CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring
Has a foundational Examines concepts in
knowledge of subject subject matter and
matter, related academic academic language to
3.1 Demonstrating
language, and academic identify connections
knowledge of subject
content standards. between academic content
matter academic
standards and instruction.
content standards
9/16/21
Vocabulary development
is a huge focus in my
classroom due to the high
number of EL students at
my school. Specifically, in
math, I have to
supplement many
different materials to help
reach my students. I use
many hands-on activities
and examples to help
make the vocabulary
accessible to my students.
Through the use of
thinking maps and
particularly circle maps
and bubble maps I try to
help my students best
understand the academic
vocabulary. I also
regularly attend
professional development
training on thinking maps
and how they can be
applied in the classroom.
This includes a
color-coded system for
vocabulary.
9/16/21
Applying
Understands and explains
the relationship between
essential subject matter
concepts, academic
language, and academic
content standards.
4/27/22
This semester, through PD
at school, I have learned
that vocabulary
development alone is not
enough. I learned that
every lesson, no matter
what subject needs to
begin with ELD standards.
With every lesson,
teachers know what
content needs to be
included, but language
goals are often left out of
lessons. I have a tab saved
on my computer with the
kindergarten ELD goals. I
review these goals prior
to teaching a lesson and
always choose a focus ELD
standard to think about
while I am teaching. One
standard I like to include
is Exchange information
and ideas contribute to
class, group, and partner
discussions by listening
attentively, following
turn-taking rules, and
asking and answering
questions.
4/27/22
Integrating Innovating
Uses broad knowledge of Uses extensive knowledge
inter-relationships of of subject matter
concepts, academic concepts, current issues,
content standards, and academic language, and
academic language in research to make relevant
ways that ensure clear connections to standards
connections and during instruction and
relevance to students. extend student learning.
10/27/22 3/25/23
Now that I am in my third Between my three years
year of teaching, and my of teching experience,
second year of being on professional
campus with my students developments, and the
and colleagues I am teaching induction
feeling much more program I have grown in
knowledgeable about the my ability to make
subject matter and connections between the
content standards. Being standards and my
in person has really instruction. I now have
helped me to understand ELA and Math goals
the relationship and posted on my front board
timing between the every day of class, and
California state standards know how they relate
and our kindergarten back to the California
curriculum. I am regularly state standards.
communicating with the Throughout my work on
kindergarten team about my teacher leader project
how we can include ELD I learned a lot more about
throughout our school the California State
day, and now that we are Standards and how to use
back in person I am able the website starfall to
to provide an hour of practice specific English
English language language arts and math
development everyday. I standards. I can use the
also have access every standards and explain to
Monday to our district's my students how they
ELD coordinator who relate back to things they
helps to make sure need to know such as
standards are met. telling time.
10/27/22 3/25/23
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Has basic knowledge of Expands knowledge of
student stages of student development and
development while implements learning
becoming aware of activities in single lessons
differences in students’ or sequence of lessons
understanding of subject that addresses students’
matter. proficiencies and support
understanding of subject
Teaches subject-specific matter including related
3.2 Applying vocabulary following academic language.
knowledge of curriculum guidelines. 9/16/21
student development
and proficiencies to Provides explicit teaching
ensure student of essential content
understanding of vocabulary and associated
subject matter academic language in
single lessons or sequence
of lessons. Explains
academic language,
formats, and vocabulary to
support student access to
subject matter when
confusions are identified.
9/16/21
4/27/22
Knowing both the physical
and cognitive levels of my
students is very important
as a kindergarten teacher.
I include movement into
all of my lessons with an
understanding of the
attention spans of my kids.
Physical abilities also need
to be considered when I
include things like cutting
into my lessons. Many of
my students do not yet
have the fine motor skills
to complete all activities.
9/16/21
Adapts instruction in
response to knowledge of
student development and
proficiencies to meet
students’ diverse learning
needs. Ensures
understanding of subject
matter including related
academic language.
4/27/22
Provides explicit teaching
of essential vocabulary,
idioms, key words with
multiple meanings, and
academic language in
ways that engage students
in accessing subject
matter text or learning
activities.
I adapt my instruction
while teaching in
response to the
developmental
proficiencies of my
students. I use many
different formative
assessments while I am
teaching to ensure that all
students are meeting their
goals. I also include many
different strategies while I
am teaching to engage
students and help meet
their learning needs.
4/27/22
Integrates knowledge of Utilizes comprehensive
range of students knowledge of students to
development into guide all students to
instructional decisions to develop proficiencies,
ensure student understand subject
understanding of the matter including related
subject matter including academic language.
related academic 3/25/23
language.
