Distinguished Elements of Teacher Evaluation Designed by Josephine Parr
1A-DEMONSTRATING KNOWLEDGE OF CONTENT AND PEDAGOGY 1._____Teacher makes clear to students the core curriculum standard that is being addressed in the lesson. 2._____Lesson plans are based on student feedback through surveys and preassessments that present strategies to address misconceptions of students. 3.____Lesson plans show evidence of the application of current research in the teacher’s area of expertise .
1B-DEMONSTRATING KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENTS 4.____Assessment of student skill levels are designed to create lessons for various student abilities (lesson plans include 3 activities to meet varied levels, students choose projects on their own levels, students are made aware of reading levels) 5.____Through surveys and projects, teacher learns about each student’s cultural heritage. 6.____A system of updated records that includes I.E.P.’s and medical needs to incorporate into lesson plans (regular assessments for students with learning disabilities)
1C-SETTING INSTRUCTIONAL OUTCOMES 7.____Lesson plans connect to curricular frameworks and core curriculum standards (students set their own goals by developing objectives using higher level Blooms Taxonomy verbs) 8.____Outcomes are connected to previous and future learning (students complete Learning Plan that connects academic strengths and weaknesses to past learning and future learning for academic growth) 9.___Students are encouraged to take educational risks through student led differentiated instruction (students identify additional learning based on interest and passsions/project expectations are modified to align with IEP objectives)
1D-DEMONSTRATING KNOWLEDGE OF RESOURCES 10.____Students read on their identified reading levels 11.____Teacher builds relationships with colleges and universities to support student 12.____A log of resources is maintained for student reference 13.____Apprenticeships are provided for students to increase discipline knowledge 14.____Student contact with resources outside the classroom is connected to project work and to answer student generated questions
1E- DESIGNING COHERENT INSTRUCTION 15.____Activities provide student choice (each unit provides students with choices of challenging activities) 16.____Classroom learning connects to other disciplines (link current outcomes to previous outcomes) 17.____Teacher provides a variety of resources that are challenging for students on various levels (coded resources according to reading levels) 18.____Lesson plans address individual student needs through differentiation (cooperative group work, students assess participation in group work and make suggestions for improvement)
1F- DESIGNING STUDENT ASSESSMENT 19.____Assessments provide opportunities for student choice 20.____Students design their own form of assessments for their work 21.____Assessments are based on real –world utilization of skills taught 22.___Students design rubrics according to learning objectives (teacher shows students samples of rubrics to use to create their own rubrics) 23.___Students collect information from assessments and provide feedback for selfimprovement and peer improvement (Improvement plan set during one on one time with teacher)
2A-CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT OF RESPECT AND RAPPORT 24.____Teacher makes connections with students outside of the classroom (by showing interest in a student’s game or extracurricular activities or family events by engaging student in casual conversation and attending events – such as basketball games or performances/create a calendar of events for students to for students to fill out as a reminder to the teacher of upcoming events that are important to students) 25.____Students demonstrate the highest level of respect for each other (create a list of expectations/norms /rubrics with the class along with incentives) 26._____Provide opportunities for students to respectfully critique each other’s work and give advice for improvement (peer evaluation, exhibitions, miniexhibitions) 27.____Students feel free to participate in an atmosphere of acceptance and encouragement ( students clap for each other, provide feedback of praise, teacher affirms every student response even if it is not correct by adding additional information in a friendly tone) 28.____Every student is respected and encouraged by teacher for their efforts (acknowledgement is given to students who make an effort to progress and with gentle guidance encouraged to do more using stickies to give feedback on work with encouraging phrases and the opportunity to make corrections;
classroom award ceremonies; positive letters and phone calls)
2b-ESTABLISHING A CULTURE FOR LEARNING 29._____Passion is evident in the subject (use of creativity in the classroom, creating engaging activities)*** 30._____Teacher encourages a deep understanding of complex concepts**** 31.____Students are taught to generate questions to convey a desire to understand topics using higher level Blooms Taxonomy*** 32.____Students work with classmates to understand content 33.____Students take initiative to improve quality of work (a student asks for permission to redo a piece of work using feedback from peer-evaluation/ rubric to strengthen work) 34.____Students correct one another in their use of written and spoken language
2c-MANAGING CLASSROOM PROCEDURES 35.___Students exhibit time management skills (use of agendas, writing goals on the board with time increments, making a homework schedule and reflection on how time was used; small group work with time keeper to keep students on task)*** 36.____Students create a system to distribute and collect materials efficiently (students designate roles for jobs necessary in the classroom) 37.____Students monitor the use of classroom procedures and routines for effective transitions*** 38.___Volunteers and paraprofessionals take initiative in their work in the class***
2d-MANAGING STUDENT BEHAVIOR 39.___Appropriate student behavior creates an environment conducive to learning; any misbehavior is minor and handled immediately (teacher speaks with student in private to redirect behavior) 40.___Subtle cues are used by teacher to monitor behavior 41.___Student leaders remind students of classroom procedures and with respect encourage peers to remain on task and compliant (students create a rubric for behavioral standards in classroom and are able to earn rewards established by students)
2e- ORGANIZING PHYSICAL SPACE 42.____The physical environment is arranged to accommodate students with special needs and the space is modified according to various needs 43.___ Students arrange physical spaces according to learning activities(students feel free to close the door to keep out the noise or lower blinds to prevent the sun
