Standard Two | Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge
The competent teacher has in-depth understanding of content area knowledge that includes central concepts, methods of inquiry, structures of the disciplines, and content area literacy. The teacher creates meaningful learning experiences for each student based upon interactions among content area and pedagogical knowledge, and evidence-based practice.
Artifact 1: Lesson on Bronx Masquerade and Monster
Growth in Knowledge Indicator B: understands major concepts, assumptions, debates, and principles; processes of inquiry; and theories that are central to the disciplines.
Growth in Knowledge Indicator C: understands the cognitive processes associated with various kinds of learning (e.g., critical and creative thinking, problem-structuring and problem-solving, invention, memorization, and recall).
Growth in Performance Indicator C: engages students in the processes of critical thinking and inquiry and addresses standards of evidence of the disciplines.
This artifact was created as part of a larger multicultural performance literature unit that can be found here. The unit was created collaboratively with three other students in the Secondary Education program at the University of Illinois, during our CI 402 class in the spring of 2012. I developed the overall plan for week two of the unit and my main goal for the week was to learn about slam poetry and music, and elaborate on and explore themes of stereotypes, prejudice, race, and identity. With the specific lesson plan below, I created a lesson that differentiates learning activities and asks students to take charge of and reflect on their own thinking process.
Artifact 1: Lesson on Bronx Masquerade and Monster
Growth in Knowledge Indicator B: understands major concepts, assumptions, debates, and principles; processes of inquiry; and theories that are central to the disciplines.
Growth in Knowledge Indicator C: understands the cognitive processes associated with various kinds of learning (e.g., critical and creative thinking, problem-structuring and problem-solving, invention, memorization, and recall).
Growth in Performance Indicator C: engages students in the processes of critical thinking and inquiry and addresses standards of evidence of the disciplines.
This artifact was created as part of a larger multicultural performance literature unit that can be found here. The unit was created collaboratively with three other students in the Secondary Education program at the University of Illinois, during our CI 402 class in the spring of 2012. I developed the overall plan for week two of the unit and my main goal for the week was to learn about slam poetry and music, and elaborate on and explore themes of stereotypes, prejudice, race, and identity. With the specific lesson plan below, I created a lesson that differentiates learning activities and asks students to take charge of and reflect on their own thinking process.
Reflection 1:
The lesson that I have embedded above pertains to Standard Two of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, which focuses on pedagogical knowledge and evidence-based practice. It also emphasizes knowledge of methods of inquiry and content literacy, and by having students read in small groups, I was allowing them to scaffold each other's literacy skills. I also chose this work sample because it incorporates Directed Reading-Thinking Activity into the lesson, allowing students to use a proven method of inquiry while reading. This helps them hone their critical thinking skills and improves their cognitive abilities. Furthermore, it enhances not only their understanding of the text but their engagement with each other in small group discussions and within the larger class discussions. By providing a framework for students to use as they read the text and differentiating the structure of discussion and reflection throughout the lesson, student learning was impacted positively. By asking students to write a small paragraph analyzing their thought process throughout the lesson, I enhance my ability to understand and assess their learning and progress. This paragraph is a formative assessment that will help me inform my decision making for future lessons, and it will also help the students because their reflective response is something they can use as they begin the creative project attached to the unit - an original poem or screenplay that relates to the book and its themes. Scaffolding, DR-TA, and formative assessments are all concepts that I have mastery of, which ties into Knowledge Indicator B's call for teachers to "[understand] major concepts, assumptions, debates, and principles; processes of inquiry; and theories that are central to the disciplines." The lesson further exemplifies the second Illinois Professional Teaching Standard because comparing and contrasting is a content-specific skill that students need to become proficient in; comparing "Black Box by Devon Hope" with Monster and discussing it together was a way to help students understand how to make connections, and understand themes throughout literacy. In conjunction with Performance Indicator C of the standard, I worked to "[engage] students in the processes of critical thinking and inquiry," and with this goal in mind I created a meaningful learning experience for the students.
The lesson that I have embedded above pertains to Standard Two of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, which focuses on pedagogical knowledge and evidence-based practice. It also emphasizes knowledge of methods of inquiry and content literacy, and by having students read in small groups, I was allowing them to scaffold each other's literacy skills. I also chose this work sample because it incorporates Directed Reading-Thinking Activity into the lesson, allowing students to use a proven method of inquiry while reading. This helps them hone their critical thinking skills and improves their cognitive abilities. Furthermore, it enhances not only their understanding of the text but their engagement with each other in small group discussions and within the larger class discussions. By providing a framework for students to use as they read the text and differentiating the structure of discussion and reflection throughout the lesson, student learning was impacted positively. By asking students to write a small paragraph analyzing their thought process throughout the lesson, I enhance my ability to understand and assess their learning and progress. This paragraph is a formative assessment that will help me inform my decision making for future lessons, and it will also help the students because their reflective response is something they can use as they begin the creative project attached to the unit - an original poem or screenplay that relates to the book and its themes. Scaffolding, DR-TA, and formative assessments are all concepts that I have mastery of, which ties into Knowledge Indicator B's call for teachers to "[understand] major concepts, assumptions, debates, and principles; processes of inquiry; and theories that are central to the disciplines." The lesson further exemplifies the second Illinois Professional Teaching Standard because comparing and contrasting is a content-specific skill that students need to become proficient in; comparing "Black Box by Devon Hope" with Monster and discussing it together was a way to help students understand how to make connections, and understand themes throughout literacy. In conjunction with Performance Indicator C of the standard, I worked to "[engage] students in the processes of critical thinking and inquiry," and with this goal in mind I created a meaningful learning experience for the students.
Artifact 2: Lesson on Edgar Allan Poe's short story "Hop Frog."
