Instructional Expectations for 2012-2013 – Fostering Teacher Development

Our strongest school cultures demonstrate that when teachers thrive, students thrive. Decades of research prove what educators, students, and families know from direct experience: teachers have a greater impact on student success than any other school factor. To support teachers as we begin to integrate new, higher standards, school leaders will ensure that teacher development focuses on supporting all teachers to meet the Common Core standards. 

To improve the instructional core across classrooms, schools will strengthen the common language and understanding of what quality teaching looks like by deepening the school community's comprehension of Charlotte Danielson's Framework for Teaching. In the 2012-13 school year, school leaders will conduct frequent cycles of formative classroom observations and feedback, and professional development to support improved teacher practice. When they do so, their teachers know what effective teaching looks like, have a shared language to discuss what's working and what needs to be improved, and know which actions to take to improve their practice.

Resources to Support Strengthening Teacher Practice

Read about best practices to help principals develop supportive and professional dialogue. Charlotte Danielson has released an updated version of the Framework for Teaching. The Framework for Teaching (2011 Revised Edition) is specifically enhanced to be used as an evaluation instrument.  Spotlight Learning Opportunity:An Introduction to Using Assessment in Instruction .

Resources to support this work will be available to all NYC teachers and school leaders via ARIS Learn (log into ARIS and click on "Learn" Tab). Learn provides a wide range of professional development resources, including The Framework for Teaching (2011 Revised Edition) by Charlotte Danielson, self-assessments, and tools to support professional goal setting. Learn also includes a rich array of self-paced learning opportunities related to selected competencies that include video, interactive modules, tools, articles and podcasts, all of which can be used by individuals or in support of school or team-based professional development.

Learn also offers Learning Opportunities to help school leaders and teachers understand the different competencies within The Framework for Teaching that support the design and implementation of Common Core-aligned units and tasks. Learning Opportunities include interactive modules, articles, videos, web links and other resources that will help educators improve their craft and prepare all students to thrive in college and their future careers.To explore some of the learning opportunities available in ARIS Learn see the table below.

Resources for School Leaders and Teachers

Resources	Goals
Teacher Competencies	Learn more about a nationally-renowned, research-based rubric of practice, The Framework for Teaching, by Charlotte Danielson
School Leader and Teacher Self Assessments	Self assess against the continuum to help identify areas of strength and development
Create a learning plan	Help articulate professional learning goals and an action plan
An Introduction to Designing Coherent Instruction	Plan coherent lessons and activities that build upon one another or lead to essential understanding for students as they go through a unit of study and engage students in differentiated lessons that provide opportunities to interact with increasingly complex concepts and ideas
An Introduction to Engaging Students in Learning	Understand what is involved in engaging students in learning, become familiar with proven strategies for promoting deep cognitive engagement with subject matter, and use collaborative learning, differentiated instruction, inquiry, problem-based and project-based learning approaches to engage your students in deep and meaningful learning.

Resources for School Leaders

Learning Opportunities	Goal
Providing Teacher Feedback	Build teacher development skills by engaging with an interactive module about the qualities of good feedback and learning how two principals in the Teacher Effectiveness Pilot are successfully providing quality feedback to their staff
Managing Your Time Efficiently and Effectively	Build your resource and operations skills by engaging with this series of reflective tools designed to help you understand your current management skills, improve your time-management habits, and provide you with guidance on how to organize time to build relationships with your teachers
Introducing Your Staff to Danielson's Competencies	These resources were designed to help school leaders, coaches and other professional developers introduce Danielson's Framework for Teaching, as well as the use of a rubric, to their teachers. School leaders or facilitators should adapt materials to their specific contexts and needs.