What is it? Component E of Domain 4 is all about the professional growth and development of teachers. It is not enough for educators to just further the knowledge of others, we must also further our own knowledge. That is essentially what this component focuses on. The Danielson Framework for Teaching advises educators of the importance of advancing and expanding their knowledge of pedagogy, educational research, etc.
Why do we need it? We need component 4E because we cannot effectively teach others if we are not up to date on the current trends and practices involved in education. If we teach our students outdated information then we are negatively effecting their futures. It is our job to stay informed on the current changes that are made in our field everyday. This way we can successfully educate our students on current information and help them to build new schema. Component 4E is important because it reminds all educators that they need to read about, search out forums of discussion for, and join communities that foster educational growth.
What are the elements? This component contains a total of three separate elements. The first element targets the enhancement of content knowledge and pedagogical skill. What this means is that educators need to remain up to date on new theories, practices, etc. They can do so by taking courses, reading professional literature, and searching out information regarding the actively evolving think tank that is instruction. The next element focuses on teacher receptivity to feedback from colleagues. This element states that educators need to be constantly pursuing networks that provide for a symbiotic relationship of support and feedback. In addition, this element can serve as a reminder that critiques are not a bad thing, but rather an opportunity for one to improve and become a more impactful teacher. The third element centers on service to the profession. The purpose of this element is to call attention to the importance of being active in professional education organizations. Membership in an organization can help to expand your PLN, provide opportunities to improve your own skills, and provide you a forum in which to support fellow educators.
What does implementation look like? For this component I decided to tackle implementation in a different way. For each element I have selected one example to discuss. There are obviously hundreds of possible artifacts and examples that can be use to implement component 4E but I have chosen ones that I would like to share with others.
Element one calls for teachers to further their knowledge base by taking classes and subscribing to professional journals. Teaching Children Mathematics is a journal published by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. It provides teachers with terrific information on tools to help students understand concepts, it often times includes ideas for class activities, and it provides information regarding the newest developments in elementary math education. I really enjoy the insight that this journal has to offer teachers. The NCTM also publishes a journal for middle school math teachers and secondary math teachers.
Element two states that teachers should be regularly pursuing professional networks. I am still relatively new to the Twitter world of Education. However, after participating in several education related twitter chats, making numerous connections with educators all over the country, and learning a great deal of new and valuable information I can honestly say that creating a professional Twitter is a terrific step in implementing element two of component 4E.
Element three suggests that teachers become involved in professional organizations in order to grow. I am a member of the Council for Exceptional Children which is a professional association of educators dedicated to advancing the success of children with exceptionalities. Members of the CEC can participate in all sorts of opportunities from webinars to podcasts and more. Belonging to a professional organization has bettered me as an educator and opened up my eyes to all the good that so many of us are setting out to accomplish.
Sources: Council for Exceptional Children . (2017). Cec.sped.org. Retrieved 30 November 2017, from https://www.cec.sped.org/
Danielson Group » The Framework. (2017). Danielsongroup.org. Retrieved 21 September 2017, from http://www.danielsongroup.org/framework/
NCTM Journals | NCTM Media Kit Pictures. (2017). Mediakits.theygsgroup.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017, from http://mediakits.theygsgroup.com/nctm-2018/print-opportunites/nctm-journals
Twitter Logo transparent PNG - StickPNG. (2017). Stickpng.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017, from http://www.stickpng.com/img/icons-logos-emojis/tech-companies/twitter-logo