Growth in Knowledge Indicator D: understands the relationship of knowledge within the disciplines to other content areas and to life applications.
Growth in Knowledge Indicator F: knows how to access the tools and knowledge related to latest findings (e.g., research, practice, methodologies) and technologies in the disciplines.
Growth in Knowledge Indicator G: understands the theory behind and the process for providing support to promote learning when concepts and skills are first being introduced.
Growth in Performance Indicator B: uses differing viewpoints, theories, and methods of inquiry in teaching subject matter concepts.
Growth in Performance Indicator C: engages students in the processes of critical thinking and inquiry and addresses standards of evidence of the disciplines.
This artifact was taught to a Junior English class in a unit on romanticism, looking especially through the lens of Poe's writing. Students read and discussed "Alone" and read a background packet on classicism versus romanticism earlier in the week. With the lesson below, I connected the story to the larger literary movement, a historical event, and the author's life.
Growth in Knowledge Indicator D: understands the relationship of knowledge within the disciplines to other content areas and to life applications.
Growth in Knowledge Indicator F: knows how to access the tools and knowledge related to latest findings (e.g., research, practice, methodologies) and technologies in the disciplines.
Growth in Knowledge Indicator G: understands the theory behind and the process for providing support to promote learning when concepts and skills are first being introduced.
Growth in Performance Indicator B: uses differing viewpoints, theories, and methods of inquiry in teaching subject matter concepts.
Growth in Performance Indicator C: engages students in the processes of critical thinking and inquiry and addresses standards of evidence of the disciplines.
This artifact was taught to a Junior English class in a unit on romanticism, looking especially through the lens of Poe's writing. Students read and discussed "Alone" and read a background packet on classicism versus romanticism earlier in the week. With the lesson below, I connected the story to the larger literary movement, a historical event, and the author's life.
Reflection 2:
The artifact embedded above reflects Standard Two of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, which focuses on content area knowledge and the use of evidence-based practices. This lesson revolves around heightening students' awareness of literary movements, and how specific texts reflect the characteristics of those movements. In this instance, the movement was romanticism and we were focusing on Edgar Allan Poe's writing. By providing background knowledge of classicism versus romanticism and referring to this knowledge as we discussed "Hop Frog," I scaffolded students understanding of overarching elements of the content area. As Growth in Knowledge Indicator D states, I showed my "[understanding of] the relationship of knowledge within the disciplines to other content areas and to life applications” when I brought Poe’s life into the analysis of “Hop Frog;” we discussed jealousy, anger, and revenge and how they were handled in the story, in his life, and within our own lives. We also discussed the story from a historical point of view, which created the opportunity to bring knowledge of a different content area (history) into the lesson. Furthermore, as Knowledge Indicator F calls for “[knowledge of] how to access the tools and knowledge related to latest findings (e.g., research, practice, methodologies) and technologies in the disciplines,” I utilized my research skills to find the background information for the lesson, and discussed my research methods with the students. We discussed many scholars’ theories of how “Hop Frog” connects to historical events and to Poe’s life, and I helped students understand the research and evaluation that goes into finding and using this information. Students also knew that not all literary theorists believe that looking at history and the author’s life is important and helpful in understanding a story; I contextualized “differing viewpoints, theories, and methods of inquiry in teaching [or analyzing] subject matter concepts,” and thus students knew that our lesson used one of many methods to analyze “Hop Frog.” By discussing “Hop Frog” in conjunction with the different critical approaches to literature and different literary movements throughout history (especially classicism versus romanticism), students got a better sense of how to analyze literature. This helped “engage [their] critical thinking” skills, a tenet of Performance Indicator C. Overall, the lesson shows my grasp of large content area themes and movements, and my ability to discuss these broad concepts with students in an engaging, easy-to-understand way.
The artifact embedded above reflects Standard Two of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, which focuses on content area knowledge and the use of evidence-based practices. This lesson revolves around heightening students' awareness of literary movements, and how specific texts reflect the characteristics of those movements. In this instance, the movement was romanticism and we were focusing on Edgar Allan Poe's writing. By providing background knowledge of classicism versus romanticism and referring to this knowledge as we discussed "Hop Frog," I scaffolded students understanding of overarching elements of the content area. As Growth in Knowledge Indicator D states, I showed my "[understanding of] the relationship of knowledge within the disciplines to other content areas and to life applications” when I brought Poe’s life into the analysis of “Hop Frog;” we discussed jealousy, anger, and revenge and how they were handled in the story, in his life, and within our own lives. We also discussed the story from a historical point of view, which created the opportunity to bring knowledge of a different content area (history) into the lesson. Furthermore, as Knowledge Indicator F calls for “[knowledge of] how to access the tools and knowledge related to latest findings (e.g., research, practice, methodologies) and technologies in the disciplines,” I utilized my research skills to find the background information for the lesson, and discussed my research methods with the students. We discussed many scholars’ theories of how “Hop Frog” connects to historical events and to Poe’s life, and I helped students understand the research and evaluation that goes into finding and using this information. Students also knew that not all literary theorists believe that looking at history and the author’s life is important and helpful in understanding a story; I contextualized “differing viewpoints, theories, and methods of inquiry in teaching [or analyzing] subject matter concepts,” and thus students knew that our lesson used one of many methods to analyze “Hop Frog.” By discussing “Hop Frog” in conjunction with the different critical approaches to literature and different literary movements throughout history (especially classicism versus romanticism), students got a better sense of how to analyze literature. This helped “engage [their] critical thinking” skills, a tenet of Performance Indicator C. Overall, the lesson shows my grasp of large content area themes and movements, and my ability to discuss these broad concepts with students in an engaging, easy-to-understand way.