Reframing the teacher profession as a dynamic multifaceted profession: A wider perspective on teacher quality and teacher competence frameworks

Abstract

Many countries in Europe use some kind of competence framework to define the quality of teachers. They typically formulate one level of teaching quality which defines the competence level that teachers must have acquired after completing initial teacher education. In addition, most countries provide limited career structures that define career opportunities within the teacher profession itself, resulting in a profession where often the only option for career progression is to move to leadership positions. Competence frameworks that create opportunities for vertical and horizontal career structures can make being a teacher a more attractive profession. They offer teachers opportunities for ‘career crafting’ and professional growth and supply school leaders with tools for more elaborate career guidance. In this article, we present a framework that was developed in the Netherlands to support teacher growth and teachers' career development. It has been used as a starting point for creating a shared language and understanding of the teacher profession and as a catalyst for dialogue between teachers and school leaders on professional growth. We elaborate the main characteristics of the resulting model, its limitations, the feedback that has been collected and how this feedback has been incorporated in how the model is used and discussed by teachers, school leaders and teacher education institutes. Finally, we argue that the strength of the framework can be explained by the way it acts as a boundary object, inspiring mutual learning and dialogue between different activity systems (of teachers, school leaders and teacher educators).

Construction of an Individual Educational Trajectory as a Way to Reveal the Personal and Professional Potential of a Future Teacher

“…Teachers' quality and teachers' professional development have become central concerns in national education policies (Snoek et al, 2019) (Figure 1). In a recent Dutch study on the reasons why secondary school students choose or reject a teacher career, more than half mentioned the lack of opportunities for career growth (Bahlmann, Eustatia, & Pillen Warmerdam, 2018).…”

“…Such approach can provide a higher level of attractiveness of the teacher's profession. For instance, governments in EU countries offer teachers the opportunity for "career and professional growth" by using the tools of careful professional guidance (Snoek, Dengerink, & Wit, 2019). Thus, a dynamic approach to the disclosure of personal and professional potential of the future teacher is implemented.…”

“…This is caused by the diversity of the teacher's professional development policy (recruitment, education, training, advanced training and teachers' assessment) (Caena, 2011;European Commission, 2018b). The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) emphasizes the need to create a profile of teachers' competences in order to reconcile the professional development and effectiveness of teachers, which will meet the needs of the educational environment (Snoek et al, 2019). Teachers' competences are actively discussed in the international community in order to improve the quality of teachers in the labor market (Snoek et al, 2019).…”

“…The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) emphasizes the need to create a profile of teachers' competences in order to reconcile the professional development and effectiveness of teachers, which will meet the needs of the educational environment (Snoek et al, 2019). Teachers' competences are actively discussed in the international community in order to improve the quality of teachers in the labor market (Snoek et al, 2019). There are few examples of the use of teacher competence frameworks within the EU in order to reveal the personal and professional potential of a future teacher, namely: education, selection, promotion and career growth (European Commission, 2018a).…”

Entrepreneurial educators : a narrative study examining professional transition experiences of educators who have experimented with the launching of an educational activity

“…These increasing challenges create an immediate need to identify ways for educators to utilize their passion and skills within the realm of education rather than leaving the profession for other opportunities that may not be the right fit for them. In education, there does not appear to be a way to be promoted except into leadership positions (Snoek et al, 2019), which often take skilled teachers out of immediate contact with students. In this situation, educational entrepreneurship can bridge the gap between an individual's passion and skills and also provide feelings of career fulfillment.…”