from glaring in the eyes of other classmates) 44.____Students take initiative to modify physical space (students ask if they can move desks around to facilitate small group work) 45.___The teacher and students work as partners to develop extensive and creative use of available technology(students suggest whiteboard activities for lesson)
3a-COMMUNICATING WITH STUDENTS 46.___Students are made aware of objective and core curriculum standard that connects to the lesson 47.____Teacher uses multiple ways to explain content clearly using metaphors and analogies 48.___Teacher uses pre-assessments and surveys to determine areas of misconceptions 49.____Time is provided for students to work in groups and partnerships to explain concepts to each other 50.___Students share various strategies for solving a problem or addressing a challenge (classmates provide missing components to an individual project in an open forum discussion such as a “fishbowl� exercise/ time allotted for such open discussion and problem solving within lesson plans with protocol surrounding discussion) 51.____Teacher uses robust language modeling the use of strong vocabulary words while providing minilessons on vocabulary development (Teacher uses SAT vocabulary in lesson and takes time to explain alternate uses of the word/Teacher makes the use of SAT vocabulary the norm in the classroom during lessons and discussions/evidenced by word wall & etymology) 52.____Students use academic language including vocabulary correctly; students are encouraged to take risks and attempt to use various vocabulary with correction from other students/Teacher allows students to explain concept being taught)
3b-Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques 53.____Students generate and use higher order questions (levels 4-6 on Bloom’s Taxonomy) 54.____Student responses are used by teacher to provide deeper learning (Student feedback is used for teacher elaboration) 55.____Students enrich discussion by adding opinions and insight from research(Socratic Seminars, debates) 56._____Classmates are invited to question and provide critical feedback on student work and presented ideas (based on feedback sheets and rubrics) 57.______All students are engaged in discussion(mini-exhibitions/presentations)
3c-ENGAGING STUDENTS IN LEARNING 58._____All students are engaged in the lesson (group work with various roles and tasks)* 59._____Students are required to apply higher level thinking techniques and explain their rationale ( activities that incorporate Bloom’s Taxonomy power words and question stem usage from levels 4-6/student feedback and questioning to serve as resources for one another) 60.____Students suggest ideas to improve the learning process by (1) modifying the task to make it more relevant to their interest and needs; (2) modifying grouping of students according to tasks, or (3) suggesting modifications of materials being used(provide time for modifications and suggestions from students/students create their own learning topics and contents) 61.____Students summarize their learning from lesson (various reflection activities)
3d-USING ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTION 62.____Students develop evaluation criteria that clearly explains high quality expectations (students create rubrics to be used as evaluation tools in class) 63.____Student understanding is constantly monitored by instant teacher feedback (one on one time with each student is allotted during class time with specific feedback and opportunity for student to improve area of weakness) 64.____Students evaluate their own work and initiate improvement (through use of rubrics and suggested comments of peers) 65.____Students offer high quality feedback based on student-created rubrics for peer evaluation; Students self-assess using student created rubric; teacher uses a rubric to provide feedback for opportunities of improvement
3e-DEMONSTRATING FLEXIBILITY AND RESPONSIVENESS 66.____Teacher is aware of teachable moments and uses them to enhance lesson(references school activities, student interests, projects, and internships as topics to enhance learning) 67.____Student understanding of concept drives lesson development /teacher explains that the lesson is not complete until each student understands the concept(teacher asks students for ideas on teaching concepts in different ways for clarification and engagement) 68.____Teacher creates connections outside of the classroom as resources (such as other teachers of various subjects, share areas of expertise with other teachers about resources and ideas that work in their classroom, guidance counselors, school to work counselors, businesses, colleges, parentsetc.)
69._____Adjustments to lessons are made to reach students on different levels and to address questions or misconceptions of students (ask students why they do not understand the concept and ask for other strategies)
4A- REFLECTING ON TEACHING 70.____Teacher uses specific indicators to develop assessment of lesson (teacher is observed by fellow teacher and uses feedback for improvement) 71.___ The lesson is retaught using other strategies to address concepts not mastered by students (discusses alternate ways to teach the lesson with other teachers and students)
4B- MAINTAINING ACCURATE RECORDS 72.___ Best examples of completed work are stored by students (in student portfolio) 73.____Data showing student progress are stored by students (in student portfolio; Learning Plans) 74.___Other documents in reference to class are maintained by students ( students maintain a binder of classwork, homework assignments, trip permission slips, and various information needed by students)
4C-COMMUNICATING WITH FAMILIES 75.___Materials about events at the school and personal progress are developed by students(Back to School Night agenda and fliers, Invitations to school wide functions for parent participation, classroom/school wide newsletter is designed by students to make parents aware of student achievement and information about the school) 76.___Students maintain accurate record of their learning progress and share with their families on a regular basis (daily reflection log; learning plan) 77.____Ongoing projects are designed by students to engage families in the learning process( family trees, charting family’s use of recycling, individualized projects based on student interest, interviews, etc.) 78.___All of the teacher’s communications are highly sensitive to the cultural norms of the families
4D- PARTICIPATING IN THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY 79.___The teacher takes leadership role in addressing needs of fellow teachers by creating support groups and sharing information(A teacher leads a group of mentor teachers to support during first years of teaching, etc.) 80.___The teacher creates school wide events to impact the school positively (health fairs, book fairs, olympics, food drives, etc.) 81.___The teacher regularly contributes to district wide and community projects (
4E- GROWING AND DEVELOPING PROFESSIONALLY
4F-SHOWING PROFESSIONALISM