Portfolio Evaluation Guidelines

The New Teacher Project (TNTP) strives to end the injustice of educational inequality by providing excellent teachers to the students who need them most and by advancing policies and practices that ensure effective teaching in every classroom. A national nonprofit organization founded by teachers, TNTP is driven by the knowledge that effective teachers have a greater impact on student achievement than any other school factor. In response, TNTP develops customized programs and policy interventions that enable education leaders to find, develop and keep great teachers. The X Practitioner Teacher Program is one of many programs operated by TNTP. Since its inception in 1997, TNTP has recruited or trained approximately 43,000 teachers - mainly through its highly selective Teaching Fellows programs - benefiting an estimated 7 million students. TNTP has also released a series of acclaimed studies of the policies and practices that affect the quality of the nation's teacher workforce, including The Widget Effect (2009) and Teacher Evaluation 2.0 (2010). Today TNTP is active in more than 25 cities, including 10 of the nation's 15 largest. For more information, please visit www.tntp.org .
Teaching for Results Portfolio Evaluation Guidelines TNTP 2011 2

Table of Contents
Introduction: Achieving Desired Results Through Teaching for Results ... Teaching for Results Portfolio Evaluation ... How to Use the Teaching for Results Portfolio Evaluation Guidelines .. 5 7 8

Descriptions of the Seven Teaching for Results Portfolio Components .. 9 Component 1: Setting the Stage: Teaching Context and the Local Achievement Gap .. Component 2: Exploring and Developing Content Area Knowledge and Skills .. Component 3: Diagnosing Student Readiness Component 4: Setting Goals for Student Achievement and Professional Development . Component 5: Creating and Implementing an Instructional Plan ... Component 6: Monitoring for Success and Making Course Corrections ... Component 7: Celebrating Progress and Developing a Professional Development Action Plan Teaching for Results Portfolio Evaluation System: Submission Deadlines and Requirements ... Additional ResourcesPerformance Descriptors and Course Assessment Projects. 26

10 12 14 16

18 20

23

29

Appendix Teaching for Results Portfolio Evaluation System Indicators and Descriptors 31

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Introduction: Achieving Desired Results Through Teaching for

Results
Effective teachers measure their success by student outcomesthe results they see students produceand not simply by what they teach or because they have taught. One of the assumptions that is sometimes taken for granted in our profession is that because a teacher teaches, students learn. However, effective teachers, those who close achievement gaps, know that this isnt always the case. They constantly ask themselves, Are my students learning? How do I know? The inputsthe various elements of a teachers craft that build the foundation for effective teaching and student learningare important, but they are not sufficient indicators of whether students are making the progress necessary to meet or exceed performance expectations in order to close persistent achievement gaps. The Teaching for Results seminars provide beginning teachers with both the tools to gain proficiency in developing robust and refined inputs and the opportunities to demonstrate and reflect on outcomes measured by student growth toward content area mastery of skills and concepts. All participants enrolled in Teaching for Results seminars are expected to assemble and submit a complete portfolio of work that demonstrates their ability to help students meet and exceed content area standards and goals. Your goal in preparing the portfolio is to demonstrate your growth as a professional, effective teacher by providing evidence of your proficiency in the three Teaching for Results competency areas of content, assessment, and instruction. Below is a graphic illustrating the three competencies and the indicators of proficiency that correlate to each. The Teaching for Results seminar coursework is based on this competency model, and your experiences with the course routines, assignments, and assessments, as well as with the inquiry process, are meant to help you develop skills in these areas. As you complete the items for your portfolio, you should sufficiently detail your teaching experiences as necessary to narrate the story of how you make pedagogical decisions, evaluate those decisions, and seek to improve your practice to move students toward content area goals. For further information on how your portfolio will be evaluated, please see Teaching for Results Portfolio Evaluation System: Additional Resources, page 29. The competencies and their indicators are listed on the following page for reference.

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Competency
Overarching area of expertise for an effective teacher

Related Indicators of Proficiency

Specific indicators of proficiency for a particular competency

Content

Participants know content area and understand its unique structure. Participants set specific learning goals and milestones for content mastery. Participants use their content knowledge to make informed decisions about using available resources to teach content standards. Participants analyze data to track students progress toward learning goals. Participants use assessment results (e.g., diagnostic, formative, and summative) to adjust instruction. Participants share assessment results with students and key stakeholders to inform and celebrate progress. Participants use content specific instructional choices to help students achieve learning goals. Participants differentiate instruction based on student readiness. Participants evaluate effectiveness of instructional choices. Participants reframe and reteach concepts using different instructional choices.

Assessment

Instruction

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Teaching for Results Portfolio Evaluation

It is important that you know how you will be evaluated on this portfolio. The Teaching for Results competencies are explained in your course manual and also, briefly, in the graphic above. These competencies form the foundation of what the Program believes effective teaching looks like, as it will most successfully translate to increased student achievement. As also noted above, the competencies each have indicators of proficiency, i.e., more specific illustrations of the competency. From those indicators, performance descriptors were derived. The performance descriptors are the most granular and specific level of behavioral detail of what each competency looks like in practice. The performance descriptors are what Teaching for Results Seminar Leaders will use to evaluate portfolios and the assessment projects participants submit at various points throughout the year. All Teaching for Results seminar participants are also provided a copy of the performance descriptors. In this way, participants are fully aware of the criteria they need to meet in order to successfully complete the assessments and portfolio before they begin them. Making the expectations for success clear from the beginning allows participants the opportunity to engage with the expectations and develop proficiency with them over the duration of the seminar before the final summative assessment. This is a practice that effective teachers regularly employ. It is critical to keep in mind that you will be evaluated based on the competencies through the lens of the descriptors: As you complete the items for your portfolio, refer to the language of the descriptors often, paying special attention to the Skillful and Proficient categories for each indicator, as these are the passing level. The language will help guide you as you endeavor to assemble the evidence for your own successful demonstration of the competencies.

