Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions Refinement (Approved Spring 2003)
I. Knowledge of culture
K1: Can use a well-grounded framework for understanding cultural and community diversity (linguistic, age, exceptionality, gender, social class, ethnicity, race, and affectional preference) to learn about and incorporate students’ experience, cultures, and community resources (in)to instruction.
S1: Brings multiple perspectives in seeking to understand students’ families, cultures, and communities, and uses this information as a basis for connecting instruction to students’ experiences (e.g., drawing explicit connections between subject matter and community matters, making assignments that can be related to students’ experience and cultures).
S2: Communicates ways that demonstrate a sensitivity to cultural and gender differences (e.g., appropriate use of eye contact, interpretation of body language and verbal statements, acknowledgement of and responsiveness to different modes of communication and participation.)
S3: Develops professional and community partnerships in support of student learning and well-being
D1: Shows sensitivity to differences in age, cultural and linguistic background, gender, ability, and affectional preference.
D2: Is sensitive to community and cultural norms.
D3: Appreciates the cultural dimensions of communication, responds appropriately, and seeks to foster culturally sensitive communication by and among all students in the class.
II. Knowledge of content
K1: Has knowledge about a wide range of content to facilitate integration of specific disciplines with other subject areas and the world beyond the classroom
K2: Demonstrates with considerable depth of understanding accurate and extensive knowledge of relevant discipline and subject areas and appropriate curricular standards
S1: Skillfully uses pedagogical content knowledge by focusing on content, teaching strategies, and students during planning, teaching and reflection after teaching.
D1: Values both the content and learner as being the heart of the curriculum.
III. Knowledge of learning
K1: Can clearly describe the underlying assumptions and key attributes of current theories of learning.
K2: Can clearly describe the differences between conceptual and rote learning, and can state criteria for planning lessons designed to promote desired outcomes.
K3: Can clearly describe different classroom management models, their strengths and weaknesses and apply them carefully.
S1: Demonstrates the ability to use Facilitates learning by effectively applying their knowledge of learning theories and diverse learning modalities to plan lessons that support multidimensional instruction, integrated curriculum and appropriate assessment. processes human development, individual differences, student diversity, st
D1: Considers learning theory, classroom management and student diversity important in planning lessons.
IV. Understanding diversity
K1: Has accurate knowledge of and genuine appreciation for students, their families, and others and their struggle for recognition, livelihood, and acceptance
K2: Understands how students differ in their approaches to learning
S1: Promotes effective and empathetic interactions with members of diverse groups
S2: Uses teaching and assessment strategies to ensure academic and social success for all learners
S3: Seeks to develop professional and community partnerships in support of student learning and well-being (See also I. Knowledge of Culture S2).
D1: Has willingness to critically analyze preconceptions, stereotypes and prejudices.
D2: Has a sincere appreciation for the interaction of different groups.
D3: Shows sensitivity to differences in age, cultural and linguistic background, gender, ability, and affectional preference. (See also I. Knowledge of Culture D1).
V. Understanding pedagogy
K1: Understands the historical foundations current ideas and future trends for pedagogy and their implications for teaching and learning generally, as well as for specific areas of discipline.
S1: Adapts goals, teaching strategies, and assessment procedures for the changing needs of students and society.
S2: Designs learning experiences that are informed by research, reflect models of learning and curriculum standards, are appropriate for diverse student needs, reflect the experiences and cultures of the students, promote higher level thinking skills, and utilize a variety of activities, strategies and materials that promote authentic learning.
S3: Uses a variety of authentic assessment strategies to measure student learning, involve learners in self-assessment and goal-setting, and influence planning and instruction.D1: Values reflective, student-centered teaching and assessment strategies.
VI: Understanding of curriculum
K1: Understands connections across subjects and to students’ interests, discipline knowledge and structure, curriculum development, student development, external standards, and hidden curriculum issues and knows how to use this knowledge in planning instruction to meet curricular goals.
