1. EDU 250 Roxanne Stansbury 2010

2.  It is important to learn about Danielson’s Domains because they are the framework for how we measure effective teaching. The domains are not only used to measure the learner outcomes of our teacher preparation program, but they are also used as the evaluation tool in the district. You will need to come to know the language of these domains and the domain components if you continue on in the School of Education at NSC.

3.  Journal assignment: If you were to observe an excellent teacher, either in the classroom or in another professional setting, what might you see or hear?  Take a moment to jot down 4 things.

4.  The framework does not define specific behaviors; it does not define what teacher should do. Rather, it describes what teachers should achieve in their work, what effect they should be able to produce.  The four areas are planning & preparation, classroom environment, instruction, and professional responsibilities.

5.  Research confirms that teaching is cognitively demanding; a teacher makes hundreds of nontrivial decisions daily, from designing lessons, to responding to students’ questions, to meeting with parents. Teaching is a thinking person’s job! (Danielson, p. 2, 2007). The Danielson Framework recognizes this complexity.

6.  By providing an agreed-upon framework for excellence, a frame work for teaching serves to structure conversations among educators about exemplary practice.  These conversations will guide preservice teachers, inform novices and enhance the performance of veterans.

7.  To help students learn, it is always a good strategy to use analogies. I have come up with the following analogy to help you understand the role of each domain.  Which domain would you attribute to each body part and why?

8.  Domain1: Planning & Preparation –  Domain 2: Classroom Environment-  Domain 3: Instruction-  Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities:

9. 1. I connected the hand with domain 1 because this is where you sculpt your lessons. You use your hands to plan and write a blueprint for learning. 2. I see your classroom environment as the heart of your teaching. Your love and caring goes into creating an environment where students feel valued and respected.

10. 3. Instruction is the mouth because you are delivering the connect. Oral communication is a key factor in your success in this domain. 4. Your professionalism is like the backbone of your teaching. Who you are and your ideals are all displayed in your professional disposition.

11. Component 1a: Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy  Knowledge of content  Knowledge of prerequisite relationships  Knowledge of content-related pedagogy Component 1b: Demonstrating Knowledge of Students  Knowledge of characteristics of age group  Knowledge of students’ varied approaches to learning  Knowledge of students’ skills and knowledge  Knowledge of students’ interests and cultural heritage Component 1c: Selecting Instructional Goals  Value  Clarity  Suitability for diverse students  Balance Component 1d: Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources  Resources for teaching  Resources for students Component 1e: Designing Coherent Instruction  Learning activities  Instructional materials and resources  Instructional groups  Lesson and unit structure Component 1f: Assessing Student Learning  Congruence with instructional goals  Criteria and standards  Use for planning

12. In your notes, try to match the following scenario with a specific component. 1. Mr. S’s science class is studying the solar system. Mr. S has contacted the city’s planetarium and plans to arrange for the class to visit. 2. Mr. T distributes an interest inventory on the first day of school and asks students to respond to questions about their favorite school subjects and their activities outside of school. 3. A history paper is graded and returned in class. The students are upset because they did not know what criteria the teacher would be using to grade it. 4. Mrs. V’s unit plan on Hemingway includes a series of lessons in which the students, every day, work in groups and share their responses to questions on worksheets.

13.  With your discussion group, talk about the what you wrote down for the introduction slide about what you would see or hear in an excellent teacher’s classroom.  Discuss your predictions about matching the scenarios with the appropriate domain 1 component. You can use the reference of 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f.