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How to Use the Teaching for Results Portfolio Evaluation Guidelines

The purpose of the portfolio is to communicate your progress toward and successful attainment of proficiency in the three Teaching for Results competencies of content, assessment, and instruction. To facilitate your organization of this evidence, the portfolio is composed of seven components. Each component follows the same basic structure and is intended to help you tell the story of your teaching experiences by focusing on a particular aspect of the competencies, generally through the lens of the inquiry process (with which you will become very familiar during your Teaching for Results seminar coursework). As you read through the required elements for submission of each component, keep the following in mind: You are ultimately evaluated on your demonstration of the competencies. See page 29 for more details. Every component asks for two types of evidence: (1) a statement or reflection piecea narrative account of the teaching and student learning; (2) the classroom-related documents such as student work, a letter to parents, an excerpted unit plan. Your course experiences and the course assignments you complete will often help you put together your evidence. Each component description below includes a callout box that notes related assignments from TfR coursework. Each component description also lists other resources in a section titled Additional Resources. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, but it may help you as you think about other sources for evidence, or inform your thinking as you generate your narrative statements. A maximum number of resources is also listed to help you carefully edit the selection of your best work to demonstrate your proficiency in the competencies. Finally, remember that your portfolio should be the culmination of your Teaching for Results coursework and teaching experiences. It is your opportunity to demonstrate that you have achieved proficiency in the competencies necessary for effective teaching that closes the achievement gap. But just as with closing the gap, the work of attaining proficiency cannot be done overnight. Carefully plan your time and ensure that you collect evidence throughout your school year and during your TfR coursework. Build your portfolio along the way.

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Descriptions of the Seven Teaching for Results Portfolio Components

Listed below are the seven components of the Teaching for Results portfolio. 1. Setting the Stage: Teaching Context and the Local Achievement Gap 2. Exploring and Developing Content Area Knowledge and Skills 3. Diagnosing Student Readiness 4. Setting Goals for Student Achievement and Professional Development 5. Creating and Implementing an Instructional Plan 6. Monitoring for Success and Making Course Corrections 7. Celebrating Progress and Developing a Professional Action Plan In the following pages, each component will be explored individually in more depth and the evidence guidelines explained.

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Component #1

Setting the Stage: Teaching Context and the Local Achievement Gap
Impacting the achievement of students within the four walls of their classroom is a teacher's core responsibility. However, the educational attainment of students and the echoes of inequity that play out in the classroom are deeply rooted in the local context as well. As professionals, teachers must be constantly aware of the environment in which they are operating. In addition to the performance of the students a teacher directly serves, school, district, and state trends in student achievement within a teacher's content area have implications for and can be a major driver of a teachers work, especially if students have been consistently underperforming. It is essential that teachers understand how the environment outside of their classroom informs the work they do and how the work they do impacts the larger environment outside of the classroom. This knowledge provides the foundation for all of the work that occurs throughout the year and prepares a teacher to effectively work toward closing the achievement gap.
Suggested Time Line for Collection of Evidence

Sessions 13

Related Coursework

Discussion in Orientation Session about the achievement gap in your local context

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Component #1

Setting the Stage: Teaching Context and the Local Achievement Gap

Evidence for Submission

Component 1: The Setting the Stage report is a space for you to describe your specific teaching context. Submit a two- to three-page statement explaining what the achievement gap looks like in your local context and how the achievement gap manifests itself in your students and your classroom each day. Describe what a typical day looks like in your teaching setting. If you change teaching assignments during the year, you should note that in this section. Include the following when you write your statement:

Relevant state-, district-, and school-level data on student demographics and

performance in your content area, if available, and in other content areas, if not. Providing this information longitudinally will give greater context.

Your specific teaching context: number of students served, student demographics

[student age range, number of students receiving free/reduced lunch, students special education designations (if applicable), students English language learning designations (if applicable)], content areas taught, special settings or teaching situations (e.g., collaborative team teaching, pull-out ESL, etc.) Maximum number of artifacts: Five Additional Resources:

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/ The National Center for Educational Statistics http://nces.ed.gov/datatools/index.asp?DataToolSectionID=5 Check the websites of your state department of education and your district for state and school progress reports. Teaching for Results seminar discussion notes from Orientation Session

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Component #2

Exploring and Developing Content Area Knowledge and Skills

The very premise of closing the achievement gap necessitates working in an accelerated manner to obtain more than one years worth of growth to catch students up. Students who are performing behind their grade-level peers and who attain just one years growth will still not meet, and certainly will not exceed, the goals necessary to close the gap. Effective teachers know this and feel a sense of urgency about maximizing the time they have with students. One of the primary tools they have in their arsenals is a deep and flexible command of their content area knowledge and a readiness to continue to grow professionally to develop the pedagogical muscle required to communicate that knowledge to students in order to make tangible differences in their levels of content mastery. Effective teachers fluently speak the vocabulary of their content area and can articulate how the different strands of the subject fit together in the content domain. They use this knowledge to make smart decisions about how to filter and prioritize standards and how to group them together; in doing so they help their students access domain knowledge. They clearly communicate to students the vocabulary and concepts that will lead to mastery. Effective teachers are also critical consumers of the curricular tools given to them. They know that no one curriculum on its own is responsible for ensuring that students learn: only an effective teacher can do that. Using their knowledge of the content domain and standards, they can evaluate the curriculum, assess it for potential gaps in content domain or standards coverage, and supplement their instruction to ensure that students are as prepared as possible for the next level in their educational achievement.

Suggested Time Line for Collection of Evidence

Aligns to the content domain routine

Related Coursework Seminar Discussion

Professional Development Goals Examining the Content Domain Analyzing Standards How is the Content Domain Adressed in Instruction? Analyzing Content, Standards, and Resources

Participants Manual Assignment Handouts

Assessment Projects

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Component #2

Exploring and Developing Content Area Knowledge and Skills

Evidence for Submission

Submit a four- to five-page statement, along with relevant documentation, of your experiences with the content and with content pedagogy, as well as your ability to communicate to students knowledge of all subjects within the certification area addressed in your Teaching for Results seminar. Consider the following as you develop your statement:

Discuss how you have communicated to students the way your content area is
organized.

Discuss the challenges you have encountered when teaching particular strands and/or
concepts of the content domain. To what are these challenges attributable, and how have you addressed them?

What are your strengths and areas of growth in terms of your content knowledge, as
measured by the content domain and standards? How has this affected your approach to your instruction and assessment of student learning? Also, be sure to think about the documentation you will provide to support your statement. Which pieces from your teaching practice will best support your narrative evidence? Submit three to five artifacts to support your statement. Maximum number of artifacts: Five Additional Resources:

Review the national professional organizations teaching standards for the content area(s) you teach. Self-assess your content knowledge and pedagogical confidence (may have been discussed in TfR seminar). Research in your content area(s) the effects of sharing specific content vocabulary with students. Provide a detailed instructional plan of your own design.

