Any framework developed for professional practice must provide guidelines on what a teacher does when teaching. Thus, to better understand the responsibilities of teachers, this course will incorporate the following framework for professional practice. Charlotte Danielson developed this framework.
Danielson’s Framework for Teaching
Danielson’s framework for teaching identifies aspects of a teacher’s responsibilities that empirical studies have demonstrated as promoting improved student learning.1 Because teaching is an extremely complex activity, this
framework is useful in laying out the various areas of competence in which
professional teachers need to develop expertise. Danielson divides the complex activity of teaching into twenty-two components clustered into four domains of teaching responsibility: (1) planning and preparation, (2) the classroom environment, (3) instruction, and (4) professional responsibilities. These domains and their components are outlined in a following table. A brief review of each of these domains will provide a road map of the skills and competencies new teachers need to develop.
The components in Domain 1 outline how a teacher organizes the content of what students are expected to learn---in other words, how the teacher designs instruction. These include demonstrate knowledge of content and pedagogy, demonstrating knowledge of the students, selecting instructional goals, demonstrating knowledge of resources, designing coherent instruction, and assessing student learning.
1a. Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy Demonstrating
1b. Knowledge of Students
1c. Setting Instructional Outcomes
1d. Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources
1e. Designing Coherent Instruction
1f. Designing Student Assessments
The components in Domain 2 consist of the interactions that occur in a classroom that are non instructional. These consist of creating an environment of respect and rapport among the students and with the teacher, establishing a culture for learning, managing classroom procedures, managing student behavior, and organizing the physical space.
1a. Creating an Environment of Respect and Repport
1b. Establishing a Culture for Learning
1c. Managing Classroom Procedures
1d. Managing Student Behavior
1e. Organizing Physical Space
The components in Domain 3 are what constitute the core of teaching – the engagement of students in learning contest. These include communicating clearly and accurately, using questioning and discussion techniques, engaging students in learning, providing feedback to students, and demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness.
3a. Communicating with Students
3b. Using Questioning and Discussion
Techniques
3c. Engaging Students in Learning
3d. Using Assessment in Instruction
3e. Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness
The components in Domain 4 represent the wide range of a teacher’s responsibilities outside the classroom. These include reflecting on teaching, maintaining accurate records, communicating with families, contributing to the school and district, growing and developing professionally, and showing professionalism. Teachers who demonstrate these competencies are highly valued by their colleagues and administrators, as well as being seen as true professionals.
4a. Reflecting on Teaching
4b. Maintaining Accurate Records
4c. Communicating with Families
4d. Participating in a Professional Community
4e. Growing and Developing Professionally
4f. Showing Professionalism
The benefits of having a framework for professional practice, as Danielson notes, are several. First, a framework offers the profession of teaching a shard vocabulary as a way to communicate about excellence. For novice teachers, a framework provides a pathway to excellence by laying out the twenty-two important components that constitute professional practice. A framework for teaching provides a structure for discussions among teachers and also serves to sharpen the focus for professional development. A framework also serves to communicate to the larger community the array of competencies needed to be an effective teacher.
Source: From Charlotte Danielson, “Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching,” Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1996, pp.3-4. Reprinted by permission of the author.