Summary of Domain 4 – Professional Responsibilities Domain 4 focuses on reflecting on teaching, keeping records of instructional and noninstructional events, communicating with families, participating in the professional community, growing and developing professionally, and demonstrating professionalism to students and the profession. The teacher should reflect back on the decisions made in planning and implementation of a lessons. Teachers can do this practice through journal writing, observations, and thinking about their teaching. Teachers should keep records of instructional and noninstructional events, so teachers can monitor learning and adjust instruction when needed. Families should be involved in their child’s school and teachers need to provide opportunities to get the families in the school and have them be a part of their education. Teachers need to participate in a professional community. Teachers need to work with their co-workers to share ideas, strategies that will benefit their students. Educators increase their effectiveness in the classroom by being a part of the professional organizations that are available to them. Teachers should demonstrate professionalism to students and the profession by obeying school and district polices and procedure but keeping the students first at all times.
Why is Domain 4 important? Reflecting back on teaching allows educators to improve their work and become a better teacher. Teachers need to be aware of the student who might not understand the lesson as well as other students. It is important to include a Reflection in the lesson plan to know what worked and what didn’t when teaching the lesson again. It is important to maintain and keep records so teachers can look at their students’ progress. Communicating and connecting with families is important because parents can feel left out of their children’s education and communicating will create a relationship with the teacher. Teachers need to be involved in the school community to show students they care about them as a person and be a part of the school committees to work with parents. It is important for educators to share their experiences with others so they can grow as well. It is important to meet the needs of students and follow the policies and procedures.
Teacher Perspectives A gifted teacher keeps Domain 4 in mind at all times in her classroom. She has a Twitter and posts all about the activities in her school and what she does. She recently has posted about a Veteran's Day assembly, a school dance she chaperoned, a Twitter tech camp at her school, and keeps up with the sports teams at the school. She also monitors Twitter chats and participates regularly.
Gifted teacher involvement (continued) Student Council Adviser School Play Director Positive Teacher Committee Member Team Leader Attend sporting events and concerts Communication with parents Twitter Account Punctual to school and meetings Grades submitted on time
Sources: The Framework for Teaching Evaluation Instrument. (2017). Static.pdesas.org. Retrieved 10 December 2017, from http://static.pdesas.org/content/documents/danielson_rubric_77.pdf Teachers engaging in collaborative pd feature. (2017). Gettingsmart.com. Retrieved 10 December 2017, from http://www.gettingsmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Teachers-engaging-in-Collaborative-PD-Feature-Image.jpg