professional competencies essay

The Six Professional Competencies

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Professional competencies are knowledge, skills, and abilities that will equip you for success in the workplace and lifelong career management.

These competencies are:

Interrelated - you may see similar language under different competencies, or think they could be organized in different ways. That’s OK!

Non-linear - explore competencies in any order, and choose which ones to spend more time developing, based on your own needs.

Transferable - relevant no matter your degree, discipline, or career goals.

Developing professional competencies is a lifelong process. You are likely already developing many of these through your coursework, research activities, internships, or volunteer experiences.

There are many opportunities throughout Stanford to help you grow and develop your knowledge, skills, and abilities - this is where the Grad Grow search tool can help!

Communication

• using planning techniques to write effectively
• using effective strategies and terminology to frame and communicate one’s work for impact with academic, interdisciplinary, and non-academic audiences (e.g., policy-makers, the public)
• using informative visual and narrative representations to communicate about themes and findings in data

Speaking & Presenting  

• expressing yourself persuasively in situations such as courses, job interviews, conferences, and dissertation defenses

using storytelling, narrative, visuals, and multi-media to build and deliver engaging and compelling presentations

Interpersonal Communication

• communicating effectively and authentically with others in a variety of educational and professional settings, with awareness of how communication norms may differ
• developing awareness of one’s own and others’ feelings, perceptions, and behaviors, and how these influence communications
• listening, and giving and receiving productive feedback for change

Teaching & Mentoring

Course & Training Design

• developing syllabi, agendas, lesson plans, and learning outcomes for formal courses, informal teaching settings, and online learning environments
• developing content and instructional approach aligned with learning goals
• using strategies to meet the needs of a diversity of learners

Pedagogy & Assessment

• setting norms and using inclusive practices to foster equitable access and participation by all members of the learning community
• implementing teaching techniques appropriate for learning goals, such as lecturing, hands-on activities or labs, facilitating, demonstrating, leading discussions, and coaching
• assessing learners’ understanding and attainment of learning goals; using feedback for continuous improvement 
• applying educational and collaborative technologies that foster learning and prepare learners for professional environments
• reflecting continually on one’s own pedagogical practices through feedback from students, peers, and mentors

Mentoring 

• developing empowering relationships through active listening and fostering a growth mindset
• supporting mentees in finding resources, connecting with supportive communities, solving problems, getting the most out of mentoring
• mentoring across differences in experiences, skills, social identities, values, goals, and motivations
• focusing on mentoring the next generation of professionals in your field, and sponsoring and supporting their career development

Professionalism

Academic & Research Integrity

• understanding principles, policies, and practices concerning academic integrity, such as honesty, authorship, collaboration, and attribution of credit
• understanding principles, policies, and practices concerning research ethics, such as promoting truth, minimizing error, human subjects protections, animal care and use, compliance with public health and safety regulations, fairness in intellectual ownership, protection of intellectual property
• understanding the ethical dimensions, implicit or explicit, of one’s chosen research questions and methodological approaches

Professional Ethics        

• understanding the specific ethical concepts, norms, practices, and codes of your organization, discipline, or profession
• understanding the ethical issues that professionals typically encounter in the contemporary workplace, such as confidentiality and privacy, conflict of interest, honesty, bias, resource allocation, intellectual property, risk management
• understanding the ethical foundations and consequences and impacts of one’s work

Critical & Analytical Thinking

• applying systems thinking to identify and determine the relationships between variables, test hypotheses, and control for confounds
• drawing logical conclusions based on data, avoiding confirmation bias and other cognitive biases
• building and presenting arguments based on syntheses of ideas from multiple perspectives
• using frameworks or sets of standards to evaluate the quality of procedures or solutions

Stress Management & Work/Life Balance

• understanding the dimensions of personal well-being and developing practices to support them
• managing stress, time, energy, life goals, and implementing healthy strategies for dealing with challenging experiences
• making professional plans and acting on them, and seeking coaches, mentors, sponsors, and other experts to assist in planning and execution
• communicating about one’s needs in professional settings

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Inclusive Mindset

• engaging in lifelong learning about other perspectives and issues in diversity, equity, and inclusion across a variety of contexts
• inspiring new angles of inquiry, new modes of analysis, new discoveries and new solutions through appreciating and engaging with diverse perspectives
• applying awareness of differences in culture, identity, discipline, personality, and other factors to enhance productivity and build positive connections
• considering how issues of diversity and inclusion intersect with one’s work, for example, through methods of inquiry and interactions with vulnerable populations

Equitable & Inclusive Environments

• creating more equitable and inclusive spaces by understanding historical and present obstacles to equity and inclusion and working to remove those obstacles
• learning and conscientiously engaging effective strategies to foster inclusion and advance equity in teams, organizations and institutions
• engaging tools and strategies to have challenging conversations and work effectively with individuals with a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives
• encouraging individuals from all backgrounds and identities, and especially from marginalized communities, to join your academic discipline or profession, and to succeed

Teamwork & Collaboration

• contributing positively to teams, formally or informally
• building positive connections and breaking down barriers to productivity by applying awareness of differences in culture, identity, discipline, personality, and other factors to personal and team interactions
• facilitating meetings to serve a range of distinct purposes, such as brainstorming, converging on ideas, consensus-building and informing stakeholders

