Teacher delivers content at a level of rigor that challenges students, cognitively engages them,

Teaching intentionally uses all time for learning, and personalizes instruction.

Indicators Ineffective Developing Effective Exemplary

Instructional Rigor:
Teacher communicates
measurable learning goals and
delivers content that is challenging
to each student and gives them
opportunities to engage in higher
order thinking processes, so that
they may interact with the content
in a deep and meaningful way.
A) Teacher does not
communicate the lesson
objective for the students.
B) Teacher questioning and
assignments reflect a lack of
rigor (i.e., basic recall of
knowledge, single word
responses, etc.).
C) Teacher incorporates the use
of academic vocabulary.
D) Teacher clearly
communicates (verbally or in
writing) lesson objectives for
students.
E) Teacher questioning and
assignments reflect an attempt at
rigor; however, opportunities for
students to engage with content
using higher order thinking
processes are missed.
F) Students are able to articulate
the learning objective and how
activities align.
G) Teacher identifies for
students critical information in
the lesson and links it to
previously learned content.
H) Teacher scaffolds content in
the right amount and complexity
for student processing.
I) Teacher requires students to
engage in elaborated
communication (written or verbal)
and/or to process new
information and draw inferences
from the new content.
J) Students connect lessons,
content, and content application
with other disciplines, real-world
experiences and/or abstract
concepts.

Evidence Look-fors: ‘I can’ statements incorporated throughout instruction, objectives stated and written, use of engagement strategies (T/P/S, cooperative learning
techniques, etc.), use of graphic organizers, relevant/ real-world application, use of higher order thinking questions, use of accountable talk, math talk incorporated, DEICER used,
student-centered instruction, hands-on activities, meaningful writing (writing to learn), connection to state accountability (PARCC like questions, constructed responses, etc.),
students can articulate learning objective/ ‘I can’, students self-monitor progress, high engagement, excitement for learning, appropriate instructional level, scaffold learning,
provides correctives/extensions/differentiation, etc., opportunities for students to problem solve, persevere, and reason, opportunities for productive struggle, opportunities to
explain strategies and thinking

Red Flags: no connection to objective or ‘I can’ statement, teacher answering own questions, teacher does all of the thinking work, teaching above or below student level,
inappropriate pacing, one style of teaching, heavy emphasis on basic recall questions, no lesson plans, etc.

Cognitive Engagement:
Teacher uses effective instructional
strategies to cognitively engage
students; creating student
ownership for their learning.
A) Teacher does not effectively B) Teacher provides complex, C) Teacher assures students D) Students self-regulate their
use instructional strategies to cognitive learning opportunities give continuous, engaged learning and remain engaged
cognitively engage students. in an attempt to engage all attention to complex, cognitive and focused on the learning
students. learning opportunities. tasks.

Evidence Look-fors: 100% participation, use of hook, whole-brain teaching used (gestures, movement, response cards, 4 corners, singing, etc.), use of manipulatives,
workshop/ centers, sets a schedule, meets student learning styles and needs, cooperative learning strategies, accountable talk, SLANT/ CHAMPs utilized, rubric used to guide
student work, use of work samples, stretching student thinking, open-ended questioning to provide an entry point for all learners, project-based learning, use of visual
representations, etc.

Red Flags: teacher answering own questions, teacher does all of the thinking work, students are passive learners, one style of teaching, heavy emphasis on basic recall
questions, students are allowed to “opt out” of instruction, etc.
A) Teacher does not pace B) Teacher uses time adequately C) Teacher intentionally uses all D) Students demonstrate an
Use of Time: activities or lessons in a way to deliver lesson content, time for learning through an urgency and sustained energy
Teacher demonstrates urgency for that maximizes learning. however, students lack the effective balance of content for learning throughout the
learning by pacing lesson delivery appropriate amount of time to delivery and activities such that lesson.
and activities in a way that process their learning and do not students are able to process
maximizes the use of time and remain engaged. their learning through
creates a balance between opportunities to think, speak, and
instruction and opportunities for write for the entire lesson.
student processing.

Evidence Look-fors: starts/ ends lessons on time, smooth and efficient transitions, teacher prepared for instruction (plans, materials, transitions, pacing, etc.), all students
engaged, teacher and students think, talk and write throughout lesson, no lost instructional time (bell-to-bell teaching), effective use of instructional strategies (T/P/S, vote with
feet, hand signals, response cards, summary frames, etc.), use of gradual release (ELA), modeling with think-aloud, provides appropriate wait time, utilizes cold call effectively,
students self-monitor engagement, use of timing aids, students actively involved in lesson, use of student jobs/ leaders, real-world application, etc., student talk is greater than
teacher talk, collaborative problem-solving, posing meaningful problems

Red Flags: no processing time, students lack energy to sustain learning, students not allowed to talk with peers, students are allowed to “opt out” of instruction, students not
writing to learn, teacher owns learning, etc.

Personalized Instruction:
provides for each
provide opportunities for activities
extensions. student needs for
corrections and extensions in a and
challenge, support. individualized
deficit, grade level or advanced
learning needs. to instruction during
A) Teacher does not preplan
to accommodate preplanned
corrections correction
extensions. explicit instruction,
setting, to address active
feedback. E) Teacher makes
the lesson
or B) Teacher provides
extensions or student’s needs
opportunities include flows
the small group, and individual
engagement, and
adjustments
supporting C) Teacher assures that all D) Teacher
as instruction Teacher uses preplanned corrections and
between whole group,
whole group, small group and appropriate level of
 to meet the needs of students.
Evidence Look-fors: formative assessments drive instruction, immediate feedback with action steps between teacher and student, uses manipulatives, extensions and
corrections utilized, re-teaching when needed, plans include what students know/ don’t know and adjustments, clear directions, scaffolding instruction based on need,
differentiation on a variety of levels using learning styles and needs, teachable moments capitalized, systematic progress monitoring, pre-assessments utilized to drive instruction,
technology driven, interventionists utilized appropriately, plans for interventionists meet student needs, use of videos or kid talk, O3 with students, incorporates individual student
plans (IEP, ELL, 504, etc.), students monitor and track own growth, etc.

Red Flags: one-size fits all approach, lack of data use/ tracking, no corrections or extensions, fixed grouping, unaware of student individual needs, neglecting individual
student plans (IEP, ELL, 504, etc.), excessive use of worksheets, excessive use of whole-group instruction, avoidance of written and/or verbal feedback, etc.