Collecting Evidence for Standard 3 (Professional Practice Rubric)

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Teachers implement instruction that engages and challenges all students to meet or exceed the learning standards.

Effective instruction is the critical interactive work that teachers undertake when they bring complex content to life for students. Teachers design instruction to integrate content areas and weave together knowledge of students, content, assessment, and reflection in the instructional process. Teachers use available technologies to scaffold student learning. There is an emphasis on teacher facilitation and fostering student ownership, problem solving, inquiry, real-life connections and relevance. Teachers prepare students for the future by fostering creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.

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Element 3.1: Teachers use research-based practices and evidence of student learning to provide developmentally appropriate and standards-driven instruction that motivates and engages students in learning.
 

	Indicator	Ineffective	Developing	Effective	Highly Effective
3.1.a	Aligns instruction to standards	Teacher does not implement learning experiences that are aligned with learning standards.	Teacher implements some learning experiences that are aligned with learning standards.	Teacher implements most learning experiences that are aligned with learning standards.	Teacher implements all learning experiences that are aligned with learning standards.
3.1.b	Uses research-based instruction	Teacher does not use research-based instructional practices.	Teacher uses some research-based instructional practices.	Teacher uses multiple research-based instructional practices.	Teacher uses multiple research-based instructional practices. Teacher seeks out the newest research to deepen and expand instruction.
3.1.c	Engages students	Teacher’s instructional practices engage students at a low level of cognitive challenge. Students have little interaction with the teacher or with peers.	Teacher’s instructional practices engage students at an insufficient level of cognitive challenge. Students have occasional opportunities to interact with the teacher and/or with peers.	Teacher’s instructional practices engage students at an appropriately high level of cognitive challenge. Students have regular and ongoing opportunities to interact with the teacher and with peers.	Teacher’s instructional practices engage students at an appropriately high level of cognitive challenge. Students have regular and ongoing opportunities to interact with the teacher and with peers. Students initiate interactions to deepen cognitive engagement.

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Element 3.2: Teachers communicate clearly and accurately with students to maximize their understanding and learning.
 

	Indicator	Ineffective	Developing	Effective	Highly Effective
3.2.a	Provides directions and procedures	Teacher directions and procedures are confusing to students. Teacher does not adjust explanation to meet student needs.	Teacher directions and procedures are clarified after initial student confusion. Teacher attempts to adjust explanations to meet student needs.	Teacher directions and procedures are clear to students. Teacher adjusts explanations to meet student needs.	Teacher directions and procedures are clear, complete, and anticipate possible student misunderstanding. Teacher adjusts explanations to meet the needs of individual students.
3.2.b	Uses questioning techniques	Teacher’s questions are largely closed in nature. Questions do not invite a thoughtful response or further discussion.	Teacher’s questions are a combination of open and closed questions. Some questions invite a thoughtful response and/or further discussion.	Most of teacher’s questions are open in nature and engage students in deeper thinking and further discussion.	Teacher’s questions are open in nature and challenge students to think and demonstrate reasoning. Students formulate many questions to advance their understanding.
3.2.c	Responds to students	Teacher ignores students’ questions/comments and/or provides a response that shuts down student learning.	Teacher responds to some students’ questions/comments. Response gives students the answer rather than challenge student thinking.	Teacher responds to students’ questions/comments. Responses challenge student thinking.	Teacher and students respond to students’ questions/comments. Responses challenge all students’ thinking.
3.2.d	Communicates content	Teacher’s spoken language is inaudible, and/or written language is illegible. Spoken or written language contains errors. Graphic methods are not used or used ineffectively.	Teacher’s spoken language is audible, and written language is legible. Both are used correctly. Graphic methods are used occasionally.	Teacher’s spoken and written language is clear and correct. Graphic methods are used regularly to enhance content understanding.	Teacher’s spoken and written language is correct and expressive. Graphic methods are used regularly to enhance content understanding. Students offer their own graphic representation of the content.

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Element 3.3: Teacher set high expectation and create challenging learning experiences for students.
 

	Indicator	Ineffective	Developing	Effective	Highly Effective
3.3.a	Establishes high expectations	Teacher articulates low expectations for most or all students.	Teacher articulates moderate expectations for most or all students or articulates different expectations for different groups of students.	Teacher articulates high expectations for all students.	Teacher articulates high expectations for all students, and differentiates instruction to ensure that all students meet the expectations.
3.3.b	Articulates measures of success	Teacher does not articulate how success will be measured; students are unaware of the criteria for success.	Teacher articulates how success will be measured; students may be confused about the criteria for success.	Teacher articulates how success will be measured. Students can articulate how their success will be measured and have scoring criteria as a guide.	Teacher articulates how success will be measured. Students can articulate how their success will be measured and have scoring criteria and exemplars as models. Students have created or analyzed the success criteria with the teacher.
3.3.c	Implements challenging learning experiences	Teacher does not challenge or support all students through instructional strategies, learning experiences and/or resources.	Teacher attempts to challenge and support all students through instructional strategies, learning experiences and/or resources, but efforts are ineffective or limited.	Teacher persists in seeking approaches to challenge and support all students, drawing on a broad repertoire of strategies, learning experiences, and resources.	Teacher persists in seeking approaches to challenge and support all students, drawing on a broad repertoire of strategies, experiences, and resources, soliciting additional resources from colleagues and/or the community.