Leadership & Management

Leadership & Entrepreneurial Skills        

• influencing and inspiring others through developing and communicating a vision for the future
• cultivating leadership qualities including humility, empathy, courage, curiosity, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, authenticity, and an ethos of service
• engaging facilitative practices to understand stakeholder perspectives and explore and advance ideas in broad service of community needs
• knowing how to use one’s own strengths, and when to lead and when to follow

Management of People & Projects

• using tools and practices to complete complex projects within constraints in availability of people, resources, and time
• delegating effectively to empower others to work independently and make unique contributions
• communicating productively with the wide range of individuals involved in a project, including supervisees, peers, and supervisors

Negotiation & Conflict Resolution           

• advocating for yourself and on behalf of others
• engaging in difficult conversations with confidence
• moving a group from discord to shared goals
• working with bosses and employers effectively under pressure and through conflict

Innovation & Problem-Solving 

• cultivating a growth mindset and a focus on curiosity, taking on challenges, being open to many perspectives, and learning from mistakes
• applying creativity and innovation practices, such as design thinking, to finding solutions to complex problems
• facilitating collaborative problem solving in groups and teams

Career Development

Career Exploration & Preparation          

• taking personal ownership of educational and career goals by exploring and understanding own skills, interests, values, preferences, and goals
• understanding the career pathways and employment sectors that most align with your interests, skills, and values
• understanding and developing the skills and competencies needed for career pathways of interest,
• articulating your transferable skills and competencies for various careers

Networking & Relationship Building        

• developing and maintaining professional relationships with a wide range of people and organizations, including professional societies
• building and cultivating a network of mentors to support your professional growth at all stages of your career
• conducting informational interviews to learn about professions and organizations
• utilizing online tools to connect with Stanford students and affiliates

Job Search Skills

• articulating your diverse skills, disciplinary knowledge, professional competencies, and professional identity via resumes, curriculum vitae, cover letters, and digital platforms
• interviewing to convey effectively your technical knowledge and professional competencies
• implementing a multi-pronged job search that incorporates both responding to job postings and networking to tap into the “hidden job market”
• negotiating offers and preparing for onboarding 
• utilizing online tools to effectively build professional connections and gather data about opportunities
• using appropriate etiquette, such as sending thank you emails after an interview

Social Work in the Frame of a Professional Competencies Approach pp 3–19 Cite as

Introduction to the Professional Competency Framework in Social Work

• Ana Opačić 4  
• First Online: 20 October 2022

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Part of the book series: European Social Work Education and Practice ((ESWEP))

In past two decades, there has been growing interest to define social work profession within the framework of professional competencies. Professional competencies are considered in their complexity as a triangle of knowledge, skills, and values. Professional competencies are not solely a tool for education and practice but also are important for professional socialization and professional identity. Competency-based approach has been used to define standards and expectations for social workers–practitioners, it is an evaluation tool for formal education programs and lifelong learning programs, it provides guidance for field practice and field placements for social work students and it could be a frame for distinguishing levels of professional expertise. This chapter aims to explain professional competence framework through several basic arguments. First, we will elaborate the concept of “competence” and knowledge-skills-values triangle in social work. We will also elaborate different traditions in considering professional competencies. Moreover, we will map heuristic potential of competency-based approach, including its implications for social work research, for formal education and field practice in social work, for lifelong learning program and professional career development.

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Opačić, A. (2022). Introduction to the Professional Competency Framework in Social Work. In: Opačić, A. (eds) Social Work in the Frame of a Professional Competencies Approach. European Social Work Education and Practice. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13528-6_1

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The Most Important Leadership Competencies, According to Leaders Around the World

• Sunnie Giles

They’re all hard to improve because they run counter to our instincts.

Research over the past few decades has shown us that the most important leadership qualities are centered around soft skills and emotional intelligence. But do these skills point to deeper competencies? A survey of 195 leaders from more than 30 global organizations suggests that there are five major themes of competencies that strong leaders exhibit:

• High ethical standards and providing a safe environment
• Empowering individuals to self-organize
• Promoting connection and belonging among employees
• Open to new ideas and experimentation
• Committed to the professional and intellectual growth of employees

While many of these competencies may seem obvious, they are difficult for leaders to master because to do so would require them to act against their nature. Individuals are not hardwired to relinquish control or be open to small failures. The ability to actively improve these competencies should be a priority for leaders.

What makes an effective leader? This question is a focus of my research as an organizational scientist, executive coach, and leadership development consultant. Looking for answers, I recently completed the first round of a study of 195 leaders in 15 countries over 30 global organizations. Participants were asked to choose the 15 most important leadership competencies from a list of 74. I’ve grouped the top ones into five major themes that suggest a set of priorities for leaders and leadership development programs. While some may not surprise you, they’re all difficult to master, in part because improving them requires acting against our nature.

• SG Sunnie Giles is a professionally certified executive coach, leadership development consultant, and organizational scientist, as well as the president of Quantum Leadership Group . She has an MBA from the University of Chicago and a PhD from Brigham Young University.

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Effectiveness of Professional and Practical Competencies

Introduction.

