Standard Three: Understanding and Organizing Subject matter for Student Learning
3.4 Developing student understanding through instructional strategies that are appropriate to the subject matter.
Description of Practice
Experienced Practice that Exemplifies the Standard
A repertoire of instructional strategies is used to make content accessible to all students, to challenge them to think critically, and to deepen their knowledge of and enthusiasm for subject matter.
Maturing Beginning Practice
The teacher uses appropriate instructional strategies to make content accessible to students, to encourage them to think critically, and to extend their knowledge of subject matter.
Developing Beginning Practice
The teacher may use a few strategies to make the content accessible to students, and may encourage some students to think critically or to extend their knowledge of subject matter.
Practice Not Consistent With Standard Expectations
Instructional strategies are not appropriately matched to subject matter content or concepts, and do not encourage students to think critically or to extend their knowledge.
What the classroom looks like
- Uses instructional strategies that enable students to engage with subject matter
- Approach selected areas that the teacher can control, appropriate to both the subject and to the students being taught
- Able to engage students in content in a way that allows for student choice
- Emphasizes depth rather than breadth
- Uses a variety of strategies in order to teach all students
- Instructional strategies reflect current pedagogical research and engages students in constructing their understanding
As teachers develop, they may ask, "How do I . . ." or "Why do I . . ."
- develop and use a repertoire of instructional strategies well suited to teaching a particular subject matter?
- use my knowledge of subject matter to help students construct their own knowledge?
- challenge all students to think critically in each subject area?
- build on student life experience, prior knowledge, and interests to make the content relevant and meaningful to them?
- use a variety of instructional strategies and approaches to illustrate a concept and its connections within and across subject areas?
- help all students develop enthusiasm for and a deep knowledge of the subject matter?
Standard 1: Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning
Standard 2: Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning
Standard 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject matter for Student Learning
Standard 4: Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experience for All Students
Standard 5: Assessing Student Learning
Standard 6: Developing as a Professional Educator
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