Teacher as Decision Maker Conceptual Framework

Updated August 2019

Domain I: Learners

INTASC I-1, I-2; Indiana Developmental Standards 1,2

In Philippians 2, Paul explained love in action: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather,
in humility value others above yourselves,  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the
interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God  something to be used to his own
advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant.” Teachers have
authority in the classroom, but Christ calls us to use that authority for the good of students, never for our
own convenience or power. The expert teacher in Domain I: Learners grounds his or her teaching
practice thoroughly in the complex personhood of students, forming relationships and finding resources
to make learning accessible and meaningful for every student.
Culturally Responsive Teaching

 1.1 The candidate analyzes and modifies curriculum to reflect and engage ethnic, cultural, linguistic,
and socioeconomic diversity.
 1.2 The candidate pursues opportunities to increase his or her understanding of students’ ethnic,
cultural, linguistic, and/or socioeconomic experience; instruction shows evidence of the candidate’s
professional development.
 1.3 The candidate fosters relationships and collaborates with families and community stakeholders
to create a culturally-responsive educational environment.

Individual Learning Needs

 1.4 The candidate designs learning opportunities that reflect student differences in approaches to
learning and appropriately challenge all learners.
 1.5 The candidate identifies and implements appropriate modifications and accommodations to
enable all students to reach their potential. (I-2; IDS2)
 1.6 The candidate identifies and implements appropriate assistive technologies to meet individual
learning needs.
 1.7 The candidate articulates legal rights and needs of students as outlined in IEPs, Section 504 plans,
and other documents. The candidate’s teaching shows evidence of intentional promotion of students’
rights and needs.
 1.8 The candidate designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning
experiences, making appropriate content accessible to all learners. (I-1; IDS1)

Domain II: Content and Curricular Design

INTASC I-4, I-5, Indiana Developmental Standard 7

In the first chapter of his epistle, James described the pursuit of wisdom. The wise, James said, seek
understanding with a whole heart, and they put the things they have learned into practice. As teachers prepare
learning experiences, they are not merely representing facts or skills that students can collect like tokens.
Instead, the expert teacher in Domain II: Content and Curricular Design goes beyond seeking knowledge to
seeking wisdom and understanding in the discipline(s) he or she teaches, creating deep experiences that allow
education to build deep wisdom and understanding in students, as well.
Content

 2.1 The candidate understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the
discipline(s) he or she teaches. (I-4)
 2.2 The candidate creates learning experiences that make the discipline accessible and meaningful
for learners to promote mastery of the content. (I-4)

Alignment

 2.3 The candidate can explain the rationale for each unit/lesson, aligning student needs, community,
standards, curriculum, and learning theory.
 2.4 The candidate uses multiple resources, perspectives, and ways of knowing to construct learning
experiences. (IDS 7)
 2.5 The candidate’s lesson and unit plans outline a logical sequence that aligns objectives, learning
activities, and assessment.

Contextualized, Rich Learning Goals

 2.6 The candidate designs instruction that frames academic knowledge and skills as tools for
navigating and effecting change in both in- and out-of-school contexts. (I-5)
 2.7 The candidate guides students in developing the decision-making abilities, social participation
skills, and sense of political efficacy necessary for effective citizenship.

Domain III: Instructional Practice

INTASC I-6, I-7, I-8; Indiana Developmental Standards 3, 4

In Matthew 19:14, Jesus told his disciples, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom
of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” Throughout his ministry on earth, Jesus continued to
give us examples of meeting people where they were, explaining the Kingdom of God in ways they could
understand. Matthew 13:34 explains that Jesus used parables to teach the crowds; in John 3, Jesus begins with
Nicodemus’s existing knowledge to change his understanding of God; in John 4, Jesus begins with the very
questions the woman at the well asks to help her see God’s kingdom in a new way. Teachers imitate Christ when
they build meaningful, responsive experiences that build students’ understanding to new levels, all in a rich
context. Expert teachers in Domain 3: Instructional Practice engage students deeply in exploration, critical
thinking, and contextualized learning, using high-quality assessment to continually make wise decisions to
promote student progress.