More than just academic qualifications and knowledge are required in the modern world to face ever-changing competitive work environments. Aspects like leadership, assertiveness, and showing some creativity will make a difference. Thus, these elements are all termed professional competencies. Skill and professionalism are the ability of an individual to perform things correctly or show some competitive advantage when handling a given task. The skills can be hard or soft; in most cases, soft skills like communication or time management fall under soft skills. Professional competencies are key for empowering the working team in all dimensions, and it is dispensed to help the organization grow (Armstrong and Taylor, 2020, Pg. 63). In this reflection will be based on the CIPD, which looks at how professionalism should be conducted by its different codes. The reflection will look at the area of leading, managing, and developing people in the workplace and how professional and practical competencies may apply. The areas that will be reflected on include the recruitment, selection, induction talent management, and well-being of the employees in the workplace.

Recruitment

Recruitment is a human resource activity that refers to identifying and attracting. Carrying interviews, selecting, hiring, and onboarding the selected workforce to the operations. Generally, it involves everything that is involved, from identifying the areas that need to be filled, the suited employees to fill the gaps needed, and staffing. It is one area that requires professional and practical competencies so that the staffing needs can be effectively filled by attracting the right people (Hangartner et al., 2021, Pg. 589). Human resources need to have a good way of recruiting so that the resourcing can be significant in the development. An effective recruitment process looks at the internal and external aspects of the candidates. That is made through choosing the hardest option when selecting the candidate to fill different gaps; HR should only make the easiest choice for qualified persons if they are internal employees. They should go through important stages that will qualify them for the position. Quality time needs to be spent looking at which advertising approach will be used to target and attract the right candidates. In Nissan, the hiring process is very well coordinated and managed with the HR department documenting effectively what needs to be done (Shimamura, 2023, Pg. 119). The recruitment process starts with the online application through the company’s website, where the CV is submitted. The CV should display career history, experience, most recent employment or achievements, educational qualifications, and additional courses that will add advantage.

Selection is a human resources activity that involves assessing the candidate’s capabilities to fit in a given position in the company. The Human Capital Theory (HCT)holds that employees are the organization’s most important and valuable asset; thus, it suggests that the recruitment and selection process must be done effectively by identifying and acquiring employees with valuable knowledge. In that sense, selection in HR management is a process involving assessing a candidate’s qualities, skills, and experience to reduce the pool of people who have applied for a given chance in a company (Moonan, 2021, Pg. 45). The process is mostly characterized by conducting interview together with using other assessment tests to evaluate suitability of the candidate. The selection process involves screening the resumes applied through the website, where the applicant’s resume must demonstrate they meet the minimum qualifications. At the Nissan Company, candidates are invited to participate in video or phone interviews after resume screening. If the candidate meets the minimum successful, one is invited to participate in a face-to-face interview with the human resources department and hiring manager. If the candidate completes the process, they are given a job offer and have to complete paperwork and background check. The testing and background checks are key for human resources to have incredible information essential to meet other criteria like the social or medical aspects of the candidates. The process is essential because making any mistake in the selection process will mean missing out on the points of recruitment and selection, and the organization will likely need help to achieve overall success in human resource management. Using professional and practical competencies thus helps ensure that they meet recruitment activities.

Induction is another important work of the human resource department that involves onboarding new employees to the organization and making them start their new lives there. The process is also called first employee greetings; in that case, the first impression of the employees is important and impacts the integration of the team and job satisfaction. It is the opportunity for the organization to welcome new employees, assist them in settling in, and ensure they understand how to perform their duties. For effective induction to occur, a good HR has to apply their professionalism and practical competencies to help employees understand their roles (Sharma, 2023, Pg. 89). The Social Exchange Theory holds that the reciprocal relationship between the employee and organization where the induction is a key way to show that reciprocal. It posits that an individual who feels the selection and recruitment process was fair treatment will likely show a high commitment to the organization. A good induction process will reduce the issue of employee turnover and boost employee morale. In Nissan’s organization, there is an effective induction process where factsheets are used to cover the purpose of induction and the selection of attendees. A good checklist is used to ensure that each employee has been given the right departmental activities, job description, and standard operating procedures of the company so that new employees will work according to the set SOPs for the benefit of growth. The induction should create a good orientation, familiarizing the employees with the organization’s charts and communication ranks.

Talent Management

The CIPD profession map acknowledges talent management as an important knowledge aspect of the organization and creates outstanding standards to operate through. Talent management is becoming an important trend in organizations. It involves an effective mechanism to attract, identify, grow, orient, and keep deploying employee valuables to an organization (Dundon et al., 2023, Pg. 558). The human resource department must be aligned with strategies and business objectives to be effective. Strategic talent management has been shown to have a wide range of benefits for organizations. For example, it has been attached to high organizational and workplace performance. Talent management is built by ensuring the organization has the right workforce with diverse skills, a balanced demographic, and the right profession across the departments. It is important to continuously evaluate talent management so that the organization is sure that the information is justified. Thus, the evaluation must be based on reliable quantitative and qualitative information and a mechanism that assures the organization’s effectiveness. Nissan has been effective in the aspect of talent management because it has focused on the culture transformation journey, which is one of the transformation processes the organization is bringing to create a new bloodline of talent management (Shimamura, 2023, Pg. 119). The company has transitioned to a top-down, commitment-fused approach where the focus is to have a bottom-up voice and innovation. The company has established an effective communication process where employees give feedback freely and come up with tangible and intangible improvement processes. The company also has created a framework that will allow diversity and inclusion so that it can have diverse talents across the department. The commitment is shown by the Diversity Development Office, created in 2004, where the company gets dedicated bodies to achieve diversity. The approach looks at aspects like mindsets, activities, and a diverse workforce because there will be high talent growth across the company.

