Description of Domain 4: Domain 4 is all about professionalism and what it takes to be a teacher. A teacher has numerous responsibilities in the classroom, regarding students, parents, and the school.
- 4e. Growing and Developing Professionally
- What is it? It is continued growth and development throughout your teaching career to stay up to date and current.
- Why is it important? It's important to increase effectiveness in the classroom by belonging to professional organizations, reading professional journals, attending educational conferences, and taking university classes.
- Elements- Enhancement of content knowledge and pedagogical skills- teachers remain current by taking courses, reading professional literature, and remaining current on the evolution of thinking regarding instruction, receptivity to feedback from colleagues- teachers actively pursue networks that provide collegial support and feedback, service to the profession- frequent teacher attendance in courses and workshops, regular academic reading, participation in learning networks with colleagues, regular sharing of feedback, participation in professional organizations, supporting academic inquiry
Link to an infographic I made on understanding digital literacy: literacy_charity_infographic.png
4b. Maintaining Accurate Records
- What is it? Tracking progress and giving quality feedback to students. This record keeping includes student completion of assignments, student progress in learning, and records of non-instructional activities that are part of the day-to-day functions in the school setting
- Why is it important? It is important to know students progress so that you know what they still need to be taught and what they already know, ex: exit cards, pre-tests
- Elements- student completion of assignments- taking account of what students complete and their accuracy on the assignments; student progress in learning- knowing where students stand so that you can instruct them accurately; non-instructional records- keep them organized and involve students/ ex: field trip forms, bus duty, allergies, picture day
- I will plan to give my students exit tickets so that I can track their progress in a fun way.
- What is it?- Considering how the lesson affected the students in both positive and negative ways, in order to try and improve your lessons.
- Why is it important?- so a teacher can understand where their students need improvement.
- Elements- accuracy- the more experience teachers have and the more they reflect on their teaching, the more accurate they are; use in future teaching- in order for the potential of reflection to improve teaching to be fully realized, teachers must use their reflections to make adjustments in their practice. As their experience and expertise increases, teachers draw on an ever-increasing repertoire of strategies to inform these plans.
- What I will do in my classroom- I will be keeping a reflection journal after each lesson and note whether the students had more or less questions and comments.
- What is it? the ability of families to participate in their child's learning varies widely because of other family or job obligations; responsibility of teachers to provide opportunities for families to understand both the instructional program and their child's progress.
- Why is it important? It's important to communicate with families because they don't want to send their kids to school for several hours without knowing about their kid's progress.
- elements- information about the instructional program; information about individual students; engagement of families in the instructional program- inviting them to be part of the educational process itself
- two-way communication between teacher and families, frequent opportunities
- ideas for my future teaching: parent letters, blogs, newsletters, emails
- link to my communication template- teal_and_white_tropical_class_schedule.pdf
- What is it? Expert teachers demonstrate professionalism in service both to students and to the profession. Teaching at the highest levels of performance in this component is student focused, putting students first, regardless of how this sense of priority might challenge long-held assumptions, past practices, or simply what is easier or more convenient for teachers.
- Why is it important? It's important to demonstrate professionalism because it shows respect to the students and profession. It shows how serious you take your career.
- Elements- Integrity and ethical conduct- teachers act with integrity and honesty; service to students- putting students first; advocacy- teachers support their students and look out for their best interests even in the face of superiors or traditions; decision making- solving problems; compliance with school and district regulations- teachers adhere to policies and procedures
- In my teaching career: I will always support my students while also following the policies and procedures of the school