Engages student at all
Provides explicit teaching levels of vocabulary,
of specific academic academic language, and
language, text structures, proficiencies in
grammatical, and stylistic self-directed goal setting,
language features to monitoring, and
ensure equitable access to improvement. Guides all
subject matter students in using analysis
understanding for the strategies that provides
range of student language equitable access and deep
levels and abilities. understanding of subject
10/27/22 matter.
3/25/23
As I continue teaching I I include vocabulary into
am becoming more all of my lessons whether
understanding of it is English language arts,
developmental levels math, science, or history.
which is so important as a My students can use a
kindergarten teacher. I word wall, a vocabulary
have started using wall, and their sounding
labeling to assist in my out skills to help them
students writing which is identify words. I also
developmentally include pictures along
appropriate and has with my vocabulary cards
really helped my students and word lists to help
become writers at the make them accessible to
beginning of the school all of the students in my
year. classroom.
10/27/22 3/25/23
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Follows organization of Examines organization of
curriculum as provided curriculum and considers
by site and district to adjustments in single
support student lessons or sequence of
3.3 Organizing
understanding of the lessons to support
curriculum to
subject matter. understanding of subject
facilitate student
matter.
understanding of the
9/16/21
subject matter
One of my strengths in
this section is connecting
my lessons in various
subjects back to each
other. I often have
students during our
writing block write about
a story we read for ELA. I
do find it more difficult to
relate subjects back to
math. I often adjust my
weekly schedule to fit in
activities that I had not
originally planned on.
Often I adjust lessons
while teaching to skip
over or reteach the
material. As a grade level,
we have decided to adjust
the schedule to teach
certain lessons before
others out of the pacing
guide order. My school
does not have a history
block or books for
kindergarten. I try to
include history into the
books we read.
9/16/21
Uses knowledge of
curriculum and student
readiness to organize and
adjust the curriculum to
ensure student
understanding.
4/27/22
I use many different
scaffolds throughout my
lessons to ensure that all
my students are
understanding the
material being taught.
Different strategies that I
like to include are
thinking maps, sentence
frames, pictures, word
walls, and work
examples. I also have
students work in pairs as
well as in small groups to
help them access the
content. When organizing
my math for the year
towards the end of the
school year I decided to
restructure the
organization of our math
lessons. My students were
struggling with
subtraction so I decided to
extend our subtraction
unit before moving on to
the next standard in our
math book.
4/27/22
Integrates knowledge of
curriculum and resources
to organize and adjust
instruction within and
across subject matter to
extend student
understanding.
10/27/22
I am starting to know the
curriculum and exactly
what is coming next
without having to go
through, look, plan, and
prep. This has helped me
naturally adjust my
instruction to help
students gain background
knowledge and prepare
them for the upcoming
lessons. I now have last
years lesson plans and
resources that I can look
back through to help me
plan my instruction for
this year. I also know
what lessons and
activities worked for my
students, and which
things I should skip or
change up to better
engage and teach my
students. I have also been
learning about extension
resources that I can use to
further my students
understanding.
10/27/22
Uses extensive knowledge
of curriculum and related
resources to flexibly and
effectively organize and
adjust instruction.
Ensures student
comprehension and
facilitates student
articulation about what
they do and do not
understand.
3/25/23
Every year I feel more
confident with my lesson
planning. I have a huge
collection of
supplemental activities
that I can use to support
our required curriculum.
I use it top reteach topics
and standards as well as
to help bring variety to
my lesson plans. I can
also use supplemental
activities to help scaffold
lessons and my
instruction. I can give out
varied assignments that
may challenge some
students or offer more
support to other students
who are struggling. I use
supplemental activities as
formative and summative
assessments to know
which students are
understanding particular
lessons or standard and
which students are not
and can reteach.
3/25/23
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Uses instructional Gathers and uses Selects and adapts a
strategies that are additional instructional variety of instructional
provided in the strategies in single lessons strategies to ensure
curriculum. or sequence of lessons to student understanding of
3.4 Utilizing
increase student academic language
instructional
understanding of appropriate to subject
strategies that are
academic language matter and that addresses
appropriate to the
appropriate to subject students’ diverse learning
subject matter
matter. needs.
9/16/21
4/27/22
I use a variety of
instructional strategies
and activities to ensure
student understanding
and meet their diverse
learning needs. Some of
the most common
strategies I use are
reading to students,
playing videos, making
charts/thinking maps,
singing/dancing, and
circle time. Both singing,
dancing, and circle time is
developmentally
appropriate for
kindergarten-aged
students. I also include
sentence frames and fine
motor skills into my circle
times. This helps to
scaffold my discussions
and engage students. I
also bring whiteboards to
the carpet so all students
are actively engaged.
