Domain 3: Instruction
Domain 3 of Charlotte Danielson's Framework for Professional Practice is The Instruction Domain. In this domain, a teacher reflects on his or her instructional practices. This is where a teacher demonstrate his or her knowledge of questioning techniques, student engagement, and quality of feedback. It has been said that the components of Domain 3 are at the epicenter of teaching.
Component 3a: Communicating with Students
Communicating with students is one of the most important things we do as teachers. How would anything be accomplished in our classrooms if we are not effective communicators?
Artifact Description: Each day, my students enter the classroom and find the morning message posted on the SMARTBoard. The students are responsible for reading the message and completing the tasks. This typically consists of a quick greeting and announcement about special events of the day. It also includes what to do with homework, which materials to take out, and what to do for a bell ringer activity.
Artifact Analysis and Link to Domain: The written directions in the morning message are clear, concise, consistent, and legible. Students know that most of their questions upon arrival can be answered via the morning message. This not only frees me up to answer other questions and interact with the students right away in the morning, but it also fosters responsibility within the students as it is a self-guided activity. It helps set limits, as the students see what their tasks are and know that they should be completed before morning meeting begins. Reflection: I feel I am a strong communicator with students. I often support my oral directions, with written directions on the whiteboard, SMARTBoard, or handouts. I value formal and informal communication with my students whether in writing, verbally, or during discussion. Being a strong communicator is so important for teachers. |
Morning Message-- March 3, 2015.
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Component 3b: Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques
Using questioning and discussion techniques is one way to increase student participation, engagement, and differentiation. There are multiple ways in which students can discuss with one another and there are various higher order thinking frameworks to use, such as Depth of Knowledge and Bloom's Taxonomy.
Reflection: My students can have great discussion in all subject areas: math, language arts, social studies, and science. I make a point to use question probes to get the students to explain their thinking in all subject areas. I use phrases like "tell me more about...," "explain how you found your answer," and I will often rephrase and ask for clarification of the students' responses. I have tried to increase the amount of "think time" to illicit more responses from the students. Students in my class will often talk with neighbors or small groups first, and then I will ask for volunteer responses in front of the class. Another way to get more students involved in the discussion would be to draw sticks with student names for them to share a response (after the discussion with peers). I would like to use more higher-order thinking questions to challenge all students within my classroom and provide more opportunities for deeper thinking and learning.
Reflection: My students can have great discussion in all subject areas: math, language arts, social studies, and science. I make a point to use question probes to get the students to explain their thinking in all subject areas. I use phrases like "tell me more about...," "explain how you found your answer," and I will often rephrase and ask for clarification of the students' responses. I have tried to increase the amount of "think time" to illicit more responses from the students. Students in my class will often talk with neighbors or small groups first, and then I will ask for volunteer responses in front of the class. Another way to get more students involved in the discussion would be to draw sticks with student names for them to share a response (after the discussion with peers). I would like to use more higher-order thinking questions to challenge all students within my classroom and provide more opportunities for deeper thinking and learning.
Component 3c: Engaging Students in Learning
Envelope Prize Challenge Question-- February 2, 2015.
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Student engagement is one of the most fun parts of teaching. Learning about and discovering new ways to keep students actively engaged within the lesson is an art form. Utilizing resources and materials, creating activities and assignments, getting students interacting with each other and responsible for their own learning are all encompassed within this component.
Artifact Description: The following activity was modeled for me during the school district's new teacher training. We were able to participate in this activity as if we were the students. We had to solve the challenge problem using a large 11 X 14 paper, markers, and no calculator. We were to solve the problem in two ways, and were then responsible for explaining/describing our solutions to a small group. I enjoyed this activity and knew that my students would enjoy it as well. I used this as a challenge problem with my group of gifted and talented students during my math rotation. They enjoyed practicing their problem solving skills to solve this problem. Artifact Analysis and Link to Domain: This artifact is a great example of student engagement as it promoted problem solving which is highly engaging for this group of students. This artifact also allowed for student choice, as they could choose any method or procedure to help them solve the problem. They grappled with finding patterns, hypothesizing, and spending time and thought on the problem. The students were working in partner pairs so they were able to bounce ideas off of each other. They enjoyed solving this problem, and they were excited to demonstrate for others how they solved the problem. Reflection: Engagement is something I have improved upon in my classroom this year and focus on while lesson planning. Besides this artifact, I have incorporated movement, turn and talks, math stations, and other engagement techniques in all subject areas to meet the needs of all my students. I specifically find it challenging and important to engage my gifted and talented students. This artifact illustrates one activity that I saw students actively engaged in their own learning. I want to continue to provide these opportunities not only for this group of learners, but also provide engaging lessons and activities for all students. |
Component 3d: Using Assessment in Instruction
Using assessment to drive instruction is a best practice. Having an understanding of where the students are at in their learning, communicating that information to them, and using data to guide instruction combines for sound teaching.
