Teaching

• Requires creating a culture of care and respect for all students, in recognition of their individual differences.

• Establishes clear expectations, rules and procedures for all students.

• Provides explicit instruction and modeling for all students.

• Maintains instructional clarity in lesson planning and delivery.

• Utilizes higher-level thinking questions.

• Differentiates through re-teaching, acceleration and enrichment.

Assessment

• Establishes and communicates rigorous success criteria.

• Pre-assesses students to determine what students already know and can do.

• Involves students in setting learning goals.

• Routinely checks for understanding and progress toward learning intentions.

• Involves a balanced approach with a variety of formal and informal assessment tools.

• Is aligned to CCSS standards.

Learning

• Daily reading, writing, speaking, and listening, work to increase vocabulary, and use of creative and critical thinking.

• Rigorous expectations.

• Engaging students in authentic learning experiences.

• Meaningful and engaging content.

• Utilizing modifications, differentiation and enrichments

Leadership

• A clear vision and mission for literacy instruction. 

• Modeling, coaching, supervision and support. 

• Flexible structures, roles and functions that support instruction.

• Specific and timely feedback for teachers.

• Opportunities for collaboration, inquiry and reflection. 

• Targeted professional development that supports instruction. 

• Open and honest two-way communication between all stakeholders. 

• Student first, data-driven decision making.