9/16/21
4/27/22
Integrates instructional Uses an extensive
strategies appropriate to repertoire of
subject matter to meet instructional strategies to
students’ diverse develop enthusiasm,
learning, to ensure meta-cognitive abilities,
student understanding of and support and
academic language, and challenge the full range of
guide student in student towards a deep
understanding knowledge of subject
connections within and matter.
across subject matter. 3/25/23
10/27/22
This school year I have I have an extensive
been using many different repertoire of
forms of educational instructional strategies
technology to help meet that I have learned
the needs of my diverse throughout the course of
learning groups. I have the induction program
found Seesaw to be plus my three years of
particularly useful teaching experience. I use
because they make it very varied instructional
easy to differentiate strategies to help improve
activities. When student engagement. I
completing an activity, have found that the more
students can do an audio positive and upbeat I am
recording of their answer, about an activity, or
take a picture of their subject matter can have a
physical work, draw their major impact on my
answer, and type their students attitudes
answer. This allows all of towards an activity. For
my students to complete example, last year my
an assignment due to the students did not like ST
varied ways that they can Math. This year I have
supply an answer. Seesaw made ST Math exciting by
has space for writing, speaking highly about the
orally recorded, and platform and encouraging
visual directions, which my students as they work
also help to support my through the different
various student groups. puzzles and levels.
10/27/22 3/25/23
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Uses available Explores additional
instructional materials, instructional materials,
resources, and resources, and
technologies for specific technologies to make
3.5 Using and lessons to make subject subject matter accessible
adapting resources, matter accessible to to students.
technologies, and students. 9/16/21
standards-aligned
instructional Identifies technological Explores how to make
materials including resource needs. technological resources
adopted materials, available to all students.
to make subject 9/16/21
matter accessible to
all students
There are many different
materials that I use to
supplement the school
curriculum. For example, I
use my Viewsonic board
to display videos and
songs that correspond
with all subjects. Another
great resource is the
schools’ Chromebooks.
Through applications such
as Seesaw and ST Math, I
can assign additional
reading and math
supports to reteach and
practice concepts. I also
try to include a variety of
outside fiction and
non-fiction texts to further
student learning and
engage them in reading.
9/16/21
Selects, adapts, and
utilizes appropriate
instructional materials,
resources, and
technologies for concept
and skill development in
subject matter. Resources
reflect the diversity of the
classroom and support
differentiated learning of
subject matter.
4/27/22
Guides students to use
available print, electronic,
and online subject matter
resources based on
individual needs.
4/27/22
I have found many
additional online
platforms to support
student learning. I have
created packets to send
home with families that
teach them how to get
their students online and
use our programs at
home.
4/27/22
This school year all of my
students received new
Chromebooks that we use
in our classroom every
day. I added username
and password stickers to
all of the student's chrome
books so they can access
them on their own for free
time without my help.
4/27/22
Integrates a wide range of Engages students in
adapted resources, identifying and adapting
technologies, and resources, technologies,
instructional materials to and standards-aligned
meet identified student instructional materials to
needs and make subject extend student
matter accessible to understanding and
students. critical thinking about
subject matter.
Assists student with 3/25/23
equitable access to
materials, resources, and Ensures that student are
technologies. Seeks able to obtain equitable
outside resources and access to a wide range of
support. technologies through
10/27/22 ongoing links to outside
resources and support.
3/25/23
This year, I have been My students can use
using technology to help resources around them in
assist me with student the classroom to help
testing. Last year I only them with their reading,
had sixteen students, and writing, and math. I
this year I have ensure that all of my
twenty-six. This means students have access to
that I have had to make our classroom technology
my testing process much by putting their
more efficient due to a Chromebook username
lack of time. I have and password on their
collaborated with other computer, supplying them
Kindergarten teachers in with a laminated copy of
the district to complete their ST Math picture
math benchmark tests password, and
online. I have also used bookmarking their
Seesaw to help me test website options to the top
letters and number of their browser. I also
identification with my have charts printed that
entire class working they can use to help them
simultaneously. remember the different
10/27/22 tools on Seesaw.
3/25/23
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Is aware of students’ Seeks additional information Identifies language Integrates knowledge of Engages English learners in
primary language and describing elements of proficiencies and English English language assessment of their progress
English language culture and language learner strengths in the development, English in English language
proficiencies based on proficiencies in listening, study of language and learners’ strengths and development and in meeting
available assessment data. speaking, reading, and content. Differentiates assessed needs into English content standards. Supports
9/16/21 writing. Uses multiple instruction using one or language and content students to establish and
measures for assessing more components of English instruction. monitor language and
3.6 Addressing the English learners’ language development to 3/25/23 content goals.
needs of English performance to identify gaps support English learners.
learners and student in English language Creates and implements Develops and adapts
with special needs to Provides adapted materials development. scaffolds to support instruction to provide a wide Is resourceful and flexible in
provide equitable to help English learners 4/27/22 standards-based instruction range of scaffolded support the design, adjustment, and
access to the content access content. using literacy strategies, for language and content for elimination of scaffolds
9/16/21 Attempts to scaffold content SDAIE, and content level the range of English based on English learners’
using visuals, models, and English language learners. proficiencies, knowledge,
graphic organizers. development in order for 3/25/23 and skills in the content.
