Professional Competencies Review Process
To provide TCs in the Faculty of Education
with feedback and to take timely steps as needed
regarding ethical and professional behaviour, both
in academic and field settings, the Faculty of
Education engages in a regularly scheduled
Professional Competencies review
process at multiple points during each term. The
Professional Competencies on which
TCs are evaluated are closely aligned with
the Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession and Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession.
All faculty members, Placement Officers, and
Associate Teachers (through evaluations and
contact with the Practicum Office) who have had direct contact with the TCs have input to the decisions about
whether they have met the standards outlined related to Professional Dispositions
Competencies. In the absence of evidence to the
contrary, all Professional Competencies
will be assumed to be at the Acceptable level. When
behaviours indicating an unacceptable Professional Competency are identified by a faculty
member, Placement Officer, or Associate Teacher, the Advising
team reviews the concern in order to determine
next steps. This may occur at any time during
the year. When a Professional
Competency concern has been raised and warrants
intervention, the Advisors will meet with the TC to
discuss the concerns and determine next steps. If
the concern is present in multiple courses or severe
enough to question the Professional and Ethical
Standards of the profession, the TC and Academic
Advisor will create an Action Plan to outline the next
steps that the TC will need to follow to continue
progression in the program and remediate the areas
of concern. If the TC is not meeting the progression
of the Action Plan, the case will be referred to the
Bachelor of Education program coordinator, and
then the Associate Dean in order to determine if the
TC will be allowed to continue in the program.
Throughout the duration of teaching a course, faculty members will also report any outstanding extensions for assignments, or any TCs who are in academic difficulty, including TCs who are not meeting the attendance policy.
By the end of Year 1, all Dispositions Professional Competencies must be in Acceptable category or the TC must be making satisfactory progress on an action plan to move all Dispositions Professional Competencies to the Acceptable category.
In rare cases, serious concerns regarding Professional Competencies may result in deferral of progression through the program and/or investigation of allegations of misconduct under the WLU Student Code of Conduct and Discipline, and/or the TC not being recommended for Certification with the Ontario College of Teachers. If a candidate is dissatisfied with a deferral decision, he or she may follow the Appeals process. The Professional Competencies review process is further outlined in the Bachelor of Education Program Handbook.