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Element 3.4: Teacher explore and use a variety of instructional approaches, resources, and technologies to meet diverse learning needs, engage students and promote achievement.
 

	Indicator	Ineffective	Developing	Effective	Highly Effective
3.4.a	Differentiates instruction	Teacher uses instructional strategies that are not appropriate to students or to instructional purposes, and do not motivate or cognitively challenge students.	Teacher uses only some instructional strategies that are appropriate to students or to the instructional outcomes. Some strategies motivate and represent a moderate cognitive challenge.	Teacher uses instructional strategies that are appropriate to all students and to the instructional outcomes, and strategies motivate and represent significant cognitive challenge and promote an awareness of 21st Century Skills.	Teacher uses instructional strategies that motivate and engage all students in high-level cognitive activities that reflect instructional outcomes, 21st Century Skills, and are differentiated, as appropriate, for individual and diverse learners.
3.4.b	Implements strategies for mastery of learning outcomes	Teacher adheres rigidly to an instructional approach, even when a change is clearly needed to allow students to demonstrate mastery of learning outcomes.	Teacher attempts to incorporate instructional approaches and technologies to allow students to demonstrate mastery of learning outcomes, with partially successful results.	Teacher incorporates instructional approaches and technologies to allow students to demonstrate mastery of learning outcomes.	Teacher seamlessly incorporates instructional approaches and technologies to allow students to demonstrate mastery of learning outcomes. Students suggest instructional strategies that will help them demonstrate their own learning.

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Element 3.5: Teachers engage students in the development of multi-disciplinary skills, such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and use of technology.
 

	Indicator	Ineffective	Developing	Effective	Highly Effective
3.5.a	Provides opportunities for collaboration	The teacher provides few opportunities for students to collaborate with others.	The teacher provides occasional opportunities for students to collaborate with others from diverse groups and/or with opposing points of view.	The teacher provides regular opportunities for students to collaborate with others from diverse groups and with opposing points of view.	The teacher provides regular opportunities for students to collaborate with others from diverse groups and with opposing points of view. Students themselves ensure that all voices and ideas are heard in the discussion.
3.5.b	Provides synthesis, critical thinking, and problem-solving	Teacher provides few opportunities in written or oral format for students to synthesize, think critically, or problem solve. The teacher does not use the available technology to support instruction.	Teacher provides occasional opportunities in written or oral format for students to synthesize, think critically, and problem solve. Teacher and students use the available technology with limited effectiveness.	Teacher provides regular opportunities in written or oral format for students to synthesize, think critically, problem solve and to use available technology in alignment with 21st Century Skills.	Teacher provides regular opportunities in written or oral format for students to synthesize, think critically, problem solve and use available technology in alignment with 21st Century Skills. Students initiate collaborative, problem-solving opportunities.

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Element 3.6: Teachers monitor and assess student progress, seek and provide feedback, and adapt instruction to student needs.
 

	Indicator	Ineffective	Developing	Effective	Highly Effective
3.6.a	Uses formative assessment	Teacher does not use formative assessment during instruction and does not monitor student learning.	Teacher occasionally uses formative assessment. Teacher monitors student learning unevenly.	Teacher frequently uses formative assessment to immediately inform instruction. Teacher monitors the progress of students, using assessment data.	Teacher always uses formative assessment to immediately inform instruction. Teacher monitors the progress of individual students and uses a variety of formative assessments to adjust and differentiate instruction to meet individual needs.
3.6.b	Provides feedback during and after instruction	Teacher’s feedback to students is limited, infrequent and/or irrelevant.	Teacher’s feedback to students is inconsistent in timeliness, frequency and/or relevance. Feedback inconsistently advances student learning.	Teacher’s feedback to students is timely, frequent, and relevant. Feedback frequently advances student learning.	Teacher’s feedback to students is timely, frequent, and relevant. Feedback consistently advances student learning. Students make use of the feedback in their learning.
3.6.c	Adjusts pacing	Teacher does not use student progress to adjust the pace, focus, or delivery of instruction.	Teacher occasionally uses student progress to adjust the pace, focus, or delivery of instruction.	Teacher uses student progress to immediately adjust the pace, focus, or delivery of instruction.	Teacher uses student progress to immediately adjust the pace, focus, or delivery of instruction. Students self-assess progress and suggest adjustments to instruction.