Purpose, uses, and concerns regarding a teacher work sample

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a. The purpose of a Teacher Work Sample:
Each student teacher/teacher candidate(TC) is required to complete a Teacher Work Sample (TWS). The main purpose of a TWS is to connect a student teachers' teaching to the learning of his/her students. It enables the student teacher to document the application of knowledge and skills to teaching as well as analyze and reflect upon both teaching and learning processes that occur in a classroom situation. It comprises of certain major components/elements, which each student teacher is responsible for preparing as an evidence of ones' professional competence. Finally, the TWS will be reviewed by a student teaching supervisor, and it becomes a part of the student teaching evaluation.

b. The seven major elements/components of a Teacher Work Sample include the following: (1) contextual factors,
(2)learning goals, (3) assessment plan, (4) design for instruction, (5) analysis of instructional decision making,(6) analysis of student learning, and (7) self-evaluation and reflection.

1.Contextual Factors: This component relates to the use of information regarding the learning-teaching context based upon the individual differences of students. It is meant to set learning goals and plan instruction and assessment. It includes factors such as knowledge of: community, school, and classroom factors, characteristics of students, students' varied approaches to learning, their skills and prior learning and implications for instructional planning and assessment.

2.Learning Goals:It relates to setting significant, challenging, varied and appropriate learning goals by the teacher, and includes factors such as significance, challenge and variety, clarity, appropriateness for students, and alignment with national, state or local standards.

3.Assessment Plan: Here the teacher uses multiple assessment modes and approaches along with learning goals to assess
learning on the part of students before, during and after instruction. It includes factors such as alignment with learning goals and instruction, clarity of criteria for performance, multiple modes and approaches, technical soundness, and adaptations based on the individual needs of students.

4.Design for Instruction: Here the role of the teacher is to design instruction for specific learning goals, based upon the characteristics of students, their needs, and learning contexts. It includes factors ...