Domain Three: Instruction

"Domain 3 in the Framework for Teaching is about instruction; it’s about the teaching; it is actually the heart of the Framework for Teaching because it’s where the teacher brings the content to life for the students. It [has] five components, but they’re very intertwined; and the centerpiece of them is the third one... which is engaging students in learning. But the other components all support that one. Domain 3 itself is the heart of the Framework." - Charlotte Danielson

To read more about domain three from Danielson's FFT, click here.

Students are asked to do challenging things, but with scaffolds that allow them to struggle together in group work. I provide appropriate wait time for students to sit and think about ideas before sharing, and am learning when the silence is too long, at which point I can prompt with additional questions, rephrasing, or encouragement for students to elaborate more on previously shared ideas. In my classroom this summer, students all addressed one another in discussion and mostly did not look at me when they shared ideas, but rather to the person they are responding to or referencing. Students receive spoken and written expectations for each assignment that remain visible the entire time students are working to encourage engagement from all students. Additionally, I made clear efforts to engage all students with verbal/written participation differences, giving students multiple chances to reflect in writing throughout class and at the end. I am working on building toward higher levels of thinking for my students, asking them to do the meta-cognitive reflection during lessons, and improving my scaffolding and differentiation through the use of extension tasks that allow all students to finish and some to keep working past that.

ARTIFACTS

Barron Summative Assessment Rubric

Summative Assessment Prompt & Rubric

Our final assessment was for students to create a personal narrative about one moment that changed their lives, and we wanted students to focus on the vignette aspect in this writing assignment. The entire unit culminated in this prompt, so in creating our other assignments, we were sure to prioritize student voice—since it was a personal narrative, understandings of theme and sensory language—because these were criteria we were grading the narrative on, and on explicit statements of character development and change through our novel that led to the personal change they wrote about.

Student Work with Teacher Feedback

Students were introduced to RADaR revision when they received our feedback on their narrative drafts. Rather than provide feedback that was based on editing their narratives, I focused on revision for coherency, clarity, and our rubric from above. I believe that by focusing on the narrative flow in student writing, they will be better able to communicate with one another their ideas and experiences than if I prioritized making sure they used proper English—especially in a 16-day long summer enrichment course. The criteria-based feedback I provided also acknowledges student strengths, to remind them that they already have a wealth of ability and need to learn to hone it. I also acknowledged that students were in different positions when they turned in their drafts, and changed the kinds of feedback they received from RADaR revision to thought starters, based on what students needed.

Barron Student Feedback - Narrative Drafts.pdf

Student Reflections in the Classroom

This artifact highlights culturally responsive teaching, in which I de-center my judgements and the "correct" ways for students to move through activities, instead asking them to reflect on the day and their assignments at several points throughout the day. Pictured are one student's entrance ticket, exit ticket, and end-of-assignment reflection—all of which center the student's own progress and growth in the classroom. When students are asked to do their own reflection on their progress, they become better and self-management and recognizing what they might need more opportunity for growth in. Student experience was very important for me, because students who feel that they are struggling productively and supported through their growth will continue to engage in the classroom and beyond when things get hard, and providing encouragement for them matters.

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