Danielson Framework Domain 3

It describes the critical interactive work teachers do to bring complex content to life for their students

Danielson Framework for Teaching

Understanding Domain 3: Instruction

The teacher provides mostly general feedback to students. To one student's drawing, the teacher says, "That's amazing." When a student asks whether he has completed the assignment correctly, the teacher only replies, "yup." To another student, she says, "Check your assignment with a classmate sitting next to you when you are done." Likewise, questions are global. For example, the teacher says, "Do we all understand the structure?" When students respond to this question and ask about a particular part, of the structure, the teacher replies, "We'll get to that in just a minute."

These observations demonstrate critical attributes of level 2 (Needs Improvement).

Elements

1. Assessment criteria

2. Monitoring of student learning

3. Feedback to students

4. Student self-assessment and monitoring of progress

5. Lesson Adjustment

Component 3D:

Using Assessment in Instruction

Assessment no longer signals the end of instruction, but is an integral part of it. Teachers must have their finger on the pulse of a lesson, monitoring student understanding and offering feedback to students. Teachers carefully monitor learning in order to gauge what additional activities or explanations they may need to grasp the content. Questions are used to elicit the extent of students' understanding. Students are encouraged to monitor their own learning against clear standards.

Assign a Level Activity

Working with a partner, use the rubric provided to assign a performance level to each of the examples. Write your answer on the small white board.

These observations demonstrate critical attributes of a level 4 (Distinguished).

The students are given an assignment to draft letters to a pen pal. Before students get to work, the teacher asks students to think about about what would make a good letter and then works with them to develop a rubric that will serve as the basis for the letter's assessment. The teacher then instructs students to work in small groups to draft and edit each other's work. While the students are working with each other, the teacher circulates around the classroom, conferencing with all students. The teacher conferences with one student to show her how the letter should be indented and asks, "Do you understand what you needed to do here?" The student then tells the teacher if she understands or not.

The teacher circulates as students work independently. He gives content-specific feedback to each student. For example, the teacher sees that a student is struggling with one of the problems. He says, " Area equals length times width. So, think about what two numbers would multiply by one another to equal that area, okay?" Assessment is regularly used during instruction. As the teacher circulates, he asks individual students specific questions to figure out which parts of the lesson are giving most students problems. He then brings the class back together as a whole group and says, "Let's see, everybody take a look right here for just a moment." After clarification, the teacher instructs the students to work independently.

These observations demonstrate critical attributes of a level 1 (Unsatisfactory).

The teacher tries to explain the difference between "in" and "into". The students look quite confused despite the teacher's explanation and turn to other student's sitting at their table for help. The teacher does not appear to notice that some students have become confused and does not adjust the lesson or try to explain the difference between "in and "into" in another way. The teacher stays mostly at the front of the room and does not circulate while students are doing a worksheet at their desks.

These observations demonstrate critical attributes of a level 3 (Proficient).

Component 3A:

Communicating with Students

Teachers communicate with students to convey that teaching and learning are purposeful activities, and they make that purpose clear to students. They provide clear directions so that students know what is expected of them. They present concepts and information with accuracy, clarity, and imagination, using vivid, rich, and error-free language. Teachers presents concepts in ways that connect to students' interests and provides scaffolds and access to students.

Elements

1. Expectations for learning

2. Directions and procedures

3. Explanation of content

4. Use of oral and written language

The observations demonstrate critical attributes of a level 3 (Proficient).

These observations demonstrate critical attributes of a 2

(Needs Improvement).

The teacher's explanation of the content is clear and accurate. The teacher has a student come forward to highlight the base of a parallelogram, and all other students listen. The teacher asks students to help the student working at the board. Students then work in pairs to discuss the height of the triangles. The teacher then transitions from review to an activity for the day and gives clear procedural information regarding the use of stations. All students proceed to their assigned locations and immediately begin the task.

The teacher opens the lesson with a review of the components of a business letter and a friendly letter; this is followed, for the most part, by a monologue on the concept of revising. However, the teacher does not clarify the distinction between revising and editing. Students are asked to revise the letter the teacher is handing back and then write another letter. As the teacher conferences with some students, there is some confusion as to which letter to write and to whom.

Domain 3 is the heart of the

framework for teaching

Assign a Level Activity

Working with a partner, use the rubric provided to assign a performance level to each of the examples. Write your answer on the small white board.

The teacher links the instructional purpose of the lesson, emotions in poetry, to lyrics in music. The teacher begins her explanation by having students recall what the music teacher taught them about high and low notes in music and how the different notes make people feel. Student work in pairs to develop a definition for "emotion". The teacher uses a student-generated definition to begin her lesson on words in poetry. The teacher finds several opportunities to extend student vocabulary with the words "nonchalant" and "excerpt".

These observations demonstrate the critical attributes of a level 4 (Distinguished).

These observations demonstrate critical attributes of a level of 1 (Unsatisfactory).

Component 3b:

Using Questioning/Prompts and Discussion Techniques

The teacher's examples leave students confused. The teacher responds to the confusion by saying, "I'm going to get more examples of that. The way I explained it is not clicking with you." The teacher makes errors in explaining the content; she confuses the use of "fewer" and "less". Students are often unable to give the correct responses. The teacher asks at several points, "Does everyone understand?" Only a faint response is heard. The teacher asks clarifying questions but answers the questions herself. The teacher uses the word "ain't".

Questioning and discussion are the only instructional strategies specifically referred to in the Framework. They are used as techniques to deepen student understanding. Good teachers use both divergent and convergent questions to invite students to formulate hypotheses, make connections, or challenge previously held views. Effective teachers also pose questions to which they do not know the answers. Students should be engaged in considering important issues and in using their own language to deepen and extend their understanding.

Elements

1. Quality of questions/prompts

2. Discussion techniques

3. Student participation

Domain 3 has four components that describe the ways students are engaged in learning:

3A - Communicating with Students

3B - Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques

3C - Engaging Students in Learning

3D - Using Assessment in Instruction

Activity

While viewing the video, use

the rubric for component 3b

to rate this teacher's performance. Write the rating on the white board provided

Activity

Component 3C:

Engaging Students in Learning

Underline the key words in the levels 3 and 4 descriptions on the rubric provided. With a partner, agree on three key differences between the levels.

Student engagement in learning is the centerpiece of the framework for teaching: all other components contribute to it. Students who are engaged are not merely busy or on task; rather, they are intellectually active in learning important and challenging content. A lesson in which students are engaged usually has a discernible structure, with scaffolded activities designed to provide cognitive challenges.

1. Activities and assignments

2. Grouping of students

3. Instructional materials and resources

4. Structure and pacing

Elements

Learning Targets

1. I understand the four components of Danielson Domain 3.

2. I can distinguish between the levels of each component within Danielson Domain 3.