Standards and Objectiveso All learning objectives and state content standards are explicitly

communicatedo Sub-objectives are aligned and logically sequenced to the lesson’s major

objectiveo Learning objectives are: consistently connected to what students have

previously learned, know from life experiences, and integrated with other disciplines

o Expectations for student performance are clear, demand and higho State standards are displayed and referenced throughout the lessono There is evidence that most students demonstrate mastery of the objective.

Motivating studentso The teacher consistently organized the content so that it is personally

meaningful and relevant to studentso The teacher consistently develops learning experiences where inquiry,

curiosity and exploration are valued.o The teacher regularly reinforces and rewards effort.

Presenting Instructional Contento Visuals that establish; the purpose of the lesson, preview the organization of

the lesson, and include internal summaries of the lesson.o Examples, illustrations, analogies, and labels for new concepts and ideas.o Modeling by the teacher to demonstrate his or her performance expectations.o Concise communicationo Logical sequencing and segmenting.o All essential information.o No irrelevant, confusing, or non-essential information.

Lesson Structure and Pacingo All lessons start promptly.o The lesson’s structure is coherent, with a beginning, middle, end and time for

reflection.o Pacing is brisk, and provides many opportunities for individual students who

progress at different learning rates.o Routines for distributing materials are seamless.o No instructional time is lost during transitions.

Activities and Materials: o Support the lesson objectiveso Are challengingo Sustains students attentiono Elicit a variety of thinkingo Provide time for reflectiono Are relevant to students liveso Provide opportunities for student to student interactiono Induce student curiosity and suspenseo Provide students with choices

o Incorporate multimedia and technologyo Incorporate resources beyond the school curriculum texts, o In addition, sometimes activities are game-like, involve simulations, require

creating products, and demand self-direction and self-monitoring.Questioning

o Teacher questions are varied and high quality providing a balanced mix of questions types

o Knowledge and comprehensiono Application and analysis,o Creation and evaluationo Questions are consistently purposeful and coherent, o A high frequency of questions is askedo Questions are consistently sequenced with attention to the instructional

goals.o Questions regularly require active responses, o Wait time, 3-5 seconds is consistently provided.o The teacher calls on volunteers and non-volunteers and a balance of students

based on ability and sex. o Students generate questions that lead to further inquiry and self-directed

learning.Academic Feedback

o Oral and written feedback is consistently academically focused, frequent, and high quality.

o Feedback is frequently given during guided practice and homework review.o The teacher circulates to prompt student thinking, assess each students

progress, and provide individual feedback.o Feedback from students from student is regularly used to monitor and adjust

instruction. o Teacher engages students in giving specific and high quality feedback to one

another.Grouping Students

o The instructional grouping arrangements(either whole class, small groups, pairs, individual; hetero-or homogenous ability) consistently maximize student understanding and learning efficiency.

o All students in groups know their roles, responsibilities, and group work expectations.

o All students participating in groups are held accountable for group work and individual work.

o Instructional group composition is varied to best accomplish the goals of the lesson.

o Instructional groups facilitate opportunities for studetns to set goals, reflect on and evaluate their learning.

Teacher Content Knowledge

o Teacher displays extensive content knowledge of all the subjects she or he teaches.

o Teacher regularly implements a variety of subject-specific instructional strategies to enhance student content knowledge.

o The teacher regularly highlights key concepts and ideas, and uses them as basis to connect other powerful ideas.

o Limited content is taught in sufficient depth to allow for the development of understanding.

Teacher Knowledge of studentso Teacher practices display understanding of each student’s anticipated

learning difficulties. o Teacher practices regularly incorporate student interests and cultural

heritage.o Teacher regularly provides differentiated instruction methods and content to

ensure children have the opportunity to master what is being taught. Thinking

o Over the course of multiple observations, the teacher consistently and thoroughly teaches all four types of thinking;

o Analytical thinking where students analyze, compare and contrast, and evaluate and explain information

o Practical thinking where students use, apply and implement what they learn in real-life scenarios.

o Creative thinking where students create, design, imagine and suppose.o Research based thinking where students explore and review a variety

of ideas, models, and solutions to problems. o The teacher regularly provides opportunities where students

o Generate a variety of ideas and alternatives.o Analyze problems from multiple perspectives and viewpointso Monitor their thinking to insure that they understand what they are

learning, are attending to critical information, and are aware of the learning strategies that they are using and why.

Problem Solving:o Over the course of multiple observations, the teacher implements activities

that teach and reinforce 6 or more of the following problem solving types. o Abstractiono Categorizationo Drawing Conclusion/justifying solutionso Predicting outcomeso Observing and experimenting o Improving solutionso Identifying relevant/irrelevant informationo Generating ideaso Creating and designing.

Instructional Plan

o Measurable and explicit goals aligned to state content standardso Activities, materials, and assessments that;

o Are aligned to state standardso Are sequenced from basic to complexo Build on prior student knowledge, are relevant to students lives, and

integrate other disciplineso Provide appropriate time for student work, student reflection, and

lesson and unit closure. o Evidence that plan is appropriate for the age, knowledge, and interests of all

learnerso Evidence that the plan provides regular opportunities to accommodate

individual student needs.Student Work

o Assignments require students too Organize, interpret, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information rather that

reproduce it.o Draw conclusions, make generalizations, and produce arguments that are

supported through extended writing.o Connect what they are learning to experiences, observations, feelings, or

situations significant in their daily lives both inside and outside of school. Assessment:

o Are aligned with state content standardso Have clear measurement criteriao Measure student performance in more than three ways o Require extended written taskso Are portfolio-based with clear illustrations of student progress toward state

content standards.o Include descriptions of how assessment results will be used to inform future

instruction. Expectations

o Teacher sets high and demanding academic expectations for every studento Teacher encourages students to learn from mistakeso Teacher creates learning opportunities where all students can experiences

successo Students take initiative and follow through with their own work.o Teacher optimizes instructional time, teaches more material, and demands

better performance from every studentsManaging Student Behavior

o Students are consistently well-behaved, and on task.o Teacher and studetns establish clear rules for learning and behavioro Teacher uses several techniques such as social approval, contingent

activities, and consequences to maintain appropriate student behavioro The teacher overlooks inconsequential behavior

o The teacher deals with students who have caused disruptions rather than the entire class.

o The teacher attends to disruptions quickly and firmly.Environment

o The classroom o Welcomes all members and guestso Is organied and understandable to all studentso Supplies, equipment, and resources are easily and readily accessible.o Displays students work that frequently changes.o Is arranged to promote individual and group learning.o The teacher-student interactions demonstrates caring and respect for

one another.o Students exhibit caring and respect for one another.o Teacher seeks out, and is receptive to the interests and opinions of all

students.o Positive relationships and interdependence characterize the

classroom.