Well-being is becoming an integral part of organizational employee management in organizations. The issue is even becoming more recognized because of increasing remote working; thus, employee well-being has become an important part of the business and organizations’ operations. The Future Workplace 2021 Human Resources (HR) Sentiment survey found that about 68% of senior HR managers said that employee well-being was important for the business to prioritize when dealing with employees. It is not by surprise that the issue is the top priority for the HR leader because the market is estimated at 20.4 billion in the United States. It is forecasted to grow to about $87.4 billion in 2026 (Meister, 2021, Pg. 2). The well-being thus is an important issue for the human resource department achieved through a good work-life balance and good demographic balance. Employees should be given good incentives like rewards, healthcare insurance, and training to achieve a good work-life balance. There is also a need for a good time for the employees to rest and interact with their families to feel relieved and re-energize. Nissan Company is offering well-being to the employees by focusing on work flexibility where employees can operate remotely if they are not okay with the physical office operations. The company is also complementing it with well-being benefits like online coaching and counseling focusing on empathic leadership.

In conclusion, the CIPD profession map has outlined some of the human resources activities that should be well articulated when dealing with the people leadership, management, and employees. The organizations are then looking to ensure that they get every aspect right for the organization to achieve good people leadership, management, and development. The human resource department must ensure that it has established the needs and areas that must be effectively created. That means looking at all possible means that it can inject good operational processes. For example, Nissan has been outstanding in managing people and developing through keenly using HR activities.

Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S., 2020.  Armstrong’s Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice . Kogan Page Publishers.

Dundon, T., Wilkinson, A. and Ackers, P., 2023.  Mapping Employee Involvement and Participation in Institutional Context:  Mick Marchington’s Applied Pluralist Contributions to Human Resource Management Research Methods, Theory and Policy.  Human Resource Management Journal ,  33 (3), pp.551-563.

Hangartner, D., Kopp, D. and Siegenthaler, M., 2021.  Monitoring Hiring Discrimination through Online Recruitment Platforms.   Nature ,  589 (7843), pp.572-576.

Meister, J., 2021. The Future Of Work Is Employee Well-Being. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeannemeister/2021/08/04/the-future-of-work-is-worker-well-being/?sh=4c59d7a64aed

Moonan, C., 2021.  The Transfer Of Japanese Human Resource Management In The Indian Automotive Industry  (Doctoral dissertation, University of Leeds).

Sharma, F.C., 2023.  Human Resource Management . SBPD Publications.

Shimamura, H., 2023.  Nissan after Carlos . In  OVERCOMING CRISIS: Case Studies of Asian Multinational Corporations  (pp. 113-127).

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Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies Essay

Core competencies: scientific foundation and leadership, quality and practice inquiry, technology and information literacy and policy, home delivery system and ethics, independent practice, how to demonstrate competencies.

Nursing practitioners (NP) play a fundamental role in modern healthcare. They perform various tasks, work directly with patients, and impact treatment outcomes. Their skills, knowledge, and experiences are essential contributors to the overall success and the increased level of patient satisfaction. Under these conditions, much attention is devoted to preparing NPs and ensuring they can overcome all challenges they meet. The National Organization of Nurse Practitioners Faculties (NONPF) (2017) outlines the nine core competencies that should be considered when creating NP programs. The ability to demonstrate these competencies is essential for a nurse.

The scientific foundation is the first necessary competence mentioned by NONPF. It emphasizes evidence-based care supported by qualitative and quantitative research methods (NONPF, 2017). A nurse should be able to critically analyze data available to him/her to improve outcomes and transfer research results into practice (Clarke, 2022). Leadership is also considered the core competence by NONPF(2017) as an NP should foster collaboration with numerous stakeholders responsible for positive outcomes. In such a way, it is vital to understand the scope and standard of practice and be ready to lead other team members to ensure they are united around improvement and continuous growth (Clarke, 2022). Communication is also vital for the leadership sphere meaning that an NP should effectively explain tasks and interact with patients.

Quality is the third core competence outlined by NONPF as part of NPs’ preparation programs. Its central idea implies improving practice and its outcomes via accessing and evaluating the relevant data linked to safety, costs, and treatment (NONPF, 2017). Utilizing the available evidence and making it a part of everyday practice, a nurse can significantly improve the quality of provided care and promote new standards critical for increased patient satisfaction. Practice inquiry is another competence critical for NPs working in the modern healthcare setting. It guarantees that a specialist will continuously work with available research results and make them part of his/her practice (Clarke, 2022). At the same time, the clinical practice should also be viewed as a source of information necessary for generating new knowledge and improving the existing approaches and methods (Clarke, 2022). It will help to create the basis for continuous care and outcomes enhancement.

