_________________________________________________________________________________
Pre-Conference and Post-Conference Questions
Teacher Name:
Pre-Conference Date:
Observation (Period and Date):
Please be prepared to answer following questions:
·
The # period class of # students will take part in a lesson
centered on _____.
·
Briefly
describe the students in the class (e.g.
group dynamics, challenges, students with special needs/abilities).
·
What
are your objectives for this lesson? What do you want your students to learn?
To which of your curriculum content standards do these goals relate? How was
this lesson informed by what took place previously? The context of this lesson
is… (e.g. This
is the last lesson of a three-day experience where students were expected to...
It followed a lesson that… It was informed by …).
·
How
will students know what they will be learning? (e.g. what will you be doing to
establish and communicate learning goals and criteria for success).
·
How
will you engage the students in the learning? What will you do? What will the
students do? Will the students work in groups, or individually, or as a large
group? What materials or resources will you use in this lesson to engage your
learners and/or support the intended learning outcome? Students will be engaged
by… (e.g. hook, types of activities planned, resources to be used, grouping
strategies, etc.).
·
Depending on the lesson goal, answer one of the following:
o
What will you be doing to help students effectively interact with
new content?
o
What will you be doing to help students practice and deepen their
understanding?
o
What will you be doing to help students apply and make meaning of
their new knowledge?.
·
How do you
intend to bring in the competencies to your lesson? The competencies will be
incorporated by… and students will be aware of this through (e.g. teacher
feedback, self-assessment, teacher making explicit references, etc.). How
will the students be aware of this expectation? Will they be able to get
feedback or self-assess to mark their progress?
·
How and when
will you know whether the students have learned what you intend? What are some formative assessments you will
utilize to determine if students have achieved the desired results?
·
LESSON PLAN (found in My Lesson Planner).
Be prepared to discuss these
additional questions:
·
How
do you establish and maintain effective relationships with your students? How do you communicate high expectations for
all students?
·
Based
on your formal or informal assessment, what adjustments might you make at
certain key points or transition moments in the lesson if certain students do
not “get it.”
·
How do you know your students can't already
do what you're about to teach?
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION FOR THE
POST-CONFERENCE (4A)
Please reflect on at least ONE of the
following questions prior to our post-conference. Send the reflection to your observer.
1.
In
general, how successful was the lesson? Did the students learn what you
intended for them to learn? How do you know?
2.
Did
the design of the lesson maximize student thinking and actions toward the
desired end in mind? Were they engaged throughout the lesson? If so, why?
If not, why not?
3.
What
evidence of learning did you collect? How will the assessment results of the
observed lesson inform future instruction for the whole class? Small groups of
students? Individual students? What does it tell you? Is other evidence needed?
4. In what ways did you provide feedback? Did you embed formative
assessments into the lesson? Did the data you got back allow you to provide
real-time quality feedback and/or the
students were able to adjust their learning during the lesson?
5. How were the competencies deliberately interwoven into the
content/skills being taught? Reinforced? Assessed? Self-reflected upon by the
students?
6. Were you able to deliver questions that were uniformly of high
quality? How did you select and scaffold the questions appropriately in order
to get each student to consider the intended conceptual understanding or
essential skill? How did you attempt to shift the responsibility for the
success of the discussion, initiating topics, and making unsolicited
contributions to the students themselves?
7. What informed your decision to group (or not group) the students
during the lesson? How did this arrangement optimize students achieving the
desired learning outcome? How were students able to have clear expectations of
what a quality discussion or group participation should look like?
8. Of the strategies you used, which were most effective? What makes you
think that?
9. Please comment on your classroom procedures, student conduct, and your
use of physical space. To what extent did they contribute to the intended
learning outcome?
10. Did you depart from your plan? If so, how, and why?
11. What would you do differently to improve the lesson next time? (e.g.,
different activities, grouping of students, resources, etc.)
12. How will the “lessons learned” from this observation inform your
future practice?
These are the areas any administrator entering your room will be use to evaluate your teaching practice.
_________________________________________________________________________________
1c: Setting Instructional Outcomes
Teaching
is a purposeful activity; even the most imaginative activities are directed
towards certain desired learning. Therefore, establishing instructional outcomes
entails identifying exactly what students will be expected to learn; the
outcomes do not describe what students will do, but what they will learn. The
instructional outcomes should reflect important learning and must lend
themselves to various forms of assessment so that all students are able to demonstrate
their understanding of the content. Insofar as the outcomes determine the
instructional activities, the resources used, their suitability for diverse
learners, and the methods of assessment employed, they hold a central place in
Domain 1.
