Essential Elements of CAP
The Candidate Assessment of Performance, or CAP, is an assessment for determining if a teacher candidate is ready for teaching. CAP consists of the following six elements: Well-Structured Lessons, Adjustments to Practice, Meeting Diverse Needs, Safe Learning Environment, High Expectations, and Reflective Practice. During their student teaching experience, student teachers are assessed based on a CAP rubric; a candidate can be rated as unsatisfactory, needs improvement, proficient, or exemplary in the quality, scope, and consistency of all six elements. Before being deemed ready to teach, a teacher candidate must be proficient in the quality section of all elements.
When planning a well-structured lesson, it is important that the teacher considers the following: measurable objectives, time management, engaging activities, strategic student groupings, and technology in the classroom.
Adjustments to practice based on reflection on lessons and assessments is key to longterm teaching practice improvements, but teachers also have to be able to adjust and adapt to students during their lesson.
When considering diverse needs, a teacher needs to think about the diversity of backgrounds as well as the diversity in learning abilities and styles in the classroom.
Having rituals and routines in the classroom helps create and maintain a safe physical and intellectual environment by setting a standard for students to follow.
Positive attention, encouragement, and feedback to the students will present high expectations and they will react by being academically successful.
After reflecting on how a lesson or assessment went, a teacher should adjust and adapt to make improvements on their lesson and/or assessment.