Assessment of the Professional Training Needs of Senior High School Science Teachers Using the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST)

The study aimed to assess the professional training needs of the Senior High School Science teachers using the new Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) developed by the Research Center for Teacher Quality (RCTQ). It was intended to find the needs and strengths including the career stages of the teacher-respondents in the PPST. Descriptive narrative-survey research design was utilized in this study. Total enumeration was used in selecting the Senior High School Science teachers including their immediate supervisors as respondents. The study revealed that the needs of the SHS Science teachers were focused in establishing learning environment that are responsive to learners’ diversity; mastery of content knowledge and pedagogy; curriculum and planning; and assessment and reporting. Conversely, the strengths were on personal growth and professional development; community linkages and professional engagement; and learning environment. Furthermore, it is concluded that the majority of the respondents were categorized under Career Stage 2 described as Proficient Teachers. Based on the identified priority developmental needs of the SHS science teachers, the Unified Plan for Professional Development (UPPD) for the SHS Science teachers in the Second Congressional District was developed as the output of the study. Experts reviewed and validated the output before the approval and endorsement of the Schools Division Superintendent. The UPPD was adopted by Secondary Schools offering SHS in District 2 and implemented during the In-service Training of Teachers as per DepEd Order No. 25, series 2017 entitled “School Calendar for School Year 2017-2018”. Moreover, the study strongly recommends that educational leaders shall take initiatives to fully implement the standards stipulated by the new Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers.