Knowledge of Subject Matter OCPS Alternative Certification Program.

Knowledge of Knowledge of Subject MatterSubject Matter

OCPSOCPS

Alternative Certification ProgramAlternative Certification Program

Subject Matter Subject Matter

Florida Accomplished PracticeFlorida Accomplished Practice

The professional teacher has a good The professional teacher has a good understanding of the subject s/he teaches.understanding of the subject s/he teaches.



The professional teacher understands that The professional teacher understands that her/his subject is linked to other disciplines her/his subject is linked to other disciplines and can be applied in real world integrated and can be applied in real world integrated settings.settings.



The professional teacher seeks out ways The professional teacher seeks out ways and sources to expand her/his knowledge. and sources to expand her/his knowledge.



The professional teacher’ repertoire of The professional teacher’ repertoire of teaching skills includes a variety of means teaching skills includes a variety of means to assist student acquisition of new to assist student acquisition of new knowledge.knowledge.

Subject MatterSubject Matter

Subject matter refers to the content Subject matter refers to the content and skills learners need to know. and skills learners need to know.

It is the curriculum instructors It is the curriculum instructors teach.teach.


The effective teacher possesses knowledge of:The effective teacher possesses knowledge of:

Elements, logic, possible uses and social Elements, logic, possible uses and social biases of subject contentbiases of subject content

State and district content curriculum State and district content curriculum expectations and standards expectations and standards

Pedagogical content knowledge - best Pedagogical content knowledge - best practices for teaching the contentpractices for teaching the content


Course Descriptions for grades 6-12:Course Descriptions for grades 6-12:

www.fldoe.orgwww.fldoe.org

Go to the site index on the right side, scroll Go to the site index on the right side, scroll to course descriptions (click on ‘GO’).to course descriptions (click on ‘GO’).


Grade Level Expectations for grades K-8:Grade Level Expectations for grades K-8:

www.fldoe.orgwww.fldoe.org

Go to the site index on the right side, scroll Go to the site index on the right side, scroll to Sunshine State Standards (click on to Sunshine State Standards (click on ‘GO’).‘GO’).


www.cs.ocps.netwww.cs.ocps.net

Interdisciplinary TeachingInterdisciplinary Teaching

1. Interdisciplinary teaching works well in 1. Interdisciplinary teaching works well in elementary school, but doesn’t translate elementary school, but doesn’t translate well to secondary. well to secondary.

2. Math and Science match together and 2. Math and Science match together and English and Social Studies match English and Social Studies match together, but all four don’t mix well in the together, but all four don’t mix well in the same lesson.same lesson.

3. Electives are the easiest to integrate with 3. Electives are the easiest to integrate with other disciplines. other disciplines.

What is Interdisciplinary What is Interdisciplinary Teaching? Teaching?

Interdisciplinary teaching involves a Interdisciplinary teaching involves a conscious effort to apply knowledge, conscious effort to apply knowledge, principles, and/or values to more than principles, and/or values to more than one academic discipline simultaneously. one academic discipline simultaneously.

The disciplines may be related through The disciplines may be related through a central theme, issue, problem, a central theme, issue, problem, process, topic, or experience.process, topic, or experience.

(Jacobs, 1989)(Jacobs, 1989)

What is Interdisciplinary What is Interdisciplinary Teaching?Teaching?

Interdisciplinary teaching is often seen as a Interdisciplinary teaching is often seen as a way to address some of the recurring way to address some of the recurring problems in education, such as fragmentation problems in education, such as fragmentation and isolated skill instruction. and isolated skill instruction.

It is seen as a way to support goals such as It is seen as a way to support goals such as transfer of learning, teaching students to think transfer of learning, teaching students to think and reason, and providing a curriculum more and reason, and providing a curriculum more relevant to students.relevant to students.

(Marzano, 1991; Perkins, 1991)(Marzano, 1991; Perkins, 1991)


Values and BenefitsValues and Benefits

Applies, Integrates, and Transfers Applies, Integrates, and Transfers KnowledgeKnowledge

Increases MotivationIncreases Motivation

Improves Learning Improves Learning


What is its purpose?What is its purpose?

