Domain 1: Planning & PreparationDomain 1 of the Danielson Framework is Planning and Preparation. This includes knowledge of content and pedagogy, knowledge of students, setting instructional outcomes, knowledge of resources, designing coherent instruction, and designing student assessments. Overall, my greatest strength in Domain 1 is my differentiation; my greatest area for improvement is incorporating higher level thinking into a wider variety of lessons.
1a: Knowledge of Content & PedagogyI have a strong knowledge of content and the resources to use when I need to brush up. I frequently reference the PA Core standards as a content guide. I am comfortable drawing connections between concepts in a subject area and integrating multiple subject areas together in order to enhance learning. I am also comfortable utilizing multiple teaching strategies such as explicitly modeling skills or inviting students to experiment and explore first. When beginning a new concept or unit, I analyze the pre-requisite skills and make sure to begin with a review. When I need support in either my content or pedagogical knowledge, I refer to resources such as curriculum guides and textbooks, or I find a resource on the content itself. Click here for examples of reference books I have accumulated or here for examples of curriculums I have utilized or observed during student teaching.
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1b: Knowledge of Students
Over the year I spent in my PDS internship, I developed a strong understanding of each of my students' strengths and needs. I was able to effectively use my knowledge of their cognitive levels in each subject and overall to create groups (both homogeneous and heterogeneous). These groups were flexible from day to day and unit to unit. I read through the SDIs and accommodations for each student with special needs to make sure I met their needs. I also spent time getting to know their interests outside of school so I could make my teaching more engaging, and I got to know the little things I could do to help them learn. For example, one student didn't have a specific accommodation, but performed much better when we chunked assignments, gave him extended time, and talked through his ideas prior to writing; I learned this because of discussions we had together and listening to him, not through a formal document. Using all of my knowledge of the various ability levels in my classes, every group activity I planned was highly differentiated through small group instruction, scaffolded materials, and offering choice.
1c: Setting Instructional OutcomesI believe in telling students exactly what you are looking for in their work and being explicit about the learning objectives with them. This ties into communicating expectations to students, but I chose to include it here as well because if I make a habit of telling my learners what their learning goals or "I can" statements are, it forces me to make sure the objectives are relevant, aligned with state standards, clear, and achievable for all my students. I use observable, measurable verbs like "analyze" or "compare" so there are multiple ways a student can demonstrate mastery of the objective. For example, if the goal is to analyze character traits in a guided reading novel, they can write a paragraph, make a character sketch, or record themselves explaining their thinking. I also include mastery criteria to evaluate student learning, but I make sure that they are achievable for the majority of my students with scaffolds and supports.
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For students who have already met the criteria, I always encourage them to take it to the next level and challenge themselves; for those few students who are not able to reach the criteria, I will modify the assignment or criteria itself to be appropriate for their level and still aligned with the rest of the class. One thing I want to improve about my instructional outcomes is making sure all of my objectives refer to what students will learn, not what they will do, while still remaining observable and measurable, and balancing different types of learning and levels of thinking.
1d: Knowledge of ResourcesI've explored many resources throughout my time at WCU. Knowledge of resources has become even more important in the transition to distance learning. Visit my Distance Learning Experience page for examples of resources that can be integrated into classroom instruction or used to extend learning beyond the classroom. In addition to those academic resources, there are many district-provided resources for academics, counseling, and community assistance. Over my year in PDS, I have learned that one of the greatest resources available to us is each other. I often turn to my colleagues or online teacher communities when planning a lesson or facing a challenge to pick their brains.
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I also ask myself when planning if there is someone else that might be able to send a video, do a live video call, or even come in and speak to my students; see my How Is Sound Made? lesson on the Work Samples page for an example of bringing in a guest speaker. Visit this page for examples of teacher resources I have or am interested in reading. In addition to those teacher resources, I am consistently attending professional development sessions and seeking out new learning resources.
1e: Designing Coherent Instruction
My lesson plans are always linked to a clear learning objective and state standard. I work to incorporate higher-level thinking, a high variety of materials, and a high level of differentiation and student choice. The lessons included on my Work Samples page showcase my ability to include student choice, integration of multiple subject areas, differentiate materials, and group students thoughtfully. I am still actively working to improve being realistic with my time allocation and making sure every lesson has opportunities for higher level thinking. One way I am improving is making sure to reflect after each lesson on whether my use of time was effective and how I can increase the student inquiry and exploration; I also actively seek feedback from mentor teachers and supervisors on these areas.
1f: Designing Student AssessmentIn each lesson, I incorporate multiple forms of formative assessment. Not every lesson has a summative assessment at the end, but each connects to a summative assessment such as a unit test or culminating product. Every learning outcome is connected to a form of assessment to measure student growth. I adapt each assessment as needed, but I work to make assessments suitable for the majority of students in the class with minimal accommodations (e.g. items read aloud or reminders to attend to task). My formative assessments often include teacher observation, "Show What You Know" exit tickets (both performance and on paper), and student self-assessments. Visit my Work Samples page to see formative assessments in each plans and summative assessments with adapted versions.
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