1a Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy
This explores knowledge of your content area, understanding of prerequisite skills, and pedagogy.
There should be a command in the subject being taught, an understanding of complex relationships, and we should be up to date with pedagogies.
Be aware of the relationships within your subject area, and understand the related pedagogies.
Key Elements
We should have prior knowledge of the content and structure of discipline.
We will use our knowledge of prerequisite relationships.
Knowledge of content related pedagogy is also key to our understanding of this category.
Ways to Showcase This
Identify prerequisites a child would need to complete your lesson and modify the lesson to fit the needs of the child.
Teach lessons in an order that will establish prerequisites for children and allow them to have an even flow in their learning from one topic to the next.
Stay active online, learning about how we as teachers can stay up to date on our pedagogies. Learn from others!
1b Getting to Know Your Students
It is about getting to know our students immediately as we begin teaching them.
We should understand their weaknesses, strengths, cultures, backgrounds, interests, and differences.
It is important to understand their development and that these students all have lives outside of the classroom.
Key Elements
We should have an understanding of child and adolescent development.
We should understand and explore the learning process of each of our students.
We should understand the child's language abilities, interests, and cultural heritage.
Being able to adapt to students' special needs is also very important.
Ways to Showcase This
Create a lesson based on the students' interests (an outdoor ballgame if they like sports or some special reading time if they enjoy quiet space and reading).
Assign the students a google form to fill out based on their likes/dislikes to get to know them better.
Include things in the classroom like a birthday wall, show and tell time, or other activities that allow the students to know each other as well as to introduce themselves to you.
1c Setting Instructional Outcomes
It is important to inform students about what they are going to learn during a lesson.
Students should know that the lesson has a purpose and is in place so that they can learn and stay motivated.
These outcomes should be related to state standards, curriculum grades, and the common core.
Key Elements
Outcomes represent important learning for the students in the content area.
Outcomes should always be clearly stated to students so that they know how to achieve the goals of the lesson.
Outcomes should have a balance between a variety of learning outcomes and should address what will be assessed for all learners.
Ways to Showcase This
Have lesson plans that remind you of the objective and that are aligned with the curriculum.
Provide the students with entrance and exit tickets that check for understanding on lessons from the day or previous day.
Have class discussions, and check for clarity from students. Allow time for them to ask questions, and always explain things fully, following the objectives and keeping the students on track.
1d Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources
This allows us to have a knowledge of available resources to help us as teachers in and out of the classroom.
It helps us to understand that our students' learning is enhanced by us through skillful uses of resources.
We should utilize resources to enhance our own practice in the classroom and enhance students' learning in content areas.
Key Elements
We must be up to date in regards to content and pedagogy, and we need to have access to resources to enhance our skills as professionals.
We should have a knowledge of resources not only from the district but also from the community, organizations, universities, and online.
We must equip our students with resources for use in the classroom to reinforce lessons and outside of the classroom to reinforce the content at home.
Ways to Showcase This
We can stay active on social media to find new ideas and resources to use in our classroom with our students.
Providing our students with books, online resources, etc. can help them in the classroom and at home to stay caught up and have a tangible resources in their own hands.
Having a "class library" allows students to have resources for learning directly in the classroom that they can stay connected with and learn from.
1e Designing Coherent Instruction
Our outcomes, assessments, materials, etc. should all align to standards.
We should be knowledgeable of state standards, curriculum standards, and how they progress each other.
Lessons should advance and challenge students in appropriate ways and enhance their understanding of the objectives.
Key Elements
We should design our instruction so that it engages, motivates, and advances our students.
Instructional materials and resources should be appropriate for all learners in our classroom.
Grouping students should be done in an intentional manner.
Lesson and unit structure should be in a clear format and be easy for students to grasp.
Ways to Showcase This
Unit plans that clearly connect all outcomes to the standards given are very important.
Instructional activities should be tiered or differentiated per lesson.
It is important to focus on problem-based learning and allow students to work with groups or on their own at times for better understanding, but remember that each student is different and some may need more time spent on a topic.
1f Designing Assessment
There are different types of assessment (summative and formative).
We should be using assessments of and for our students learning.
Assessments must also be able to meet the needs of ALL students through adaptation.
Key Elements
Assessment must be connected to learning outcomes, which are connected to state standards and curriculum guides.
Expectations are clearly stated for students, and students contribute to the criteria.
Assessments for learning and planned purposefully during the lesson, and data is used to inform teacher decision-making/planning.
Ways to Showcase This
We can ask questions during the lesson to check for students understanding.
Exit tickets and entrance tickets are a great way to see if students are keeping up on work and understanding all concepts.
We can always write objectives on the board where students can see them clearly and can go over these objectives with them at the beginning of class.
