High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction
Teachers Rubric
Team Version
High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction creates learning conditions that are academically challenging and intellectually demanding, while also considering the different ways that students learn. Instruction includes opportunities to use critical reasoning, take academic risks, and leverage a growth mindset to learn from mistakes. Messages encourage positive self-image and empowerment to succeed.
Instructions: Meet with the other members of the team that your school has asked to participate in the rubric pilot (check with your school point person if you are unsure of the team members). Use the guiding questions below to estimate together where your grade level(s) fall overall on each element of the rubric. Be candid – this activity is most valuable as a formative learning experience. We recommend spending about 45 minutes on the rubric. Save your notes and ratings for future discussions.
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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 school community members’ dedication to culturally responsive practices across the school experience
Commitments
Equity Specific Goals & Metrics
Guiding Questions:
What are the school’s goals and metrics specifically related to equity and cultural responsiveness? Are they connected to the school’s mission and values?
Exploring
Our school has few goals and associated metrics that are specifically related to equity and cultural responsiveness.
Growing
Our school has goals and associated metrics specifically related to equity and cultural responsiveness.
Utilizing
Our school has goals and associated metrics specifically related to equity and cultural responsiveness that are directly linked to achieving our mission and values.
Transforming
Our school has goals and associated metrics specifically related to equity and cultural responsiveness that are directly linked to achieving our mission and values and they are regularly monitored and updated.
Selected Rating:
None
Commitments
Instructional Differentiation
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 the same for all students.
Growing
We sometimes differentiate assignments and instruction based on student ability levels and learning styles.
Utilizing
We regularly differentiate assignments and instruction based on student ability levels and learning styles with particular efforts to meet the needs of marginalized students.
Transforming
We regularly differentiate assignments and instruction based on student ability levels and learning styles, with particular efforts to meet the needs of marginalized students and we monitor our efforts for success.
Selected Rating:
None
Commitments
Addressing Equity
Guiding Questions:
How often do we incorporate ideas about privilege, equity, and justice into our lessons? How do we connect these ideas to students’ experiences in the world? Do we encourage our students to challenge the status quo?
Exploring
We rarely incorporate ideas about privilege, equity, and justice into our lessons.
Growing
We sometimes incorporate ideas about privilege, equity and justice into our lessons.
Utilizing
We regularly incorporate ideas about privilege, equity, and justice into our lessons.
Transforming
We regularly incorporate ideas about privilege, equity, and justice into our lessons and encourage students to challenge the status quo.
Selected Rating:
None
Commitments
Instructional Expectations
Guiding Questions:
Do our leaders think that we should use different expectations for different students? How do they communicate and uphold their beliefs?
Exploring
Our leaders believe that we should have different expectations for different students.
Growing
Our leaders believe that we should have different expectations for a subset of students.
Utilizing
Our leaders believe that we should have high expectations for all students.
Transforming
Our leaders believe that we should have high expectations for all students and they consistently uphold these expectations in their words and actions.
Selected Rating:
None
Empowerment
School practices include all school community member voices
Empowerment
Emphasis of Instructional Expectations
Guiding Questions:
To what extent do our leaders emphasize that we focus on students’ skill development relative to conceptual understanding and critical thinking? How do our leaders encourage and support us to teach for conceptual understanding and develop critical thinking in our classes?
Exploring
Our leaders' expectations and feedback on instruction are focused on student skill development only.
Growing
Our leaders' expectations and feedback on instruction are focused on student skill development with some attention to conceptual knowledge.
Utilizing
Our leader's expectations and feedback on instruction are focused primarily on student conceptual understanding and critical thinking while also supporting skill development.
Transforming
Our leaders' expectations and feedback on instruction are focused primarily on student conceptual understanding and critical thinking while also supporting skill development.
Selected Rating:
None
Empowerment
Expectations of Students
Guiding Questions:
What are our beliefs about student capabilities to succeed in school? How do we show our students that we believe they can succeed?
Exploring
Most of our students are not capable of succeeding in school.
Growing
Only some of our students are capable of succeeding in school.
Utilizing
Most of our students are capable of succeeding in school.
Transforming
All of our students are capable of succeeding in school and we show them that we believe they can succeed through our words and actions.
Selected Rating:
None
Empowerment
Class Participation
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? Are all of our students comfortable participating in class?
Exploring
We choose only some students to participate in class.
Growing
We choose students to participate in class regardless of race, gender, identity, or learning differences.
Utilizing
All students are comfortable participating in class with encouragement from the teacher, regardless of race, gender, identity, or learning differences.
Transforming
All students are comfortable participating in class with little teacher direction, regardless of race, gender, identity, or learning differences.
Selected Rating:
None
Empowerment
Lesson Input/Feedback
Guiding Questions:
How often do we seek feedback about our lessons from students and what do we do with their suggestions? How do we elicit their feedback?
Exploring
We rarely seek student input/feedback on lessons.
Growing
We sometimes seek student input/feedback on lessons to build relationships and improve learning experiences.
Utilizing
We regularly seek student input/feedback on lessons to build relationships and improve learning experiences.
Transforming
We often seek student input/feedback and act upon it because it is our priority to build relationships and improve learning experiences.
Selected Rating:
None
Relationships
The quality of connections amongst school community members
Relationships
Teacher-Student Relationships
Guiding Questions:
In what ways do our leaders encourage and support us to develop relationships with students to improve their instructional experiences? How do they communicate their encouragement? Do they model relationship-building with the way they interact with us and with students?
Exploring
Our leaders assume that we know how to build relationships with students to improve their instructional experiences.
Growing
Our leaders encourage us to develop relationships with students to improve their instructional experiences.
Utilizing
Our leaders encourage and support us to develop relationships with students to improve their instructional experiences.
Transforming
Our leaders encourage and support us to develop relationships with students to improve their instructional experiences and our leaders model it in their own interactions with us and with students.
Selected Rating:
None
Collaboration
The extent of cooperation amongst school community members
Collaboration
Class Rules & Expectations
Guiding Questions:
To what extent do we discuss the dynamics of power and authority with students, as they relate to class ground rules (i.e structure of power and authority), that underlie the interactions of students with us and with other students?
Exploring
We have few conversations with students about the ground rules in the classroom which forms the basis for ownership and engagement in lessons.
Growing
We have some conversations with students about the class ground rules, which forms the basis for ownership and engagement in lessons.
Utilizing
We have ongoing conversations with students about the class ground rules, which forms the basis for ownership and engagement in lessons.
Transforming
We have ongoing conversations with students about the class ground rules and shift power to students in creating and upholding the rules, which forms the basis for ownership and engagement in lessons.
Selected Rating:
None
Collaboration
Ownership of 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 share responsibility with our students for their learning and achievement.
Transforming
Students take ownership of their learning and achievement with our support.
Selected Rating:
None
Collaboration
Learning Activity Choice
Guiding Questions:
How much choice do students have in their learning activities? To what extent are students involved in designing their learning activities?
Exploring
We rarely provide opportunities for students to make choices in learning activities.
Growing
We sometimes provide opportunities for students to make choices in learning activities, but rarely ask them to contribute to the design of the activities.
Utilizing
We regularly provide opportunities for students to make choices in learning activities and sometimes involve them in the design of the activities.
Transforming
We regularly provide opportunities for students to make choices in learning activities and often involve them in the design of the activities.
Selected Rating:
None
