CSTP 1: Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning
Element 1.1 Emerging Exploring
Learns about students Gathers additional data to
through data provided by learn about individual
the school and/or students.
assessments.
Using knowledge of
students to engage
them in learning
Some students may Students engage in single
engage in learning using lessons or sequence of
instructional strategies lessons that include some
focused on the class as a adjustments based on
whole. assessments.
On the first day of class, I
usually have students fill
out a questionnaire about
their interests, habits,
etc…
I especially try to find out
about their daily routine:
“How long does it take you
to get to school in the
morning?” “Do you eat
breakfast?”
I use this info to tailor my
Evidence lessons. From the
questionnaire, I may find
out that they like certain
music performers, TV
programs, and games, and
so I know going forward
that if I want to make
something relevant to
them, relating it to one of
those may help.
9/30/2019
Applying
Uses data from a variety of
formal and informal
sources to learn about
students and guide
selection of instructional
strategies to meet diverse
learning needs.
Students engage in
learning through the use of
adjustments in instruction
to meet their needs.
The course of this year has
been a process of
trial-and-error and fine
tuning of strategies to find
a sweet spot between
what’s popular and
engaging and at the same
time achieving goals and
building skills according to
the CCC standards. Part
and parcel of that has been
collaborating and
coordinating with the
other ELA teachers, both
at the grade level I teach
and the one the year prior.
My grade-level colleagues
have been a consistent
source of new ideas and
inspiration, the best
example of which was the
“speed dating”
characterization activity.
I’ve also communicated
regularly with Grade 10
teachers to ensure I’m not
repeating areas that have
Integrating
Uses data from multiple
measures to make
adjustments to instruction
and meet individual
identified learning needs.
Students actively utilize a
variety of instructional
strategies and
technologies in learning
that ensure equitable
access to the curriculum.
I have used impetus from
my FOTIP mentor and
semester 3 FOTIP
coursework to incorporate
more technology in my
lessons. Part of that
initiative has been using
Google Forms, Padlet,
Kahoot, Hypothesis, and
WordItOut to gather data
to assess students’
comprehension of core
concepts and adjust
instruction as necessary
and meet individual
students’ learning needs.
November 2020
Innovating
Uses comprehensive
knowledge of students to
make ongoing
adjustments and
accommodations in
instruction.
Students take ownership
of their learning by
choosing from a wide
range of methods to
further their learning that
are responsive to their
learning needs.
In choosing resources for
a Technology Playlist to
teach Kate Chopin’s “The
Story of an Hour” I drew
upon accumulated
knowledge of students’
interests and abilities, and
led students to take
greater ownership of their
learning with a range of
student-centered
technologies and
activities.
https://sites.google.com/
view/charlesoestreichersf
otip/technology-compete
ncy/playlist
May 2021
CSTP 1: Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning
Element 1.2 Emerging
Develops awareness of
prior knowledge, culture,
backgrounds, life
experiences, and interests
represented among
students.
Connecting learning
to students’ prior
knowledge,
backgrounds, life
experiences, and
Some students connect
interests
learning activities to their
own lives.
been covered extensively
before.
5/8/2020
Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating
Uses gathered Uses school resources and Integrates broad Develops and
information about family contacts to expand knowledge of students systematically uses
students’ prior understanding of and their communities to extensive information
knowledge, cultural students’ prior inform instruction. regarding students’
backgrounds, life knowledge, cultural cultural backgrounds,
experiences, and interests backgrounds, life Students are actively prior knowledge, life
to support student experiences, and interests engaged in curriculum, experiences, and
learning. to connect to student which relates their prior interests.
learning. knowledge, experiences,
and interests within and Students can articulate
Students participate in Students make across learning activities. the relevance and impact
single lessons or connections between of lessons on their lives
sequences of lessons curriculum, and their and society.
related to their interests prior knowledge,
and experiences. backgrounds, life
experiences, and
interests.
