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 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 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.

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.

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 high-quality
learning outcomes.

STRANDS BEGINNING TEACHER

Strand 1.1 Demonstrate content knowledge and its
Content knowledge and its application application within and/or across curriculum
within and across curriculum areas teaching areas.
Strand 1.3 Positive use of ICT Show skills in the positive use of ICT to
facilitate the teaching and learning
process.
Strand 1.4 Strategies for promoting Demonstrate knowledge of teaching
literacy and numeracy strategies that promote literacy and
numeracy skills.
Strand 1.5 Apply teaching strategies that develop
Strategies for developing critical and critical and creative thinking, and/or other
creative thinking, as well as other higher- higher-order thinking skills.
order thinking skills
Strand 1.6 Use Mother Tongue, Filipino and English to
Mother Tongue, Filipino and English in facilitate teaching and learning.
teaching and learning
Strand 1.7 Demonstrate an understanding of the
Classroom communication strategies range of verbal and non-verbal classroom
communication strategies that support
learner understanding, participation,
engagement and achievement.

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 TEACHER
Strand 2.1 Demonstrate knowledge of policies, guidelines and
Learner safety and security procedures that provide safe and secure learning
environments.
Strand 2.2 Demonstrate understanding of learning
Fair learning environment environments that promote fairness, respect and
care to encourage learning.
Strand 2.3 Demonstrate knowledge of managing classroom
Management of classroom structure and activities structure that engages learners, individually or in
groups, in meaningful exploration, discovery and
hands-on activities within the available physical
learning environments.
Strand 2.4 Demonstrate understanding of supportive learning
Support for learner participation environments that nurture and inspire learner
participation.
Strand 2.5 Demonstrate knowledge of learning environments
Promotion of purposive learning that motivate learners to work productively by
assuming responsibility for their own learning.
Strand 2.6 Demonstrate knowledge of positive and non-violent
Management of learner behavior discipline in the management of learner behavior.

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 TEACHER

Strand 3.1 Demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of differentiated teaching
Learners' gender, needs, strengths, to suit the learners' gender, needs,
interests and experiences strengths, interests and experiences.
Strand 3.2 implement teaching strategies that are
responsive to the learners' linguistic,
Learners' linguistic, cultural, socio- cultural, socio-economic and religious
economic and religious backgrounds backgrounds.
Strand 3.3 Use strategies responsive to learners with
disabilities, giftedness and talents.
Learners with disabilities, giftedness and
talents
Strand 3.4 Learners in difficult Demonstrate understanding of the special
circumstances educational needs of learners in difficult
circumstances, including: geographic
isolation; chronic illness; displacement due
to armed conflict, urban resettlement or
disasters; child abuse and child labor
practices.
Strand 3.5 Demonstrate knowledge of teaching
Learners from indigenous groups strategies that are inclusive of learners
from indigenous groups.

Domain 4. Curriculum and Planning

Domain 4 addresses teachers’ knowledge of and interaction with the national and local
curriculum requirements. This Domain encompasses their ability to translate curriculum content into
learning activities that are relevant to learners and based on the principles of effective teaching and
learning. It expects teachers to apply their professional knowledge to plan and design, individually or in
collaboration with colleagues, well-structured and sequenced lessons. These lesson sequences and
associated learning programs should be contextually relevant, responsive to learners’ needs and
incorporate a range of teaching and learning resources. The Domain expects teachers to communicate
learning goals to support learner participation, understanding and achievement.

STRANDS BEGINNING TEACHER

Prepare developmentally sequenced
Strand 4.1 teaching and learning process to meet
curriculum requirements.
Planning and management of teaching
and learning process
Strand 4.2 Identify learning outcomes that are
Learning outcomes aligned with learning aligned with learning competencies.
competencies
Strand 4.3 Demonstrate knowledge in the
Relevance and responsiveness of learning implementation of relevant and responsive
programs learning programs.
Strand 4.4 Seek advice concerning strategies that
can enrich teaching practice.
Professional collaboration to enrich
teaching practice
Strand 4.5 show skills in the selection, development
and use of a variety of teaching and
Teaching and learning resources including learning resources, including ICT, to
ICT address learning goals.

Domain 5. Assessment and Reporting

Domain 5 relates to processes associated with a variety of assessment tools and

strategies used by teachers in monitoring, evaluating, documenting and reporting
learners’ needs, progress and achievement. This Domain concerns the use of assessment
data in a variety of ways to inform and enhance the teaching and learning process and
programs. It concerns teachers providing learners with the necessary feedback about
learning outcomes. This feedback informs the reporting cycle and enables teachers to
select, organize and use sound assessment processes.

STRANDS BEGINNING TEACHER

Strand 5.1 Demonstrate knowledge of the design,
selection, organization and use of
Design, selection, organization and diagnostic, formative and summative
utilization of assessment strategies assessment strategies consistent with
curriculum requirements.
Strand 5.2 Demonstrate knowledge of monitoring and
evaluation of learner progress and
Monitoring and evaluation of learner achievement using learner attainment
progress and achievement data.
Strand 5.3 Demonstrate knowledge of providing
timely, accurate and constructive
Feedback to improve learning feedback to improve learner performance.
Communication of learner needs, progress Demonstrate familiarity with a range of
and achievement to key stakeholders strategies for communicating learner
needs, progress and achievement.
Strand 5.5 Demonstrate an understanding of the role
of assessment data as feedback in
Use of assessment data to enhance teaching and learning practices and
teaching and learning practices and programs.
programs
Domain 6. Community Linkages and Professional Engagement

Domain 6 affirms the role of teachers in establishing school-community

partnerships aimed at enriching the learning environment, as well as the community’s
engagement in the educative process. This Domain expects teachers to 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. It concerns the importance of teachers’ understanding and fulfilling their
obligations in upholding professional ethics, accountability and transparency to promote
professional and harmonious relationships with learners, parents, schools and the wider
community.

STRANDS BEGINNING TEACHER

Strand 6.1 Demonstrate an understanding of
knowledge of learning environments that
Establishment of learning environments are responsive to community contexts.
that are responsive to community contexts

Strand 6.2 Seek advice concerning strategies that

build relationships with parents/guardians
Engagement of parents and the wider and the wider community.
school community in the educative
process
Strand 6.3 Professional ethics Demonstrate awareness of existing laws
and regulations that apply to the teaching
profession, and become familiar with the
responsibilities specified in the Code of
Ethics for Professional Teachers.
Strand 6.4 Demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of school policies and
School policies and procedures procedures to foster harmonious
relationship with the wider school
community.

Domain 7. Personal Growth and Professional Development

Domain 7 focuses on teachers’ personal growth and professional development. It

accentuates teachers’ proper and high personal regard for the profession by maintaining
qualities that uphold the dignity of teaching such as caring attitude, respect and integrity.
This Domain values personal and professional reflection and learning to improve practice.
It recognizes the importance of teachers’ assuming responsibility for personal growth and
professional development for lifelong learning.

STRANDS BEGINNING TEACHER

Strand 7.1 Articulate a personal philosophy of
teaching that is learner-centered.
Philosophy of teaching

Strand 7.2 Demonstrate behaviors that uphold the

dignity of teaching as a profession by
Dignity of teaching as a profession exhibiting qualities such as caring
attitude, respect and integrity.
Strand 7.3 Seek opportunities to establish
professional links with colleagues
Professional links with colleagues
Strand 7.4 Demonstrate an understanding of how
professional reflection and learning can be
Professional reflection and learning to use to improve practice
improve practice
Strand 7.5 Demonstrate motivation to realize
professional development goals based on
Professional development goals the Philippine Professional Standards for
Teachers.