Learning
outcomes are of a number of different types: factual and procedural knowledge,
conceptual understanding, thinking and reasoning skills, and collaborative and
communication strategies. In addition, some learning outcomes refer to
dispositions; it’s important not only for students to learn to read, but
educators also hope that they will like to read. In addition, experienced
teachers are able to link their learning outcomes with others both within their
discipline and in other disciplines.
The
elements of component 1c are:
• Value,
sequence, and alignment - Students must be able to build their
understanding of important ideas from concept to concept
• Clarity
- Outcomes must refer to what students will learn, not what they will do, and
must permit viable methods of assessment
• Balance
- Outcomes should reflect different types of learning: such as knowledge,
conceptual understanding, and thinking skills
• Suitability
for diverse students - Outcomes must be appropriate for all students in the
class
Indicators
include:
• Outcomes of a challenging cognitive level
• Statements of student learning, not student
activity
• Outcomes central to the discipline and related
to those in other disciplines
• Permit assessment of student attainment
• Differentiated for students of varied ability
Ineffective
Outcomes
represent low expectations for students and lack of rigor, nor do they all
reflect important learning in the discipline. Outcomes are stated as
activities, rather than as student learning. Outcomes reflect only one type of
learning and only one discipline or strand, and are suitable for only some
students.
Partially Effective
Outcomes
represent moderately high expectations and rigor. Some reflect important
learning in the discipline, and consist of a combination of outcomes and
activities. Outcomes reflect several types of learning, but teacher has made no
attempt at coordination or integration. Most of the outcomes are suitable for
most of the students in the class based on global assessments of student
learning.
Effective
Most
outcomes represent rigorous and important learning in the discipline. All the instructional outcomes are clear,
written in the form of student learning, and suggest viable methods of
assessment. Outcomes reflect several different types of learning and
opportunities for coordination. Outcomes take into account the varying needs of
groups of students.
Highly
Effective
All
outcomes represent rigorous and important learning in the discipline. The outcomes are clear, written in the form
of student learning, and permit viable methods of assessment. Outcomes reflect several different types of
learning and, where appropriate, represent opportunities for both coordination
and integration. Outcomes take into account the varying needs of individual students.
1c: Setting Instructional Outcomes
Critical Attributes
Ineffective
•
Outcomes lack rigor.
•
Outcomes do not represent important learning in the discipline.
•
Outcomes are not clear or are stated as activities.
•
Outcomes are not suitable for many students in the class.
Partially Effective
• Outcomes
represent a mixture of low expectations and rigor.
• Some
outcomes reflect important learning in the discipline.
• Outcomes
are suitable for most of the class.
Effective
• Outcomes represent high expectations and rigor.
• Outcomes are related to “big ideas” of the discipline.
• Outcomes are written in terms of what students will learn rather
than do.
• Outcomes represent a range
of outcomes: factual, conceptual understanding, reasoning, social, management, communication.
• Outcomes are suitable to groups of students in the class,
differentiated where necessary.
Highly Effective
In
addition to the characteristics of “Effective,”
•
Teacher plans reference curricular frameworks or blueprints to ensure accurate
sequencing.
•
Teacher connects outcomes to previous and future learning
•
Outcomes are differentiated to encourage individual students to take
educational risks.
1e:
Designing Coherent Instruction
Designing
coherent instruction is the heart of planning, reflecting the teacher’s
knowledge of content and the students in the class, the intended outcomes of instruction,
and the available resources. Such planning requires that educators have a clear
understanding of the state, district, and school expectations for student
learning, and the skill to translate these into a coherent plan. It also
requires that teachers understand the characteristics of the students they
teach and the active nature of student learning. Educators must determine how
best to sequence instruction in a way that will advance student learning
through the required content. It requires the thoughtful construction of
lessons that contain cognitively engaging learning activities, the
incorporation of appropriate resources and materials, and the intentional grouping
of students. Effective practice in this component recognizes that a
well-designed instruction plan addresses the learning needs of various groups
of students; one size does not fit all. At the Highly Effective level the
teacher plans instruction that takes into account the specific learning needs
of each student and solicits ideas from students on how best to structure the
learning. This plan is then implemented in Domain 3.