CSTP 1: Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning
In addition to the
questionnaire I
mentioned in 1.1, I make
it a point to engage
students in conversations
when they are in the
classroom before and
after the class period. I
ask them questions about
their schoolwork,
extracurricular interests,
sports, personal style
(clothes, shoes,
accessories) and other
areas they may likely have
interests in. I try to show
Evidence them that I’m paying
attention to who they are
and am curious about
their lives.
September 2019
Element 1.3 Emerging Exploring
Uses real-life connections Explore using additional
during instruction as real-life connections to
Connecting subject identified to curriculum. subject matter in single
matter to lessons or sequence of
meaningful, real-life lessons to support
contexts understanding.
Baby steps here, but I see
some progress. I have
reached out to Student
Services (they provide
counseling) in the cases of
two students who have
had ongoing issues, and in
addition I have had
private meetings and an
ongoing dialogue with a
student whose
performance is
outstanding but has
personal issues she wants
to discuss. My outreach to
the counselors resulted in
one of the students’
attendance improving
dramatically and a slight
uptick in academic
performance. The girl
with personal issues
reached out to me via
colleagues and Student
Services, and our
conversations have been
mutually beneficial. She
has given me insight into
her own thinking as well
as that of the students as
a whole.
May 2020
Applying
Integrates connections
from subject matter to
meaningful, real-life
contexts, including those
specific to students’
family and community.
One way I've sought to
learn about and connect
students' prior
knowledge, backgrounds,
life experiences, and
interests is through varied
warm-up activities. An
example is the
"Agree/Disagree" 4
corners game, in which
students respond to a
series of statements by
moving to a corner of the
room that represents
their level of agreement
with each statement:
Agree, Disagree, Strongly
Agree, Strongly Disagree
(these are posted on the
walls in each corner of the
room).
October 2020
Integrating
Integrates connections to
meaningful, real-life
contexts in planning
subject matter instruction
and is responsive during
instruction to engage
students in relating to
subject matter.
As part of a
Computational Thinking
subpage in my FOTIP
portfolio, I detailed an
activity in
characterization in which
I had students write about
three objects they own
that they think represent
them, and then use those
to develop characteristics
of a fictional character.
https://sites.google.com/
view/charlesoestreichersf
otip/technology-compete
ncy/computational-thinki
ng
May 2021
Innovating
Engages students in
actively making
connections to relevant,
meaningful, and real-life
contexts throughout
subject matter
instruction.
CSTP 1: Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning
Some students relate
subject matter to real-life.
I don’t have any empirical
data on whether my
attempts to tailor lessons
to the students’ interests
are successful. I’m in the
midst of devising some
way of assessing this,
perhaps through some
kind of questionnaire or
activity. I can gauge
reactions, though, when I
make a cultural reference
based on what I’ve
learned about them;
whether the reference
reached and had an
impact on them.
Evidence September 2019
Students make use of
real-life connections
provided in single lessons
or sequence of lessons to
support understanding of
subject matter.
There is occasional
concern from students
and even parents about
whether the curriculum is
preparing them for
standardized tests like
SAT and IELTS. I have
made a concerted effort
to demonstrate how the
student-centered
activities I deploy, and the
eliciting-knowledge
philosophy underlying
them, develop
comprehension and
analytical skills crucial to
these kinds of tests.
Additionally, when
incorporating cultural
references into lessons
and choosing materials, I
strive to make choices
reflective of students’
background and
interests. For example,
from previous activities
and conversations, I
learned that many of
them like horror-themed
movies and TV shows. In
response, as a
supplement to a lesson on
literary foreshadowing, I
showed a clip from The
Others, a gothic-style
horror movie with Nicole
Students utilize real-life
connections regularly to
develop understandings
of subject matter.
My warm up and exit
ticket activities frequently
draw on cultural
references and real-life
contexts relevant to
student’s lives, and tie
those to the daily lesson
topic. For example, in the
four corners
Agree/Disagree activity,
students respond to a
series of statements
written to elicit their
opinion on topics about
current events , school
life, and popular culture
that are meaningful to
them.
Additionally, I use videos
they are likely to respond
to to illustrate and give
examples for core
concepts; for example, in
a lesson on Achilles’ Heel
in characterization, I
showed a clip of Eddard
Stark from Game of
Thrones showing that his
fatal flaw is that he is too
trusting.