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Component #3

Diagnosing Student Readiness

Teachers, both beginning and veteran, often start with the natural question, What do I teach? Two questions that effective teachers know to ask naturally after this are Where are my students currently performing in relation to what I want to teach? and Whats holding them back from being even more successful at mastering that content? Diagnosing student readiness to learn content material is a key component to effective teaching and a starting point for a cycle of inquiry that teachers engage in continually to improve those results and to teach for improved student achievement. Having a precise understanding of the knowledge gaps in their classrooms enables teachers to set appropriate lesson, unit, and long-term goals for students. As a result, they are able to make sure that each minute in the classroom counts: They can prioritize content effectively and focus on areas where they see the greatest opportunities for growth. Diagnosing student readiness builds from Component 2, knowing ones content area deeply and ensuring that students are given the tools to appropriate that knowledge. Diagnosing student readiness in turn provides the foundation for Component 4, setting goals for student achievement.
Suggested Time Line for Collection of Evidence

Align to Diagnose, Set Goals, Plan Instruction, and Teach steps of the inquiry process

*For participants in TfR Seminars with more than one diagnostic, you may use any course diagnostic that you administer to students at least twice and that requires a teaching plan and a respond plan. Related Coursework Seminar Assignment

Administration of content domain-specific diagnostic assessment Student Achievement Data Tracker Diagnosing Student Readiness, Setting Achievement Goals, and Monitoring Progress, Part 1

Participants Manual Assignment Handouts Assessment Projects

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Component #3

Diagnosing Student Readiness

Evidence for Submission

For Component 3, submit evidence that clearly demonstrates your ability to determine how students are performing relative to the content domain. The following must be submitted: A description of the diagnostic used, including its purpose and measurement objectives A description of the context in which the diagnostic was administered, including

number of students diagnostic was administered to over what period of time any other relevant contextual details

Evidence of student performance on the diagnostic An analysis of student performance on the diagnostic and implications for performance in the content domain A one- to two-page reflection on the benefits and challenges you experienced with the diagnostic and how using diagnostic assessments has impacted your teaching practice

Consider in your reflection:

How does other data play a role in your assessment of student performance? How well did your approach to the diagnostic process work? What would you do differently, and why, if you had the opportunity to implement the diagnostic process with these students again?

Maximum number of artifacts: Five Additional Resources:

Schoolwide and district assessment data Inventory of other assessment data available Student cumulative folder information Individualized Education Programs, if applicable

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Component #4

Setting Goals for Student Achievement and Professional Development

Given the urgency of closing the achievement gap, it is critical that teachers set goalsthe right goalsfor students and themselves. These goals must be ambitious yet feasible, and they must push students and teachers to grow swiftly. At the student level, it is important that the teacher think of both groups and individuals and set short-term and long-term goals that are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Aligned to standards, Realistic, and are expected to be completed within a particular Time frame. These goals must be clearly communicated to students, and the teacher must be able to present a compelling vision of what success will look like for students. This goal-setting process for students aligns closely with the goal-setting process teachers use for themselves as they plan for their own professional development. As with students, the teacher must gather data on their own performance, reflect thoughtfully, and prioritize areas for growth accordingly. A teacher who commits to strong professional development goals is showing their commitment to their students.
Suggested Time Line for Collection of Evidence

Sessions 16 for Setting Goals for Students Ongoing for Professional Goal Setting

Related Coursework Seminar Discussion

Professional Development Goals Setting Student Goals based on diagnostic data Professional Goals Diagnosing Student Readiness, Setting Achievement Goals, and Monitoring Progress, Part 1 Creating a Professional Development Plan

Participants Manual Assignment Handouts

Assessment Projects

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Component #4

Setting Goals for Student Achievement and Professional Development

Evidence for Submission

Submit the following, and for each piece of documentation you provide, explain your practice in the corresponding summary statement. Evidence of goal setting for students Summary statement on student goal setting: Briefly describe the process you followed, and explain how content area knowledge and diagnostic assessment were involved.

How did you use diagnostic data to set goals?

Evidence of professional goal setting Summary statement on setting professional goals: Briefly describe the process you used to set professional goals and the efforts you undertook to make progress toward those goals. A two- to three-page synthesis statement describing the interplay between the student goal-setting process and your professional goal-setting process

Consider the following as you develop your response:

What similarities and differences have you found between the two processes? How have both processes impacted your teaching practice?

Maximum number of artifacts: Five Additional Resources:

Classroom artifacts such as student goal sheetswhere students keep track of their own progress and set goals for growth Student study team (SST) or planning team meeting notes for students with IEPs Copies of student notebooks (if you use a journaling system), in which goals are sent home in notebooks for parents to sign and/or provide feedback Review information from national professional organizations to determine if there are recommended goals for teachers in particular content area

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Component #5

Creating and Implementing an Instructional Plan

Many teachers teach the way they were taught and teach what is comfortable and familiar to them. There isnt anything inherently misguided about this starting point, so long as it is driven by the goal of ensuring that students learn. Students learning may seem like a foregone conclusion when the teacher teaches, but the quality of the instruction and the content standards in which the instruction is rooted matter tremendously. Teaching for Results endeavors to impart the habits of effective teachersyou must first strategically design your instruction around the larger, enduring goals that you want students to achieve: goals that will ultimately help them succeed and excel by mastering grade-level and content standards, not goals that will simply get them to the end of the next period, even if in an engaging manner. The inquiry process is meant to be a mental racetrack around which any teacher can follow the path of great teachers, including following the way they think about their instructional design and delivery. Effective teachers start with the big goalsmastering the contentthen move to thinking about assessment in a multifaceted way: Where are my students currently performing in relation to what I want them to know (diagnostic)? How will students demonstrate they have learned what I taught them (summative)? What interim measures will I put in place to determine whether they are making adequate progress toward the big goals (formative)? What other measures exist that are the gatekeepers to their advancement to future achievement (high-stakes, or external, assessment such as SATs)? Then, an effective teacher begins to think about the hows of teaching. He or she will thoughtfully and carefully select appropriate instructional strategies that align both to the content to be taught and the assessment purpose. In addition, these teachers understand that instruction doesnt take place in a vacuum. There is a symbiotic relationship between strong instruction and strong classroom management, and it is one that can be cultivated by thinking through management while planning instructional activities. The goal of instruction is always clear to effective teachers and drives their instruction: To move students to content area milestones. In order to reach these goalsthe big goals and the milestones along the wayan effective teacher plans instruction in a way that meets the needs of individual students in the classroom. This differentiation occurs on many levels, and teachers strategically differentiate for motivation, learning processes, and behavioral needs (among other considerations) as they learn the particular needs of their students. Putting all of these components in place allows a teacher to ensure that all students are on the path to success.

