“Students first!” Introduction to implementation the Kuwait National Curriculum in Primary Education State of Kuwait Ministry of Education COMPETENCY-BASEDINSTRUCTION

COMPETENCY-BASED INSTRUCTION  In this session we explore the essential competencies and teacher skills needed for achieving effective performance and desired outcomes in any teaching job.  The core competencies identified as fundamental for teaching professionals include planning and organizing, adaptability, problem-solving, judgment, communication skills, resilience, high energy levels and integrity.

Planning and Organizing  Good planning requires the ability to establish clear objectives and priorities, schedule time, resources and activities effectively and efficiently and carefully monitor progress and results.  Have a clear planning process for a new project or study unit.  What methods do you use to monitor student progress?  How have you incorporated technology into your lessons?  What do you do when your teaching plan for the day is upset by unforeseen circumstances? Give me an example of when this happened recently.  What have you done in order to manage your time more effectively?

Adaptability  Teachers should have the ability to adapt and adjust their approach to meet different tasks and situational requirements as well as manage and value diversity in the classroom.  How have you allowed for different learning styles when teaching a subject?  Classes incorporate students with differing abilities. How have you met the needs of students with both low and high abilities in a particular subject?  Describe a lesson where you had to use differentiated instruction.  In what ways do you encourage students to be accepting of one another?

Problem-solving and judgment  As a teacher you need to be able to detect problems and gather all the necessary relevant information, consider all relevant facts and information and consider all alternatives before deciding on the most appropriate action.  How have you handled a student who was not completing his or her homework on a regular basis?  How have you handled a conflict situation between two or more students?  Describe a situation where a lesson clearly didn't work well. What did you do?  Tell me about a time you had to make a tough decision about a student.

Resilience and tenacity Can you handle disappointment and opposition while maintaining effectiveness? Are you able to bounce back quickly from difficult situations and set backs as well as stick with a plan of action and overcome obstacles to achieve objectives.  How have you handled situations when students appeared disinterested or bored in your lesson?  How have you managed a situation where you felt you were losing control in the classroom?  Describe a time you had to deal with angry complaints from a parent about your teaching methods.  How have you responded when students have let you down?  What has been one of the biggest obstacles you have had to overcome to reach your objectives as a teacher?

High energy levels  A teacher needs to maintain a high activity level without losing effectiveness.  What extra curricular activities have you helped with?  Tell me about a time you had to catch up on an accumulated backlog of work after a very busy period.  What activities in your teaching day require the most effort?

Motivate and maximize performance  Successful teachers create a learning environment in which students want to and are able to achieve their potential. They are able to identify strengths and opportunities for student development.  Expect interview questions for teachers that include:  What types of positive reinforcement have you used to encourage students?  How have you supported under-performing students?  What approach have you used to motivate students to actively participate in class?  How do you encourage students to use their initiative in your classroom?

Integrity  Teachers are expected to promote and maintain ethical and social norms within the learning environment including maintaining confidentiality, presenting truthful information and adhering to school policies and regulations. They also need to display honest insight into themselves.  How have you dealt with situations where students have confided important information in you?  How have you reacted when students have broken the rules in your class?  Which subject do you believe is your strength and what do you consider your weakest?  What are your strengths and weaknesses as a teacher?

Communication  Teaching requires active and attentive listening skills, the ability to express ideas effectively and present information effectively. Teachers should adjust language and terminology to meet the needs of the students.  Give me an example of when you had to present complex information to your class. How did you make sure they understood?  How have you encouraged students to contribute their ideas and opinions in the classroom?  Tell me about a situation when you had to persuade a student, colleague or parent of your point of view.  What steps do you take to try and establish rapport with your students?  Tell me about a situation when you had to be especially sensitive in communicating negative information to a parent or student. How did you go about doing this?

Initiative and innovation  This explores your ability to be proactive in generating ideas and activities for improvement and finding creative solutions to problems and issues.  Describe some innovative teaching techniques you have used.  Some students finish their work sooner than others. How do you deal with the free time they have?  What curriculum materials have you recently developed?  What improvements did you make to the physical appearance and layout of your classroom?  What effective methods have you used for classroom management?

“My definition of a good teacher has changed from one who explains things so well that students understand, to one who gets students to explain so well that they can be understood.” A good teacher

What does it mean??? In a standards-based classroom, learning outcomes aligned to content standards are held constant, and all students are expected to attain proficiency in them. Flexibility is provided in the time and support each student needs to meet the standard. Teachers follow a cycle of instruction - assessment, planning – instruction - assessment, and re-teaching---so all students meet specific, clearly stated and understood, high academic standards in each content area.

“I am convinced that my children learn in more ways than I know how to teach. By listening to them, I not only give them the opportunity to develop deep understanding but also am able to develop true insights into what they know and how they think.”

Looking at Student Work “The goal is to bring teachers together to examine their students’ work and, in the process, their own: What am I teaching? Why am I teaching it? How am I teaching it? Why am I teaching it this way? How do I know my students are getting it? How do my students know they are getting it? What did I learn in the process?”

Looking at Student Work "My teachers are burying their teachers’ guide and have become more comfortable developing lessons around the curriculum and standards that promote higher-order thinking from students. And you know what? Our kids’ [test] scores have been trending up for the last five years. Our teachers are giving assignments that affect long-term learning, not just to fill up a grade book.” Debra Williams Learning to Teach Better by Examining Student Work Community Renewal Society, 2003

Assessment Rubrics are developed by teachers and students based on standards and instruction. Formative assessments are used throughout the lesson to determine student progress, design and redesign instruction. Students are given opportunities to revise their work according to feedback Students use peer feedback and self-assessment to gain proficiency of the standard. Specific, instructional feedback is given in a timely manner to guide student learning towards proficiency of the standard.

Standards-based assessment practices “de-emphasize traditional grades, demystify the entire grading process, and focus on the process of learning and the progress of the individual student. All these desirable characteristics occur because the prime purpose of grades is recognized as communication, not competition, and determining student grades is based on pedagogy that views the teacher’s role as supporting learning and encouraging student success.” Ken O’Conner How to Grade for Learning: Linking Grades to Standards Corwin Press, 2002

Instructional Cycle Academic Content Standards Academic Content Standards

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