One of the most effective methods of improving the quality of education is to conduct a certification procedure for kindergarten teachers. What is the certification procedure in 2020?
Life in the modern world is constantly changing. Along with the development of society, the requirements for the level of training and professionalism of various specialists change.
Education workers are no exception. Any teacher should be prepared for certification.
It is especially advisable to check the professional suitability of kindergarten teachers, since they are the ones who are involved in the formation of the personality of young citizens. What features distinguish the certification procedure for preschool teachers in 2021?
KEY POINTS ↑
After receiving an education, a teacher should not stop there. He can and should improve his professional level.
Determined by such qualification. Teaching staff differ in degrees and types of professional training.
Accordingly, they are rewarded differently for their activities. The degree of qualification of any teacher is determined by the assigned category.
Until recently, kindergarten teachers could carry out their activities with the first, second, highest category, or without any at all.
The new edition of the legislation has somewhat changed the existing order. Now the salary level for specialists of different categories differs.
In addition, if previously the certification of teachers was carried out at their personal request, now this procedure has become mandatory.
Any teaching staff is required to undergo periodic certification, regardless of their desire and length of service.
CONCEPTS
Certification is a test of an employee’s knowledge and suitability for the position held. Depending on the results of the certification procedure, a specialist is assigned a certain category.
The higher the categorical affiliation, the more professional the employee is considered. There are voluntary and mandatory certifications.
In the case when a teacher wants to increase his salary level, he independently initiates certification.
To do this, he submits a proper application at any time period. Mandatory certification is carried out regardless of the employee’s wishes.
Applications are submitted by the employer. Each teacher must confirm his/her suitability for the position held once every five years.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE PROCEDURE
The immediate goal of mandatory certification of educators is to increase the level of professional competence of workers.
The certification procedure helps the state to provide society with highly qualified specialists and professionals in their field.
The quality of education of the younger generation will determine its future compliance with the requirements of new times. The purpose of voluntary certification is to confirm professional training.
A teacher who works without qualifications or who wants to receive a higher assessment of his work has the right to undergo certification at his own request.
For a teacher, certification is an opportunity to increase self-esteem, professional growth and set long-term goals.
THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK
According to Order of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation No. 209 dated March 24, 2010 “On the procedure for certification of teaching staff,” all workers in the field of education and training implementing basic educational programs within state and municipal educational institutions are required to undergo a certification test.
If for some reason a teacher does not pass the mandatory certification in a timely manner, then it is automatically reduced.
To restore the category, you must submit an application for certification again. Otherwise, the employee must again undergo certification to confirm compliance.
If a teacher has lost the “highest” category, then it will have to be restored “from scratch.” That is, first get the first category. You can apply for “highest” only after two years have passed after being assigned the first category.
According to the amendments to the law, all categories received before January 1, 2011 are considered valid until their expiration date.
At the same time, the previous situation, when twenty years of teaching experience kept the second category for life, has been abolished.
Now absolutely all kindergarten teachers must confirm their professional suitability once every five years.
What happened?
As you know, there is mandatory and voluntary certification. The first task is to confirm the teacher’s suitability for the position he occupies. The second occurs when it comes to raising the qualification category.
According to the rules in force earlier, if a teacher wanted to increase his salary, he, on his own initiative, submitted an application requesting assignment to one of the categories - highest, first or second. This was done by the management of the child care institution or the educational management body.
Later, the second category was canceled as such. Certification began to be managed by educational authorities at the level of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation. The main thing: this procedure is now mandatory. Once every five years, absolutely all teachers, regardless of their work experience, regardless of their own desire, must take it to confirm their suitability for the position they occupy.
HOW CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS IS PERFORMED
Certification of a teacher, like any teacher, takes place in accordance with the Regulations on the certification procedure, approved by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation in Order No. 1908 of June 26, 2000.
During the certification process for assignment of a qualification category, the employee’s compliance with the level for which he is applying is checked.
At the same time, professional competence, performance indicators, skills, knowledge and work results are checked.
The certification of the teacher is carried out by a certification commission formed by the educational organization. The assessment is carried out according to several criteria.
So, during the certification process, a category applicant passes an exam in writing or through computer testing.
This helps to assess the level of proficiency in modern methods of vocational training, as well as confirm the degree of competence and work experience.
In addition, the certified preschool teacher submits his portfolio, which contains all the most outstanding results of his activities, to the commission for consideration.
The results of the exam and review of the portfolio help determine the teacher’s suitability for a certain qualification category.
The meeting of the certification commission can take place both with the participation of the teacher and behind closed doors.
The decision made is drawn up in the form of a protocol and then entered into the certification sheet of the preschool teacher. After approval of the document by a higher subject of the Russian Federation, the total is transferred to the employer.
DOCUMENTING
Submission of an application to submit a teacher for certification must be completed according to the established template.
The package of documents must contain all the necessary certificates for certification of the employee, a detailed assessment of his professional skills and quality of work, and a description of the teacher’s teaching activities for certification.
What is the purpose of certification for the right to carry out auditing activities, see the article: certification of auditors. How hygienic certification is noted in medical books, read here.