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Suggested Time Line for Collection of Evidence Align to Plan Instruction and Teach steps of the inquiry process in your Teaching for Results seminar Related Coursework Participants Manual Assignment Handouts Create a Teaching Plan Instructional Strategy Planning and Implementation assignments Instructional Strategy Reflection and Group Debrief assignments How is the Content Domain Addressed in Instruction? Assessment Projects Diagnosing Student Readiness, Setting Achievement Goals, and Monitoring Progress, Parts 1 and 2 Aligning Strategies to Content Requirements and Student Needs

Component #5

Creating and Implementing an Instructional Plan

Evidence for Submission

For your evidence, provide Instructional planning documents

Select five artifacts that demonstrate your ability to design instruction

Three to five student work samples that support your instructional planning documentation A two- to three-page explanation of the artifacts you choose to include:

Discuss any discrepancies between the student work and your stated goals and objectives. What role did content and assessment play in your selection of particular instructional strategies? Use specific evidence from your artifacts. Describe how you have addressed classroom management in your instructional planning and implications of classroom management on future planning.

Maximum number of artifacts: Fifteen Additional Resources:

Unit Planning Template in the Orientation Session Unit plans that you have brought to TfR seminar sessions and received peer feedback on and/or incorporated into your coursework Series of lesson plans (recommend five to seven consecutive lesson plans) IEP sections that highlight modifications and accommodations, if you have directly contributed to these sections Student study team (SST) meeting notes suggesting accommodations for students

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Component #6

Monitoring for Success and Making Course Corrections

In many ways, this component identifies where the most gains are to be made in closing the achievement gap. When teachers pause, evaluate their own teaching as measured by student success or failure, and make the decision to continue to work with those students who did not demonstrate enough growth through reteaching and the use of specific interventions to narrow the gap, we start to see the results we mean when we talk about teaching for results. While it is sometimes appropriate to move on to another topic or course of study, so often the students who most need help to catch up to their grade-level peers, whether due to a learning disability or years of falling behind in school, are left even further behind at this crucial juncture. Teachers matter. The decision to respond, evaluate new data, and then intervene again if necessary is a hallmark of effective teaching. Effective teachers integrate the use of data into ongoing instructional planning and revise their instructional choices to make them even more effective. If students arent making accelerated progress, then the achievement gap will continue in perpetuity, and those are not the kinds of game-changing results effective teachers are seeking. Research has shown that effective teachers are critically important to student learning:

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Suggested Time Line for Collection of Evidence Align to the Evaluate and Respond cycle of the inquiry process Related Coursework Course Assignments Readministering the diagnostic assessment Participants Manual Assignment Handouts Creating a Respond Plan Tracking Student Achievement Data Analyzing Student Achievement Data Assessment Projects Diagnosing Student Readiness, Setting Achievement Goals, and Monitoring Progress, Part 2

Component #6

Monitoring for Success and Making Course Corrections

Evidence for Submission

The following must be submitted: Evidence of a second administration of a diagnostic assessment A context report: A description of the context in which the diagnostic was administered, including number of students diagnostic was administered to time period over which the diagnostic was administered any other relevant contextual details Analysis of the second administration of the diagnostic assessment A plan documenting your instructional response to the results of the data analysis Include three pieces of student work produced as a result of implementing the instructional respond plan A statement detailing your rationale for the instructional respond plan and a further plan for those students who are still not showing the growth necessary to meet or exceed the goals set When compiling your evidence, consider these points in your rationale statement: Discuss the similarities and differences between the first and second administrations of the diagnostic, in terms of process and results. Process: Did you make any adjustments during your second administration cycle? For students who arent making progress, what is preventing them from doing so? What modifications have you tried, and what results have you seen? For students who are outpacing your goals, what has been your approach?

Describe a time during the respond plan process when you changed your instructional
plans to better meet the needs of an individual or group. Pointing to evidence youve provided, discuss your rationale for doing so, tracing the decisions through content, assessment, and instruction. Maximum number of artifacts: Five Teaching for Results Portfolio Evaluation Guidelines TNTP 2011 21

Additional Resources: An intervention plan (if applicable in your TfR Seminar) Classroom artifacts that help students monitor their growth toward set goals Notes from parent/guardian conferences on student progress A modified lesson plan, annotated to show why the modifications were made and submitted with student work to show how students benefitted from the changes Lessons for small groups of students, focusing on a targeted skill (include annotations on skill covered, and diagnostic data that led to this response) Additional diagnostic information monitored for new categories you created to further determine skill areas to work on with students

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Component #7

Celebrating Progress and Developing a Professional Development Action Plan

As stated in Component 6, effective teachers are constantly engaged in a process of evaluating themselves and their students, and they use this evaluation to drive strategic thinking about content knowledge and pedagogy, assessment systems, and selecting and implementing solid instructional practices. Effective teachers also realize that while the teacher is potentially the single greatest factor in increasing the achievement of students, garnering support from students themselves and investing other stakeholders can only serve to bolster their efforts. In the race to do the urgent yet realistic work of resolving educational inequities, teachers often forget to stop and celebrate the progress that is made, however incremental it may seem at times. Along with celebrating progress, effective teachers proactively work on plans to invest students themselves in the work ahead and ensure that they have the tools necessary to continue meeting and exceeding goals in other classrooms, disciplines, and grades when the teacher is not there to support them. Other relevant stakeholders in student success, such as parents and guardians, school administrators, other teachers, and support personnel, should also be considered key stakeholders. Sometimes, after evaluating their own practices and student learning, even the most effective teachers will find themselves in a situation in which there is more work to be done and a student or group of students needs more intensive support to meet goals. An effective teacher can recognize ongoing areas of weakness in the classroom and see opportunities for growth. It is incumbent upon the teacher to celebrate progress within the classroom and also be up front about areas that continue to show critical need. This information should be strategically shared with students and other stakeholders. In addition, this information must drive planning for the teachers own professional development. Because the teacher has the greatest impact on whether certain students will meet the bar or continue to languish, it is the teachers responsibility to develop a plan of action to continue to develop himself or herself professionally. The good news is that effective teachers know that these arent insurmountable challenges. These teachers are gap closers, and their students successand the positive information they want to share with students and stakeholdersdepends on their own ability to be reflective and deliberate about their own growth and development.

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Suggested Time Line for Collection of Evidence Ongoing throughout the seminar Related Coursework Seminar Discussion Professional Development Goals Participants Manual Assignment Handouts Professional Goals All handouts in Session 15 Assessment Projects Analyzing Content, Standards, and Resources Diagnosing Student Readiness, Setting Achievement Goals, and Monitoring Progress, Parts 1 and 2 Aligning Strategies to Content Requirements and Student Needs Creating a Professional Development Plan

Component #7

Celebrating Progress and Developing a Professional Development Action Plan

Evidence for Submission

The final component asks that you present evidence student and stakeholder communication and investment plans, as well as discuss professional development goals for next year. This is an opportunity for you to discuss how you involve students in the learning process, specifically in the areas of content, assessment, and instruction writ large. This is also an opportunity for you to put a capstone on your professional experiences this year and discuss where you have landed with respect to your professional goals and how your goals may intersect with the Teaching for Results key messages you would like to carry forward, as well as the investment strategies you plan to employ. When submitting your evidence, there are two required elements: a communication plan and an action plan. Details on each are below.

