There’s no doubt that educational change has been at the forefront of most teachers’ conversations – from new curricula, to the Common Core, to the new standardized tests (PARCC and Smarter Balanced Assessment). Added to this is another dimension – teacher evaluation. Though different evaluations exist across the state of New Jersey, Charlotte Danielson’s Framework is highly popular among many school districts. This week, let’s take a closer look at Domain 1 of the Danielson model – teacher planning and preparation – to determine some simple ways you can not only better yourself but also prepare yourself to be evaluated. Though these suggestions do not address every component within the domain, the ideas do speak to: Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy, Knowledge of Students, and Designing Coherent Lessons. Furthermore, the suggestions are tailored to activities, resources, and ideas that are apropos for the beginning weeks of the school year: • Learning is Fun! Have you ever wanted to delve into a particular aspect of your subject matter – but you never seem to find the time? Or maybe you’ve had an interest in getting that Master’s degree – but you’ve talked about it more than taken action? September is the perfect time to register for a course, sign up for a lecture, or simply sign up for a professional development workshop within your district. And by starting now, you’ll automatically make that time commitment part of your daily routine… rather than trying to “fit it in” later in the year, when you’ve already filled your schedule with other commitments and activities. • Getting to Know You… How well do you know your students? It’s early in the year, so most likely you are still just getting to know them…but don’t dismiss the icebreakers and interest inventories you planned for those early days and weeks of school! More than a way to get students acclimated to the school, your class, and their classmates, you can glean important information about students’ background, interests, strengths, and weaknesses, and this information could better inform your instructional planning. Read more...Making the Grade with Teacher Evaluation
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