S1: Individually and as a team member designs and implements curriculum that includes short and long range plans and as well as formative and summative assessment to best ensure and capitalize on student progress and motivation.
D1: Values short and long range planning and goal setting as both individual and collegial/team activities.
D2: Values curriculum that engages students in critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, active inquiry, hypothesis testing, knowledge generation,
examination of issues from diverse perspectives, and real life applications.D3: Believes curriculum must be responsive to based on student needs, current events, community expectations, changing disciplinary knowledge, and student interaction with knowledge.
D4: Strives to provide curriculum that is critically democratic, fair, socially fair and both visionary , and and reality-based. as to enhance the likelihood of academic and social \ success by all student learners
VII. Being a Lifelong Learner
K1: Is knowledgeable of resources that provide professional learning opportunities such as publications, colleagues, organizations and development activities
K2: Knows that modeling lifelong learning will encourage and inspire students to read, explore, and discover
K3: Is knowledgeable that staying current in one’s field is a major part of being a professional and acknowledges that teachers are forever students
S1: Uses professional publications, colleagues, organizations and other resources to continue growing as a teacher and a learner by discovering new ideas,
exploring issues and problems, developing hypotheses, evaluating conjectures, creating connections and working in cooperation with others in pursuit of skills, understanding and appreciationS2: Effectively models learning as an on-going lifelong process
S3: Develops positive relationships with school professionals drawing on expertise to gain new understandings, gather new ideas, actively share experiences, and seek and give feedback
D1: Finds pleasure in learning and assumes responsibility for own learning
D2: Values and appreciates others as a means to gain knowledge of different philosophies and practices.
VIII. Being a Change Agent
K1: Is knowledgeable about the nature and value of progressive democratic educational change.
K2: Is knowledgeable of the value of the role of critical social change as a meansto progressive developmental change (e.g. willing to speak up on behalf of students’ and teachers’ interests.)
S1: Advocates for democratic education issues, insights and ideas.
S2: Makes links with learners’ out-of-school experiences.
S3: Incorporates research-based best practices of the field into learning and
teaching.S4: Helps to develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions for students to participate in a democratic society
D1: Is committed to a vision of education in a democratic society in which exceptionality, gender, social class, ethnicity, race, and affectional preference are included and affirmed.
D2: Values change as a progressive force extending civic and critical citizenship rights which span alls cultures and societies.
D3: Willing to work hard and speak up on behalf of children’s and teachers’ interests.
IX. Being a Reflective Professional
K1: Exhibits critical knowledge of relevant subject matter; the interconnections between schooling, culture, politics and society; assumptions that underlying the thinking in one’s discipline; and assumptions that drive thinking.
S1: Considers the broader purposes of education in planning and teaching and has a willingness to engage in metacognition about teaching and student learning
S2: Reflects on, analyzes, evaluates and learns from own teaching elicits and incorporates constructive feedback
D1: Is guided by ethical practice, grounded in a formal code.
X. Being a Skillful Practitioner
K1: Knowledge of school, home and community partnerships
K2: Knowledge of interrelationships between content and learning
K3: Knowledge of the dynamics of school culture between educators and students.
S1: Attends to students’ academic needs and to their social and emotional needs
S2: Uses an understanding of human learning to create a positive learning environment that encourages active and equitable engagement in learning
S3: Facilitates positive social interaction and self-motivation
S4: Focuses simultaneously on students, teaching strategies, content and school environment.
S5: Skillfully implements lessons making (makes goals and objectives clear to students, using reflects use of in-depth questioning strategies and appropriate pacing.
S6: Demonstrates refined communication skills (reading, writing speaking, listening and use of technology.)
S7: Demonstrates punctuality, dependability, and professionalism
D1: Has an effective classroom presence.
D2: Has mature judgment in working with others
D3: Demonstrates a positive attitude and a passion for teaching
D4: Believes in teaching as an art and a science.