Communication Plan: Reflect on the past year of teaching and detail how you have been
communicating to students and stakeholders progress in the areas of content, assessment and instruction. How would you like to do so in the future? Generate a written statement of two to three pages and include relevant artifacts.

Professional Development Action Plan:

List the professional goals you reported at the midpoint of the year on the Creating a Professional Development Plan assessment project. What progress have you made toward those goals? For goals that you have achieved, what factors helped with your success? How will you replicate that success next year? For goals that you did not meet, what prevented you from being successful? What adjustments would you make to meet it in the future? How have you enacted the inquiry process in your daily teaching practice, and TNTP 2011 24

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what goals would you set to help you do so next year? Submit relevant handouts from Session 15 as evidence. Consider the following in a one- to two-page statement as you think about your professional next steps and your attempts to implement a communication plan.

How will working with students, parents/guardians, and the school community intersect
with your own professional goals around content, assessment, and instruction?

Maximum number of artifacts: Seven Additional Resources: Be sure that any resources you choose to use as artifacts are relevant to supporting student achievement goals. Consider the following artifacts:

Classroom newsletters to parents/guardians Description of a communication system with stakeholders Logs of communications with students about their progress toward goals TfR seminar notes on professional goals

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Teaching for Results Portfolio Evaluation System:

Submission Deadlines and Requirements
Dates
The Teaching for Results Portfolio is due 10 calendar days after Session 15. This due date allows participants to finish their inquiry processes and synthesize their experiences. However, the expectation is that work on the portfolio is an ongoing process that occurs throughout the year. As you may have noted above, significant portions of the portfolio rely on course assignments and assessments for completion. Pay particular attention to due dates for your coursework, as this will help you pace the assembly of your portfolio.

Requirements
Academic Integrity
The portfolio is a requirement for successful program completion. As such, it is vital that participants employ clear, professional, and edited writing in all parts of the portfolio. Participants should also monitor when assignments are due and should submit them on time. In addition, participants are expected to demonstrate academic integrity. They must note and acknowledge information derived from others and take credit only for their own ideas and work. Academic dishonesty is a serious violation of the professional values of this program. Program staff and TfR Seminar Leaders reserve the right to use all appropriate and available resources to verify the originality and authenticity of all submitted coursework. A participant who is found to have plagiarized or falsified work in their TfR assignments, assessments, or any work included in the TfR Portfolio will be dismissed from the program.

Portfolio Submission
Participants who do not submit the Teaching for Results Portfolio by 10 calendar days after Session 15 will receive a failing score. There are no exceptions to this policy. Participants may submit an electronic or hard copy of their portfolio. Regardless of method of submission, all portfolios will need a cover sheet, table of contents with page numbers, and all components clearly demarcated and artifacts and sections clearly labeled and marked. Remember, your objective is to tell the story of your successful professional growth and teaching practice through the components, ultimately demonstrating your proficiency in the TfR competencies; ease of readability and navigation through your evidence will help you achieve this objective.

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Portfolio Grading
The TfR Portfolio is graded as pass/fail. You will receive notification through an End-of-Year Evaluation about your score, as well as the overall ratings you received at the Competency level. Each Competency has a set of indicators, and those indicators are comprised of a set of performance descriptors. Performance descriptors are the most discrete level of feedback. Seminar Leaders rate those descriptors based on the evidence you provide in the portfolio. There are four levels: ineffective, developing, proficient, and skillful. Each descriptor rating rolls up to an overall rating for the Competency. Holistic Scoring: A participant must have a majority of indicators in the proficient and/or skillful categories in order to meet proficiency standards and pass a competency. This is called a holistic rating, meaning that it is possible to have some areas of development (i.e., ineffective or developing ratings), but when viewed holistically, there are a majority of ratings in the proficient and skillful categories, thus resulting in a passing score for that competency. No one particular part of the portfolio is weighted more than another; an effective teacher must be proficient in all three competencies of content, assessment, and instruction. Every participant must meet proficiency standards in every competency in order to receive a passing score on the TfR Portfolio.
Competency

Indicator

Indicator

Descriptor
Skillful Proficient Developing Ineffective

Descriptor
Skillful Proficient Developing Ineffective

Descriptor
Skillful Proficient Developing Ineffective

Descriptor
Skillful Proficient Developing Ineffective

Descriptor
Skillful Proficient Developing Ineffective

Descriptor
Skillful Proficient Developing Ineffective

Descriptor
Skillful Proficient Developing Ineffective

Indicator
Descriptor
Skillful Proficient Developing Ineffective

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Resubmission Policy
Participants who submit their TfR portfolios on time but who receive a failing score will have an opportunity to resubmit the entire portfolio. Their case will be assigned to a site-level staff member, who will follow up to ensure that the participant is informed of the new resubmission time line and is notified of any applicable program fees. The staff member will evaluate the resubmitted portfolio or the portfolio may be evaluated by a trained assessor, at the programs discretion. Participants who do not receive a passing score on the resubmitted portfolio will not be eligible for another resubmission.

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Teaching for Results Portfolio Evaluation System:

Additional ResourcesPerformance Descriptors and Course Assessment Projects
In addition to this guidelines document, there are other documents that form a comprehensive system to help you complete the portfolio successfully. The performance descriptors (see Appendix A) are used by assessors to evaluate the portfolio. Throughout the year you should assess your growing portfolio against the performance descriptors rubric to help you obtain an accurate sense of your own performance and seek out resources for areas in which you may be struggling. See sections above for more information on how the performance descriptors are used to evaluate the evidence in the portfolio. Additionally, the assessment projects completed in TfR seminars are valuable tools that will help you think about your performance in the competencies, as they are both aligned to the competencies and assessed against them.

Teaching for Results Assessment Projects: Supporting Your Growth and Development in the Teaching for Results Competencies
Each of the five course assessment projects aligns to the TfR competencies, meaning that the work you engage with and produce to successfully complete each one will help you gain practice and skill in the competenciesin particular the behaviors outlined in the performance descriptors.

Analyzing Content, Standards and Resources Diagnosing Student Readiness, Setting Achievement Goals, and Monitoring Progress, Parts 1 and 2 Aligning Strategies to Content Requirements and Student Needs Creating a Professional Development Plan

For each assessment project, participants will submit specific course handouts, evidence of classroom implementation, and a response to a synthesis question. These questions ask you to synthesize the information gathered in the assignment handouts and classroom evidence, and to make judgments about the data collected from your teaching experiences. Bringing together the separate pieces of each assignment with a synthesized reflection will allow you to articulate how you demonstrate the Teaching for Results competencies in one cohesive assessment project. Details of the assessment projects may be found in your course syllabus.

