Teacher demonstrates knowledge of the relevant content standards within the grade level and across grade levels, as well as how these standards relate to other disciplines.  

Teacher’s plans demonstrate extensive knowledge of the disciplinary way of reading, writing, and/or thinking within the subject area.

Teacher demonstrates deep understanding of prerequisite learning and relationships among topics and concepts.

Teacher’s plans include a range of effective pedagogical approaches suitable to student learning of the content/skills being taught and antcipate student misconceptions.

Teacher coordinates in-depth knowledge of content, students, and resources (including technology) to design units and lessons. Learning tasks are aligned to objectives.

Tasks are cognitively challenging for individual students and require students to provide evidence of their reasoning. There is evidence of scaffolding and differentiation for all students to   access the content/skills.

The units and lessons are paced appropriately. Units and lessons include grade appropriate levels of texts and other materials so every student can access the content/skills.

The lesson or unit has a clear structure that incorporates student choice, allows for different pathways of instruction aligned with diverse student needs,  and uses instructional groupings intentionally.

Teacher and students establish and implement standards of conduct. 

Students follow the standards of conduct and self-monitor their behaviors.

Teacher’s monitoring of student behavior is subtle and preventive. Teacher uses positive framing to model and reinforce positive behavior for individual students.

Teacher’s response to students’ inappropriate behavior is sensitive to individual student needs and respects students’ dignity.

Teacher frequently communicates with families to convey information about class and individual activities, individual student’s progress and to solicit and utilize the family’s support in student learning. 

Teacher meaningfully and successfully engages families as partners in the instructional program (e.g. through class and home volunteering, working at home with their child, involvement in class and school projects in and out of school, and parent workshops and training). 

Teacher responds to families’ concerns professionally and in a timely manner, providing resources and solutions to address the concerns.

Teacher’s communication with families is sensitive to cultural norms and needs, with students contributing to the communication as appropriate.