eq-ees-teacher-evaluation

MO
Standard
Evaluative Criteria for Teacher Professional Practice
1.1 Teacher delivers content knowledge and increases academic language
Aligns with InTASC Standard #4: Content Knowledge. The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry,
and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the
discipline accessible and meaningful for learners.
Several studies have found that deep content-area knowledge, specifically in math, appear to positively impact student
achievement (Clotfelter, et al., March 2007, October 2007; Goldhaber & Brewer 1999; Harris & Sass, 2007; Hill, et al.,
2005). The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE, 1996) noted that “many studies confirm that
the best teachers have mastered their subjects, understand the learning process, and are experts in a wide range of
teaching methods.” Shulman (1987) asserts that effective teachers must understand purpose, subject matter structures,
and ideas within and outside the discipline, and understand it in multiple ways. Stevenson and Stigler (1992) suggest that
highly qualified teachers have a cognitive command of the subject matter, structure information logically for students,
consistently monitor student performance, and provide students with immediate feedback.
Danielson (1996, 2006) states that good teachers have a thorough understanding of the curriculum and an understanding
of what methods and materials can be used to complement essential concepts. Knowledge of content and pedagogy are
appropriately different for teachers of different levels. The balance between content and pedagogy at different levels is
critical; i.e. the content of reading does not change but the pedagogy does whereas in an area like science both the
content and pedagogy change. Through deep knowledge of content the teacher knows how to transform the instructional
design into a sequence of activities and exercises that make it accessible to students.
References:
Clotfelter, C. T., Ladd, H. F., Vigdor, J. L. (2007, March). How and why do teacher credentials matter for student
achievement? Washington, DC: National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER).
Available from http://www.caldercenter.org/PDF/1001058_Teacher_Credentials.pdf
Clotfelter, C. T., Ladd, H. F., Vigdor, J. L. (2007, October). Teacher credentials and student achievement in high school: A
cross-subject analysis with student fixed effects. Washington, DC: National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in
Education Research (CALDER). Available from
http://www.caldercenter.org/PDF/1001104_Teacher_Credentials_HighSchool.pdf
Missouri’s EDuCATor EVALuATioN sYsTEM