DESCRIPTORS

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1.1 Connecting students' prior knowledge, life experience, and interests

with learning goals:

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Listens to and observes students and their work closely

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Uses strategies to find out about student backgrounds and interests and to foster curiosity

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Uses real-world applications familiar to the students

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Uses  pictures, models, and hands-on activities to build conceptual understanding

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Spontaneously builds on students' comments and questions to extend learning'

1.2 Using a variety of instructional strategies and resources to respond to

students' diverse needs:

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Uses a variety of instructional strategies that actively engage students

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Chooses instructional strategies appropriate to the learning goals

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Uses a variety of learning activities (Le., what students do - read, write, role play, build

models)

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Uses a variety of instructional materials appropriate to the learning goals

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Anticipates the diverse needs of students and uses varied strategies and groupings to meet

these needs

1.3 Facilitating learning experiences that promote autonomy, interaction, and

choice:

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Has routines, structures, and rules that help students focus on the learning

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Develops each student's willingness to work independently and with others

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Models constructive interaction (Le., procedures for working in pairs; roles for group work)

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Gives students opportunities to make choices and decisions

1.4 Engaging students in problem solving, critical thinking, and other

activities that make subject matter meaningful:

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Uses strategies such as open-ended questions and pause time after questions

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Provides opportunities for students to collect and interpret data

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Assigns activities that have more than one method of approaching the work

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Builds on basic knowledge and skills to enable students to think critically and problem solve

1.5 Promoting self-directed, reflective learning for all students:

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Helps students critique their own work

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Helps students understand criteria used to assess their own progress

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Integrates opportunities for reflection and self-directed learning into regular instruction

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Has strategies and structures that help each student develop skills in managing time,

materials, ideas, and 10nQ-term projects and assignments

                                                      DESCRIPTORS

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2.1 Creating a physical environment that engages all students:

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Student work is displayed.

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Rubrics are posted for students' self-assessment.

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The room arrangement facilitates movement and access to materials.

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Materials are safely stored.

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Has routines to ensure a neat, orderly Space

2.2 Establishing a climate that promotes fairness and respect:

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Treats all students fairly

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Provides opportunities for all students to participate actively in discussions and activities

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Values the diverse ways in which students express themselves and interact.

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Models ways of agreeing and disagreeing constructively and respectfully

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Helps students learn how to act respectfully

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Responds consistently to inappropriate behavior

2.3

Promoting social development and group responsibility:

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Students work both independently and collaboratively.

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Provides a climate in which students feel comfortable taking reasonable risks, expressing a

different opinion, or making and correcting errors

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Has a sense of when to intervene and when to let students handle interpersonal issues on

their own

2.4 Establishing and maintaining standards for student behavior:

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Models positive behavior

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Rules are posted in the classroom.

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Makes sure the student understands the consequences of failing to meet established

standards

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Responds to misbehaving students in a constructive manner that doesn't disrupt the flow of

classroom activities

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Anticipates problems before they occur

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Students seem to know how to conduct themselves.

2.5 Planning and implementing classroom procedures and routines that

support student learning:

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Has provided specific directions for routines and transitions that help classroom activities run

smoothly

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Adeptly and quickly brings students back to order

2.6 Using instructional time effectively:

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Paces activities appropriately to keep students actively engaged

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Organizes non-instructional processes to minimize interference with instruction (i.e., taking

roll, distributing materials, collecting homework)

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Provides enrichment or support activities to keep all students productively engaged in

learning (i.e., extension activities for fast-paced students, scaffolding strategies for EL and

Special needs students). .

DESCRIPTORS

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3.1

Demonstrating knowledge of subject matter content and student

development:

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Lessons are connected to the standards.

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Has current knowledge of subject matter concepts that the students are to learn

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Engages the students with the content at an appropriate level of cognitive development

(i.e., teacher knows when students are ready to handle abstractions)

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Links the curriculum to students' prior experiences

3.2 Organizing curriculum to support student understanding of subject

matter:

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Organizes and sequences the curriculum in a way that engages the student

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Knows whether a concept assumes previous knowledge or skills

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Understands the different types of knowledge students must master in order to learn the

Subject matter (i.e., facts, procedures, inquiry or analysis skills, social skills, etc.)

