"The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content."
The standard content knowledge states that teachers must have a thorough understanding of the content they are teaching. Teachers must not only understand the concepts related to the learning material, but also the most effective ways in which to teach these concepts to the students. Furthermore, students must understand the significance of what they are learning, grasping how what they learn can be used outside the classroom. In order to accomplish this, teachers must help their students use prior knowledge as a basis for understanding new concepts. For instance, the descriptor 4(d) states that teachers guide students in connecting new concepts with concepts they already understand, and use this prior knowledge as a means to better understand new information. Additionally, this standard also requires teachers to provide students with a variety of ways to understand content knowledge. In descriptor 4(a), it states that teachers must use a range of demonstrations and descriptions that convey the primary themes of the content, therefore taking advantage of the fact that each classroom is filled with learners who have diverse learning styles. By giving students a means of learning through a variety of methods, each students will be able to learn in a way that meets their learning style.