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The assessment projects are evaluated against the performance descriptors, as is the portfolio. Because the assessment projects are aligned to the TfR competencies, they are measured by them. Receiving evaluations on the descriptors through your work with the assessment projects will provide a benchmark for you as you collect evidence for your portfolio and identify areas of skill and development. *Only those performance descriptors in which participants have had an opportunity to develop proficiency will be used to evaluate their performance on the course assessments. Please refer to the Program Handbook for further grading information on the course assessment projects.

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Appendix A: Teaching for Results Portfolio Evaluation System Indicators and Descriptors
Competency: Content Key message: It is your responsibility to understand deeply the content you teach in order to make learning meaningful to all students. Indicators: C1: Know content area and understand its unique structure. C2: Set specific learning goals and milestones for content mastery. C3: Use content knowledge to make informed decisions about using available resources to teach content standards. Proficient
C1.1c Participant demonstrates continued investment in and confidence about own understanding of content-area material; may also identify areas of improvement and concrete development plans. C1.2c Participant articulates the importance of understanding the unique structure and vocabulary of the content domain and the value of communicating these concepts to their students. Participant is able to make connections within areas of the content domain. C1.3c Participant takes own learning experiences into account when planning instruction, but may have trouble thinking about their students' learning processes with regard to content-area instruction.

Indicator C1: Know content area and understand its unique structure. Descriptor Ineffective Developing Reference
C1.1 Confident in content material C1.1a Participant is not confident in content-area material; does not identify steps to develop areas of improvement.

Skillful
C1.1d Participant incorporates current research into content-area teaching practice; is comfortable identifying areas of development and addresses them within a cycle of practice. C1.2d Participant consistently refers to the unique structure and vocabulary of the content domain, shares that structure with students, and demonstrates how to help students make connections within and among content areas.

C1.1b Participant is not confident in aspects of contentarea material but outlines steps to develop areas of improvement.

C1.2 Understands structure and vocabulary of domain

C1.2a Participant does not understand the unique structure and vocabulary of the content domain or their impact on instructional planning and delivery.

C1.2b Participant articulates how understanding the unique structure and vocabulary of the content domain is important for their own teaching practice but does not share these concepts with their students.

C1.3 Takes own learning and student experiences into account when planning

C1.3a Participant's understanding of contentarea learning and planning is not informed by their own learning experience or that of their students.

C1.3b Participant does not instinctively take own learning experiences into account; however, at times the participant examines their own learning process in an attempt to inform content-area learning and planning.

C1.3d Participant consistently evaluates and takes their own and their students' experiences into account when planning instruction. Participant is able to articulate what they would do differently as a result of considering student learning processes.

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C1.4 Analyzes content standards and articulates value to students

C1.4a Participant does not articulate value in analyzing standards to prioritize them for student mastery.

C1.4b Participant analyzes content-area standards, but does not consistently articulate value in following a process to prioritize content for student mastery. Participant sometimes struggles to recognize value in evaluating standards for themselves if local curricular agencies have also done so.

C1.4c Participant analyzes content-area standards and articulates value in prioritizing content for student mastery. Participant makes connections between different topics of content area, though may not consistently make connections transparent to students.

C1.4d Participant analyzes contentarea standards and shares with students the value in prioritizing content for student mastery. Participant demonstrates ability to cluster content within and across content areas to help students make generalizations and access other domains of knowledge.

Indicator C2: Set specific learning goals and milestones for content mastery. Descriptor Ineffective Developing Reference
C2.1 Articulates goals aligned to standards
C2.1a Participant is unable to articulate lesson or unit goals. C2.1b Participant articulates lesson or unit goals but not in a way that makes it apparent that the goals are based on an analysis of the content domain and/or relevant content standards. Rather, the goals are focused within the context of a self-contained lesson or set of lessons.

Proficient

Skillful
C2.1d Participant articulates lesson and/or unit goals that are aligned to the content domain and/or relevant content standards and describes a compelling vision of what educational goals should be for their students. Participant communicates to students a model of what success looks like in the short term and the long term. C2.2d Participant's process for instructional planning and setting specific learning goals is consistently informed by a vision of larger content-area student outcomes. Instructional strategies consistently and strategically move students toward content mastery milestones.

C2.1c Participant articulates lesson or unit goals that are aligned to the content domain and/or relevant content standards; however the participant is at times unable to communicate a vision of success for students beyond the immediate goals of the lesson or unit.

C2.2 Develops goals from larger vision of student outcomes

C2.2a Participant's process for setting specific learning goals is not influenced by larger content-area student outcomes; participant struggles to see beyond immediate context of setting short-term goals or mastery of a content milestone.

C2.2b Participant makes an effort to develop specific learning goals that lead to larger content-area student outcomes, but instructional strategies do not consistently move students toward those goals.

C2.2c Participant develops specific learning goals from a vision of larger content-area student outcomes. Participant develops instructional strategies to move students toward those larger goals, but may not always succeed in helping students progress.

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Indicator C3: Use content knowledge to make informed decisions about using available resources to teach content standards. Descriptor Ineffective Developing Proficient Skillful Reference
C3.1 Assess potential gaps between local resources and standards to help students meet goals
C3.1a Participant acknowledges teaching context but is not able to move beyond challenges that may arise and address student needs. C3.1b Participant considers local teaching context and is sometimes able to identify any alignment gaps between the local curriculum, content standards, and content knowledge. Participant may still struggle to move beyond challenges in a productive manner. C3.2b Participant sometimes looks beyond the immediate and daily details of classroom events and considers larger issues that may impact students' performance in content area; however, the participant still struggles to identify those issues. C3.1c Participant considers their teaching context, assesses local curricular resources as compared to content standards and content knowledge, and provides supplemental resources to ensure students meet goals.

C3.1d Participant consistently evaluates local context and assesses local curricular resources. Participant identifies curricular gaps, provides supplemental resources to ensure students meet goals, and advocates for curricular adaptations with key stakeholders. C3.2d Participant frequently identifies and considers research about issues impacting student performance in the content area; participant articulates and demonstrates how these issues will positively inform their practice.

C3.2 Considers larger issues impacting student performance

C3.2a Participant does not consider the impact of larger issues and current research on their classroom, and tends to see students' abilities within the content area as more or less fixed.

C3.2c Participant frequently considers larger issues impacting student performance in the content area and begins to identify solutions to address them within practice.

