American University – School of Education, Teaching, and Health
Conceptual Framework
Conceptual
Framework
Organizing
Principles
Excellence
(knowledge of
Evidencedbased practice
relative to
content
knowledge
and
pedagogical
practice)
&
Equity
(practices that
ensure
equitable
access to
education)
Professional Dispositions Developed
Through the Conceptual Framework
Organizing Principles
Principles of excellence in combination
with equity produces a disposition that
centers on a commitment to teaching
practices that promote each learner’s
growth in the most informed way possible.
This includes valuing that all learners need
to be taught in ways that best support
their diverse learning needs and strengths.
This encompasses a belief in fairness and
ethics.
This disposition encompasses a belief that
content knowledge is not a fixed body of
facts but is complex, culturally situated,
and ever evolving. This means a
commitment to keeping abreast of new
ideas and understandings in the field.
This also includes a commitment to
helping learners build literacy and thinking
skills to address multiple perspectives in
exploring ideas and solving problems both
locally and globally.
Further at the intersection of excellence
and equity is a commitment to work
toward every learner’s mastery of
disciplinary content and skills. As part of
this, teacher candidates value knowledge
beyond her/his own content area and
values how such knowledge enhances
student learning.
Key
Assessments
Impact on
Student
Learning
INTASC Standards
1: Learner Development
2: Learning Differences
4: Content Knowledge
5: Application of
Philosophy of Content
Teaching
7:Planning for Instruction
9:Professional Learning
and Ethical Practice
NCATE Standards
1a: Content Knowledge
for Teacher Candidates
1c: Professional and
Pedagogical Knowledge
and Skills for Teacher
Candidates
3c: Candidates’
Development and
Demonstration of
Knowledge, Skills, and
Professional Dispositions
To Help All Students Learn
5a: Qualified Faculty
American University – School of Education, Teaching, and Health
Conceptual Framework
Conceptual
Framework
Organizing
Principles
Professional Dispositions Developed
Through the Conceptual Framework
Organizing Principles
Excellence
(knowledge of
Evidencedbased practice
relative to
content
knowledge
and
pedagogical
practice)
&
Diversity (Belief
that all
children,
regardless of
social class,
race and
ethnicity,
disability, are
able to learn)
At the intersection of excellence and
diversity, candidates come to understand
the need for disrupting the exclusionary
forces of dominant discourses and
ideologies creating a space for ensuring
that all learners are taught using the best
practices possible.
Excellence
(knowledge of
Evidencedbased practice
relative to
content
knowledge
At the intersection of excellence and
community, candidates come to
understand what it means to draw from a
theoretical and practical knowledge base
in constructing supportive learning
environments for all learners.
This includes the belief that all learners can
learn and a commitment to valuing social
justice and equity for all. This
encompasses a commitment to create
content that is accessible to all learners
regardless or race, class, religion, ability or
life orientation and across disciplines and
content areas.
Key
Assessments
Cultural Issue
in Your
Classroom
Content
Based Unit
Plan/Task
Analysis
INTASC Standards
NCATE Standards
1: Learner Development
2: Learning Differences
4: Content Knowledge
5: Application of
Content
1a: Content Knowledge
for Teacher Candidates
1c: Professional and
Pedagogical Knowledge
and Skills for Teacher
Candidates
3c: Candidates’
Development and
Demonstration of
Knowledge, Skills, and
Professional Dispositions
To Help All Students Learn
5a: Qualified Faculty
3: Learning Environments
5: Application of
Content
7: Planning for Instruction
9: Professional Learning
and Ethical Practice.
10: Leadership and
1b: Pedagogical Content
Knowledge and Skills for
Teacher Candidates
3a: Collaboration
between Unit and School
Partners
3b: Design,
As a way to further support diverse
learners. Teacher candidates are
committed to an ongoing exploration of
how to use disciplinary knowledge as a
lens to address local and global issues.
Parent
Teacher
Conference
Evaluation
Student
Teaching
American University – School of Education, Teaching, and Health
Conceptual Framework
Conceptual
Framework
Organizing
Principles
and
pedagogical
practice)
&
Community
(reflection on
the outcomes
for students
within the
greater context
of their relation
with the
communities in
which they
exist).
Professional Dispositions Developed
Through the Conceptual Framework
Organizing Principles
This encompasses a belief in creating
caring communities, which includes the
need for good communication and
interpersonal skills as well as an
understanding of the impact and use of
technology in community building.
