PATHWISE CLASSROOM OBSERVATION SYSTEM DOMAIN A: ORGANIZING CONTENT KNOWLEDGE FOR STUDENT LEARNING Pass out handouts. Quickly review what PATHWISE is and overview of the four domains. This is a system to observe and evaluate teachers. Suggestions will be offered to improve instruction and student learning. Today you will be getting information about the four domains. I will cover domain A. I will define domain A, share evidences that can be collected to address this domain, and go through each of the five criteria that are a part of domain A. I will give examples of what evaluators are looking for under each criterion and suggestions of what you can do to show you have met each of these criteria. I will end with a few suggestions for you as you create your teacher education portfolio.

Domain A Knowledge of the content to be taught underlies all aspects of good instruction. Teachers must use their understanding of students and subject matter to decide on learning goals; to design appropriate activities and materials; to sequence instruction and design or select evaluative strategies.

Primary Sources of Evidence for Domain A Class Profile Instruction Profile Preobservation Interview

Criteria for Domain A A1. Becoming familiar with relevant aspects of student’s background knowledge and experiences. A2. Articulating clear learning goals for the lesson that are appropriate to the students. A3. Demonstrating an understanding of the connections between the content learned previously, currently, and in the future.

Criteria for Domain A [cont.] A4. Creating or selecting teaching methods, learning activities, and instructional materials or other resources that are appropriate to the students and aligned with goals of the lesson. A5. Creating or selecting evaluation strategies that are appropriate for the students and that are aligned with goals of the lesson.

Criterion A1 Pretesting Class Discussion Observation Home visits Prior knowledge of subject Skills Motivation to learn Developmental level Cultural Experiences Diversity Beliefs & Values Number of Students Pretesting Class Discussion Observation Home visits Communicating with parents/students Involved with students outside of cla

Criterion A2 Lesson objectives or learning outcomes Distinguish goals from activities Knowledge, concepts, facts, values Rationale for objectives Modifications Objectives visually displayed Lesson Plan Plan for individualizing instruction Articulation of clear learning outcomes

Criterion A3 Sequence content across lesson Relate to content to past, present, future Fit current lesson with the broad scope of the discipline Prerequisite learning Connection of content to past and future lesson-unit plan. Set and Closure of lesson plan. Chart of skills/concepts Curriculum guides

Criteria A4 Foster student involvement Variety of methods Grouping for instruction Materials & resources Appropriate Alignment Instruction Profile Lesson plan Grouping of Students Strategies utilized Connection of goals, methods, activities, materials and evaluation.

Criterion A5 Alignment with objectives Appropriate & systematic Variety of assessments Provides information about learning Tests Self evaluation Peer evaluation Anecdotal records Portfolios Products Video-audio-taping Checklists

Your Portfolio DOCUMENT-Create a system/checklist to show you are addressing each criteria in the four domains. WORK SAMPLES – Include as many performance based evidences as possible. [I did this, not my teacher.] ORGANIZATION – Less is more – Be selective in your portfolio work samples.

Reflections in your Portfolio A short paragraph to explain “why I chose this evidence for this criteria” would be beneficial to include.