Sub-categories
1a. Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy
1b. Demonstrating Knowledge of Students
1c. Setting Instructional Outcomes
1d. Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources
1e. Designing Coherent Instruction
1f. Designing Student Assessment
The domain of Planning an Preparation is a domain that has the potential to shape any teacher and any classroom. From the sub-categories it is clear that this is where the teacher must begin their process in creating a classroom centered on education and learning.
The artifacts chosen to represent this domain are a few word documents and a picture. They represent the categories 1a, 1b, 1c, 1e, and 1f.
When planning and beginning a lesson, or unit, a teacher must take their students into account. It is from here that a
teacher will begin to develop groups, and plans how a unit will go. The picture shows the setting up of groups, from a unit in progress, in which students get to choose a new name. This, from an Animal Unit, allows the students to become involved and work together for high achievement. This requires knowing the students, and setting up outcomes, so that the groups can work well and have fun at the same time.
The document to the left, for a "Magazine" Project, also requires the use of groups and shows a development and planning of lessons. Students are expected to work in a group to develop a series of articles which can be used to further their understanding of the allegorical aspects of Animal Farm by George Orwell. There are clear guides and instructions that guide the students to success. Along with this "Magazine" Project, a teacher example was prepared, to give students an idea of what their final product may sound and look like, which is the Czar Nicholas II button. All of this lends itself to the abilty to know students, prepare lessons with outcomes in mind and instructing in a coherent way.
Assessment is always on a teachers mind, but the final two buttons are two very different assessments that were designed to test for student knowledge on two very different apsects of their year. These assessments were designed early and then the students were taught everything they would need to be successful on them. I helped design these assessments with two other ELA teachers and had a big voice in the setup and content. These assessments both were successes int he classroom due to planning them early and then teaching the skills and knowledge the students would need.