Intasc Standards

Principle Reflection and Artifact

1. Content Pedagogy

The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.

This principle means that the teacher understands what he or she is teaching. While they teach their lessons, their students are gathering meaningful information in which they can use in the future. In order for a teacher to be able to touch their students, they must learn all that they can possibly learn about what they want to teach. This Intasc Standards talks about this and how important it really is for teachers. The teacher must also use different types of sign systems in order for all of their students to understand what they are talking about. Auditory, Visual, and Kinesthetic learners all have their special ways of learning information and a teacher must adapt to these styles.

Example: Shapes Unit Plan

2. Student Development

The teacher understands how children learn and develop, and can provide learning opportunities that support a child's intellectual, social, and personal development.

This principle means that a teacher knows how to teach, and they teach each student to their own individual strengths. The teacher can provide each student with a means to develop into a stronger individual. Each student is special to a teacher and they all develop in different ways. Teachers must find a way to teach each child and they do this by learning about how children learn and develop from prior clases and just observing children in general. That is whay being a teacher is so special, we must educate our children so they have a better future and they will develop from each and every thing that comes out of our mouth. We give children the opportunity to have a successful life, and student development is a very vital part of this.

Example: Williamsport Student Shadowing

3. Diverse Learners

The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.

Teachers know that students all learn in different ways. These ways include Auditory, Visual, and Kinesthetic learners. Everyone in different in many ways and no person is exactly the same as another person. For this reason differentiating teaching strategies MUST to be adapted to a teacher's classroom. A teacher who practices with their decision making skills will be better suited when changes need to be made. Being able to adapt in the education field is vital, students are different, therefore lessons that incorperate many different learning strategies need to be used in order for all of your students to have an equal playing field to succeed in.

Example: Multiplication Unit Plan

4. Multiple Instructional Strategies

The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage student development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.

An educator needs to understand the cognitive processes associated with various kinds of learning, such as creative thinking, problem solving and memorization. They must also know how these processes can be stimulated. A good background knowledge of principles and techniques associated with the different instructional strategies are important as well. An educator who knows how to make learning better for their students through the use of a wide variety of materials will create a better educational environment. With technology becoming as advanced as it has been through the years, educators need to also use technology in order for their students to become the best well-rounded individual as they can possibly be.

Example: Christmas Lesson Plan

5. Motivation and Management

The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self motivation.

It is sometimes very hard for a teacher to keep their students motivated for a long period of time. Teachers have a tough task to create ways in which their students can remain focused and attentive in order for the class to run smoothly. To help keep students motivated, rewards and positive reinforcement can play a vital role in making a classroom work in your favor. These rewards may include a token economy system, a daily student of the day award, and partys for your students if they are very motivated and stay on task throughout the school week. If a teacher can keep a class motivated, and all the students are learning and taking steps towards having a better future.

Example: Fine Arts Lesson Plan

6. Communication and Technology

The teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.

Technology is becoming a huge part of our schools today. We need to make sure students are learning with a better grasp of how to use all sorts of the current technology out in the market. A teacher should constantly be checking the new technology on the market so that they cannot only educate their students, they can also educate themselves. A teacher should understand the importance of verbal and nonverbal communication with all of their students in their classroom. A teacher needs to be able to explain what they are etaching and then go and help students who may be struggling at what is to be done so time is not wasted. Inquiry, collaboration, and interaction with students is sometimes hard to incorporate in our everyday teachers, but we must find creative ways in which to do this each and every day.

Example: Sports Discrimination PowerPoint

7. Planning

The teacher plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals.

In order to be an impact teacher, one must be familiar with their content standards and objectives for the state. This will help them to develop a well-organized and coprehensive lesson plan for each lesson, each day. Teachers must also know what the state exam requires students to know and they must teach towards meeting their states goals. A teacher should also create diverse lesson plans to incorporate each type of learners. Teachers have a lot of pressure riding on their shoulders and in order for them to relieve this pressure, they must take all the necessary procedures to take their students above and beyond what they could ever expect out of themselves.

Example: PA Content Standards

8. Assessment

The teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the learner.

A teacher should always monitor their students. As they are monitoring them, they will see which ones are growing and which may need help and extra attention. Formal instructional strategies can only go a certain length in ensuring that a student is developing the best way they can possibly develop. A student may be the smartest kid in the class, but lacking in social development. A teacher would see these sort of problems when they use informal assessment strategies. Both strategies allow the teacher to develop and understand each student within their classroom setting.

Example: Assessment

9. Reflective Practice: Professional Growth

The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his or her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.

A teacher must ALWAYS reflect upon themselves. Each day, they should sit back and evaluate what went wrong in their lessons, what went right in their lessons, and things they may want to change in the future. Teachers should also talk to others around them to develp ways in which they can better reach out to their students. These people could be the students' parents or guardians, other professionals in the same field, or even the students themsleves. A teacher must also continue to learn as an individual in order to keep up with the challenging environments the schools may throw at them. Each and every day is different in the classroom and when a teacher reflects upon themselves, they may be able to learn from past mistakes.

Example: Interpersonal Article Critique

10. School and Community Involvement

The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students' learning and well-being.

A teacher is look upon 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In many peoples eyes, a teacher should do no wrong. When a teacher puts themselves out there to the community by talking with their students' parents or guardians, attending their students' sporting events, becoming active in community events, and joining clubs and organizations that will show that they want to better their students' growth, they show that they care about what they are doing. Teaching is a tough job that does not end when the students walk out the door each day. It is a never ending process that involves determination, strength, and an inner will to touch a child's life and give them a future to succeed. When you show that you care by putting yourself out there, you show that you want the best for your students in the school.

Example: ASCD PowerPoint