The interdisciplinary approach enables The interdisciplinary approach enables teachers to teach the whole student and teachers to teach the whole student and make links between disciplines.make links between disciplines.

One goal for this approach is to give One goal for this approach is to give students a more relevant, less students a more relevant, less fragmented, and stimulating experience.fragmented, and stimulating experience.

(Jacobs)(Jacobs)

Interdisciplinary TeachingInterdisciplinary TeachingTerminology Terminology

Discipline—distinguished by the questions Discipline—distinguished by the questions they ask about the world (facts, concepts, they ask about the world (facts, concepts, theories)theories)

Multidiscipline–focuses on the separate Multidiscipline–focuses on the separate contributions that disciplines makecontributions that disciplines make

Interdisciplinary— the integration of the Interdisciplinary— the integration of the contributions of several disciplinescontributions of several disciplines


Student work should:Student work should:

Be well grounded in the disciplinesBe well grounded in the disciplines

Advance student understandingAdvance student understanding

Show critical awarenessShow critical awareness


How interdisciplinary learning affects you… How interdisciplinary learning affects you…

Introducing an interdisciplinary element into Introducing an interdisciplinary element into a curriculum encourages all involved to a curriculum encourages all involved to develop meaningful links among the fields in develop meaningful links among the fields in ways that intrigue and motivate both teacher ways that intrigue and motivate both teacher and students. and students.


How interdisciplinary learning affects your How interdisciplinary learning affects your colleagues… colleagues…

When teams of educators work together to When teams of educators work together to develop effective units, they often feel a develop effective units, they often feel a sense of collegiality and enthusiasm that sense of collegiality and enthusiasm that would not be achieved if they were would not be achieved if they were working in isolation. working in isolation.

Interdisciplinary TeachingInterdisciplinary Teaching How interdisciplinary learning affects your How interdisciplinary learning affects your

students…students…

Interdisciplinary units further the Interdisciplinary units further the development of higher-order thinking skills.development of higher-order thinking skills.

It can push your students toward more It can push your students toward more powerful thinking and the ability to make powerful thinking and the ability to make comparisons that bridge disciplines and comparisons that bridge disciplines and encourage the application of knowledge.encourage the application of knowledge.


Tasks for engaged learners have the Tasks for engaged learners have the following characteristics:following characteristics:

Challenging—Challenging—tasks are complex and tasks are complex and require sustained amounts of time. require sustained amounts of time.

Authentic—Authentic—correspond to tasks in the home correspond to tasks in the home and workplace.and workplace.

Integrative/interdisciplinary—Integrative/interdisciplinary—blends blends disciplines into thematic units and disciplines into thematic units and incorporates problem-based learning. incorporates problem-based learning.

Interdisciplinary TeachingInterdisciplinary TeachingHow do I plan an interdisciplinary unit?How do I plan an interdisciplinary unit?

Choose a topic. Choose a topic.

Brainstorm for ideas that can be organized onto an Brainstorm for ideas that can be organized onto an interdisciplinary concept model. This model has the interdisciplinary concept model. This model has the theme in the center and the subject areas are theme in the center and the subject areas are explored in relation to the theme. explored in relation to the theme.

Guiding questions are developed to serve as scope Guiding questions are developed to serve as scope and sequence. The questions are general and and sequence. The questions are general and should transcend discipline lines. should transcend discipline lines.

After the questions have been developed, the After the questions have been developed, the activities that explore the questions can be activities that explore the questions can be developed. developed.

Please read the articlePlease read the article

Growing A Thematic Interdisciplinary Unit: Growing A Thematic Interdisciplinary Unit: From Prairie Ecosystem To Prairie From Prairie Ecosystem To Prairie ArchitectureArchitecture

Remember to…Remember to…

Knowledge of Subject Matter OCPS Alternative Certification Program.

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