Definition: Discipline in the classroom has structure and teachers are aware of the content. Not only knowing the content but transferring it to them and scaffolding them from one way to the next.
Elements Within the Component:
Disciplinary Expertise
Teachers fully understand the knowledge of the students they teach, including adjusting structures, central concepts and skills, student relationships, and methods of teaching.
Pedagogical Content Knowledge
Teachers make content accessible to students by understanding and addressing preconceptions, presenting ideas in comprehensible and powerful ways, and thoughtfully implementing the most effective pedagogical approaches.
Knowledge of Interdisciplinary Relationships and Skills
Teachers make interdisciplinary connections to scaffold learning, support engagement, and build essential knowledge and skills that cross disciplines and support student learning in multiple contexts.
Example:
Before starting a unit on the solar system, the teacher asked the class about their beliefs and why it is warmer in the summer than in the winter.