Danielson, Chapter 3

This particular chapter has a lot of "MEAT" in it, so it may take us a while.  Danielson discusses 4 Domains of Teaching Responsibility in Chapter 3.  I want to discuss the first Domain in this forum.  Domain 1:  Planning and Preparation - the components in this domain describe how teachers organize content so students can learn.  In essence, the teacher is the "Instructional Designer!"  (It took me a Masters and a PhD to be a half decent instructional designer, and yet we expect our teachers to do this everyday.)

There are 6 components in Domain 1 identified by Danielson in her model for Teaching Responsibility.  They are as follows:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of content and pedagogy
2. Demonstrate knowledge of students
3. Setting instructional outcomes
4. Demonstrating knowledge of resources
5. Designing coherent instruction
6. Designing student assessments

Here's what I hear far too often from an administrator in my workshops: "But my teachers don't know how to create formative assessments." or "But I don't think my teachers can build instruction without a textbook."  And yet, the principles of teaching responsibility demand it.  This says a lot about how diluted our teaching profession has become with people who are not truly teaching professionals.  This is a huge part of the problem in the United States with our current educational problems.  Personally, if I were teaching in a classroom, and I didn't feel 100% confident in all these areas for my content and my grade-level, I would ask to be reassigned or I would get busy learning what  I need to do to be confident.  But enough of what I would do.

I want to ask the following question and have you all respond. Where do most teachers line up on the Domain of Planning and Preparation?  Here's Danielson's rubric.

Unsatisfactory - Teacher’s plans reflect little
understanding of the content,
the students, and available
resources. Instructional outcomes
are either lacking or inappropriate;
assessment methodologies
are inadequate.

Basic - Teacher’s plans reflect moderate
understanding of the content, the
students, and available resources.
Some instructional outcomes are
suitable to the students as a
group, and the approaches to
assessment are partially aligned to
the goals.

Proficient - Teacher’s plans reflect solid understanding
of the content, the students,
and available resources.
Instructional outcomes represent
important learning suitable to
most students. Most elements of
the instructional design, including
the assessments, are aligned to
the goals.

Distinguished - Teacher’s plans, based on extensive
content knowledge and
understanding of students, are
designed to engage students in significant
learning. All aspects of the
teacher’s plans—instructional
outcomes, learning activities, materials,
resources, and assessments—
are in complete alignment and are
adapted as needed for individual
students.

If you are an administrator - provide your teachers with the rubric found in Danielson's book as they design their lessons.  If you are a teacher - USE Danielson's model as you design your lessons.

There are other models, and I am quite certain they are just as solid in methodology.  It doesn't have to be Danielson's model, but use some reputable model to create your instruction.  Don't depend on a textbook to do this for you.  Know your content, know you kids, know the strategies that work, build great assessments, give them often, and watch your children flourish under your "arrangement for their learning."