Running Head: Telling My Story

Alexis Hanson
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

TED 690Capstone Course

Unit 1 -Assignment 1
Telling My Story
National University
Professor Aissa
July 11, 2017
Running Head: Telling My Story

Abstract
This assignment will capture my journey and seek to tell my story as a professional
educator through the Six Domains and the implementations of the Teacher Performance
Expectations (TPEs). The Domains will be briefly reviewed and the chosen TPEs within each
Domain will be evaluated based on strengths and identified needs. In addition, potential Teacher
Performance Expectations will be selected and embedded into the PDQP, as well as the rationale
for choosing these and completing these areas of professional needs and goals for the TPEs.

The Six Domains and the Teaching Performance Expectations

Running Head: Telling My Story

Teaching is the most powerful profession in the world. It is one in which professionals

need background knowledge, compassion, be life-long learners keeping current with on-going

research, best practices, and effective strategies. The importance of good teachers is no secret.

There has been many decades of research between teacher quality and student learning. An

influential report of the National Commission on Teaching and Americas future identify three

simple premises, in its blue print for reforming our schools. ( ) They are: what teachers know and

can do is the most important influence on student learning; preparing and retaining good teachers

is the central focus on improving schools; creating conditions under which teachers can teach

and teach well. The effect of good teaching on student learning is greater than student ethnicity

or family income, the school attended or class size.( ) Teachers are the most important factor in

increasing student achievement.

The Six Domains are:

A. Making Subject Matter Comprehensible To Students

B. Assessing Student Learning

C. Engaging and Supporting Students in Learning

D. Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for Students

E. Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning

F. Developing as a Professional Educator

These Domains are what are used to conduct formal observations and evaluate the teachers

effectiveness. In each one of these Domains lies the Teacher Performance Expectations.
Running Head: Telling My Story

The Domain for this assignment is A - Making Subject Matter Comprehensible to

Students. The TPE 1A is Subject-Specific Pedagogical Skills for Multiple Subject Teaching

Assignments, which includes teaching Language Arts, Math, Science, and History-Social

Science in a Multiple Subject Assignment. This involves the ability to teach the state adopted

standards to all students and it is not just the knowledge of the subject areas but to be able to

deliver it in a comprehensive, effective manner. It consists of curriculum organizations,

identifying learning goals and providing all students opportunities to succeed and make adequate

progress in all subject areas.

The artifacts that will be used are; an observation, a lesson plan and a Literature Review.

I have substituted for 2 years and became an Intern this school year in an elementary

school setting. At the beginning of my teaching journey I knew the curricular areas that I was

required to teach but I struggled with the delivery. Through substituting and working with

colleagues having various opportunities to collaborate, I realized that the delivery is just as

important as knowing the content. If you cant deliver and engage students, set the foundation for

learning and why, the learning can be lost. This was an area in which I learned so much, such as

identifying learning goals, scaffolding the curriculum, activating prior knowledge, providing

opportunities through differentiation, and knowing the skill level of all the students.
Running Head: Telling My Story
Strengths and Needs: Domain A TPE1A
Domain
A: Making Subject Matter
Comprehensible to Students.
TPE 1: Specific Pedagogical
Skills for Subject Matter
Instruction
TPE 1A: Subject Specific
Pedagogical Skills for
Multiple Subject Teaching
Assignments
Strengths Areas of Growth
Relating the content to Ensuring that students
real experiences to know the purpose and
make learning relevant why for learning
Print rich environment objectives/standards
Encourage, support,
and inspire students to Differentiation
do their best and
Embedding rigor in all
challenge them to
work together to lessons Commented [1]:
develop interpersonal Increase knowledge of
skills and oral
state standards in all
language
curricular areas
Set the stage by
posting the learning Continue to be mindful
objectives and talking of the components of
about it with the literacy (Reading,
students Writing, Listening, and
Know students level of
Speaking) in all core
proficiency- their
subject areas.
strengths and needs
Plan more effectively
and schedule
instruction that ensures
that students meet or
exceed the standards
Continue to be
cognizant and sensitive
to students language
and cultural
backgrounds
Running Head: Telling My Story

Potential competencies to be used for the Professional Development Quest Portfolio

(PDQP)

Reflection is the door to improvement. As a reflective teacher, I constantly review what

worked and what didnt work in my daily instruction. I am aware of my strengths and areas of

growth, which have been summarized through feedback in observations and evaluations. As a

potential competency in my PDQP that will help support my areas of growth and continue to

increase knowledge in areas of strengths will be to ensure that students apply their learning of

literacy skills in all subject areas as a common thread through the use of technology, projects,

purposeful reading, and problem solving.

Rationale for Selecting Domain A-TPE 1A

Knowing ones subject matter is essential. However, subject matter knowledge coupled

with highly effective delivery promotes student learning. You cant have one without the other.

Knowledge is joy and we must impart that to our students in a safe, productive, learning

environment that is engaging, exciting, and rigorous. Therefore, knowing and comprehending

this particular domain can support my learning and ensure that the TPEs are addressed.
Running Head: Telling My Story

References

Center for Public Education. (2005). Retrieved July 12, 2017, from
http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/
Costantino, P., Lorenzo, M., & Tirrell-Corbin. C. (2009). Developing a professional teaching
portfolio: A guide for success, 3rd Edition, Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, N.J.