InTASC Standard 4: Content Knowledge
“The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.”
In order to effectively instruct a topic or concept, the teacher must be very familiar with the discipline’s material. Expertise allows the teacher to distill the subject’s central concepts into easy to understand core lessons and then develop an effective plan of action to educate students on the material. Knowledgeable teachers have the breadth of knowledge to go to deeper depths of instruction, which will benefit their students. Conversely, if a teacher doesn’t fully grasp the material being taught, the risk of miscommunication or erroneous information being conferred increases. Subject-matter expertise is also essential whenever a student has a question about what’s being taught. While it is not necessary to always have the answers to students’ questions, it is helpful to be able to answer a question in the moment and present various ways of making sense of the material. When students are stretching their knowledge, not receiving a satisfactory answer to a question can increase student frustration levels, which can lead to disengagement. Additionally, the more teachers know about their subject area, the more confident they’ll be when presenting the material. Enthusiasm and confidence are contagious and can influence positive energy in the classroom. This is why solid content knowledge, and a commitment to keeping up with one’s field of expertise, helps build student mastery in the classroom.
Three artifacts that demonstrate that I have content knowledge are: my VCLA test scores, my English PRAXIS score, and an example of how I can incorporate technology into my lessons, because I am proficient with technology.
My VCLA score report
Reading and Writing Skills: All teachers must be proficient in reading and writing, especially English teachers. A large part of the curriculum, across all disciplines, requires students to read, digest what they’ve read, and write. In order to help my students master the English language, I need to be able to demonstrate that I have the reading and writing skills necessary to share my knowledge with my students. Students need their teachers to act as mentors and model how to read and write properly. This is why Virginia requires certified teachers to pass the VCLA exam. Prior to beginning my Master of Arts in Teaching degree at Hollins University, I successfully passed the Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA). You may view my score report in the image above or by clicking this link.
My English PRAXIS score report
Content Knowledge in English: Aside from possessing strong reading and writing skills, English teachers should be well-versed in literary history and theory, literature, and rhetoric. When I began my internship this January at BCAT, my freshmen had just finished reading Lord of the Flies, and I was asked to assist students with writing their summative essays. Since I had read this novel in the past and have a thorough understanding of symbolism, allegories, and metaphors, I was able to give constructive criticism in ways that I could not have if I didn’t have the appropriate content knowledge in literature. When I was student teaching, I was asked to help my students understand the symbolism and message behind Robert Frost’s “Nothing Gold Can Stay”. Thanks to my literary theory knowledge, I understand that there is not one correct way to interpret a text. However, it is easier to interpret and communicate the meaning behind a complex work, such as Frost’s, when you have the background subject-area knowledge to tackle the work. My content knowledge helped me guide my students through their interpretation and welcome their ideas as to its meaning and purpose. During the summer of 2021, I sat for the English PRAXIS exam, which assesses knowledge in these areas. I was pleased to achieve a score of 189, which is a passing score and falls in the above-average range. A solid foundation in English will help me better educate my students.
Infographic for Reliable Sources
Technological Expertise: It behooves educators to embrace technology when creating their lessons, because students have different learning styles and needs. For example, visual learners and English Language Learners benefit from visual representations of concepts, such as infographics. Therefore, teachers need tools to help them communicate their content knowledge using different modalities. Technology can help with this mission. This example of an infographic (along with the example shown above) demonstrate that I am able to use software programs, such as Canva, to enhance my lessons for the benefit of my students. I love incorporating music, videos, artwork, and interactive activities into my lessons to stimulate and inspire students, as well as to help students connect with the information being shared. Possessing technological proficiency with various software programs, and being unafraid to try out new technology, helps teachers better communicate their content knowledge.