Information about all results of previous certifications and advanced training courses completed must also be indicated.
One month before the meeting of the certification commission, the person being certified must be familiarized with the submission against signature. The employer submits the collected documentation to the address of the relevant constituent entity of the Russian Federation.
In this case, the information card, filled out properly, must contain all the necessary data.
Then the date, place and time of the certification audit are set. In this case, the period for completing it should not exceed two months.
The full package of documents for certification of a preschool teacher includes:
- sample application;
- past certificates;
- new completed sheet;
- portfolio of achievements.
PORTFOLIO
A teacher’s portfolio is the most effective tool today that reflects the quality of a teacher’s work.
The following types are distinguished:
| Cumulative | Including information about all achievements and successes |
| Thematic | Required when a teacher is studying a specific topic, educational area or area of work |
| Problematic | Dedicated to difficult situations and methods for overcoming them by a specialist |
| Attestation | Contains all the teacher’s achievements during the inter-certification period |
It is the certification portfolio that helps the commission experts form an opinion about the professional suitability of a teacher of a certain category.
It is possible to create an electronic portfolio, which is very convenient, since it helps to more clearly substantiate the methods used and include video materials in it.
The content of the portfolio is not regulated by law. As a rule, this document includes sections such as:
- teacher achievements;
- achievements of pupils;
- expert assessments;
- recommendations;
- reviews.
At his own discretion, the teacher is free to include in the portfolio any sections that, in his opinion, will help create a more complete image of his activities.
These could be a meaningful essay by a preschool teacher, an autobiographical story, or a professional motto.
Thus, the portfolio of a kindergarten teacher for certification for category 1 may contain a brief overview of the development of the educational methods he uses.
CHARACTERISTIC
The portfolio must include sections that allow you to compose a description of the teacher.
First of all, indicate the necessary information:
- Last name, first name, patronymic, date of birth, photograph.
- Where and when the profession was acquired, and certified copies of documents are attached.
Next, you should indicate your work experience. At the same time, it is necessary to describe in detail how many years of teaching activity have been carried out, how many years have been given to the currently held position, where and in what positions you had to work previously, what successes have been achieved.
For example, a profile for a boarding school teacher may contain information about the achievements of released students.
You also need to remember to indicate your existing qualifications, since the portfolio is a certification one. You must attach a copy of the previously received certification sheet.
If you have completed any advanced training courses, you should attach copies of certificates of completion.
SELF-ANALYSIS OF PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY
An important part of a teacher’s portfolio for certification is self-analysis of his professional activities.
In fact, this is a brief but informative summary of the entire process of his work, the goals pursued, methods of work and results.
So this part of the portfolio may consist of the following items:
- purpose of personal activity;
- assigned tasks to achieve the goal;
- applied methods and their consequences;
- spiritual and moral position;
- improving professional development;
- experience exchange.
In principle, when compiling self-analysis, the teacher is not limited in any way. Here you should outline what the activity looks like from your own point of view.
By compiling a self-assessment sheet, you can note all the best features, results and achievements.
CREATIVE REPORT
The creative report of the teacher includes information about the achievements of the students. This section contains diplomas, diplomas, and certificates confirming the professionalism of the teacher.
If the teacher participated in innovative or methodological activities, it is necessary to indicate which one.
Since the main goal of the teacher is to educate children, a creative report can tell about the results achieved.
For example, what children learned during their time in care can be compared with the characteristics of two studies (at the beginning of the reporting period and at its end).
If students participated in any competitions, competitions, or other events, this must be confirmed by attaching certificates, diplomas or letters of encouragement.
You can include children’s creative work done under the guidance of a teacher. One section of the creative report should be devoted to the results of interaction with other participants in the educational process.
For example, working with parents, colleagues, administration. You can attach parental reviews, recommendations from more experienced colleagues and wishes from the administration.
If you're unlucky
In the latter case, the employer has the legal right to terminate the contract with the employee, but is not obliged to do so. He may suggest that he take advanced training courses and then re-pass the certification.
Instead of dismissal, an employee can and should be transferred, with his consent, to another position (lower), if there is a vacancy. They also do not have the right to deprive a temporarily disabled person of work, a pregnant woman, a woman with children under 3 years of age, or a single mother with a child under 14 years of age or a disabled child.
Preparing a sleigh in the summer
So, you already know in advance that sooner or later you will be certified, but you are not particularly diligent in order to earn at least some certificates and diplomas for participating in competitions, and you do not take other steps that will lead you to easily passing the certification. But in vain. After all, in 2-3 years, without much effort, you can put together a portfolio that will allow you to easily submit all the necessary papers without the need for an open class at a preschool educational institution.
A teacher’s portfolio is something that should be continuously replenished, and you can only take part in what interests you and what you can do. And if you are lazy, then in the last months before the certification you will have to take on everything in a row, and this will already be stressful. There will definitely be no time left for family, believe me. Moreover, methodologists do not always help with the preparation of the necessary documents, so you will most likely have to prepare all the certificates yourself.
I will outline the requirements for certification a little later, but now I want to focus on what you can do now, when you still have time until the “X” moment.
