April 2011
Standard #1: Learner Development
The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.
CRITICAL DISPOSITIONS
1(h) The teacher respects learners’ differing strengths and needs and is committed to using this information to further each learner’s development.
1(i) The teacher is committed to using learners’ strengths as a basis for growth, and their misconceptions as opportunities for learning.
1(j) The teacher takes responsibility for promoting learners’ growth and development.
1(k) The teacher values the input and contributions of families, colleagues, and other professionals in understanding and supporting each learner’s development.
Standard #2: Learning Differences
The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.
CRITICAL DISPOSITIONS
2(l) The teacher believes that all learners can achieve at high levels and persists in helping each learner reach his/her full potential.
2(m) The teacher respects learners as individuals with differing personal and family backgrounds and various skills, abilities, perspectives, talents, and interests.
2(n) The teacher makes learners feel valued and helps them learn to value each other.
2(o) The teacher values diverse languages and dialects and seeks to integrate them into his/her instructional practice to engage students in learning.
Standard #3: Learning Environments
The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self motivation.
CRITICAL DISPOSITIONS
3(n) The teacher is committed to working with learners, colleagues, families, and communities to establish positive and supportive learning environments.
3(o) The teacher values the role of learners in promoting each other’s learning and recognizes the importance of peer relationships in establishing a climate of learning.
3(p) The teacher is committed to supporting learners as they participate in decision-making, engage in exploration and invention, work collaboratively and independently, and engage in purposeful learning.
3(q) The teacher seeks to foster respectful communication among all members of the learning community.
3(r) The teacher is a thoughtful and responsive listener and observer.
Standard #4: Content Knowledge
The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.
CRITICAL DISPOSITIONS
4(o) The teacher realizes that content knowledge is not a fixed body of facts but is complex, culturally situated, and ever evolving. S/he keeps abreast of new ideas and understandings in the field.
4(p) The teacher appreciates multiple perspectives within the discipline and facilitates learners’ critical analysis of these perspectives.
4(q) The teacher recognizes the potential of bias in his/her representation of the discipline and seeks to appropriately address problems of bias.
4 (r) The teacher is committed to work toward each learner’s mastery of disciplinary content and skills.
Standard #5: Application of Content
The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.
CRITICAL DISPOSITIONS
5(q) The teacher is constantly exploring how to use disciplinary knowledge as a lens to address local and global issues.
5(r) The teacher values knowledge outside his/her own content area and how such knowledge enhances student learning.
5(s) The teacher values flexible learning environments that encourage learner exploration, discovery, and expression across content areas.
Standard #6: Assessment
The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.
CRITICAL DISPOSITIONS
6(q) The teacher is committed to engaging learners actively in assessment processes and to developing each learner’s capacity to review and communicate about their own progress and learning.
6(r) The teacher takes responsibility for aligning instruction and assessment with learning goals.
6(s) The teacher is committed to providing timely and effective descriptive feedback to learners on their progress.
6(t) The teacher is committed to using multiple types of assessment processes to support, verify, and document learning.
6(u) The teacher is committed to making accommodations in assessments and testing conditions especially for learners with disabilities and language learning needs.
6(v) The teacher is committed to the ethical use of various assessments and assessment data to identify learner strengths and needs to promote learner growth.
Standard #7: Planning for Instruction
The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
CRITICAL DISPOSITIONS
7(n) The teacher respects learners’ diverse strengths and needs and is committed to using this information to plan effective instruction.
7(o) The teacher values planning as a collegial activity that takes into consideration the input of learners, colleagues, families, and the larger community.
7(p) The teacher takes professional responsibility to use short- and long-term planning as a means of assuring student learning.
7(q) The teacher believes that plans must always be open to adjustment and revision based on learner needs and changing circumstances.
Standard #8: Instructional Strategies
The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
CRITICAL DISPOSITIONS
8(p) The teacher is committed to deepening awareness and understanding the strengths and needs of diverse learners when planning and adjusting instruction.
8(q) The teacher values the variety of ways people communicate and encourages learners to develop and use multiple forms of communication.
8(r) The teacher is committed to exploring how the use of new and emerging technologies can support and promote student learning.
8(s) The teacher values flexibility and reciprocity in the teaching process as necessary for adapting instruction to learner responses, ideas, and needs.
Standard #9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice
The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.
CRITICAL DISPOSITIONS
9(l) The teacher takes responsibility for student learning and uses ongoing analysis and reflection to improve planning and practice.
9(m) The teacher is committed to deepening understanding of his/her own frames of reference (e.g., culture, gender, language, abilities, ways of knowing), the potential biases in these frames, and their impact on expectations for and relationships with learners and their families.
9(n) The teacher sees him/herself as a learner, continuously seeking opportunities to draw upon current education policy and research as sources of analysis and reflection to improve practice.
9(o) The teacher understands the expectations of the profession including codes of ethics, professional standards of practice, and relevant law and policy.
Standard #10: Leadership and Collaboration
The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.
CRITICAL DISPOSITIONS
10(p) The teacher actively shares responsibility for shaping and supporting the mission of his/her school as one of advocacy for learners and accountability for their success.
10(q) The teacher respects families’ beliefs, norms, and expectations and seeks to work collaboratively with learners and families in setting and meeting challenging goals.
10(r) The teacher takes initiative to grow and develop with colleagues through interactions that enhance practice and support student learning.
10(s) The teacher takes responsibility for contributing to and advancing the profession.
10(t) The teacher embraces the challenge of continuous improvement and change.