The
elements of component 1e are:
·
Learning
activities - Instruction designed
to engage students and advance them through the content
·
Instructional
materials and resources - Appropriate
to the learning needs of the students
·
Instructional
groups - Intentionally
organized to support student learning
·
Lesson
and unit structure - Clear
and sequenced to advance students’ learning
Indicators
include:
·
Lessons that support instructional
outcomes and reflect important concepts
·
Instructional maps that indicate
relationships to prior learning
·
Activities that represent high-level
thinking
·
Opportunities for student choice
·
The use of varied resources
·
Thoughtfully planned learning groups
·
Structured lesson plan
Ineffective
The
series of learning experiences is poorly aligned with the instructional
outcomes and does not represent a coherent structure. The activities and are
not designed to engage students in active intellectual activity and have unrealistic
time allocations. Instructional groups
do not support the instructional outcomes and offer no variety.
Partially Effective
Some
of the learning activities and materials are suitable to the instructional
outcomes, and represent a moderate cognitive challenge, but with no
differentiation for different students. Instructional
groups partially support the instructional outcomes, with an effort at
providing some variety. The lesson or
unit has a recognizable structure; the
progression
of activities is uneven, with most time allocations reasonable.
Effective
Teacher
coordinates knowledge of content, of students, and of resources, to design a
series of learning experiences aligned to instructional outcomes and suitable
to groups of students. The learning activities have reasonable time
allocations; they represent significant cognitive challenge, with some
differentiation for different groups of students. The lesson or unit has a clear structure with
appropriate and varied use of instructional groups.
Highly Effective
Plans
represent the coordination of in-depth content knowledge, understanding of
different students’ needs and available resources (including technology),
resulting in a series of learning activities designed to engage students in
high-level cognitive activity. These are
differentiated, as appropriate, for individual learners. Instructional groups
are varied as appropriate, with some opportunity for student choice. The lesson’s or unit’s structure is clear and
allows for different pathways according to diverse student needs.
1e:
Designing Coherent Instruction
Critical Attributes
Ineffective
·
Learning
activities are boring and/or not well aligned to the instructional goals.
·
Materials
are not engaging or do not meet instructional outcomes.
·
Instructional
groups do not support learning.
·
Lesson
plans are not structured or sequenced and are unrealistic in their
expectations.
Partially Effective
·
Learning activities are moderately
challenging.
·
Learning resources are suitable, but
there is limited variety.
·
Instructional groups are random or
only partially support objectives.
·
Lesson structure is uneven or may be
unrealistic in terms of time expectations.
Effective
·
Learning activities are matched to instructional
outcomes.
·
Activities provide opportunity for
higher-level thinking.
·
Teacher provides a variety of
appropriately challenging materials and resources.
·
Instructional student groups are
organized thoughtfully to maximize learning and build on student strengths.
·
The plan for the lesson or unit is
well structured, with reasonable time allocations.
Highly Effective
In
addition to the characteristics of “Effective,”
·
Activities permit student choice.
·
Learning experiences connect to other
disciplines.
·
Teacher provides a variety of
appropriately challenging resources that are differentiated for students in the
class.
·
Lesson plans differentiate for
individual student needs.
An essential skill of teaching is that
of managing relationships with students and ensuring that those among
students are positive
and
supportive. Teachers
create an environment of respect and rapport in their classrooms by
the
ways they interact
with students and by
the
interaction they encourage and
cultivate among students.
An important aspect of respect and rapport relates to how the
teacher responds to students
and
how students are permitted to treat one another.
Patterns of interactions are
critical to the overall tone of the class.
In a respectful environment,
all students feel valued and
safe.
The
elements of component
2a are listed below and are evaluated:
·
Teacher interactions with students,
including both words and actions
o
A teacher’s interactions with students set
the
tone for the classroom. Through their interactions, teachers convey that
they are interested
in and care about their students.
·
Student interactions
with other students, including both words and actions
o
As important
as a teacher’s treatment of students
is, how students are treated by their classmates is arguably even more important to students. At its worst, poor
treatment causes students
to feel rejected
by their peers. At
its best, positive interactions among students are mutually supportive and create an emotionally healthy school environment. Teachers model and teach students how to engage in respectful interactions with one another and acknowledge respectful interactions
among students.