3.3 Interrelating ideas and information within and across subject matter

areas:

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Relates content to previous learning

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Makes connections between disciplines

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Integrates concepts and information within and across subject areas when planning

curriculum

3.4 Developing student understanding through instructional strategies that

are appropriate to the subject matter:

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Strategically selects effective instructional approaches appropriate to the concepts I subject

matter being taught

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Uses instructional strategies that reflect current pedagogical research

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Engages students in content in a way that challenges students to think critically and to

deepen their knowledge and enthusiasm for subject matter

3.5.

Using materials, resources, and technologies to make subject matter

accessible to students:

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Uses technology (if available) to enhance learning.

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Chooses appropriate instructional materials.

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Effectively uses materials to engage students more deeply in the content.

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Effectively uses instructional materials and resources that require students to achieve grade

level standards

DESCRIPTORS

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4.1 Drawing on and valuing students' backgrounds, interests, and

developmental learning needs:

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Familiar with and sensitive to the students' ethnic, language, socioeconomic, and special

needs and differences (to the extent possible)

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Adapts activities to include familiar contexts to address these differences

4.2 Establishing and articulating goals for student learning:

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Translates the content standards into clear learning goals

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Can distinguish learning goals (what the teacher wants students to learn) from activities

(what the teacher wants the students to do)

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Goals are appropriately challenging for all students.

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Expectations for students are consistently high.

4.3 Developing and sequencing instructional activities and materials for

student learning:

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Logically sequences instruction by choosing or creating activities that build on previous

activities or activate prior knowledge

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The sequence of activities leads students to achieve specific content standards.

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Activities reflect multiple modalities.

4.4 Designing short-term and long-term plans to foster student learning:

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Understands the content standards and the district's curriculum.

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Long-term plans are coherent: Plan includes identifying the major knowledge and breaking

It down into logically sequenced learning goals.

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Selects a manageable series of learning activities to develop student knowledge.

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Understands how mastery of one concept is prerequisite to or related to learning another.

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Estimates the time necessary to complete the activities.

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Consults with colleagues

4.5 Modifying instructional plans to adjust for student needs:

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Monitors student understanding in a variety of ways, watching for signs of student progress

and misconceptions

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Adjusts instructional plans in response to observed difficulties that students are having (i.e.,

reteaches the missing concept/skill, supplies different examples, extending the length of

time, providing more structure, provide a graphic organizer)

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Engages in long-term monitoring of student understanding (Le., pattern of student responses

over time)

DESCRIPTORS

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5.1

Establishing and communicating learning goals for all students:

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Communicates learning goals to students (implicit or explicit)

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Communicates learning Goals to families

5.2 Collecting and using multiple sources of information to assess student

learning:

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Uses multiple sources of information to assess student learning

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Embeds assessment within instruction

5.3 Involving and guiding all students in assessing their own learning:

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Students have opportunities to examine, reflect on, and revise their work.

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Models a variety of methods for self-assessment of work

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Communicates performance criteria (Le., rubrics) for student self-assessment

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Students create performance criteria (i.e., rubrics) for self-assessment.

5.4 Using the results of assessments to guide instruction:

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Uses formative and summative assessments to keep informed about students' progress

toward meeting standards

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Uses information collected to plan instruction

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Constructively critiques his/her own performance, analyzing lessons both for success and

areas for improvement

5.5 Communicating with students, families, and other audiences about

student progress:

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Has the ability to talk about student learning with a variety of audiences

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Communicates information in a way that assists families in supporting student learning

DESCRIPTORS

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6.1 Reflecting on teaching practice and planning professional development:

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Engages in productive reflection that focuses on instructional goals

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Learns from experience

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Plans professional development based on reflection

6.2 Establishing professional goals and pursuing opportunities to grow

professionally:

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Keeps current through professional development

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Pursues staff development activities that arise from identified needs and reflect areas of high

priority to teacher, school, or district

6.3 Working with communities to improve professional practice:

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Takes time to gain knowledge about community agencies and resources

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Spends time learning about cultural differences and traditions

6.4 Working with families to improve professional practice:

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Engages families, as appropriate, in the instructional program

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Maintains ongoing, positive interaction with families

6.5 Working with colleagues to improve professional practice:

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Engages in dialogue, reflection, and collaboration with colleagues

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Participates in work with the larger environment; Le., school- or district-wide committees