Teachscape's New Offerings Help Teachers Understand and Use Charlotte Danielson's Widely-Adopted Framework for Teaching

Professional development resources help teachers apply the Framework to improve their teaching practice

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Charlotte Danielson's Framework for Teaching (FFT) has become the industry standard for professional learning and teacher evaluations. With the increase in classroom observations and evaluations, it is essential for educators to establish a common language they can use to define teaching effectiveness and the FFT provides that common language. In Fall 2011, Teachscape, the leader in delivering web-based professional learning content, innovative technologies, and expert services to improve teaching effectiveness, responded to this need with the Framework for Teaching Proficiency System, its online training and assessment program for observers. Today, the company has again partnered with Danielson and is announcing the Framework for Teaching Effectiveness Series and the Professional Learning Suite, Framework Edition to help teachers apply the FFT to their teaching practice.

School districts now have a complete suite of online professional development offerings that are designed to deepen their understanding of the FFT and apply their knowledge to evaluations and teaching practice through the use of master-scored videos, scoring practice, and interactive exercises.  "Teachscape's offerings go well beyond developing content knowledge around the Framework. The rigorous focus on applying the FFT to assessing and strengthening teaching practice is what sets Teachscape's products apart," said Maryann Marrapodi, chief learning officer of Teachscape.

"The Framework provides a common language and a shared understanding of effective teaching practice. This common understanding promotes deep professional conversation about teaching that is ultimately reflected in student learning," said Charlotte Danielson, founder of the Danielson Group and creator of the FFT. "In these high-stakes times of teacher evaluation, school districts have requested resources to help educators understand the FFT and to provide robust professional development resources tied to the FFT to help teachers hone their craft.  Teachscape is delivering these offerings."

Framework for Teaching Effectiveness Series
The Framework for Teaching Effectiveness Series provides schools and districts with an online solution for training teachers on the structure and content of Danielson's Framework for Teaching, 2011 Revised Edition. This series includes self-guided training modules on the FFT. It features videos of unedited, authentic K-12 classroom lessons in multiple subject areas. These videos have been master-scored and organized to illustrate all performance levels for each component of the FFT. Modules also feature interactive exercises to allow teachers to practice scoring on components of the FFT. The ability to score accurately provides teachers with the knowledge they need to improve their own practice.

Professional Learning Suite, Framework Edition
Teachscape's Professional Learning Suite is an online multimedia library of learning resources that covers more than 40 topics and seven subject areas. With the launch of The Professional Learning Suite, Framework Edition, courses from Teachscape are now mapped to the FFT at the component level. This mapping includes explanations of how the courses map to the FFT and makes it easy for observers to find and assign professional development resources to teachers based on specific components of the FFT. It also makes it easy for teachers to find resources to assist them in improving their instructional practices as measured by the FFT.

"The Professional Learning Suite, Framework Edition provides a clear, easy-to-use method of locating courses that support development of instructional strategies as measured by the Framework for Teaching," said Marrapodi. "Mapping Teachscape's robust learning resources and best practice videos to framework components provides teachers with a powerful professional development tool to help them better understand the framework and apply it to their own teaching."

To learn more about Teachscape's Danielson professional learning resources, visit www.teachscape.com.

About Teachscape
Teachscape uniquely combines innovative technology, engaging content and expert services to develop great teachers. From its Classroom Walkthrough technology, to its powerful web-based content delivery platform, to its online masters programs, Teachscape's award-winning products and services have been inspired by its dedication to sparking transformative change in teaching practice.  Since 1999, Teachscape has worked with schools and school districts, charter networks, archdioceses, universities and state education departments to measurably and continuously improve the effectiveness of teachers and instructional leaders to produce gains in student achievement. Teachscape's partners include Charlotte Danielson, ETS, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Stanford University, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and Kogeto to help shape its vision, its products, and its strategies. To learn more about Teachscape and its complete collection of professional development offerings, go to http://www.teachscape.com.

SOURCE Teachscape