Indicators include:
·
Respectful talk and turn taking
·
Respect for students’ background and lives
outside of the classroom
·
Teacher and student body
language
·
Physical proximity
·
Warmth and caring
·
Politeness
·
Encouragement
·
Active listening
·
Fairness
Ineffective
Patterns of classroom
interactions, both between
the teacher and students
and among students, are mostly negative,
inappropriate, or insensitive to students’ ages, cultural backgrounds, and developmental levels. Interactions are
characterized by sarcasm, put-
downs, or conflict. Teacher does not
deal with disrespectful behavior.
Partially Effective
Patterns of classroom
interactions, both between
the teacher and students
and among students, are generally appropriate but may reflect
occasional
inconsistencies, favoritism, and disregard for students’ ages,
cultures, and developmental levels. Students
rarely demonstrate disrespect for one
another. Teacher attempts
to respond to disrespectful behavior, with uneven results. The net result of the interactions is neutral:
conveying neither warmth
nor conflict.
Effective
Teacher-student
interactions are friendly
and demonstrate general caring and respect. Such interactions
are appropriate to the ages of the students. Students exhibit respect for the teacher. Interactions among students are generally polite and respectful. Teacher responds
successfully to disrespectful behavior
among students. The net result of the interactions is polite and respectful, but impersonal.
Highly Effective
Classroom interactions among the teacher and individual students
are highly respectful, reflecting genuine warmth, caring, and sensitivity
to students.as individuals. Students exhibit respect for the teacher
and contribute to high levels of civility among
all members of the class.
The net result of interactions is that of connections with students as individuals
2a:
Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport
Critical
Attributes
Ineffective
·
Teacher uses disrespectful talk towards students. Student body
language indicates feelings of hurt or insecurity.
·
Students use disrespectful talk towards one another with no response from the teacher.
·
Teacher
displays no familiarity with or caring
about individual students’ interests
or
personalities.
Partially Effective
·
The quality
of interactions between
teacher and students, or among students, is uneven, with occasional disrespect.
·
Teacher attempts
to respond to disrespectful behavior among students, with uneven results.
·
Teacher attempts
to make connections with individual students, but student reactions indicate that the
efforts are not completely successful or are unusual.
Effective
·
Talk between
teacher and students and among
students is uniformly
respectful.
·
Teacher responds to disrespectful
behavior among students.
·
Teacher makes superficial
connections with individual
students.
Highly Effective
In addition to the characteristics
of “Effective,”
·
Teacher
demonstrates knowledge and
caring about individual students’ lives beyond school.
·
When necessary,
students correct one another in their conduct
towards classmates.
·
There is no disrespectful behavior among students.
·
The teacher’s response to a student’s incorrect response
respects the student’s dignity.
2b: Establishing a Culture for Learning
“A culture for
learning” refers to the
atmosphere in the classroom that
reflects the educational importance of the
work undertaken
by both students and
teacher. It describes the norms
that govern the interactions among individuals
about
the activities and assignments,
the value of hard work and perseverance,
and the general tone of
the
class. The classroom is
characterized by high
cognitive
energy, by
a sense that what is happening there is important,
and that it is essential to get it
right. There are high expectations for all
students. The classroom
is a place where the teacher
and students value learning and
hard work.
Elements of component
2b are:
·
Importance of the content and of learning
In a classroom
with a strong culture for learning, teachers convey the educational value of what the students are learning.
·
Expectations for learning and achievement
In classrooms with robust cultures for learning, all students receive the message that, while the work is challenging, they are capable of achieving
it if they are prepared to work hard.
·
Student pride in work
When students are convinced of their capabilities,
they are willing to devote energy to the task at hand, and they take pride in their accomplishments. This pride is
reflected in their interactions with classmates and with the
teacher.
Indicators include:
·
Belief in
the value of
the
work
·
Expectations are high and supported through both verbal and nonverbal
behaviors
·
Quality is expected and recognized
·
Effort and persistence are expected and recognized
·
Confidence
in ability is evidenced by teacher and students
language and behaviors
·
Expectation for all students to participate
Ineffective
The classroom culture is characterized by a lack of teacher or student commitment to learning,
and/or little or no investment of student energy into the task at hand.
Hard work is not expected or valued.
Medium to low expectations for student achievement are the norm
with high expectations
for learning reserved for only one or two students.
Partially Effective
The classroom culture is characterized by
little commitment to learning
by teacher or students.
