understanding of 3.4.3 Evaluate with disabilities,
the special 3.4.2 Plan and colleagues teaching giftedness and
educational needs deliver teaching strategies that are talents.
of learners in strategies that are responsive to the
difficult responsive to the special educational 3.4.4 Model a range
circumstances, special educational needs of learners in of high level skills
including: needs of difficult responsive to the
geographic circumstances, special educational
isolation; chronic learners in difficult including: needs of learners in
illness; circumstances, geographic difficult
displacement due to including: isolation; chronic circumstances,
armed conflict, geographic illness; including:
urban resettlement isolation; chronic displacement due to geographic
Strand 3.5 or disasters; child illness; armed conflict, isolation; chronic
Learners from abuse and child displacement due to urban resettlement illness;
indigenous groups labor practices. armed conflict, or disasters; child displacement due to
urban resettlement abuse and child armed conflict,
or disasters; child labor practices. urban resettlement
abuse and child or disasters; child
labor practices. abuse and child
3.5.1 Demonstrate 3.5.3 Develop and labor practices.
knowledge of 3.5.2 Adapt and use apply teaching
teaching strategies culturally strategies to address
that are inclusive of appropriate effectively the
learners from teaching strategies needs of learners 3.5.4 Show
indigenous groups. to address the needs from indigenous comprehensive
of learners from groups. skills in delivering
indigenous groups. culturally
appropriate
teaching strategies
to address
effectively the
needs of learners
from indigenous
groups.