This explores knowledge of your content area, understanding of prerequisite skills, and pedagogy.
There should be a command in the subject being taught, an understanding of complex relationships, and we should be up to date with pedagogies.
Be aware of the relationships within your subject area, and understand the related pedagogies.
Key Elements
We should have prior knowledge of the content and structure of discipline.
We will use our knowledge of prerequisite relationships.
Knowledge of content related pedagogy is also key to our understanding of this category.
Ways to Showcase This
Identify prerequisites a child would need to complete your lesson and modify the lesson to fit the needs of the child.
Teach lessons in an order that will establish prerequisites for children and allow them to have an even flow in their learning from one topic to the next.
Stay active online, learning about how we as teachers can stay up to date on our pedagogies. Learn from others!
1b Getting to Know Your Students
It is about getting to know our students immediately as we begin teaching them.
We should understand their weaknesses, strengths, cultures, backgrounds, interests, and differences.
It is important to understand their development and that these students all have lives outside of the classroom.
Key Elements
We should have an understanding of child and adolescent development.
We should understand and explore the learning process of each of our students.
We should understand the child's language abilities, interests, and cultural heritage.
Being able to adapt to students' special needs is also very important.
Ways to Showcase This
Create a lesson based on the students' interests (an outdoor ballgame if they like sports or some special reading time if they enjoy quiet space and reading).
Assign the students a google form to fill out based on their likes/dislikes to get to know them better.
Include things in the classroom like a birthday wall, show and tell time, or other activities that allow the students to know each other as well as to introduce themselves to you.
1c Setting Instructional Outcomes
It is important to inform students about what they are going to learn during a lesson.
Students should know that the lesson has a purpose and is in place so that they can learn and stay motivated.
These outcomes should be related to state standards, curriculum grades, and the common core.
Key Elements
Outcomes represent important learning for the students in the content area.
Outcomes should always be clearly stated to students so that they know how to achieve the goals of the lesson.
Outcomes should have a balance between a variety of learning outcomes and should address what will be assessed for all learners.
Ways to Showcase This
Have lesson plans that remind you of the objective and that are aligned with the curriculum.
Provide the students with entrance and exit tickets that check for understanding on lessons from the day or previous day.
Have class discussions, and check for clarity from students. Allow time for them to ask questions, and always explain things fully, following the objectives and keeping the students on track.
1d Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources
This allows us to have a knowledge of available resources to help us as teachers in and out of the classroom.
It helps us to understand that our students' learning is enhanced by us through skillful uses of resources.
We should utilize resources to enhance our own practice in the classroom and enhance students' learning in content areas.
Key Elements
We must be up to date in regards to content and pedagogy, and we need to have access to resources to enhance our skills as professionals.
We should have a knowledge of resources not only from the district but also from the community, organizations, universities, and online.
We must equip our students with resources for use in the classroom to reinforce lessons and outside of the classroom to reinforce the content at home.
Ways to Showcase This
We can stay active on social media to find new ideas and resources to use in our classroom with our students.
Providing our students with books, online resources, etc. can help them in the classroom and at home to stay caught up and have a tangible resources in their own hands.
Having a "class library" allows students to have resources for learning directly in the classroom that they can stay connected with and learn from.
1e Designing Coherent Instruction
Our outcomes, assessments, materials, etc. should all align to standards.
We should be knowledgeable of state standards, curriculum standards, and how they progress each other.
Lessons should advance and challenge students in appropriate ways and enhance their understanding of the objectives.
Key Elements
We should design our instruction so that it engages, motivates, and advances our students.
Instructional materials and resources should be appropriate for all learners in our classroom.
Grouping students should be done in an intentional manner.
Lesson and unit structure should be in a clear format and be easy for students to grasp.
Ways to Showcase This
Unit plans that clearly connect all outcomes to the standards given are very important.
Instructional activities should be tiered or differentiated per lesson.
It is important to focus on problem-based learning and allow students to work with groups or on their own at times for better understanding, but remember that each student is different and some may need more time spent on a topic.
1f Designing Assessment
There are different types of assessment (summative and formative).
We should be using assessments of and for our students learning.
Assessments must also be able to meet the needs of ALL students through adaptation.
Key Elements
Assessment must be connected to learning outcomes, which are connected to state standards and curriculum guides.
Expectations are clearly stated for students, and students contribute to the criteria.
Assessments for learning and planned purposefully during the lesson, and data is used to inform teacher decision-making/planning.
Ways to Showcase This
We can ask questions during the lesson to check for students understanding.
Exit tickets and entrance tickets are a great way to see if students are keeping up on work and understanding all concepts.
We can always write objectives on the board where students can see them clearly and can go over these objectives with them at the beginning of class.