Domain 4
Principled Teaching
4A: Engaging in Reflective Practice
This component explores different ways for students to reflect on their learning, and for the teacher to see student progression.
Elements:
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Self-Assessment of Teaching
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Analysis and Discovery
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Application and Continuous Improvement
Use in a Classroom: Create a Padlet and allow students to post things that they have questions on after each unit/lesson. This will help you to see how you can improve your lessons, and how you can better help your students. You could also do this with a more hands-on approach and give each student a sticky note and have them post them up on the board.
4B: Documenting Student Progress
Documenting student progress is valuable for both the teacher and the student.
Elements:
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Student Progress Toward Mastery
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Shared Ownership
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Maintaining Reliable Records
Use in a Classroom: Each student could have a progress chart that you fill in with stickers or they color in. This allows for the student to be able to see their own progress, and its an easy way for you to log their progress.
4C: Engaging Families and Communities
This component explores different ways for teachers to stay involved and connected in students lives.
Elements:
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Respect and Cultural Competence
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Community Values
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Instructional Program
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Engagement in Learning Experiences
Use in a Classroom: There are many ways I hope to use 4C in my classroom, and I think that engaging with families and communities is crucial to being a supportive teacher. Taking time out of your day to go to your students’ sports games or meeting with parents for conferences is a great way to connect with students and their families.
4D: Contributing to School Community & Culture
Volunteering at your school shows students the importance of giving back.
Elements:
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Relational Trust and Collaborative Spirit
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Culture of Inquiry and Innovation
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Service to the School
Use in a Classroom: One of my teachers put on a school-wide fundraiser every year and it was also used as an opportunity for students to learn about raising money. This fundraiser raised hundreds of dollars each year and students' hand-made and sold dog toys to learn about business and fundraising. I think this would be a great way for the community and the school to come together and I hope to be able to do this in my own classroom someday.
4E: Growing & Developing Professionally
Finding new ways to present curriculum and implementing new technologies into your classroom will always benefit your classroom.
Elements:
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Curiosity and Autonomy
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Developing Cultural Competence
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Enhancing Knowledge and Skills
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Seeking and Acting on Feedback
Use in a Classroom: The teaching profession is always changing and adapting to new ideas. I think that professional development is very important. I hope to be able to go to education conferences to seek out new developments and technologies in the education profession. Going to seek out new ideas and implementing them in my future classroom will be a way for students to learn with the use of different activities.
4F: Acting in Service of Students
Doing what is best for your students will make them feel safe in your classroom environment.
Elements:
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Acting with Care, Honesty, and Integrity
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Ethical Decision-Making
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Advocacy
Use in a Classroom: One of my biggest goals in becoming an educator is making myself accessible for students. I hope that students feel comfortable talking to me. A way that I can be more accessible for students in my classroom would be offering student-teacher lunch opportunities. This would be a great one on one time for students to meet with me and connect with one another.