Innovation and science are two basic components of the modern world. For this reason, NONPF (2017) views technology and information literacy as another necessary NPs’ competence. It means that a nurse should be able to use the recent advances in the given field to promote better outcomes (Clarke, 2022). New technology should be employed to manage, create, and share health-related information to increase the effectiveness of provided care (Clarke, 2022). It will create the basis for new achievements and future success. NONPF (2017) offers policy as another core competence necessary for NPs. A specialist should know the existing guidelines and recommended methods and instructions to create the most effective care paradigm and help patients in various cases. At the same time, nurses might promote the establishment of new policies by sharing data they acquire during their work (Clarke, 2022). It will create the basis for the healthcare sector’s continuous improvement.

Home delivery system is a core competence focused on planning the work with communities. NONPF (2017) emphasizes that an NP should be ready to select and develop the most effective methods of care delivery to meet the needs of various communities and guarantee that every individual is provided with the necessary treatment. It will reduce the risks of being untreated and resolve problems with the accessibility of care and its affordability. Ethics competency is another critical aspect mentioned by NONPF (2017). Every NP should understand the existing code of ethics and integrate its major principles into decision-making (Clarke, 2022). It will contribute to better cooperation with clients and minimize the number of cases of patient dissatisfaction (Chan et al., 2020). At the same time, the selected approaches should also be offered regarding the code of ethics and major standards to meet clients’ needs.

Finally, NONPF views independent practice as another core competence vital for NPs. It means a nurse should possess the required academic knowledge, skills, experiences, and professional training to work as a licensed and independent practitioner (Singh et al., 2022). It is vital for the stable work of the sector as NPs can work with clients in terms of existing law. Under these conditions, it becomes critical to create the basis for nurses’ independent work and readiness to resolve complex cases.

In such a way, mastering these competencies is a key to becoming an effective NP. I can attain success in these fields in several steps. First, it is critical to continue reviewing the guidelines offered by NONPF to ensure the newest information is considered. Second, mastering the competencies implies continuous learning as new information should be acquired and integrated into the practice. Third, I plan to communicate with more experienced colleagues to acquire information from them. Finally, it is vital to support the evidence-based approach by collecting information from practice and conducting research.

In such a way, the outlined competencies are critical to the practice. For this reason, I am planning to demonstrate them in my everyday work. Leadership skills and knowledge can be manifested by working with colleagues and interacting with them. It is vital to accept responsibility for specific decisions and actions and lead teams to promote positive change. I plan to monitor the collective’s work and offer views on how some aspects can be improved.

Quality is another field outlined by NONPF and vital to me. I plan to base my clinical practice on the recent evidence acquired from the research and practice. Moreover, I want to promote a culture of excellence by raising the standards of care and guaranteeing that all patients are provided with necessary treatment in the most effective ways. At the same time, the newest methods to work with complex cases should be used, and I want to focus on this aspect. It will help to improve outcomes and reduce the number of problems affecting the unit.

Finally, I view technology and information literacy as essential components of an NP’s work today. For this reason, I plan to improve my skills in the given area by learning how to work with new devices and integrate them into the organization’s work. It will cultivate a culture of innovation and replace outdated methods with new ones necessary for better information sharing, knowledge generation, and patient data management. Additionally, I want to align better cooperation between various units by using technology to align the continuity of care and attain better results in complex cases.

Altogether, NP is a fundamental figure in the modern healthcare sector. He/she faces a wide range of tasks, meaning he/she should possess specific competencies necessary for successful functioning. That is why the nine competencies outlined by NONPF are fundamental for every specialist working within the sphere. I plan to master these aspects by continuing my learning, reviewing recent research, and communicating with more experienced workers. At the same time, I also want to demonstrate leadership, quality, and technology competencies as it would help me to become a respected specialist and promote a positive change within a unit.

Clarke, E. (2022). What are the NP Core Competencies? Nurse Journal. Web.

Chan, T. E., Lockhart, J. S., Schreiber, J. B., & Kronk, R. (2020). Determining nurse practitioner core competencies using a Delphi approach. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 32 (3), 200–217. Web.

The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF). (2017). Nurse practitioner core competencies content. Web.

Singh, H. K., Kennedy, G. A., & Stupans, I. (2022). Competencies and training of health professionals engaged in health coaching: A systematic review. Chronic Illness, 18 (1), 58–85. Web.

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Essay: Professional Competences