Assessment to Guide Practice

 3.1 The candidate uses formative assessment in decision-making. Instructional decisions based on
assessment and need lead to student learning. (IDS 4)
 3.2 The candidate effectively chooses valid assessments that give evidence of student progress
toward instructional goals. (IDS 4)
 3.3 The candidate selects a variety of assessment structures (e.g. performance-based, self-
assessment, collaborative, authentic) that accurately evaluate student learning and teacher
effectiveness. (I-6, IDS 4)

Learning Experiences
  3.4 The candidate creates learning experiences that engage students in the depth of the discipline at
hand, in the context of related disciplines and students’ lived experience. (I-7, IDS 3)
 3.5 The candidate engages all learners in critical thinking and problem solving, providing support
when needed.

Instructional Strategies

 3.6 The candidate uses classroom inquiry, research, and critical thinking to select multiple
instructional strategies, technologies, and materials to best meet student needs. (I-8, IDS 3)
 3.7 The candidate questions students at a variety of levels and through a variety of means (e.g. oral,
whole-group response, discussion) to promote and gauge students’ thinking and address
misconceptions.

Domain IV: Contextualized Decision Making

INTASC I-3; Indiana Developmental Standard 5

Teaching is, by nature, an interactive, interdependent process. It requires not just planning for student needs, but
responding to students’ expressed identities and responses in the moment. In I Corinthians 13, Paul explains that
all the knowledge, plans, and strategy in the world, in the absence of love, are nothing more than a noisy gong or
clanging cymbal. Teachers embody the love of Christ see moments of unique, even unexpected student response
not as hindrances to a plan, but as opportunities for relational growth and meaning-making for the benefit of
their students. Expert teachers in Domain 4: Contextualized Decision Making engage learners in exciting,
interactive experiences, respond to student needs with support, and create a positive environment in which every
student can grow.

 4.1 Instruction shows evidence of responding to students’ strengths, needs, and development.
 4.2 The candidate creates a safe, positive environment for all students. His or her classroom design
and conduct communicate respect and value of all students as they are. (I-3, IDS 5)
 4.3 The candidate plans and implements engaging learning experiences that inspire students’
intrinsic motivation.
 4.4 The candidate establishes positive leadership in the classroom. He or she uses procedures, clear
directives and precorrection, corrective feedback, and positive reinforcement to promote behavioral,
developmental, and academic success.
 4.5 The candidate responds to problem behaviors with positive behavior support.
 4.6 The candidate designs learning experiences that embrace diverse intersections of identity to
promote positive interactions among learners.

V Professional Identity

INTASC I-9, I-10; Indiana Developmental Standard 6

Teaching is not a task one simply learns, then performs. It is a lifelong journey of discovery and
decision-making, always driven by a desire to serve students and the community well. In Luke
6:44-45, Jesus explained, “Each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from
thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of
the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the
abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.” No one teaches well without thinking deeply.
True teaching must be an outpouring of the teacher’s identity and philosophy – not just
procedures. Likewise, effective teaching does not happen in a vacuum, but in a rich context of
interdependent relationships. Jesus told us in Matthew 5: 14-16, “You are the light of the world.
A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Likewise, no one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl.
Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” In I Corinthians
12:19-20, Paul comments, “If [the body] were all one part, where would the body be? As it is,
there are many parts, but one body.” The expert teacher in this domain has articulated a desired
professional identity and continually works to embody it more fully, while cultivating strong,
collaborative relationships with a diverse community of stakeholders. The teacher’s
professionalism improves the experiences of those he or she serves.
Reflective Development

 5.1 The candidate communicates with colleagues, students, families, and community members
responsively; tone, body language, and wording are appropriate to the situation and put others at ease.
 5.2 The candidate engages critically with ideas and his or her environment in order to make informed
educational decisions; the candidate can explain his or her rationale for each decision made.
 5.3 The candidate approaches his or her educational environment with professional care and views his or
her work primarily as service to students, families, and the community.
 5.4 The candidate can articulate his or her desired professional identity and has a continually evolving
plan for growing in that identity. The candidate can explain specific actions he or she is currently taking
to grow, as well as short- and long-term professional goals.
 5.5 The candidate critically evaluates his or her own management decisions. The candidate shows
evidence of improved practice over time. (I-9)

Advocacy & Collaboration

 5.6 The candidate fosters collaborative relationships with families and professional stakeholders to
support students’ learning and well-being.
 5.7 The candidate identifies possible barriers to accessing technology and other resources; the
candidate takes steps to increase equitable access for all students.
 5.8 The candidate applies appropriate humility to his or her professional practice; he or she
communicates and collaborates with all stakeholders, including families and the community, to
inform educational practice and to create meaningful learning experiences. (I-10, IDS 6)