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Competency: Assessment Key message: Assessment is a key component to closing the achievement gap. Teachers need to use ongoing assessments to be highly effective in the classroom.

Indicators: A1: Analyze data to track students progress toward learning goals. A2: Use assessment results from multiple measures (e.g., diagnostic, formative, and summative) to adjust instruction. A3: Share assessment results with students and key stakeholders to inform and celebrate progress. Proficient Skillful
A1.1d Participant regularly uses formative assessments to check student progress toward goals. Participant also evaluates own system of data collection and tracking and seeks efficiency as well as efficacy. A1.2d Participant regularly selects assessments that accurately measure learning goals and objectives, and participant analyzes the data accurately.

Indicator A1: Analyze data to track students progress toward learning goals. Descriptor Ineffective Developing Reference
A1.1 Uses formative assessment to track progress toward goals
A1.1a Participant does not assess and track learning throughout the instructional process. A1.1b Participant describes value of using formative assessments and may attempt to do so sporadically, but these attempts do not lead to consistent tracking of student progress.

A1.1c Participant uses formative assessments to gauge student understanding and track progress toward goals. Participant articulates the value of this process. A1.2c Participant accurately measures learning goals and objectives through appropriate selection of assessments, though participant may still need assistance at times to do this with automaticity. A1.3c Participant understands and is familiar with knowledge and skills addressed on external assessments as well as on diagnostic assessments that may serve as proxies for achievement within a content area. Participant frequently is able to use the knowledge of the content of these assessments to adjust instruction for groups of students to increase alignment between content goals and external requirements.

A1.2 Selects appropriate assessments to measure learning

A1.2a Participant does not provide adequate evidence of measuring learning goals and objectives through assessment.

A1.2b Participant attempts to measure through assessment whether learning goals and objectives were met, but frequently assessment selection is not appropriate or analysis is inaccurate. A1.3b Participant is making an effort to educate self about the knowledge and skills covered on external assessments, as well as the skills tested at a diagnostic assessment level that support overall contentarea achievement.

A1.3 Is familiar with external exams and diagnostic assessments

A1.3a Participant is not familiar with the knowledge and skills tested on external assessments (e.g. high-stakes standardized tests), or the gateway skills and concepts that may help students achieve proficiency in the content area.

A1.3d Participant consistently uses a thorough understanding of the knowledge and skills tested on external and diagnostic assessments to adjust instruction for individual students and groups of students as needed to ensure alignment of instruction to content goals and external requirements.

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A2: Use assessment results from multiple measures to adjust instruction. Descriptor Ineffective Developing Reference
A2.1 Uses assessment data to move students toward goals
A2.1a Participant does not use formative assessment data to make instructional decisions. A2.1b Participant uses formative assessment data to make instructional decisions, but the revisions don't always lead to students making progress toward goals. A2.2b Participant relies on assessment data from one source, which frequently results in inefficient instructional decisions.

Proficient
A2.1c Participant uses formative assessment data to make instructional decisions and can demonstrate how the revised instructional choices often lead to student progress toward goals. A2.2c Participant uses multiple assessment measures and incorporates data from different points to make instructional decisions. A2.3c Participant can accurately analyze the data, develop a compelling instructional plan and provide rationale for the instructional choices made, whether or not students meet the goals.

Skillful
A2.1d Participant accurately analyzes formative assessment data for groups of students as well as individuals, and consistently designs instruction that leads students to meet goals. A2.2d Participant regularly uses multiple assessment measures and incorporates data to make appropriate instructional decisions. A2.3d Participant gathers data from multiple sources to inform analysis of student performance. Participant consistently uses data as a springboard to develop instructional plans that lead students toward goals, and provides aligned rationale for instructional choices.

A2.2 Uses multiple assessment measures to inform instruction A2.3 Accurately analyze data and provide rationale for instructional choices

A2.2a Participant does not use assessment data to inform instructional practice.

A3: Shares assessment results with students and key stakeholders to inform and celebrate progress. Descriptor Ineffective Developing Proficient Reference
A3.1 Shares assessment results with students and key stakeholders to inform and celebrate progress
A3.1a Participant does not articulate plans to share assessment data with students and key stakeholders. A3.1b Participant indicates interest in sharing assessment data with students and key stakeholders and may do so at times, but not consistently. Participant either describes a plan to invest key stakeholders but omits student achievement from the plan, or participant does not describe a plan to cultivate allies at all.

A2.3a Participant's analysis of data is flawed and does not lead to accurate findings. Participant is not able to provide a compelling rationale for the instructional choices made, regardless of whether the findings were accurate.

A2.3b Participant's analysis of data is sometimes flawed, but based on findings cited, participant is able to develop a compelling instructional plan that leads students toward larger goals.

Skillful
A3.1d Participant establishes a strategic plan to share assessment results with and invest students and key stakeholders in the success of his or her students. Participant consistently cultivates allies in the school community to support student achievement goals and demonstrates how these relationships impact student progress toward those goals.

A3.1c Participant regularly shares assessment data with students and key stakeholders. Participant articulates the importance of cultivating allies and partnerships with key stakeholders in the school community to support student achievement but is able to do so only in isolated instances.

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A3.2 Uses assessment results to keep students focused on goals

A3.2a Participant does not use assessments that provide feedback on student progress and does not articulate this as a goal.

A3.2b Participant uses assessments that provide feedback on student progress, but does not articulate how they will communicate feedback to students.

A3.2c Participant uses assessments that provide feedback on student progress and communicates this feedback to students in a way that keeps them focused on and headed toward instructional goals.

A3.2d Participant consistently uses assessments both for instruction and evaluation, and uses assessments effectively to invest students in staying on track toward goals.

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Competency: Instruction

Key message: Teachers must choose instructional strategies carefully to maximize their impact on student achievement. Indicator I1: Use content specific instructional choices to help students achieve learning goals. Descriptor Ineffective Developing Proficient Reference
I1.1 Instructional choices are aligned to content domain
I1.1a Participant does not consider content domain and standards in instructional choices; selects instructional strategies based on criteria within lesson or other criteria not aligned to larger content priorities. I1.2a Participant's lesson design and delivery does not invest students in their own learning. Students rarely move toward or meet learning goals. I1.1b Participant attempts to make instructional choices that are aligned to the content domain and prioritized content standards; however, some instructional strategies are still selected based on unaligned criteria. I1.2b Participant demonstrates an understanding of the need to make learning meaningful to students in lesson design and delivery, but is not always able to do so. Participants' choices in lesson design and delivery sometimes results in moving students toward or meeting goals.