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Professional Competences

The issue of professional competences is closely linked to educational advances and development, and from this perspective the value given to the teacher’s competence is an asset necessary in the reformulation of the teacher’s training and, more particularly, of the teacher’s performance. Some research about the teacher’s classroom performance has been conducted (Rico, 1990; Ball, 1988; Llinares and Sanchez, 1990). Other studies focus on the different teaching approaches given to the teaching of mathematics: student-centred, content-based related to comprehension, content-based focused on routine actions or classroom-based (Kuhs and Ball, 1986). Llinares (1988) describes certain features in the learning and changing processes that the mathematics teacher goes through, trying to balance the difficulties between theory and practice. From a ‘professional perspective’, there is knowledge that originates from professional performanceand from the knowledge that supports and justifies decisions and actions in the work context of mathematics teaching. However, the teacher’s training and the teacher’s performance are two different issues. Several research studies relate these two issues. Eisenhart et al. (1993) identify the teacher trainees’ difficulties in teaching in actual practice and analyse the way in which they contextualise the content learned at the university. Other researchers describe difficulty variables found in the students while attempting to introduce problem solving, among these are the meaning of the concepts involved, the regulation of their beliefs and the distinction between problem and exercise. Thus, researchers talk about subordinate competences in problem solving or about a hierarchy of competences regarding contents (cultural and practical aspects plus those connected with the training), mathematical methods (modelling principles used), didactic procedures (strategies developed), and psychological procedures (level 2 of conscious operation) (Cazzaro, Noel, Pourbaix and Tilleuil, 2001). Blanco (1991) states that faced with difficulties in their perceptions and interpretations of information, students give more emphasis to algorithmic than to conceptual processes. This suggests a difference between the ‘professional knowledge’ of the teacher of mathematics and the analysis of the epistemological nature of such knowledge. Professional knowledge, according to Bromme and Tillema (1996), is knowledge oriented towards professional activity. Such knowledge involves not only specific training in data and problem solving methods, but also information necessary to define and understand the problems faced by the professional. The emergence of Reforms in the last decade has made the teacher a main concern for trainers and researchers in Mathematics Education, making the issue of the competences needed by such teacher to adapt to and face those reform processes increasingly popular in international congresses. The current Chilean Reform is aimed at improving teaching quality in education as a whole. In the context of school teaching, the reform has made considerable effort to implement educational practices in a way that can secure the development of feasible, long lasting transformations that enrich and renew teaching practices. This led us to develop an experimental assessment proposal of the competences of the mathematics teacher in Chile. The focus of the assessment was the setting of criteria that consider the aims of the Reform, its contents and conceptions, the teaching methods and assessment procedures employed by the teacher of mathematics. Competences, Frameworks and Quality For the purpose of this research, the competences of the mathematics teacher are defined as the skills effectively and efficiently acquired when teaching mathematics. Competences must necessarily be associated to quality, since the aim is to teach but to teach well. The assessment proposed here includes specific and general competences, competence context frameworks, and qualitative dimensions (Poblete, Diaz, 2001). We define general competences as: Ability to innovate, inquire and create during the mathematics teaching and learning process. Capacity to encourage a favorable atmosphere for the process of mathematics learning Capacity to face socio-cultural diversity during the process of mathematics teaching Team work capacity in the professional work of the teacher Capacity to self-criticise their role as a trainer and as teacher of mathematics Skill to apply mathematics knowledge Capacity to adapt, update and project as a teacher of mathematics Capacity to foster and encourage ethical development in the student

Regarding specialized competences, we see these as: Skill to plan didactic activities in mathematics Capacity to face curriculum, methodological and technological demands Skill in using varied teaching strategies Capacity to understand, identify and apply mathematics learning theories We have related these competences to context frameworks of the mathematics teacher regarding knowledge of and about mathematics content; didactic know-how of and about teaching, of and about the teaching and learning process, and of and about assessment. We have also related these to the capacity of knowing about and being transversal in terms of values, and about knowing how to be evolutionary regarding adaptability (Poblete, Diaz, 2001).

