Program Criteria
Elementary Program Criteria
1. Knows Subject Matter
a.
subject matter knowledge
b.
reflective practice
2. Demonstrates Pedagogical Expertise
a. specialized
practice
1.
interdisciplinary
2.
collaborative /cooperative
3.
inclusive
4.
assessment informed
b. differentiated instruction
c. equitable
and culturally responsive pedagogy
d. reflective
practice
3. Makes A Positive Difference In The Life Of Every Child
4. Teaching As A Mechanism To Achieve Social Justice
Possible Indicators
Elementary Program Criteria
1. Knows Subject Matter
a.
subject matter knowledge
á
has a broad understanding in all content areas and is
able to apply it to everyday practice, e.g. morning meeting, writing conference
á
able to develop content rich interdisciplinary lessons,
projects, and activities, e.g. units plans: science, thematic, and social
science
á
uses a variety of technology, media, literature,
websites, people, materials, cooperative opportunities, and teaching styles to
illustrate and expand on new, relevant content material
á
structure units and lessons to address VT standards,
e.g. any lesson plan or unit that explicitly identifies relevant standards
á
able to monitor and address misconceptions of
childrenŐs prior knowledge in content area, e.g. in what they say: Ňamphibians
and reptiles are the same, one just spends more time in the waterÓ
b.
reflective practice
á
reflects upon lessons taught and how they could be
modified to teach more complex content, e.g. a fraction lesson done with halves
and then modified for thirds and fourths
á
is articulate about the big ideas or key ideas in a
content area, e.g. in portfolio captions or essays that address lesson goals,
standards, the content area taught; maintains journal whose entries address
content challenges, goals, etc.
á
uses supports to discuss how to better content
instruction, e.g. discussions, inservice days, workshops that address goals of
content instruction
2. Demonstrates Pedagogical Expertise
a. specialized
practice
1. interdisciplinary
á
can create a unit using an overall theme or topic, and
bring the theme into multiple subjects, e.g. social studies unit outline,
internship unit, thematic unit
á
taps into studentsŐ experience and interest in shaping
a theme
á
focuses on Ňreal-worldÓ questions that cross
disciplinary boundaries
á
uses multiple assessment strategies that reflect
interdisciplinary thrust
2. collaborative
/cooperative
á
plans for studentsŐ collaboration in small or large
groups on a common task, or with others outside of classroom (e.g., "Book
Buddies")
á
provides opportunities for students to teach each other (formally or informally),
e.g. complex instruction
á
teaches students specific skills necessary for
successful group work
á
matches grouping strategies (individual, pairs, small
groups, full class) to lessonŐs objectives
á intentionally
provides tasks in cooperative activities to accommodate for student differences
and strengths, e.g. CI rotation
3. inclusive
á
differentiates/plans instruction so as to meet the
needs of students, especially those with special needs or children at-risk for
struggling in the subject area;
á
provides opportunities and support for students with
special needs to be as involved as others during times when children have
choice time or independent time
á
as much in class instruction as possible (e.g.. special
educators in room)
á
follows up on activities determined in 504 or IEP
meeting, or any meeting for a child with special needs, and shows the positive
effect on the child or children who are of concern
4. assessment
informed
á
knows different techniques and strategies to assess
students at an age appropriate level and to use the findings from those
assessments to design and/or modify instruction, or to create optimal learning
opportunities
á
uses formal and informal assessments for formative
purposes, i.e., to monitor progress and guide instruction (e.g., QR13, running
record, math problem solving efforts, retellings, written work, anecdotal
records)
á
uses formal and informal assessments for summative
purposes, i.e., to measure studentsŐ overall progress at critical points in
time, e.g., end-of-unit tests, DRA-Vt or NSRE, QRI3, running records.
á
links teaching objectives to assessments designed to
utilize rubrics, feedback/communication to student, self-evalluation,
development of a studentŐs portfolio
b. differentiated instruction
á
uses a variety of developmentally appropriate
strategies to accommodate learning needs or styles of children, e.g. activities
addressing multiple abilities
á
adapts instruction for childrenŐs needs (not only
special needs, but also those working above level)
á
provides necessary scaffolding so that all students can
gradually gain expertise
á
creates lesson and unit curricula that are flexible to
accommodate student interests and ability differences
c. equitable and
culturally responsive pedagogy
á
teaches equality, equity, and cultural similarities and
differences at an age appropriate level
á
represents different points of view, e.g., re:
rainforest - represent the animalsŐ, tribeŐs, land developerŐs perspectives
á
many cultures incorporated in classroom environment;
uses a broad spectrum of classroom materials that come from a variety of
cultures, e.g., interdisciplinary unit plan, food and craft lesson plans from
inquiry block, morning meeting discussions, celebration of all holidays, in
content area instruction
á
uses literature from a variety of cultural perspectives
integrated into content areas, and matched with the range of reading levels in
the classroom
á teaches
content that shows the contribution of a wide range of racial and ethnic groups
where appropriate
á
stays abreast of new ideas and uses them in oneŐs
teaching, e.g., course or inservice handouts/ideas are voluntarily brought into
the classroom.
