The purpose of professional knowledge is to ensure that teachers have a mastery of knowledge needed to facilitate learning in the classroom. The primary goal is to guarantee that students will be taught materials in a timely and effective manner. In order to teach students in a timely and effective manner, teachers must have knowledge of their state’s curriculum goals and pacing. The central objective is how the teachers apply their understanding of what professional knowledge is to how they teach their students. Professional knowledge can also come in the form of pedagogy, or the method and practice of teaching. This can be how the teacher approaches teaching certain subjects or what the teacher uses to teach.
Below are links to my scores for the professional examinations I have taken to demonstrate my mastery of professional knowledge.
Professional Examinations
The Virginia Department of Education strives to ensure that any potential teacher has acquired the necessary knowledge to teach students effectively by requiring teachers to take various examinations to assess their skills. Teachers are required to take the Praxis II, a test that is a compilation of the four major areas of study. They are also required to take the Reading for Virginia Educators, or the RVE, a test that measures reading, writing abilities, and a teachers ability to identify a student’s reading level. Both scores from the Praxis II and the RVE can be found here, Praxis Test Scores. Virginia teachers are also to take the Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment, or the VCLA, which also measures an educator’s ability to read, write and communicate effectively.
Higher Education
Professional knowledge is often acquired through higher education as it requires 
potential teachers to use higher level thinking skills which through institutions of higher learning. I am able to put my professional knowledge to use through the education I received through the college and university I attended. I gained my foundational awareness of professional knowledge at Virginia Western Community College by majoring in Social Sciences with 
a specialization in Education. I obtained a more thorough background and understanding of professional knowledge at Hollins University where I majored in Interdisciplinary Studies: Social Sciences and received a Bachelor of Arts degree. Here are links to my Hollins Unofficial Transcript an my Virginia Western unofficial transcript.
Professional Memberships
In order to keep myself up-to-date on the current research on education and its implementation I participate in many educational associations. I am a member of the National Education Association (NEA), the Virginia Education Association (VEA), and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA).
Professional knowledge, and a teacher’s understanding of what it is, determines the effectiveness of any teacher, whether new or seasoned. If a teacher does not have a thorough comprehension of what this important facet of education is, then they will not be effective in the classroom and student learning will be compromised.