Sarah Sales PPR Blog

  Competency 5- The Importance of Positive Classroom Environment to Enhance Academic Achievement and to Promote Effective Social Interactions The teacher knows how to establish a classroom climate that fosters learning, equity, and excellence and uses this knowledge to create a physical and emotional environment that is safe and productive  What this means This means the teacher knows how to create relationships of trust and understanding with her students in order to build a classroom environment where students are not worried about being bullied or having their needs met. They know when they enter the classroom, they can focus on learning. Students are most productive when they understand teachers believe in them and have high, but realistic expectations for them.  Key terms to remember Character education-  Cooperative learning- provides opportunities for students to learn in the zone of proximal development. Environmental factors- parts of the physical and emotio...

  Competency 4- How Learning Occurs The teacher understands learning processes, factors that impact learning, and demonstrates this knowledge by planning effective, engaging instruction and appropriate assessments.  What this means This means the teacher is able to understand Pedagogical content knowledge. Teachers understand how students learn and how to apply this knowledge to teaching the content required. Teachers know what kind of instruction is needed for different content and how to apply specific types of learning (PBL, IBL) to the specific content. The teacher allows room for reflection and recognizes students come to class at different instructional levels and with different instructional and learning needs.   Key terms to remember Graphic Organizers - a way to represent and organize thoughts using a picture or a web.  Information processing -the way a learner processing information when learning. Field-dependent learners are actively learning when the...

  Competency 3- Designing Effective Planning The teacher understands procedures for designing effective and coherent instruction as well as assessment based on appropriate learning goals and objectives.  What this means This means the teacher understands that developing a lesson plan is not just a chore, but a way to calculate and plan how to collect data needed to plan the next lesson. Lesson planning also keeps the teacher and the student focused on the goals in the classroom.  Key terms to remember Blooms Taxonomy - a categorized framework of educational goals and thinking used to help teachers. The hierarchy consists of levels of thinking that determine the depth of knowledge. They are:  remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create. Checking for understanding - determines if the students comprehend the new learning to ensure correct learning. instructional objectives -a statement that will describe what the learner will be able to do after completin...

Competency 2- Multiculturalism and Education: Opportunities for All Students The teacher understands student diversity and knows how to plan learning experiences and design assessments that are responsive to differences among students and that promote all students' learning. What this means This means the teacher understands that each student has a different life story. Students have different learning needs. At times, their needs might not seem conducive to learning, but teachers must understand Maslow's theory lays the groundwork for how teachers have an obligation to meet the needs necessary to achieve academic success.  Key terms to remember Acculturation- a model of integrating ethnic groups that values diversity and encourages people to maintain their native culture as they learn to live democratically in the American marcroculture. Bilingual education- education program for ELL / DLL Culture-the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation,...

  Competency 1- Human Development The teacher understands human development processes and applies this knowledge to plan instruction and ongoing assessments that motivate students and are responsive to their developmental characteristics and needs.   What this means      Teachers understand the basic developmental needs of all students must be met before learning can take place. Human beings need to feel free from judgment and persecution. A classroom should be a safe harbor for students so the focus can be on learning. Students who feel connected to their classroom society are more capable and more driven to succeed. Quality teachers understand the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development of children and nurture student growth through developmentally appropriate practices.  Key terms to remember Maslow's hierarchy of needs - five levels of needs that must be met to reach self-actualization. The needs are represented as a triangle with a base ...