Domain C
Teaching for Student Learning
This domain focuses on the act of teaching and its overall goal:helping students to connect with the content. The teacher's job is to present information, monitor learning, and help the students assimilate this information and apply what they have learned.
Criterion C-1: Making learning goals and instructional procedures clear to students.
In this photograph I am restating the procedures to a student who came into the classroom late. Instead of just giving her the assignment sheet which I had previously explained to the rest of the class, I am taking time to give her the same explanation the rest of the class heard.
Criterion C-2: Making content comprehensible to students.
Sometimes the students understand certain concepts better when they explain them to each other. The student who is "teaching" the others benefits greatly, and the others benefit from hearing the same information from a different source, this time one of their peers. In this photograph, Clayton is helping me teach the class how to use linking verbs.
Criterion C-3: Encouraging students to extend their thinking.
In this photograph two students are meeting in the hallway trying to devise an alternative testing method for themselves. They came to me with the concern that they have done poorly on the previous three quizzes in spite of studying, so I encouraged them to come up with an alternative assessment method that I would consider. Making them take an active part in their own learning helped them gain confidence.
Criterion C-4: Monitoring students' understanding of content through a variety of means, providing feedback to students to assist learning, and adjusting learning activities as the situation demands.
This photograph shows the portfolio system I use in my writing classes. I allow the students to pick 5 of 15 creative writing choices, based on their particular interests. Throughout the writing process I meet with students, they meet with each other, and they reflect on their learning.
Criterion C-5: Using instructional time effectively.
This is a photograph of my planbook. I believe the planbook is one of the most important tools at a teacher's disposal. In order to use instructional time effectively, every single minute must be accounted for, and when a day is underplanned, it can create chaos in the classroom. I usually try to overplan for my classes so there is not a second of teaching time wasted. In addition to daily plans, the planbook must include objectives and ways to measure whether objectives have been met.
