What is it? Component A of Domain 1 focuses on the importance of having educators who know the inner workings of the topics they are teaching. There is immense importance in teachers having knowledge of pedagogy. Without knowledge of content and pedagogy, it is hard for teachers to get their lessons across in ways that reach every student. Every student must be able to understand the information being taught to them and this component calls attention to the fact that in order for a teacher to be able to answer questions they need to have a great understanding of their discipline.
Why do we need it? It is impossible to explain something well unless there is a deep understanding of the topic. Students, parents, and society as a whole depend on teachers to mold and shape the learning of future generations. It is not unreasonable for us to expect teachers to demonstrate the knowledge of content and pedagogy that is required to shape those young minds. We need component 1A as a reminder of the vast importance of our jobs as educators. In order to remind us that we must constantly be working to expand the learning in our own minds before we can foster that learning in others. Component 1A is essential to the growth of all of our minds because teachers rely on their knowledge to further the knowledge of others.
What are the elements? Component 1A has three elements. The first element is all about knowledge of content and the structure of the discipline. What this means is that every discipline or subject has a main framework that then has smaller items as well as concepts and skills that are central in importance but that branch off of the main framework. For example, calculations, reasoning, and word problems are all important to and fall under the framework of mathematics. The second element targets knowledge of prerequisite relationships. Essentially this is referring to specific subjects such as mathematics which has important prerequisites. A student being able to recognize sequences and visually cluster numbers are both prerequisites of mathematics. This element states that a competent teacher knows what these prerequisites are and is able to frequently use them when creating lessons and units. The last element centers on knowledge of content-related pedagogy. Breaking that down to basic terms, all that it is stating is that different subjects have signature practices of teaching that have evolved over the years and that have been found to be more effective in teaching than other pedagogies. What this means is that a teacher should stay up to date with the types of pedagogy that are proven to be most effective.
What does implementation look like? Implementation requires teachers to focus a lot of effort on the planning of lessons because it is important for lesson plans to reflect upon and contain the prerequisite content and concepts so that the students can understand new content. All teachers should create summer reading lists filled with books they can read to grow their own knowledge bases in the areas they teach. Having a growth mindset should not just end when it comes to the students, teachers must have it as well. Teachers should also use their summers to prepare and plan for classroom road blocks. Having several different ways of explaining a lesson not only shows the teachers knowledge but it also helps to give accurate answers in response to student questions. Implementation involves teachers being clear, accurate, and decisive in their classroom explanations of new material. A great way to demonstrate a good understanding of content is by making sure to give feedback to students that further grows and expands their learning process. Teachers should continually attend and participate in workshops, conferences, and webinars as a way of staying up to date with changes in their content area. Educators have an abundance of online courses at their disposal which can also be beneficial in advancing their knowledge.
Sources: Danielson Group » The Framework. (2017). Danielsongroup.org. Retrieved 21 September 2017, from http://www.danielsongroup.org/framework/
Knowledge and Pedagogy Diagram. (2017). Researchgate.net. Retrieved 5 October 2017, from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Carmen_Fernandez14/publication/282330568/figure/fig7/AS:286057133948934@1445212743707/Figure-7-Categories-contributing-to-pedagogical-content-knowledge-From.png