The teacher appears
to be only “going through the motions,”
and students indicate
that they are interested in
completion of a task, rather than quality. The teacher
conveys that student
success is the result of natural
ability rather than hard
work; high expectations for learning
are reserved for those students thought to have a natural aptitude for the subject.
Effective
The classroom culture is a cognitively
busy
place where learning
is valued by all
with high expectations
for learning the norm
for most students.
The teacher conveys that with hard work students can be successful; students
understand their role as learners and consistently expend effort to learn. Classroom interactions support learning and hard work.
Highly Effective
The classroom culture is a cognitively
vibrant place, characterized by a
shared belief in the importance of learning. The
teacher conveys high expectations for learning by all students
and insists on hard
work; students assume responsibility for high quality by initiating improvements, making revisions, adding
detail and/or helping peers.
2b: Establishing a Culture for Learning
Critical Attributes
Ineffective
·
The teacher conveys that the reasons for the work are external
or trivializes the learning goals and assignments.
·
The teacher conveys to at least
some students that the work is too
challenging for them.
·
Students
exhibit little or no pride in their
work.
·
Class time is devoted more to
socializing than to learning
Partially Effective
·
Teacher’s energy for the
work is neutral: indicating neither
a high level of commitment nor “blowing
it off.”
·
The teacher conveys
high expectations for only some students.
·
Students
comply with the teacher’s expectations for learning, but don’t indicate commitment on their own initiative for the work.
·
Many students indicate
that they are looking for an “easy path.”
Effective
·
The teacher communicates the importance of learning, and that with
hard work all students can be successful in it.
·
The teacher demonstrates a high regard for student abilities.
·
Teacher conveys an expectation of high
levels of student
effort.
·
Students
expend good effort to complete work of high quality.
Highly
Effective
In addition
to the characteristics of “Effective,”
·
The teacher communicates a genuine passion for
the subject.
·
Students
indicate that they are not satisfied unless they have
complete understanding.
·
Student questions
and comments indicate a desire to understand
the content, rather than,
for example, simply
learning a procedure for getting the correct answer.
·
Students recognize
the efforts of their
classmates.
·
Students
take initiative in improving the
quality of their work.
3c:
Engaging Students in Learning
Student
engagement in learning is the centerpiece of the framework for teaching; all
other components contribute to it. When students are engaged in learning, they
are not merely “busy,” nor are they only “on task.” Rather, they are
intellectually active in learning important and challenging content. The
critical distinction between a classroom in which students are compliant and
busy, and one in which they are engaged, is that in the latter students are
developing their understanding through what they do. That is, they are engaged
in discussion, debate, answering “what if?” questions, discovering patterns,
and the like. They may be selecting their work from a range of (teacher
arranged) choices, and making important contributions to the intellectual life
of the class. Such activities don’t typically consume an entire lesson, but
they are essential components of engagement.
A
lesson in which students are engaged usually has a discernible structure: a
beginning, a middle, and an end, with scaffolding provided by the teacher or by
the activities themselves. Student tasks are organized to provide cognitive
challenge, and then students are encouraged to reflect on what they have done
and what they have learned. That is, there is closure to the lesson, in which
students derive the important learning from their own actions. A critical
question for an observer in determining the degree of student engagement is
“What are the students being asked to do?” If the answer to that question is
that they are filling in blanks on a worksheet, or performing a rote procedure,
they are unlikely to be cognitively engaged.
In
observing a lesson, it is essential not only to watch the teacher, but also to
pay close attention to the students and what they are doing. The best evidence
for student engagement is what students are saying and doing as a consequence
of what the teacher does, or has done, or has planned.
Elements
of Component 3c are:
• Activities and assignments - The activities and assignments are the
centerpiece of student engagement, since they determine what it is that
students are asked to do. Activities and assignments that promote learning are
aligned with the goals of the lesson, and require student thinking that
emphasizes depth over breadth, and that may allow students to exercise some
choice.
• Grouping of students - How students are grouped for instruction is
one of the many decisions teachers make every day. There are many options;
students of similar background and skill may be clustered together, or the more
advanced students may be spread around into the different groups.
Alternatively, a teacher might permit students to select their own groups, or
they could be formed randomly.
• Instructional materials and resources - The instructional
materials a teacher selects to use in the classroom can have an enormous impact
on students’ experience. While some teachers are obliged to use a school or
district’s officially sanctioned materials, many teacher use these selectively
or supplement them with others of their choosing that are better suited to engaging
students in deep learning, for example, the use of primary source materials in
social studies.