Indicators: I1: Use content specific instructional choices to help students achieve learning goals. I2: Differentiate instruction based on student readiness. I3: Evaluate effectiveness of instructional choices. I4: Reframe and re-teach concepts using different instructional choices. Skillful
I1.1d Participant consistently makes instructional choices that are aligned to the content domain and reflect standards prioritization and that move students toward learning goals.

I1.1c Participant makes instructional choices that reflect major aspects of the content domain and standards prioritization. These choices frequently move students toward learning goals. I1.2c Participant's lesson design and implementation reflects confidence with subject matter and students are invested in the content-specific instructional choices made to help them meet goals. Lesson design and delivery frequently moves students toward meeting goals.

I1.2 Invests self and students in lesson design

I1.2d Participant's lesson design and implementation is rooted in deep but flexible knowledge of the subject matter. It is evident that the rationale for instructional choices made has been shared with students and they understand how their instruction will help them meet goals.

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Indicator I2: Differentiate instruction based on student readiness. Descriptor Ineffective Developing Reference
I2.1 Uses knowledge of student behavior and motivation to increase student performance
I2.1a Participant makes little or no effort to understand student behaviors and motivation and how they may impact content-area learning.

Proficient
I2.1c Participant investigates common student behaviors and demonstrates an understanding of how student motivation impacts content-area learning, specifically. Participant may generalize some of this understanding and engage some students in one-on-one or smallgroup settings to address. I2.2c Participant frequently takes individual students' learning needs--as identified through data and student profiles--into account in instructional planning by making appropriate accommodations. The participant may still struggle to do this for all students, but is aware that this is a goal. I2.3c Participant focuses on the needs of large clusters of students; however, he or she is able to describe instructional plans for students in the margins as well.

Skillful
I2.1d Participant articulates how they have proactively gathered information on specific student behavior and involves students in conversations about their experiences with content-area learning. The participant is learning to discriminate between issues of general motivation and challenges with content-specific motivation. I2.2d Participant consistently and accurately identifies individual students' needs and addresses those needs by adapting instruction through appropriate accommodations and engaging those students in developing scaffolds. I2.3d Participant has a varied system of managing for differentiation and is able to describe and demonstrate accountability measures for all students.

I2.1b Participant makes an effort to understand how students' behavior and motivation impact individual student performance in the content area, but has done little research to understand the whys for certain students.

I2.2 Takes individual learning needs into account and makes necessary accommodations

I2.2a Participant makes little or no effort to identify individual students' needs and does not make accommodations in his or her instruction for those needs.

I2.3 Focuses on the needs of both individuals and the group

I2.3a Participant frames differentiation as a challenge and does not make many efforts to try different strategies to reach more students.

I2.2b Participant is aware of the value of identifying individual students' needs and making accommodations for those needs; however, frequently he or she is either unsure about what accommodations to make or defaults to one strategy without considering its appropriateness. I2.3b Participant generally focuses on the needs of large clusters of students; there are certain students outside of this cluster toward whom the participant does not demonstrate accountability.

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Indicator I3: Evaluate effectiveness of instructional choices. Descriptor Ineffective Developing Reference
I3.1 Revisits unsuccessful instructional ideas and revises them
I3.1a Participant does not attempt to develop appropriate solutions when an instructional idea fails. Participant may express frustration that ultimately gets in the way of problem solving. I3.2a Participant does not consider assessment results when selecting and evaluating instructional choices.

Proficient
I3.1c Participant frequently revisits instructional ideas that were unsuccessful and revises them. The participant is generally not frustrated by these instances, but sees them as an opportunity to continue to develop solutions. I3.2c Participant uses assessment data to make and evaluate instructional choices; the instructional choices are clearly aligned to and supported by the data.

Skillful
I3.1d Participant consistently revisits instructional ideas that were initially unsuccessful. Sometimes the participant revises them or, when appropriate, may move in an alternate direction. The participant sees these as opportunities to continue to develop professionally. I3.2d Participant integrates the use of assessment data into ongoing instructional planning and makes instructional choices that are clearly supported by the data. Participant articulates how data is used to evaluate the instructional choices as well as to inform future, related instructional planning. I3.3d Participant consistently manages for success by considering classroom management and classroom culture in their instructional planning. Furthermore, the participant demonstrates this as a daily practice.

I3.1b Participant attempts to develop appropriate solutions when an instructional idea fails; however, solutions presented do not always work for the context, or the participant does not follow through and implement them. I3.2b Participant considers assessment results when selecting and evaluating instructional choices, but the alignment between the assessment data and the instructional choice is flawed.

I3.2 Uses assessment data to evaluate instructional choices

I3.3 Integrates classroom management considerations into instructional planning

I3.3a Participant views instructional design and delivery and classroom management and culture as separate means to separate goals; may describe classroom events from an unbalanced or inaccurate perspective as a result.

I3.3b Participant attempts to consider how to manage an instructional process to maximize instructional time, but only occasionally or when prompted.

I3.3c Participant understands the importance of classroom management and classroom culture in instructional planning as demonstrated through purposefully using these elements to maximize instructional time. Participant describes plans to attend to both processes when planning for student success.

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Indicator I4: Reframe and re-teach concepts using different instructional choices. Descriptor Ineffective Developing Reference
I4.1 Describes the processes behind student thinking
I4.1a Participant makes little or no effort to examine and understand students' thought processes. Instead, participant responds based solely on his or her own thinking. I4.1b Participant pays some attention to the ways in which students think, but still privileges his or her own thought process and answers. The participants' response and potential reframing is somewhat influenced by student processes.

Proficient

Skillful
I4.1d Participant describes the whys behind student thinking and the products at which students arrive. Participant begins teaching to students' potential--what they are capable of thinking--instead of focusing exclusively on where they currently are.

I4.1c Participant describes the whys behind student thinking-the process through which students develop their understanding of content material--as well as the products and answers at which they arrive.

I4.2 Describes teaching moments from a variety of perspectives

I4.2a Participant views teaching events from a single perspective and is unable to see beyond their immediate experience. Participant does not articulate how they would modify their teaching practice to help students meet goals.

I4.2b Participant sometimes describes teaching moments from more than one perspective, though sometimes returns to the same interpretation of events. Participant sometimes describes how they would modify their teaching practice to help students meet goals.

I4.2c Participant describes teaching moments from a variety of perspectives and is beginning to analyze how these individual moments impact larger student achievement goals. Participant describes how they would modify their teaching practice to help students meet goals.

I4.2d Participant consistently describes teaching moments from a variety of perspectives and is able to provide multiple interpretations and describe potential outcomes for singular events as they may relate to larger student achievement goals. Rather than being overwhelmed by the big picture, the participant sees opportunity for growth in the multiple outcomes. Participant consistently articulates a detailed account of how they would modify their teaching practice to help students meet goals.

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