High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction
Teachers Rubric
Individual 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: Use the guiding questions below to estimate where (begin italics) you (end italics) think 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 25 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
My school has few goals and associated metrics that are specifically related to equity and cultural responsiveness.
Growing
My school has goals and associated metrics specifically related to equity and cultural responsiveness.
Utilizing
My school has goals and associated metrics specifically related to equity and cultural responsiveness that are directly linked to achieving our mission and values.
Transforming
My 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 I adjust assignments based on students’ learning styles and ability levels? How do I assess the effectiveness of the differentiation for my students?
Exploring
I assign work that is the same for all students.
Growing
I sometimes differentiate assignments and instruction based on student ability levels and learning styles.
Utilizing
I regularly differentiate assignments and instruction based on student ability levels and learning styles with particular efforts to meet the needs of marginalized students.
Transforming
I regularly differentiate assignments and instruction based on student ability levels and learning styles, with particular efforts to meet the needs of marginalized students and I monitor my efforts for success.
Selected Rating:
None
Commitments
Addressing Equity
Guiding Questions:
How often do I incorporate ideas about privilege, equity, and justice into my lessons? How do I connect these ideas to students’ experiences in the world? Do I encourage my students to challenge the status quo?
Exploring
I rarely incorporate ideas about privilege, equity, and justice into my lessons.
Growing
I sometimes incorporate ideas about privilege, equity and justice into my lessons.
Utilizing
I regularly incorporate ideas about privilege, equity, and justice into my lessons.
Transforming
I regularly incorporate ideas about privilege, equity, and justice into my lessons and encourage students to challenge the status quo.
Selected Rating:
None
Commitments
Instructional Expectations
Guiding Questions:
Do my leaders think that I should have different expectations for different students? How do they communicate and uphold their beliefs?
Exploring
My leaders believe that I should have different expectations for different students.
Growing
My leaders believe that I should have different expectations for a subset of students.
Utilizing
My leaders believe that I should have high expectations for all students.
Transforming
My leaders believe that I 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 my leaders emphasize that I focus on students’ skill development relative to conceptual understanding and critical thinking? How do my leaders encourage and support me to teach for conceptual understanding and develop critical thinking in my classes?
Exploring
My leaders’ expectations and feedback on instruction are focused on student skill development only.
Growing
My leaders’ expectations and feedback on instruction are focused on student skill development with some attention to conceptual knowledge.
Utilizing
My leader's expectations and feedback on instruction are focused primarily on student conceptual understanding and critical thinking while also supporting skill development.
Transforming
My 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 my beliefs about student capabilities to succeed in school? How do I show my students that I believe they can succeed?
Exploring
Most of my students are not capable of succeeding in school.
Growing
Only some of my students are capable of succeeding in school.
Utilizing
Most of my students are capable of succeeding in school.
Transforming
All of my students are capable of succeeding in school and I show them that I believe they can succeed through my words and actions.
Selected Rating:
None
Empowerment
Class Participation
Guiding Questions:
How broad is student participation in my classes? What approaches do I use to ensure full and equitable participation in class, regardless of students’ backgrounds, gender, and learning differences? Are all of my students comfortable participating in class?
Exploring
I choose only some students to participate in class.
Growing
I 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 me, 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 I seek feedback about my lessons from students and what do I do with their suggestions? How do I elicit their feedback?
Exploring
I rarely seek student input/feedback on lessons.
Growing
I sometimes seek student input/feedback on lessons to build relationships and improve learning experiences.
Utilizing
I regularly seek student input/feedback on lessons to build relationships and improve learning experiences.
Transforming
I often seek student input/feedback and act upon it because it is my 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 my leaders encourage and support me 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 me and with students?
Exploring
My leaders assume that I know how to build relationships with students to improve their instructional experiences.
Growing
My leaders encourage me to develop relationships with students to improve their instructional experiences.
Utilizing
My leaders encourage and support me to develop relationships with students to improve their instructional experiences.
Transforming
My leaders encourage and support me to develop relationships with students to improve their instructional experiences and my leaders model it in their own interactions with me 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 I 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 me and with other students?
Exploring
I have few conversations with students about the ground rules in the classroom which forms the basis for ownership and engagement in lessons.
Growing
I have some conversations with students about the class ground rules, which forms the basis for ownership and engagement in lessons.
Utilizing
I have ongoing conversations with students about the class ground rules, which forms the basis for ownership and engagement in lessons.
Transforming
I 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 I think students’ responsibilities for their learning are, relative to my responsibilities? How much do students take ownership of their learning and achievement?
Exploring
I feel solely responsible for the learning and achievement of students.
Growing
I feel mainly responsible for the learning and achievement of students.
Utilizing
I share responsibility with my students for their learning and achievement.
Transforming
Students take ownership of their learning and achievement with my 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
I rarely provide opportunities for students to make choices in learning activities.
Growing
I sometimes provide opportunities for students to make choices in learning activities, but rarely ask them to contribute to the design of the activities.
Utilizing
I regularly provide opportunities for students to make choices in learning activities and sometimes involve them in the design of the activities.
Transforming
I regularly provide opportunities for students to make choices in learning activities and often involve them in the design of the activities.
Selected Rating:
None