Artifact Description: This artifact is a way that I record whiteboard quick checks during my whole group mini-lesson in math. It is simply my seating chart in a clear, plastic page protector. I use a whiteboard marker to place a dot on the student's name if they are answering example problems incorrectly. This is a quick and efficient way for me to collect data on whether or not students are understanding the material. I use this information to direct small group instruction and differentiate accordingly. Artifact Analysis and Link to Domain: My quick check seating chart is a great way to monitor student progress. This helps me record student progress data in a timely fashion and determine what needs to be retaught during small group time. This feedback is provided on the spot as I walk around the room and view whiteboards. Although this feedback doesn't come across as written feedback, it gives students the information needed to adjust what they are doing and improve. It provides added time to think and reflect as the students are working through the problems with a small group. Reflection: I would like to be able to give students more timely feedback in other subject areas. Often, written feedback isn't returned to the students as quickly as it should be. This is a goal that I would like to improve upon as I continue this school year and it will be a goal for myself for next year as well. |
Whiteboard Quick Checks Seating Chart-- February 26, 2015
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Component 3e: Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness
A teacher must be able to think on his or her feet and be able to read the room. Even the best planned lessons might need to be altered or totally scrapped based on student understanding, student interest, scheduling needs, etc.
Artifact Description: This is an example of the schedule slide I have posted during my math time. It outlines the stations and gives the students reminders of the task and materials for that station. This helps keeps the students accountable for their own learning, and also eliminates the "What do I do next?" question. This remains on the SMARTBoard for the duration of the rotation/station part of the math block.
Artifact Analysis and Link to Domain: The students are arranged into their teams with flexible grouping. I begin the Math with Miss Rian station with the students who need the most support. This way, I can get them started and provide them with additional practice on their independent work pages before they go to their next station (Math by Myself) to finish their independent work. Depending on the topic, I also use this time for reteaching previous skills that these students are still struggling with. The group needing more challenge works independently first, and then comes to me for an extension activity. The on-level group receives a combination of additional practice, challenge, or reteaching when they are at Math with Miss Rian. Students spend approximately 15 minutes per station before I give the signal to switch to the next station (clapping a pattern).
Reflection: One of my strengths as a teacher is my flexibility and responsiveness within my teaching. I am always willing to try new things, make changes to the lesson, or otherwise adjust the lesson. I have a high number of gifted and talented students this year, and I have challenged myself to provide flexibility for them and be responsive to their needs as well as the needs of my other students in the class. My math block is a prime example of the ways that I demonstrate flexibility and responsiveness in my classroom.
Artifact Analysis and Link to Domain: The students are arranged into their teams with flexible grouping. I begin the Math with Miss Rian station with the students who need the most support. This way, I can get them started and provide them with additional practice on their independent work pages before they go to their next station (Math by Myself) to finish their independent work. Depending on the topic, I also use this time for reteaching previous skills that these students are still struggling with. The group needing more challenge works independently first, and then comes to me for an extension activity. The on-level group receives a combination of additional practice, challenge, or reteaching when they are at Math with Miss Rian. Students spend approximately 15 minutes per station before I give the signal to switch to the next station (clapping a pattern).
Reflection: One of my strengths as a teacher is my flexibility and responsiveness within my teaching. I am always willing to try new things, make changes to the lesson, or otherwise adjust the lesson. I have a high number of gifted and talented students this year, and I have challenged myself to provide flexibility for them and be responsive to their needs as well as the needs of my other students in the class. My math block is a prime example of the ways that I demonstrate flexibility and responsiveness in my classroom.
Goals and Alternatives:
1.) Increase the frequency of higher order thinking questions in discussion and assignments.
2.) Increase the frequency and timeliness of feedback to students on written assignments.
- Utilize Depth of Knowledge Question Wheel.
- Script Depth of Knowledge questions into lesson plans.
2.) Increase the frequency and timeliness of feedback to students on written assignments.
- Work with clinical coach to develop more efficient ways of assessing and providing feedback to students.
- Limit the amount of work submitted for "grading" and create a schedule to complete grading and return assignments to students.