The intersection of frameworks and the way they connect and represent each other allow the teacher of mathematics to perform educational actions in which s/he can demonstrate that competence. What is interesting in this interaction is that the actions performed by the teacher consider a quality conception (a conception of a subjective nature depending on how we define and accept quality). Thus, we have outlined specific features typical of the mathematics teacher that relate this quality conception to varied dimensions, among them: Relevance: the educational aims that the teacher of mathematics wants to achieve Efficiency: the optimisation in the use of educational resources that the teacher of mathematics makes to help the learners Effectivity: concordance between the mathematics teacher’s plans and the achievements obtained in the context in which s/he teaches. Efficacy: congruence between the educational results achieved by the teacher of mathematics and the selection, distribution and organisation of resources. Processes: relationship between the performance of the mathematics teacher and the results achieved. While many studies of effective teaching highlight the context specific nature of effective teaching. This study showed that teachers make use of situated possibilities afforded by the specific context in the best interests of the students. This study found that the development of professional competence is characterized by constant engagement in reflection and in responding to challenges, thereby engaging in the kind of learning that extends one’s competence. This study contributes to the body of research literature on teacher cases, research on secondary teacher’s subject matter knowledge (Cooney, Shealy, & Arvold, 1998; Cooney & Wilson, 1995), and the influence of teachers’ conceptions on instruction (e.g., Ball, 1993; Eisenhart et al., 1993; Raymond, 1997; Schifter & Simon, 1992; Shulman, 1987; Thompson, 1992) and on students’ dispositions in mathematics. The findings of this study provide additional support to the finding from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study involving teaching at the eighth grade: ‘teachers’ beliefs about mathematics learning and instruction were to some extent related to their preparation’ (Mullis et al., 2000, p. 191). The teachers from the Indian setting demonstrated multicultural competence. The findings from the Indian setting suggest that effective mathematics teaching demands mathematical enculturation of students by developing an understanding of the diverse cultural and academic backgrounds of the students. Cultural traditions prevalent in the teachers’ work context interact with teachers’ pedagogical and mathematical conceptions, and with the instructional context to influence student outcomes. Many researchers (Banks, 2002; Ladson-Billings, 2001) recommend teacher multicultural education in the wake of changing ethnic composition of the United States. ‘Teacher-education research lacks a common theoretical basis, which prevents a convincing development of instruments and makes it difficult to connect studies to each other’ (Bl??meke, Felbrich, M??ller, Kaiser & Lehmann, 2008). Since then, not only the research on prospective but also the research on practicing mathematics teachers’ knowledge has continued to develop. Two research groups were particularly productive by assessing teacher knowledge with direct measures: one from Michigan State University in the context of ‘Mathematics Teaching in the 21st Century (MT21; see e.g. Schmidt, Bl??meke & Tatto, 2011)’ and the ‘Teacher Education and Development Study: Learning to Teach Mathematics (TEDS-M; see e.g. Tatto, Schwille, Senk, Rodriguez, Bankov, & Reckase, in press; Bl??meke, Kaiser & Lehmann, 2010)’, the second one from the University of Michigan in the context of ‘Learning mathematics for teaching’ (LMT; see e.g. Delaney, Ball, Hill, Schilling & Zopf, 2008; Hill, Ball & Schilling, 2008)’. This pioneering work has paved the way for the present special issue. The results of comparative studies also provide benchmarks of what level and quality of teacher knowledge can be achieved and they point at country-specific strengths and weaknesses. Efforts to fill existing research gaps have been made since the late 1990s. Several comparative small-scale studies on mathematics teachers and mathematics teacher training are available (e.g., An, Kulm and Wu, 2004; Ma, 1999; Burghes, 2008). Much of the teacher research, however, neglected the content domain, focused on other subdomains of mathematics teachers’ competencies like beliefs (Bramald, Hardman, & Leat, 1995; Calderhead, 1996) or intended to capture knowledge by self reports. Studies including direct measures of teacher knowledge and cross-country studies are still needed (Brouwer, 2010; Wilson, Floden, & Ferrini-Mundy, 2001). There are numerous factors that influence achievement in mathematics. Among other factors pupil-teacher relationship and school disciplinary climate (Shin, Lee & Kim, 2011), teacher competence and classroom atmosphere (Lamb, 2001) and assessment methods (Ellerton & Clements, 2008) were found to influence academic achievement. Affective factors such as pupils’ values, beliefs, attitudes and emotions are said to play significant roles in learner achievement in mathematics (Grootenboer & Hemmings, 2007). One factor that is highly associated with pupil achievement is the pupils’ attitudes towards mathematics. For instance, in Zimbabwe during summative assessment results analysis in teacher development program, mathematics teachers are largely blamed for not fostering positive attitudes towards the subject during instruction (Mandebu, 1996). This blame prompted the present study in order to identify the types of attitudes that influence academic achievement in ‘O’ Level mathematics in order to provide insight to similar discussions as those in teacher development sessions. Performance in mathematics attracts attention from all walks of life creating constant search for ways for improving mathematics education (Grevholm, 2000: Julie 2004: van der Sandt & Nieuwoudt, 2005). Learner achievements are receiving great attention because mathematics is a critical filter for school leavers’ employment opportunities and full participation in society (Brumbaugh & Rock, 2001). Thus the utility of the subject is high but one wonders whether pupils studying ‘O’ Level realize the importance of mathematics in their future lives. Hence an analysis of pupils’ attitudes towards mathematics may shed light into the dispositions that pupils have towards mathematics. A review of school’based educational research has revealed that the majority of secondary school pupils find mathematics as the most difficult, abstract, deadly and boring subject (Amirali, 2010). Other research studies have shown that students in primary school enjoy mathematics but when they move to secondary school their interest towards the subject declines, (Larzim, Abu & Wan 2003; Chambers, 1998). Some societal views about mathematics such as mathematics problems have one and only one answer and can be solved in a particular way, mathematics is a solitary activity, done by individuals in isolation, mathematics requires Summary Study of the past researches shows that teachers competencies plays an important role over the performance of students in mathematics. Professional competency develops confidence among the teachers. Also teachers personality traits, attitudes and beliefs about teaching of mathematics at secondary school level mean a lot in teaching and learning process of mathematics.

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Becoming Your Best: Building Professional Competencies

You are here

My career in early childhood education has been an unexpected adventure, giving me an expanded view of life outside the classroom. Before my current role supporting early education programs pursuing NAEYC accreditation, I was a preschool teacher for five years. As much as I loved teaching, I also had a passion for policy that brought me to Washington, DC. Now, I’m honored to help teachers have a voice in education policy and support high-quality programs for children.

While the primary focus of your job as a teacher is educating and caring for young children, there’s growing momentum for teachers to take charge of their profession. I’ve gathered the following be-your-best ideas for busy teachers regarding competencies, professionalism, and support from my time as a teacher, an advocate, and a trainer (and continuous learner!) working with programs from coast to coast.

1. Be knowledgeable

While many teachers don’t focus on their program’s general employment policies—sick leave and vacation, coverage and break times, and health care benefits—these things directly impact how you practice in the field. For example, knowing that NAEYC calls for staff to have planning time built into the schedule, as opposed to the common expectation that teachers will do this work in their personal time, can help you advocate for work–life balance. Make sure you understand policy implications and participate in staff meetings in which policies are reviewed. If you don’t know when the program policy reviews occur, ask for a schedule and to be included.

