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This study bridges the gap of an outsider-insider perspective of competency and captures the essence of what constitutes competency among 18 novice teachers in their own actions performed in real classrooms. In this study, relevant aspects of the novice teachers’ ‘lived-experience’ in their schools make up their conceptions of competency. Novice teachers’ talk about achieving their aims of competency in strategically different ways and in each of these ways, the novice teachers’ strategies are critical to their understanding of the novice teacher-student roles. Five identified conceptions are: controls in the classroom and behaviour of students, methodical preparation, uses of sound in pedagogical knowledge and skills, understanding and empowering their students to take charge of their own learning, and an awareness of themselves as teachers. The conceptions of competency are represented diagrammatically and are discussed with respect to levels of complexity. Variation exists in the way novice teachers conceive of their competency. Teacher educators should be cognizant of the diversity in practices of teachers and not limit that to say that there is just one acceptable conception of competency.