• Structure and pacing - No one, whether adults or students,
likes to be either bored or rushed in completing a task. Keeping things moving,
within a well-defined structure, is one of the marks of an experienced teacher.
And since much of student learning results from their reflection on what they
have done, a well-designed lesson includes time for reflection and closure.
Indicators
include:
• Activities aligned with
the goals of the lesson
• Student enthusiasm,
interest, thinking, problem-solving, etc.
• Learning tasks that require
high-level student thinking and are aligned with lesson objectives
• Students highly motivated
to work on all tasks and are persistent even when the tasks are challenging
• Students actively
“working,” rather than watching while their teacher “works.”
• Suitable pacing of the
lesson: neither dragging nor rushed, with time for closure and student
reflection
3c:
Engaging students in learning
Ineffective
The
learning tasks and activities, materials, resources, instructional groups and
technology are poorly aligned with the instructional outcomes, or require only
rote responses. The pace of the lesson is too slow or rushed. Few students are intellectually
engaged or interested.
Partially Effective
The
learning tasks or prompts are partially aligned with the instructional outcomes
but require only minimal thinking by students, allowing most students to be
passive or merely compliant. The pacing of the lesson may not provide students
the time needed to be intellectually engaged.
Effective
The
learning tasks and activities are aligned with the instructional outcomes and
are designed to challenge student thinking, resulting in active intellectual
engagement by most students with important and challenging content, and with teacher
scaffolding to support that engagement. The pacing of the lesson is
appropriate, providing most students the time needed to be intellectually
engaged.
Highly Effective
Virtually
all students are intellectually engaged in challenging content, through well-
designed learning tasks, and suitable scaffolding by the teacher, and fully
aligned with the instructional outcomes. In addition, there is evidence of some
student initiation of inquiry, and student contributions to the exploration of
important content. The pacing of the lesson provides students the time needed
to intellectually engage with and reflect upon their learning, and to consolidate
their understanding. Students may have some choice in how they complete tasks
and may serve as resources for one another.
3c:
Engaging students in learning
Critical Attributes
Ineffective
• Few students are intellectually engaged in the lesson.
• Learning tasks require only recall or have a single correct
response or method.
• The materials used ask students only to perform rote tasks.
• Only one type of instructional group is used (whole group, small
groups) when variety would better serve the instructional purpose.
• Instructional materials used are unsuitable to the lesson and/or
the students.
• The lesson drags, or is rushed.
Partially
Effective
• Some students are intellectually engaged in the lesson.
• Learning tasks are a mix of those requiring thinking and recall.
• Student engagement with the content is largely passive, learning
primarily facts or procedures.
• Students have no choice in how they complete tasks.
• The teacher uses different instructional groupings; these are partially
successful in achieving the lesson objectives.
• The materials and resources are partially aligned to the lesson
objectives, only some of them demanding student thinking.
• The pacing of the lesson is uneven; suitable in parts, but
rushed or dragging in others.
Effective
• Most students are intellectually engaged in the lesson.
• Learning tasks have multiple correct responses or approaches
and/or demand higher-order thinking.
• Students have some choice in how they complete learning tasks.
• There is a mix of different types of groupings, suitable to the
lesson objectives.
• Materials and resources support the learning goals and require
intellectual engagement, as appropriate.
• The pacing of the lesson provides students the time needed to be
intellectually engaged.
Highly Effective
In
addition to the characteristics of “Effective,”
•
Virtually all students are highly engaged in the lesson.
•
Students take initiative to modify a learning task to make it more meaningful
or relevant to their needs.
•
Students suggest modifications to the grouping patterns used.
•
Students have extensive choice in how they complete tasks.
•
Students suggest modifications or additions to the materials being used.
•
Students have an opportunity for reflection and closure on the lesson to
consolidate their understanding.
Assessment
of student learning plays an important role in instruction; no longer does it
signal the end of instruction; it is now recognized to be an integral part of
instruction. While assessment of learning has always been and will continue to be
an important aspect of teaching (it’s important for teachers to know whether
students have learned what they intend) assessment for learning has
increasingly come to play an important role in classroom practice. And in order
to assess student learning for the purposes of instruction, teachers must have
their finger on “the pulse” of a lesson, monitoring student understanding and,
where appropriate, offering feedback to students.
