Note.
Printed with permission from National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards, (Early Childhood/Generalist
Standards, 1998), www.nbpts.org.
All rights reserved.
Content
pedagogy refers to the pedagogical (teaching) skills teachers use to impart the
specialized knowledge/content of their subject area(s). Effective teachers
display a wide range of skills and abilities that lead to creating a learning
environment where all students feel comfortable and are sure that they can
succeed both academically and personally. This complex combination of skills
and abilities is integrated in the professional teaching standards that also
include essential knowledge, dispositions, and commitments that allow educators
to practice at a high level.
Delineating
effective practice and recognizing those who achieve it are important first
steps in shaping the kind of teaching profession America needs. This is the
core challenge embraced by the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards (NBPTS). Committed to basic reform in American education, NBPTS
recognizes that teaching is at the heart of education. In this light, the
single most important action the nation can take to improve schools is to
strengthen teaching.
