The state Board of Education recently voted to adopt Charlotte Danielson’s “Framework for Teaching” as South Dakota’s standards for teaching. The action came at the board’s March 21 meeting.

Danielson’s framework outlines 22 main components of effective teaching in four areas: Planning and Preparation, Classroom Environment, Professional Responsibilities and Instruction. The 22 components cover a range of activities, from demonstrating knowledge of content and pedagogy to engaging students in learning, and communicating with families.

A work group consisting of teachers, administrators and parents met over the course of the last year to develop the standards. The work group’s next mission will be to develop a model evaluation instrument, which districts may use if they choose.

A bill passed during the 2010 legislative session charged the South Dakota Board of Education with developing standards for teaching in South Dakota.

Keep posted on this topic by visiting our Teacher Standards and Evaluation webpage.