Domain A

Domain A: Making Subject Matter Comprehensible to Students

TPE 1B: Subject-Specific Pedagogical Skills for Single Subject Teaching Assignments

• Connecting students' prior knowledge, life experience, and interests with learning goals.
• Using a variety of instructional strategies and resources to respond to students' diverse needs.
• Facilitating learning experiences that promote autonomy, interaction, and choice.
• Engaging students in problem-solving, critical thinking, and other activities that make the subject matter meaningful.
• Promoting self-directed, reflective learning for all students.

Artifact 1: Observation by principal

"Following the warm up, Ms. Baker organized her students into 3 groups with 3 students into each group. Students moved into their groups quickly with no problems. She explained to the students the next activity which was a test review using the game of Jeopardy as the instructional tool. The Jeopardy board was projected with columns related to the chapter and rows with possible points. Behind each point is a question such as "Which event marked the end of the Reconstruction?" Like the real game of Jeopardy, the questions became more difficult as they progressed down the rows. Each group was given a little white board to write their answer to the questions. The groups were timed and each member of the group was expected to participate in the discussion. The activity was very well planned out and consequently was executed without any problems. Most of the students were eagerly participating in the activity. All the students were enjoying themselves.

Throughout the activity, Ms. Baker allowed her students to use their study guides. She reminded them that these questions are addressing the important concepts in the chapter. She gave them hints as they worked together to answer the questions. She did not give them the answer but required them to use their notes and work together to find the answer. Ms. Baker smiled and laughed with her students. The tone of the room was pleasant, fun, and productive. Her students were cooperative and respectful."

Artifact 2: Observation by Site Support Provider

Artifact 3: Literature Review

Author: Fred Jones

Title: Tools for Teaching

Year: 2007

Main idea(s)

Supporting Evidence

Making subject matter comprehensible to students. Connecting students’ prior knowledge, life experience, and interests with learning goals. Using a variety of instructional strategies and resources to respond to students’ diverse needs. Facilitating learning experiences that promote autonomy, interaction, and choice. Engaging students in problem-solving, critical thinking, and other activities that make the subject matter meaningful. Promoting self directed, reflective learning for all students.

“Both comprehension and long-term memory are maximized when we integrate the verbal, visual, and physical modalities of learning” (Jones, 2007, pg. 83). “We already know that we learn by doing and that we learn one step at a time. Put these two notions together and you get a simple, yet powerful model for the process of teaching” (Jones, 2007, pg. 85). “When planning a lesson you must constantly ask yourself, what do I want the students to do with this chunk of material? The verb ‘do’ forces us to make concepts into activities” (Jones, 2007, pg. 85). “After you provide a manageable amount of input, the students immediately do something with it. Then you give the students another chunk of input, and the students do something with that. This process is repeated as the students learn by doing one step at a time” (Jones, 2007, pg. 87). “Effective teachers are perfectionists who want students to ‘get it right.’ Only during Structured Practice do they have enough control over performance to produce perfect practice” (Jones, 2007, pg. 91). “Teaching is not talking, and learning is not listening” (Jones, 2007, pg. 96).

References:

"California Teaching Performance Expectations." Commission on Teacher Credentialing. N.p., Mar. 2013. Web. 29 Nov. 2013. www.ctc.ca.gov

Jones, F. (2007). Tools for Teaching. Santa Cruz, CA: Fredric H. Jones & Associates, Inc.