November 2020
Students actively engage Students routinely
in making and using integrate subject matter
real-life connections to into their own thinking
subject matter to extend and make relevant
their understanding. applications of subject
matter during learning
activities.
For my Global Citizenship
Education lesson plan on
the importance of good
faith in arguments, I
chose resources and
materials that would be
likely to engage students'
existing funds of
knowledge on current
events and significant
public figures. For
example, I have students
compare and contrast
rhetoric used by Donald
Trump and a Georgia
election official in video
clips related to the 2020
presidential election and
allegations of fraud. Later,
they assess language in a
press release from U.S.
representative Marjorie
Taylor Greene on a bill
she sponsored related to
transgender rights and
sports. After reading the
release, they perform
online research on Rep.
Greene's stance on
transgender issues and
compare the rhetoric in
the release to her words
and actions elsewhere to
decide whether or not she
is arguing in good faith.
Additionally, to
CSTP 1: Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning
Kidman (also an actor
they were likely to
recognize and feel affinity
for).
May 2020
familiarize the students
with common bad-faith
argumentative strategies,
I provide them with
videos illustrating the
concepts of gaslighting,
whataboutism, and the
straw-man fallacy; these
videos explain the
concepts and use real-life
examples in ways that the
students are likely to
respond to and recognize.
This aligns with NBPTS
Proposition 2: Teachers
know the subjects they
teach and how to teach
those subjects to
students; Proposition 3:
Teachers are responsible
for managing and
monitoring student
learning. In sharing this
lesson with grade-level
colleagues during
designated weekly "team
time" collaboration, this
aligns with TLS Domain 4:
Facilitates Improvements
in Instruction and
Student Learning; 4e:
Uses knowledge of
existing and emerging
technologies to guide
colleagues in helping
students skillfully and
appropriately navigate
the universe of
knowledge available on
the Internet, use social
media to promote
collaborative learning,
and connect with people
CSTP 1: Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning
Element 1.4 Emerging
Uses instructional
strategies, resources, and
technologies as provided
by school and/or district.
Using a variety of
instructional
strategies, resources,
and technologies to
meet students’
Some students participate
diverse learning
in instructional strategies,
needs
using resources and
technologies provided.
and resources around the
globe.
Global Citizenship
Education Lesson Plan
Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating
Explores additional Utilizes a variety of Creates, adapts, and Refines the flexible use of
instructional strategies, strategies including integrates a broad range an extensive repertoire of
resources, and culturally responsive of strategies, resources, strategies, resources, and
technologies in single pedagogy, resources, and and technologies into technologies to meet
lessons or sequence of technologies during instruction designed to students’ diverse learning
lessons to meet students’ ongoing instruction to meet students’ diverse needs.
diverse learning needs. meet students’ diverse learning needs.
learning needs. Students take
responsibility for using a
Students participate in Students participate in Students actively engage wide range of strategies,
single lessons or instruction using in instruction and make resources, and
sequence of lessons strategies, resources, and use of a variety of technologies that
related to their interests technologies matched to targeted strategies, successfully advance their
and experiences. their learning needs. resources, and learning.
technologies to meet their
individual students needs.
CSTP 1: Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning
If I were able to highlight At their most engaging My Technology Playlist
in between exploring and and student-centered, the for my FOTIP portfolio,
applying, I would do so. I learning activities I’ve designed to teach Kate
go out of my way to locate designed have been well Chopin’s “The Story of an
materials - activities, matched to the students’ Hour,” demonstrates this.
visuals, videos, sites - that learning needs. The
I believe will help spark characterization speed https://sites.google.com/
student interest. Also, dating, chat stations, and view/charlesoestreichers
depending on the level of Socratic circle discussions fotip/technology-compete
the students I am are examples of this; after ncy/playlist
teaching, I may change or these activities, I saw a
add/subtract marked improvement in May 2021
components. For example, students’ comprehension
I currently teach three of the underlying core
sections of grade 11 ELA; concepts.
though they are not
formally tracked, one October 2020
Evidence section is of students
taking advanced science
and math as electives;
another is of students
who are generally
somewhat difficult to
motivate and go off-task
easily. For both, I might
use analysis of a short
video clip as a warm up,
but they might be
different clips or, if the
same, I ask the sections
different questions on a
response sheet.