2. Be self-aware

In a typical office job, you can step away for a coffee break if you feel stressed, but the pressures of coverage and teacher-to-child ratios can quickly make a teacher feel overwhelmed. Take time for your mental health and ask for breaks away from the classroom when needed. You’ll be a better teacher for the children when you’re at your best.

3. Be vocal

Working at an advocacy organization in Washington, DC, I saw that classroom teachers had the greatest impact when they addressed issues like teacher salaries or class size from their unique perspectives and experiences. I became much more passionate about speaking for the field when I found that leaders listened to the real-life challenges I had faced in my classroom. I also saw how many opportunities to influence policy we miss by not speaking up. You know (and research demonstrates) how crucial your role with children is, so find ways to advocate for the importance of early childhood education and increase support at local, state, and federal levels. It can be as simple as posting on social media about your work or having the children in your classroom draw and write messages to mail to your representatives!

4. Be ethical

Part of what defines a profession is having a set of ethical guidelines for practice. Doing what is right for children starts with agreed-upon guidelines for interactions in your classroom, with your fellow educators, and with the families you serve. When I was working in an infant classroom, we focused on partnering with families to understand their specific preferences for their child’s feeding, napping, emotional support, and more. I used the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct to guide me as I developed relationships with families. It reminded me that it’s important “to acknowledge families’ childrearing values and their right to make decisions for their children,” especially when I felt tension between meeting the needs of an individual child and supporting all the children in my care.

5. Be educated

While a degree alone does not make a high-quality teacher, it’s important to have knowledge of child development. For example, through studying child psychology I’ve learned that toddlers act out, such as by biting, because of some sort of emotional trigger. Biting is a way to communicate distress, so instead of punishing the child, it’s important to figure out the action or situation that causes the biting—strategies I’ve learned through child development coursework. Even if college seems out of reach, start by taking a course or even attending a single lecture at a local college. You’ll support the children better in their learning by being a lifelong learner yourself.

6. Be passionate

An easy way to start your own higher education or professional development path is to find what motivates you to teach. For me it was American Sign Language (ASL), which became a core part of my teaching practice. In college I minored in communication disorders, which is how I learned ASL. From there, I used it with infants and toddlers. Whether or not the children had diagnosed needs, ASL helped the children communicate better, which decreased their frustration when communicating needs to adults and interacting with peers. Find classes you enjoy—children’s literature, STEM, or even puppetry—that you can put directly into practice to make your learning useful and fun!

7. Be mentored

Aside from deepening your knowledge, gaining experience is a large part of becoming a successful teacher. I was blessed throughout my career to have mentors to guide me and inspire me to be my best. My first mentor in the field—who continues to support my career today—challenged me to leave my comfort in the classroom and use my voice to become a full-time policy advocate. Invest in yourself by learning from experienced members of the profession so you can continue to develop our field.

8. Be accountable

Take charge of your professional development. Your program’s leaders should be providing you access to curriculum materials and professional development opportunities. If they aren’t, take it upon yourself to find learning opportunities that inspire you. I am passionate about child-driven lesson planning, so I sought out articles, books, online sessions, and conferences—anything I could get my hands on—so I could learn more and share with my colleagues. Many conferences offer great scholarships to make attending affordable!

9. Be equitable

I’m extremely grateful that I learned early in my career the importance of connecting with families to understand their preferences and beliefs before making judgments about how a child was behaving. This framed my understanding of cultural differences and gave me a strong foundation for educating children equitably. For example, my colleagues and I had a few children in class who struggled to settle at nap time. This was frustrating for us—as most programs do, we used nap time for planning and meetings. The children would not settle, wanted individual attention from their primary teachers, and quite often were exhausted (and fussy!) by the end of the day because they did not have a nap. Before frustrations could escalate, we took the time to discuss this challenge with the families. They explained that following their cultural practices, the children never slept alone—which explained why the children wouldn’t settle when staff moved away from them. We learned to recognize their cultural practices and planned for an extra staff member at nap time to stay near those children so the teachers could still use that time and the children would have that period to rest.

Setting the Standard for the Profession

With a workgroup that includes practitioners, subject matter experts, higher education faculty, and researchers, NAEYC is revising the standards and competencies that define the early childhood education profession. The revisions incorporate feedback from two rounds of public comment that came in through surveys, focus groups, conference sessions, letters from organizations and individuals, and many other avenues. Thousands of individuals in the early childhood field from all over the United States engaged in this process! This exciting work highlights the importance and complexity of teaching young children; it also creates a framework for ensuring that everyone in the profession is well prepared and supported.

To access the current draft of the Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators (and to access the final statement when it is published in late December 2019), visit NAEYC.org/resources/position-statements .

This article supports the following NAEYC Early Learning Program Accreditation standards and topic areas

Meghann Hickey is a former relationship implementation specialist in NAEYC’s Division of Early Learning Systems. She also worked for the Early Care and Education Consortium in Washington, DC, and as an infant through prekindergarten teacher in Massachusetts.

Vol. 13, No. 2

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