á
knows how to self-assess and come up with next steps,
e.g. in reflections/ self-assessments on lessons
á
discusses students and teaching ideas with others,
e.g., grade level team
3. Makes A Positive Difference In The Life Of Every Child
a. every
child a learner
á
continually modifies lesson plans or lessons and shows
the positive effect on the child or children who triggered the modification
á
accepts responsibility for students in your class, and
makes sure every child can be successful regardless of their status
b. safe
and healthy learning environment
á
to create a classroom in which students feel safe,
provide social skills lessons that
teach self-respect, mutual respect, cooperation, acceptance of others and their
differences, e.g., in morning meeting, suggestion box, greeting at morning
meeting
á
addresses unsafe behavior promptly and conferences with
the student(s) to address appropriate behavior and how they can make better
choices, introduce the student(s) back to the class in a positive manner
á
demonstrates diplomatic communication with students and
co-workers e.g. provides positive feedback to children in public and private
forums
á
develops a comprehensive management plan, demonstrating
a clear management philosophy
á
uses a range of strategies to maintain a well managed
classroom, e.g., develops class rules, uses proactive strategies with potential
management problems
á
develops classroom community in which every student is
an equal, e.g. rules that create equality amongt all students (class contract),
every student is assigned classroom jobs each week
c. reflective practice
á
is articulate about your stance on what it means to be
a teacher who works to make a difference in the lives of children, e.g., in a
portfolio caption or essay
á
seeks feedback and advice from colleagues to address
issues and concerns
4. Teaching As A Mechanism To Achieve Social Justice
a. leadership
in education
á
community service on behalf of children or involving
children, e.g., as part of lesson or unit work, employment or volunteer work at
after school programs
á
works with social justice agencies or persons to
provide or arrange for student support services, e.g., YMCA, Boys & Girls
Club, after school programs, human service agents, e.g. social worker, school
counselor, behavior specialist
á
forms partnerships with local businesses, parents or
community leaders on projects, trips, activities, grants, and student-to-work
programs, e.g., brings in community members to share their area of expertise,
invites parents to help with class projects
á
able to work with fellow teachers parents, faculty,
paraeducators, etc, to create optimal student learning (e.g., participates in
meetings with other educators about the needs of an individual child)
b. equitable
and culturally responsive pedagogy
á
documents awareness of personal bias and how it affects
teaching practice with respect to issues of race, gender, ethnicity, class,
privilege, and physical and mental challenge, e.g., equity project, colleague
observation/feedback on interaction patterns, pattern of calling on students
á
shows ongoing commitment to learn more about how race
affects the way our children are schooled, e.g. participant at Brown vs. Board
of Education conference, other conferences or meetings
á
plans and enacts instruction so that every student is
valued in terms of the abilities they bring to groupwork, e.g. status &
equity projects
á
adapts
teaching practice to increase the reflection and participation of all
children in classroom learning, esp. with respect to questions relevant to
social justice e.g.,use of discussion strategies, book/literacy groups
á
students engaged in reflection on questions relevant to
social justice, e.g., book/literacy groups
c. social justice orientation
á
uses instruction to make students more aware of social
justice issues, especially within school e.g. bullying; racial, ethnic, or
gender bias; exclusivity
á
engages all students in finding social injustice in the
world and facilitates discussions and/or actions about what can be done about
those injustices, e.g., re; poverty, racism, unemployment, civil rights,
slavery
á
consideration of fairness, responsibility, and
accountability in the classroom, e.g., class discussions, create the rules for classroom, class
discusses and votes on appropriate issues like the use of centers, conducts
class meetings as a forum for student discussion, children develop own rubric
for group work
d. technological literacy
á
applies technology tools for enhancing professional
growth and productivity, e.g., demonstrates the ability to use several
different hardware and software programs effectively.
á
different forms of technologies are used in instruction
and are relevant to what students are doing in and out of school, e.g., websites, webquests, computer games,
hyperstudio, word
á
Evidence of review and reflection on rights and
treatment of individuals and groups of students in the classroom or school
setting, e.g. portfolio captions, introductions, essays; journal
á
student prior assessment used in planning and captioned
to show awareness of using prior knowledge for a socially just classroom
á
reflection on efforts to address the question of social
justice in the classroom, e.g. captions, essays, journal, lesson reflections