9/30/2019

Element 1.5 Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

Asks questions that focus Includes questions in Guide students to think Supports students to Facilitates systematic
Promoting critical on factual knowledge and single lessons or a critically through use of initiate critical thinking opportunities for
thinking through comprehension. sequence of lessons that questioning strategies, through independently students to apply critical
inquiry, problem require students to recall, posing/solving problems, developing questions, thinking by designing
solving, and interpret, and think and reflection on issues in posing problems and structured inquiries into
reflection critically. content. reflecting on multiple complex problems.
perspectives.
CSTP 1: Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning
Some students respond to Students respond to
questions regarding facts varied questions or tasks
and comprehension. designed to promote
comprehension and
critical thinking in single
lessons or a sequence of
lessons.
I am constantly
questioning my students
throughout the class
period; overseas, some of
them aren’t used to such
an approach and at times
there’s some resistance. I
also cold call a lot, and
make an effort to
distribute calls randomly.
For the most part they
have been responding
Evidence favorably, but it is a work
in progress and I tweak
my approach regularly.
One adjustment I may
adopt based on another
teacher’s practice is
rolling a multi-sided die
or using some sort of
randomizer for calling on
students.
9/30/2019
Element 1.6 Emerging Exploring
Implements lessons Seeks to clarify
following curriculum instruction and learning
Monitoring student guidelines. activities to support
learning and student understanding.
adjusting instruction
while teaching.
Students respond to Students pose problems Students pose and answer
questions and problems and construct questions a wide-range of complex
posed by the teacher and of their own to support questions and problems,
begin to pose and solve inquiries into content. reflect, and communicate
problems of their own understandings based on
related to the content. in depth analysis of
content learning.
One example of how I
achieved something along
these lines was an activity
related to teaching Lord of
the Flies. Students were
tasked in groups with
analyzing examples of
codes of conduct from
various sources, then
devised a code of conduct
of their own for the boys
stranded on the island in
the novel.
November 2020
Applying Integrating Innovating
Makes ongoing Adjusts strategies during Makes adjustments to
adjustments to instruction based on the extend learning
instruction based on ongoing monitoring of opportunities and
observation of student individual student needs provide assistance to
engagement and regular for assistance, support, or students in mastering the
checks for understanding. challenge. concepts flexibly and
effectively.
CSTP 1: Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning
Some students receive Students receive
individual assistance assistance individually or
during instruction. in small groups during
instruction.
One way to achieve this is
exit tickets, which I use
occasionally but have
found difficult to integrate
on a regular basis. One
way to give myself more
time for tasks at period’s
end to assess what the
students have learned
would be to reduce the
amount of time I spend
talking; as we learned
Evidence first day in ESL
certification in a game of
Hangman, “Talking isn’t
teaching.”
9/30/2019
Students successfully
participate and stay
engaged in learning
activities.
As mentioned earlier, this
year has been a process of
fine-tuning and
adjustment based on
direct feedback and
observation of students'
engagement and interest
during learning activities.
It was in response to this
that I changed the circuit
of warm up activities I’d
been offering; I had the
students complete a
questionnaire on favorites
and least favorites,
through which I learned
that some were disliked
by a significant number.
5/8/2020
Students are able to Students monitor their
articulate their level of progress in learning and
understanding and use provide information to
teacher guidance to meet the teacher that informs
their needs during adjustments in
instruction. instruction.
Recently I adjusted my
instruction mid-stream
when, after a diagnostic
Kahoot post-assessment
quiz to see whether the
students’ understood key
plot points and thematic
ideas in “The Story of an
Hour,” it was clear to me
that further teaching and
practice were necessary
before moving on to the
next stage of the learning
unit. In response, I read
the story aloud, pausing
to engage the students in
question-and-answer to
elicit their understanding
of critical ideas and
elements of the story.
November 2020