This also encompasses a belief in creating
collaborative partners with parents and
community members to inform teaching
and learning.
Further, teacher candidates value flexible
learning environments, which include the
use of technology that encourages
learner exploration, discovery, and
expression across content areas.
Teacher candidates respect diverse
learners’ various strengths and needs and
are committed to using this information to
plan effective and rigorous instruction
across the content areas, within
supportive learning environments.
Teacher candidates welcome and value
collaboration with and contributions and
input from families, colleagues, and other
professionals in understanding how to best
support the learning needs of diverse
children.
Key
Assessments
Evaluation
Content
Based Unit
Plan/Task
Analysis
INTASC Standards
Collaboration.
NCATE Standards
Implementation, and
Evaluation of Field
Experiences and Clinical
Practice
4d: Experiences Working
with Diverse Students in
P–12 Schools
5b: Modeling Best
Professional Practices in
Teaching
American University – School of Education, Teaching, and Health
Conceptual Framework
Conceptual
Framework
Organizing
Principles
Professional Dispositions Developed
Through the Conceptual Framework
Organizing Principles
Diversity (Belief
that all
children,
regardless of
social class,
race and
ethnicity,
disability, are
able to learn)
&
Equity
(practices that
ensure
equitable
access to
education)
Principles of diversity in combination with
equity produce dispositions of
commitment to the belief that all children
can learn when their diverse learning
needs are used to inform curricular
decision-making including assessment and
evaluation. Encompassing this disposition
is a belief in fairness and valuing social
justice for all.
Community
(reflection on
the outcomes
for students
within the
greater context
of their relation
with the
communities in
At the intersection of community and
equity, candidates believe that all
children can learn in respectful
environments where their diverse learning
needs are used to inform curricular
decision-making and where their families
and caregivers are part of the teaching/
learning process.
Key
Assessments
INTASC Standards
NCATE Standards
2: Learning Differences
6: Assessment
7: Planning for
Instruction
8: Instructional Strategies
1g: Professional
Dispositions for All
Candidates
4a: Design,
Implementation, and
Evaluation of Curriculum
and Experiences
3c: Candidates’
Development and
Demonstration of
Knowledge, Skills, and
Professional Dispositions
To Help All Students Learn
4b: Experiences Working
with Diverse Faculty
4c: Experiences Working
with Diverse Candidates
Philosophy of 3: Learning Environments
Teaching
9: Professional Learning
and Ethical Practice
Impact on
10:Leadership and
Student
Collaboration
Learning
3a: Collaboration
between Unit and School
Partners
4b: Experiences Working
with Diverse Faculty
5b: Modeling Best
Professional Practices in
Teaching
Creating
and
Evaluating
Assessments
Impact on
Student
Learning
Subsequently candidates are committed
to making accommodations in the
assessment and evaluation conditions,
especially for learners with disabilities and
language learning needs.
Further, candidates are committed to the
ethical use of multiple types of assessment
processes to support, verify, and
document the learning of diverse learners
and promote their growth.
American University – School of Education, Teaching, and Health
Conceptual Framework
Conceptual
Framework
Organizing
Principles
which they
exist).
&
Equity
(practices that
ensure
equitable
access to
education)
Community
(reflection on
the outcomes
for students
within the
greater context
of their relation
with the
communities in
which they
exist).
&
Diversity (Belief
that all
children,
regardless of
social class,
race and
ethnicity,
disability, are
able to learn)
Professional Dispositions Developed
Through the Conceptual Framework
Organizing Principles
Key
Assessments
INTASC Standards
NCATE Standards
3: Learning Environments
6: Assessment
7: Planning for
Instruction
8: Instructional Strategies
9: Professional Learning
and Ethical Practice
10:Leadership and
Collaboration
2c: Use of Data for
Program Improvement
3b: Design,
Implementation, and
Evaluation of Field
Experiences and Clinical
Practice
This encompasses a commitment to
fairness and a belief in responsible and
compassionate citizenry.
At the intersection of community and
diversity, candidates value the
understanding that all learners need
healthy, safe, and engaging environments
for learning whereby the children’s families
and caregivers are part of the
educational process.
Parent
Teacher
Conference
Evaluation
and
Reflection/C
ase Study
As part of this disposition candidates
believe that all learners can learn and
that collaborating with parents,
caregivers and community members is
valuable in developing supportive
learning environments for diverse learners.
Lesson Plan
Analysis
Further teacher candidates value
planning as a collegial activity that takes
into consideration the input of learners,
colleagues, families, and the larger
community.