Of
course, a teacher’s actions in monitoring student learning, while it may
superficially look the same as monitoring student behavior, has a fundamentally
different purpose. When a teacher is monitoring behavior, he/she is alert to students
who may be passing notes, or bothering their neighbors; when teachers monitor
student learning, they look carefully at what students are writing, or listen
carefully to the questions students ask, in order to gauge whether they require
additional activity or explanation in order to grasp the content. In each case,
the teacher may be circulating in the room, but his/her purpose in doing do is
quite different in the two situations.
Similarly,
on the surface, questions asked of students for the purpose of monitoring
learning, are fundamentally different from those used to build understanding;
in the former, teachers are alert to students’ revealed misconceptions, whereas
in the latter the questions are designed to explore relationships, or deepen
understanding. Indeed, for the purpose of monitoring, many teachers create
questions specifically to elicit the extent of student understanding, and use
techniques (such as exit tickets) to ascertain the degree of understanding of
every student in the class. Indeed, encouraging students (and actually teaching
them the necessary skills) of monitoring their own learning against clear standards
is demonstrated by teachers at high levels of performance. In this component.
But
as important as monitoring of student learning and providing feedback to
students are, however, they are greatly strengthened by a teacher’s skill in
making mid-course corrections when needed, seizing on a “teachable moment.”
Elements
of Component 3d are:
• Assessment Criteria - It is essential that students know the
criteria for assessment. At its highest level, students themselves have had a
hand in articulating the criteria for, for example, a clear oral presentation.
• Monitoring of student learning - A teacher’s skill in eliciting
evidence of student understanding is one of the true marks of expertise. This
is not a hit-or-miss effort, but is planned carefully in advance. But even after
carefully planning, monitoring of student learning must be woven seamlessly
into the lesson, using a variety of techniques.
• Feedback to students - Feedback on learning is an essential element
of a rich instructional environment; without it, students are constantly
guessing as to how they are doing, and how their work can be improved. Valuable
feedback must be timely, constructive, and substantive, and provide students
the guidance they need to improve their performance.
• Student self-assessment and monitoring of progress - The
culmination of student assumption of responsibility for their learning is when
they monitor their own learning, and take appropriate action. Of course, they
can only do this if the criteria for learning are clear and if they have been
taught the skills of checking their work against clear criteria.
Indicators include:
• Teacher paying close
attention to evidence of student understanding
• Teacher posing
specifically-created questions to elicit evidence of student understanding
• Teacher circulating to
monitor student learning and to offer feedback
• Students assessing their
own work against established criteria
• Teacher adjusting
instruction in response to evidence of student understanding (or lack of it)
3d:
Using Assessment in Instruction
Ineffective
There
is little or no assessment or monitoring of student learning; feedback is
absent, or of poor quality. Students do not appear to be aware of the
assessment criteria and do not engage in self-assessment.
Partially Effective
Assessment
is used sporadically to support instruction, through some monitoring of
progress of learning by teacher and/or students. Feedback to students is
general, and students appear to be only partially aware of the assessment
criteria used to evaluate their work but few assess their own work.
Questions/prompts/ assessments are rarely used to diagnose evidence of
learning.
Effective
Assessment
is regularly used during instruction, through monitoring of progress of
learning by teacher and/or students, resulting in accurate, specific feedback
that advances learning. Students appear to be aware of the assessment criteria;
some of them engage in self- assessment. Questions/prompts/ assessments are
used to diagnose evidence of learning.
Highly Effective
Assessment
is fully integrated into instruction, through extensive use of formative
assessment. Students appear to be aware of, and there is some evidence that they
have contributed to, the assessment criteria. Students self-assess and monitor
their progress. A variety of feedback, from both the teacher and peers, is
accurate, specific, and advances learning. Questions/prompts/assessments are
used regularly to diagnose evidence of learning by individual students.
3d:
Using Assessment in Instruction
Critical Attributes
Ineffective
• The teacher gives no indication of what high quality work looks
like.
• The teacher makes no effort to determine whether students understand
the lesson.
• Feedback is only global.
• The teacher does not ask students to evaluate their own or
classmates’ work.
Partially
Effective
• There is little evidence that the students understand how their
work will be evaluated.
• Teacher monitors understanding through a single method, or
without eliciting evidence of understanding from all students.
