The Determination of Teacher Competencies Considered Essential for Beginning Health Occupations Teachers in Virginia

The purpose of this study was to identify and empirically validate a
list of essential teacher competencies for a beginning Health Occupations
teacher in Virginia. Items for the instruments were derived from the
literature. Revised and edited, the items were submitted for validation
to a jury of experts comprised of teacher educators and Health Occupations
teachers, supervisors and practitioners. A condensed list of 116 competencies
was developed for participants to rate as to the time needed by
beginning teachers. An ordinal scale with a range of one to five was
designed to measure the participant•s perception of each item. Instruments
were mailed to all identified beginning Health Occupations teachers
and their supervisors (N=105). There were seventy-nine respondents for
a 75 percent response rate. Some conclusions made based upon the analysis of data were:
1. Teachers and administrators agree that there are competencies determined
essential by the first week, first month and first three
months of teaching.
2. Essential professional teaching competencies can be ranked by the
period of time they are needed in the classroom.
3. Teachers determined 112 competencies to be essential in the first
three months of teaching; administrators determined ninety-eight
competencies.
4. Teachers perceived that all program planning and clinical teaching
competencies are essential in the first month of teaching.