PTS: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element: Demonstrating knowledge of subject matter content and
student development
Indicators
As teachers develop, they may ask, “How do I…” or “Why do I…”:
- Identify and understand the key concepts and underlying themes and relationships in the subject
area(s) to be taught?
- Ensure that my knowledge of the subject matter incorporates different perspectives?
- Continue to keep my subject matter knowledge current?
- Ensure that my subject matter knowledge is sufficient to support student learning?
- Build understanding of my students’ cognitive and linguistic development?
- Build understanding of my students’ social, emotional, and physical development?
Descriptions
Some examples may include, but are not limited to:
- Building students’ understanding of key concepts by using a variety of materials and resources aligned with content standards, and representing diverse points of view
- Maintaining one’s deep understanding of subject matter by remaining current with research and trends (e.g., attending conferences, participating in study groups, reading professional journals)
- Building an understanding of the physical, emotional, social, cognitive and linguistic needs of one’s students in order to plan activities that are developmentally appropriate
Problems of Practice
Challenges with this element frequently include:
- Presenting content without an understanding of how the subject is interrelated with other disciplines
- Failing to determine the most important understandings, skipping important content or placing heavy emphasis on less important content
- Teaching from only one perspective when multiple perspectives exist (e.g. teaching American colonization only from the settlers’ point of view)
- Experiencing difficulty and anxiousness about meeting the needs of English Language Learners or other students with special needs, and not knowing where or how, to begin to support their
learning needs
- Neglecting to update course content with new information or developments within the discipline (e.g. new scientific theories, evolving philosophies)