• Teacher requests global indications of student understanding.
• Feedback to students is not uniformly specific, not oriented towards
future improvement of work.
• The teacher makes only minor attempts to engage students in
self- or peer-assessment.
• The teacher’s attempts to adjust the lesson are partially
successful.
Effective
• Students indicate that they clearly understand the
characteristics of high- quality work.
• The teacher elicits evidence of student understanding during the
lesson Students are invited to assess their own work and make improvements.
• Feedback includes specific and timely guidance for at least
groups of students.
• The teacher attempts to engage students in self- or
peer-assessment.
• When necessary, the teacher makes adjustments to the lesson to
enhance understanding by groups of students.
Highly Effective
In
addition to the characteristics of “Effective,”
• There is evidence that students have helped establish the
evaluation criteria.
• Teacher monitoring of student understanding is sophisticated and
continuous: the teacher is constantly “taking the pulse” of the class.
• Teacher makes frequent use of strategies to elicit information
about individual student understanding.
• Feedback to students is specific and timely, and is provided
from many sources, including other students.
• Students monitor their own understanding, either on their own
initiative or as a result of tasks set by the teacher.
• The teacher’s adjustments to the lesson are designed to assist
individual students.
4a:
Reflecting on Teaching
Reflecting
on teaching encompasses the teacher’s thinking that follows any instructional
event, an analysis of the many decisions made both in planning and implementation
of a lesson. By considering these elements in light of the impact they had on
student learning, teachers can determine where to focus their efforts in making
revisions, and what aspects of the instruction they will continue in future
lessons. Teachers may reflect on their practice through collegial conversations,
journal writing, examining student work, informal observations and
conversations with students, or simply thinking about their teaching. Reflecting with accuracy, specificity and
ability to use what has been learned in future teaching is a learned skill;
mentors, coaches and supervisors can help teachers acquire and develop the
skill of reflecting on teaching through supportive and deep questioning. Over
time, this way of thinking and analyzing instruction through the lens of
student learning becomes a habit of mind, leading to improvement in teaching
and learning.
Elements
of component 4a are:
·
Accuracy
-
As teachers gain experience, their reflections on practice become more
accurate, corresponding to the assessments that would be given by an external
and unbiased observer. Not only are the reflections accurate, but teachers can
provide specific examples from the lesson to support their judgments.
·
Use
in future teaching - In order for the potential of reflection to
improve teaching to be fully realized, teachers must use their reflections to
make adjustments in their practice. As their experience and expertise
increases, teachers draw on an ever-increasing repertoire of strategies to
inform these plans.
Indicators
include:
·
Accurate reflections on a lesson
·
Citations of adjustments to practice,
drawing on a repertoire of strategies
Ineffective
Teacher
does not know whether a lesson was effective or achieved its instructional outcomes,
or teacher profoundly misjudges the success of a lesson. Teacher has no
suggestions for how a lesson could be improved.
Partially Effective
Teacher
has a generally accurate impression of a
lesson’s effectiveness and the extent to which instructional outcomes were met.
Teacher makes general suggestions about how a lesson could be improved.
Effective
Teacher
makes an accurate assessment of a lesson’s effectiveness and the extent to which
it achieved its instructional outcomes and can cite general references to
support the judgment. Teacher makes a few specific suggestions of what could be
tried another time the lesson is taught.
Highly Effective
Teacher
makes a thoughtful and accurate assessment of a lesson’s effectiveness and the
extent to which it achieved its instructional outcomes, citing many specific
examples from the lesson and weighing the relative strengths of each. Drawing
on an extensive repertoire of skills, teacher offers specific alternative actions,
complete with the probable success of different courses of action.
4a:
Reflecting on Teaching
Critical Attributes
Ineffective
·
The teacher considers
the lesson but draws
incorrect conclusions about its effectiveness.
·
The teacher makes no suggestions for improvement.
Partially Effective
·
The teacher has a general sense of
whether or not instructional practices were
effective.
·
The teacher
offers general modifications for future instruction.
Effective
·
The teacher
accurately assesses the effectiveness of instructional activities used.
·
The teacher identifies specific ways
in which a lesson might be
improved.
Highly Effective
In addition to the characteristics of “Effective,”
·
Teacher’s assessment of the
lesson is thoughtful, and includes specific indicators of effectiveness.
·
Teacher’s suggestions for improvement draw on an extensive repertoire.
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