Teaching Competencies

Essential Skills for Student Learning

Abbotsford School District teachers consistently demonstrate skills essential for student learning. Our Teaching Competencies serve as the foundation for hiring, evaluation and growth.

  1. Communication and Interpersonal Skills
  2. Organization and Planning
  3. Classroom Management
  4. Facilitation and Engagement
  5. Assessment and Coaching
  6. Collaboration and Teamwork
  7. Caring and Inclusiveness
  8. Flexibility and Adaptability

PDF: Teaching Competencies

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Consider and respond appropriately to the needs, feelings and capabilities of others. Being tactful, compassionate and respectful.

HIRING COMPETENCY

  • Act as a role model for students, demonstrating professionalism in communication and manner
  • Demonstrate clear, concise verbal and written communication skills
  • Seek to understand other peoples’ ideas and concerns
  • Communicate with others in a non-threatening manner
  • Ask questions to clarify and understand others
  • Assume responsibility and creatively work with families who may be reluctant to engage in educational situations

DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE

  • Effectively communicate complex or sensitive matters
  • Read and interpret individual and group dynamics
  • Demonstrate ‘with-it-ness’ by monitoring non-verbal cues and body language in others
  • Ask essential questions that promote critical thinking and creativity

Organization and Planning

Plan and organize for effective instruction, differentiation and assessment.

HIRING COMPETENCY

  • Plan and prepare effective lesson plans and integrated units
  • Plan and prioritize with a realistic sense of pacing and time demands
  • Anticipate, prepare and evaluate lessons, technological tools and resources
  • Differentiate instructional methods and assessment for students
  • Select instructional strategies, technology, materials and assessments that build on prior knowledge or experience, cultural history and are relevant to students’ interests
  • Report achievement and progress to students and their family in a clear, timely and relevant manner

DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE

  • Develop and implement individualized learning plans using cross-district and community resources
  • Facilitate student ownership in a system of goals, feedback and results
  • Demonstrate active leadership in planning initiatives to impact student learning at school or district level
  • Develop plans that include Aboriginal/Indigenous perspectives

Classroom Management

Create and maintain an optimal learning environment for each student. Appropriately manage student behaviour and classroom dynamics.

HIRING COMPETENCY​

  • Ensure a safe and supportive place to learn with clear routines and expectations
  • Anticipate potential issues and re-direct or de-escalate behaviour
  • Re-direct student behaviour with warmth, empathy, and sensitivity to students’ status as a learner
  • Treat mistakes as a part of learning
  • Organize classroom for student learning and ownership
  • Ensure that consequences are meaningful and respectful with the goal of restitution for all

DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE

  • Facilitate student ownership of class routines, high expectations and behaviour
  • Facilitate student ownership of their own actions and support for peers; assist in problem-solving complex issues between students
  • Facilitate student’s meta-cognitive awareness of their own behaviour and/or its impact on learning
  • Facilitate student demonstrations of empathy and support for others

Facilitation and Engagement

Capture and maintain students’ interest, effort, participation and enthusiasm for both the content and the process of learning.

HIRING COMPETENCY​

  • Select high impact instructional strategies that are active, relevant and developmentally appropriate
  • Create an environment where students are actively participating and engaged both independently and co-operatively
  • Purposefully use multiple strategies and technology to engage students
  • Integrate Aboriginal/Indigenous learning principles into units and lessons
  • Differentiate based on student results

DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE

  • Consider preferred learning styles to facilitate students through cognitively complex tasks
  • Facilitate multiple ways for students to interact with content, based on their interests and their abilities

Assessment and Coaching

Utilize balanced assessment and feedback to improve student learning. Apply formative and summative assessment strategies.

HIRING COMPETENCY​

  • Set and communicate learning goals/targets that students can understand and articulate for each lesson
  • Ensure assessment and feedback are provided in a timely manner
  • Provide clear, timely and observable feedback for students and families
  • Provide students with options to demonstrate their learning
  • Differentiate assessments for individual student needs
  • Employ a variety of assessment methods that are aligned with instructional goals
  • Report progress and achievement in a clear, timely and relevant manner
  • Facilitate a system where students can self-assess and provide constructive feedback to peers

DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE

  • Facilitate processes where students contribute in determining type of assessment and criteria
  • Demonstrate clear evidence of the cyclical nature of planning, assessment and feedback
  • Assessments consider traditional cultural, family and community learning experiences that happen outside of the classroom

Collaboration and Teamwork

Collaborate with others to achieve group goals and objectives. This includes relationships, partnerships and producing team based results.

HIRING COMPETENCY​

  • Participate in team decision making; initiate, contribute and demonstrate responsibility for team decisions
  • Openly and willingly share appropriate information and knowledge
  • Deal with conflict in a constructive and positive manner
  • Respect diversity, and value the opinions of others
  • Work co-operatively with colleagues and contribute to a positive work environment

DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE

  • Assume leadership roles within pod, department, school and district
  • Initiate collaboration within team, school and partnerships across the district
  • Mentor others in the school and education community
  • Engage in positive partnerships with district and community resources

Caring and Inclusiveness

Create and maintain an environment that is caring, inclusive and supportive of all students.

HIRING COMPETENCY​

  • Model safe, caring, inclusive and ethical behaviour in words and actions
  • Plan and implement strategies for the whole person: physical, social, emotional, intellectual
  • Demonstrate a commitment to each student and their unique needs
  • Understand and incorporate Aboriginal/Indigenous culture into lessons and activities
  • Demonstrate understanding of students with educational designations and their ways of learning as outlined in their personal learning plans
  • Understand cultural diversity and embed that knowledge into practice

DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE

  • Facilitate school activities and programs that create inclusive, caring and socially responsible school environment and practices
  • Engage the family and school to promote and maintain relationships to impact student learning
  • Serves as a case manager for students with complex needs

Flexibility and Adaptability

Demonstrate flexibility in our ability to adjust and adapt to changing circumstances.

HIRING COMPETENCY​

  • Calm when dealing with the unexpected, and recovering quickly from setbacks
  • Able to manage ambiguity inherent to the learning environment
  • Effectively prioritize multiple demands
  • Creative in developing solutions to student/classroom challenges
  • Differentiate teaching practices to best meet the needs of each learner
  • Able to change practice based on new curriculum, technology and instructional strategies

DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE

  • Resilient in overcoming setbacks when they occur
  • Creative in finding solutions to school/district challenges
  • Expect and accept the emotions, barriers and resistance inherent in change while supporting those involved
  • Plan and persist through unexpected difficulties
  • Support others with tools, resources and processes when dealing with change
  • Take a leadership role in new initiatives