Standard 1-Content Knowledge

The competent teacher understands the central concepts, methods of inquiry, and

structures of the disciplines and creates learning experiences that make the content

meaningful to all students.

1. Fully state the standard in bold text. Then write a paragraph explaining your knowledge and

understanding of that standard—put the standard into your own words.

I think this standard wants me to recognize the important if creating positive learning

experiences in which all students can be engaged and involved in the lesson. It also wants me to

understand the importance of thoroughly addressing the core concepts of the lesson, the methods

of inquiry to use in instruction, and the structures of discipline that maintain a positive classroom

environment apt to learning.

2. Explain how the artifact you chose demonstrates your understanding and application of the

standard.

The artifact I chose is a lesson plan I developed and taught on rounding numbers. The

lesson entailed using a rounding rhyme as a mnemonic device to remember when and how to

round numbers as well as a story problem to make the concept more real and relatable. I

introduced the concept by presenting the students with a story problem in which they had to

figure out if they had enough money to buy x amount of toys. After the students spent several

minutes solving the problem, I then introduced the concept of rounding as well as the rounding

rhyme. After modeling several example problems and allowing the students to do some rounding

on their own I then ended the lesson by giving the students the same story problem from the
beginning of the lesson. By returning to the same problem at the end of the lesson, but this time

using their newly acquired rounding skills to solve the problem the students were able to view

the concept of rounding in a meaningful way. I feel as though this lesson made the content

especially meaningful to the students because they were able to see first hand how rounding can

be used and beneficial to their computation and estimating abilities.

3. A. If the artifact has been used in your practice, reflect on how your teaching will change in

the future to further meet the standard.

This artifact is a lesson that I taught in my fifth grade placement and I believe having

taught it has shown me how ways in which I can improve my teaching, and how it has changed

since teaching it. After having taught this lesson and seeing how making the content structured

and meaningful to students is vital to students’ learning I plan to continuously provide

meaningful instruction in all content areas in order to reach all of my students learning needs. I

also recognize that in order to further meet this standard, including more inquiry in the lesson is

another way to make the content more meaningful to the students. Thus, enhancing their learning

abilities.

4. Conclude with a paragraph discussing how you are more prepared to Teach and Learn in a

Diverse Society as a result of satisfactorily meeting the standard.

Teaching this lesson on rounding in an effective and meaningful way will better prepare

me to teach and learn in a diverse society. All students learn in different ways and at different

rates, and addressing this aspect of diversity is a vital part of teaching. I believe that having a
thorough understanding and experience with addressing core concepts, methods of inquiry, and

structures of discipline will make allow me to teach to the diversity in my classroom in a way

that makes the content meaningful to all students. This lessons uses verbal, musical, concrete,

and visual methods of teaching, which allows me to direct and appeal my instruction to various

learning styles of students in my classroom.