Running head: CONTENT KNOWLEDGE 1

Content Knowledge in Interdisciplinary Curriculum

Anna Switzer

Regent University
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE 2

Introduction

My competency paper is on content knowledge in interdisciplinary curriculum and

standards based instruction. Standards based instruction is important because educators need to

know what to teach based on what students need to know. Once teachers know the standards,

they can form appropriate assessments and appropriate unit and lesson plans. In middle and high

school, teachers usually teach just one subject. However, teachers should also include other

subjects such as reading and writing because literacy is important in all subjects.

Rationale for Selection of Artifacts

My first artifact is a lesson plan where my students had to write a quick write paragraph

on the similarities between elimination and adding/subtracting polynomials. Writing down ideas

on paper without worrying about editing is a good prewriting strategy to help with writer’s block.

This paragraph also helped students connect two important algebraic ideas. After they wrote

their paragraphs, we discussed how the two concepts are related and both include combining like

terms. The lesson combined the Algebra I standard of adding and subtracting polynomials and

the eighth grade standard of using prewriting strategies to generate and organize ideas. Having

these two content areas in one lesson help students realize that different subjects work together

and are not completely separate. It also helps students who learn better by writing down their

thoughts. Reflection and writing out explanations and comparisons can help students actually

understand the concept.

My second artifact are some results from a student survey from my first student teaching

placement. This survey shows that students agree that I clearly communicated what they should

be learning. Since I had the standards written on the board and told students what we would be

learning, they always knew what we were learning. The majority of students also responded in
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE 3

the survey that they knew when information was particularly important. When students are able

to communicate what they are learning and how important it is, they are more likely to remember

the concept and how to use it.

Reflection on Theory and Practice

During my classes at Regent, I learned about the importance of standards-based

instruction. Rather than starting the lesson with learning the content, teacher should “try

building students’ brain interest and involvement in the subject matter” (Silberman, 2006, p. 17).

Introducing the topic can really help students remember the topic well. If students participate in

an activity to introduce the topic or to explore the topic, they are using their brains to think about

the topic and how it builds into the content instead of just working a problem.

I also learned about the importance of incorporating reading and writing into other

subjects. Throughout all different subjects, “the teaching standards stress that teachers build

literacy and thinking skills across the curriculum” (Burden & Byrd, 2016, p. 65). Students who

have strong literacy skills will able to continue to learn outside of the classroom and will be able

to supplement learning when they find an interesting topic. While some people may think that

writing in a math class is not important, math teachers need students to make connections and

use critical thinking in math that can often occur in the writing process. Writing or journaling

about math concepts “invites them to think about and create with math concepts” and to “see a

direct connection between learning about math and the real world” (Maymind, 2009, p. 4).

These connections can improve students’ understanding of concepts and can help motivate them

by helping them understand how connected math and the real world are. In addition to these

important connects, students who journal and write about math concepts gain literacy skills that

can help them as they move on to more difficult subjects where they may have to learn
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE 4

independently without a teacher or professor and may have to lean more on their literacy skills

than they do now in a middle school or high school setting. As a teacher, I strongly believe in

the importance of literacy skills as a lifelong skill that can help students continue to learn for the

rest of their lives.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE 5

References

Burden, P., & Byrd, D. (2016). Methods for effective teaching: meeting the needs of all students.

Boston, MA: Pearson.

Maymind, G. (2009). Math journals: Using writing to teach math. School Talk, 14(4), 3-4.

Retrieved from http://eres.regent.edu:2048/login?url=https://search-proquest-

com.ezproxy.regent.edu/docview/213718653?accountid=13479

Silberman, Mel. (2006). Teaching actively: eight steps and thirty-two strategies to spark

learning in any classroom. Boston, MA: Pearson.