Identifying Your Skills Bank as Teachers/Educators

By Jill Curley, M.Ed. Mount Saint Vincent University

Introduction

Who we are?
Why you are or want to be a teacher?
What is a skill?

Why develop your skills bank

Targeted resume creation
Effective interview preparation
Purposeful portfolio generation
Resourceful internet profiles
Valuable investment in your future

How to identify skills

Reflect
Evaluate
Demonstrate
Accept
Communicate

The Language

Important to be well-versed/articulate
Recognize appropriateness of skill to situation
Types: transferable, work-content, task-oriented
Basic categories: data, ideas, people, things
Interests, values, personal qualities, competencies, strengths, motives

Words to the wise: writing for clarity

Exercise to reinforce learning

Pick 3 general experiences that you enjoyed (i.e., camp counsellor)
For each experience, list the actual tasks that you enjoyed doing (i.e., organizing educational activities)
What skills did you need to have in order to be successful at the enjoyed tasks (i.e., organizational, listening, leadership, creative)
When the list is complete, circle those skills that come up more than once

Words to the wise: relevant teaching skills

Evaluation, problem-solving, analytical, consultation
Adaptability, creativity, resourcefulness, flexibility, initiative, motivation
Communication (written/verbal), interpersonal, listening, coaching, persuasion, negotiation, influencing, facilitation, advisory, teamwork, training
Organizing, planning, critical-thinking, observation, goal-setting, classroom management, decision-making, learning

Words to the wise: other skill areas

Assertiveness, research, supervision, administrative, financial, budgeting
Technical (programming, computing, designing), networking, counselling, mediation
Public-relations, marketing, promoting, delegating, recruiting, developing, production
Trend-watching, risk-taking, self-awareness, personal management

Accessing your skills bank: when and where

Identify skills related to teaching field as well as skills developed through various experiences (extracurricular, employment, travel, other training)
You need to be able to pull/take out/adjust relevant skill areas (themes) from your skills bank at a moment's notice
Development and preparation is the key