Enhancing Professional Practice - A Framework for Teaching by Charlotte Danielson

This is an amazing book! Danielson has been working in teacher evaluation for decades, and this book is a comprehensive study of what good teaching looks like. It's an accessible read, very user-friendly. It invites teachers to reflect on their practice, using the rubrics that describe different levels of accomplishment. When I think about the complex work of teaching, I am grateful that there is such a framework to help us get a handle on its complexity. Danielson divides the work of teaching into four domains:

• 1. Planning and Preparation
• 2. The Classroom Environment
• 3. Instruction
• 4. Professional Responsibilities

Each domain has five or six components (22 total), and under those, elements, totaling 76! It sounds overwhelming, and it is! But each element is important to the overall work. To me, the real value lies in the rubrics, which take each element and describe four levels of performance:

1. Unsatisfactory
2. Basic
3. Proficient
4. Distinguished 

South Dakota is adopting the framework and is requiring districts to use the framework as they design teacher evaluation systems. It's a good idea to have a statewide, consistent model for people to agree on and work towards. The rubric requires evaluators (typically a principal) to cite evidence during classroom observations. Having such clear rubrics and requiring evidence helps principals and other evaluators or supervisors be more purposeful and objective in their judgments. It will take some investment of time and effort, though, to thoroughly understand the framework. As schools take on this work of understanding the framework, they will naturally develop common vocabulary about teaching. And fostering conversations about what excellent teaching looks like, is always a great use of professional development time.

It's interesting that the constructivist theory underpins the framework. Based on how students learn and construct understanding, the framework is soundly based on research. Also interesting is the fact that major themes are integrated into the domains as seamlessly as possible, rather than singled out as separate elements. These integrated themes include:

1. equity
2. cultural competence and sensitivity
3. high expectations
4. developmental appropriateness
5. attention to individual students, including those with special needs
6. appropriate use of technology
7. student assumption of responsibilities

I'm teaching an online class that is a book study on this framework. I'm looking forward to learning how the 27 teachers and administrators in my class will respond to the framework and how they will plan to implement it in their districts.