High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction

Teachers Rubric

Group Version

Facilitating a Group Discussion Guide (opens in new tab)

A learning environment with High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction is academically and intellectually challenging and prepares and empowers students to engage in critical reasoning and independent learning.

Instructions: Meet with the participating group of teachers. Use the guiding questions to discuss the item and estimate together where your school or classes are overall on the progression. Be candid – this activity is most valuable as a formative learning experience. If you cannot come to agreement, add comments and go to the next item. We recommend spending about 45 minutes discussing and completing the rubric. If needed, use the CRS Facilitation Guide for Adult Group Rubrics. Your ratings and comments will not be saved until you click SUBMIT at the bottom of the page. 

Progression of Engagement

Exploring

Cultural Responsiveness (CR) is in its initial phase

Growing

CR is practiced in some situations

Utilizing

CR is practiced in most situations

Transforming

CR is continuously practiced and promoted

Commitments

The extent of stakeholder dedication to culturally responsive practices across the school experience

Commitments

School Has Equity-Specific Goals & Metrics

Guiding Questions:

What are the school's and goals? Are they connected to the school's mission and values?
Exploring

Our school's goals and associated metrics are generally not related to equity and cultural responsiveness.

Growing

Our school's goals and associated metrics are specifically related to equity and cultural responsiveness.

Utilizing

Our school's goals and associated metrics are specifically related to equity and cultural responsiveness and are directly linked to our mission and values.

Transforming

Our school's goals and associated metrics are specifically related to equity and cultural responsiveness, are directly linked to our mission and values, and are regularly monitored and updated.

Selected Rating: None
Commitments

School holds High Expectations for All Students

Guiding Questions:

What are our expectations for students? How do we communicate, uphold, and reinforce our expectations?
Exploring

In practice, we have high expectations for only some students.

Growing

In practice, we have high expectations for most, but not all, students.

Utilizing

In practice, we have high expectations for all students.

Transforming

In practice, we have high expectations for all students and we reinforce these expectations in our words and actions.

Selected Rating: None
Commitments

Instruction is Differentiated to Meet Varied Student Needs

Guiding Questions:

How frequently and in what ways do we adjust assignments based on students' learning styles and ability levels? How do we assess the effectiveness of the differentiation for our students?
Exploring

We assign work that is mostly the same for all students.

Growing

We sometimes differentiate (about 1-2 times per curricular unit) assignments and instruction based on student ability levels and learning styles.

Utilizing

We regularly differentiate (about weekly) assignments and instruction based on student ability levels and learning styles, with particular efforts to meet the needs of students.

Transforming

We regularly differentiate (about weekly) assignments and instruction based on student ability levels and learning styles, with particular efforts to meet the needs of students, and we monitor our efforts for success.

Selected Rating: None
Commitments

Ideas about Equity are Incorporated into Classroom Lessons

Guiding Questions:

How often do we incorporate ideas about , equity, and into our lessons? Do we encourage our students to critically examine the status quo?
Exploring

We rarely (about 1-2 times per year) incorporate ideas about privilege, equity, and justice into our lessons.

Growing

We sometimes (about monthly) incorporate ideas about privilege, equity, and justice into our lessons.

Utilizing

We regularly (about weekly) incorporate ideas about privilege, equity, and justice into our lessons, attending to why these topics matter.

Transforming

We regularly (about weekly) incorporate ideas about privilege, equity, and justice into our lessons, attending to why these topics matter, and we encourage students to critically examine the status quo.

Selected Rating: None

Empowerment

School practices include all stakeholder voices

Empowerment

Leaders have High Expectations for Rigor of Instruction

Guiding Questions:

What are our leaders' expectations around instructional focus for skill development, conceptual understanding, and critical thinking? How do our leaders encourage and support us to develop these educational goals in our classes?
Exploring

Our leaders' expectations and feedback on instruction are primarily focused on student skill development.

Growing

Our leaders' expectations and feedback on instruction are focused on student skill development with some attention to conceptual understanding.

Utilizing

Our leader's expectations and feedback on instruction are focused primarily on conceptual understanding while also supporting student skill development.

Transforming

Our leaders' expectations and feedback on instruction are focused primarily on student conceptual understanding and critical thinking while also supporting student skill development.

Selected Rating: None
Empowerment

All Students Participate in Class

Guiding Questions:

How broad is student participation in our classes? What approaches do we use to ensure full and equitable participation in class, regardless of students' backgrounds, gender, and learning differences?
Exploring

Only a few students regularly participate in class.

Growing

A subset of students regularly participates in class.

Utilizing

Most students participate in class because we use strategies to involve them.

Transforming

All students, including those , are comfortable participating in class because we use strategies to involve them.

Selected Rating: None
Empowerment

Teachers seek Lesson/Learning Activity Input & Feedback from Students

Guiding Questions:

How often do we seek feedback about our lessons from students, and how do we ask for their feedback? What do we do with their suggestions?
Exploring

We rarely (around once per year) seek student input/feedback on lessons.

Growing

We sometimes (about 3-4 times per year) seek student input/feedback on lessons to increase student engagement.

Utilizing

We regularly (about monthly) seek student input/feedback on lessons to increase student engagement.

Transforming

We regularly (about monthly) seek student input/feedback, paying particular attention to students to increase student engagement and improve learning experiences.

Selected Rating: None

Relationships

The quality of connections amongst stakeholders

Relationships

Adults Develop Strong Relationships with Students

Guiding Questions:

To what extent do our leaders encourage us to develop relationships with students to improve students' instructional experiences? How do our leaders make this encouragement known through their actions?
Exploring

Our leaders encourage us to develop relationships with students to improve instructional experiences.

Growing

Our leaders occasionally provide space and resources for us to develop relationships with students to improve their instructional experiences.

Utilizing

Our leaders frequently provide space and resources for us to develop relationships with students to improve instructional experiences and assist with personal challenges.

Transforming

Our leaders consistently provide space and resources for us to develop relationships with students to improve instructional experiences and assist with personal challenges, and our leaders model relationship-building in their interactions with staff and students.

Selected Rating: None

Collaboration

The extent of cooperation between and amongst stakeholders

Collaboration

Teachers & Students Collaborate to Develop Class Rules & Expectations

Guiding Questions:

To what extent do we have clear conversations with students about class rules and expectations? When forming class rules, how do we incorporate student perspectives?
Exploring

We have few conversations (about 1-2 times per year) with students about the class rules, which form the basis for ownership and engagement in lessons.

Growing

We have some conversations (about monthly) with students about the class rules, which form the basis for ownership and engagement in lessons.

Utilizing

We have ongoing conversations (about weekly) with students about the class rules, which form the basis for ownership and engagement in lessons.

Transforming

We have ongoing conversations (about weekly) with students about the class rules and shift power to students in creating and upholding the rules, which form the basis for ownership and engagement in lessons.

Selected Rating: None
Collaboration

Students Share Responsibility for Learning

Guiding Questions:

What do we think students' responsibilities for their learning are, relative to our responsibilities? How much do students take ownership of their learning and achievement?
Exploring

We feel solely responsible for the learning and achievement of students.

Growing

We feel mainly responsible for the learning and achievement of students.

Utilizing

We consistently share responsibility with our students for their learning and achievement.

Transforming

Students consistently take ownership of their learning and achievement with our support.

Selected Rating: None

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