4/27/22 students to improve
language proficiencies and
understand content.
10/27/22
There are many ways I begin all of my lessons This school year I have an I have found while
that I scaffold lessons with ELD as a focus for the hour-long time slot every teaching EL students in
and use adapted lesson. This school year morning that is used for my classroom that they
materials to help English more than half of my class English language benefit from having
learners. My district are EL students, and I development. I also have conversations with their
supplies a copy of an ELD even have a student who access to an onsite ELD classmates. i have
ELA workbook that I use just moved here from coordinator every Monday included turn and talk to
with students. I also Mexico who only speaks who is there to assist a partner as a regular
include many charts and Spanish. I use prior testing teachers with ELD activity that we do during
visuals throughout my that the school has done in instruction, and planning. circle time. My students
lessons to help support combination with my own The fact that half of my enjoy talking with their
EL students. Strategic to identify student levels. class is ELD means that I classmates and it helps to
groupings and pairings 4/27/22 need to make scaffolds for not only scaffold an
are one of the most ELD students a priority in activity by providing peer
common ways I adapt my I use visuals throughout every lesson that I teach. I support, but it also allows
lessons. I also use visual every lesson that I teach. I focus heavily on for the EL students to
cues with posters and include circle maps, vocabulary development practice using the English
drawings to help my bubble maps, treemaps, in every subject including language since many of
students understand and sentence frames with math. I provide visuals my students families are
assignment directions. pictures every day. and examples for not speaking English at
9/16/21 4/27/22 everything we complete. home.
10/27/22 3/25/23
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Has an awareness of the full
range of students identified
with special needs through
data provided by the school.
9/16/21
Attends required meeting
with resource personnel
3.6 Addressing the and families.
needs of English 9/16/21
learners and student
with special needs to
provide equitable
Learns about referral
access to the content processes for students with
special needs.
9/16/21
I attend IEP meetings for
my students on a regular
basis. I also have daily
communications with the
school phycologists,
speech teachers, and
special education
teachers. I also use
Seesaw as an open line of
communication with
parents. I read over IEP’s
with the special
education teacher and
discuss how to adapt my
lessons to best teach my
students.
9/16/21
Seeks additional information
on the full range of students
identified with special needs
to address challenges or
supports in single lessons or
sequence of lessons.
4/27/22
Cooperates with resource
personnel, para-educators,
and families during meetings
and activities in support of
learning plans and goals.
4/27/22
Seeks additional information
on struggling learners and
advanced learners to
determine appropriateness
for referral.
4/27/22
I scaffold my lessons with
my student's IEP
requirements, and student
needs in mind. I
communicate on a regular
basis with the school's
resource teachers and
student families to best
meet the needs of my
students. I am regularly
checking in with my
students throughout the
school day who have
special needs to ensure
they are acessing the
academic content.
4/27/22
Utilizes information on the
full range of students
identified with special needs
to assess strengths and
competencies to provide
appropriate challenge and
accommodations in
instruction.
Communicates regularly with
resource personnel,
para-educators, and families
to ensure that student
services are provided and
progress is made in accessing
appropriate content.
Refers students as needed in
a timely and appropriate
manner supported with
documented data over time,
including interventions tried
previous to referral.
10/27/22
I have a student who is
emotionally disturbed this
year in my classroom. It
has been the most difficult
thing so far in my teaching
career. I have had to work
incredibly closely with the
special education team, to
the point that we are
meeting multiple times a
day. This year's
documentation is
incredibly important and
has been something I have
been working on this
school year.
10/27/22
Integrates accommodations, Guides and support the full
adaptations, and extensions range of student with special
to instruction for the full needs to actively engage in
range of students with the assessment and monitor
special needs to ensure their own strengths,
adequate support and learning needs, and
challenge. achievement in accessing
3/25/23 content.
Communicates and Communicates and
collaborates with colleagues, collaborates with resource
support staff, and families to personnel, para-educators,
ensure consistent families, leadership, and
instruction. Supports students in creating a
families in positive coordinated program to
engagement with school. optimize success of the full
range of students with
3/25/23
special needs.
Initiates and monitors
referral processes and Takes leadership at the
follow-up meeting to ensure site/district and
that students receive collaborates with resource
support and/or extended personnel to ensure the
learning that is integrated smooth and effective
into the core curriculum. implementations of referral
processes.
3/25/23
I communicate weekly
with the school counelor
about students in my
classroom. She has helped
to improve my classroom
community as well as
certain students and
problem behaviors. I use
her as a resource to talk
with students as well as
come into my classroom
to teach lessons. She
helps to ensure students
needs are also met if they
possibly need a IEP or
504 plan.
3/25/23