Standard 1 - Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning

Teachers know and care about their students to engage them in learning. They connect learning to students’ prior knowledge, backgrounds, life experiences, and interests. They connect subject matter to meaningful, real-life contexts. Teachers use a variety of instructional strategies, resources, and technologies to meet the diverse learning needs of students. They promote critical thinking through inquiry, problem solving, and reflection. They monitor student learning and adjust instruction while teaching. 

1.1 - Using knowledge of students to engage them in learning

As teachers develop, they may ask, “How do I…” or “Why do I…”

• know my students as people and as learners?
• understand reasons for behavior?
• recognize atypical behavior in students?
• build trust with students and foster relationships so that students can thrive academically?
• adapt my teaching to reflect knowledge of my students?
• differentiate instruction based on what I know about my students’ strengths, interests, and needs?
• get to know parents and connect with the community where I teach?

1.2 - Connecting learning to students’ prior knowledge, backgrounds, life experiences, and interests

As teachers develop, they may ask, “How do I…” or “Why do I…”

• help students see the connections between what they already know and the new material?
• connect classroom learning to students’ life experiences and cultural backgrounds?
• support all students to use first and second language skills to achieve learning goals?
• open a lesson or unit to capture student attention and interest?
• build on students’ comments and questions during a lesson to extend their understanding?

1.3 - Connecting subject matter to meaningful, real-life contexts

As teachers develop, they may ask, “How do I…” or “Why do I…”

• establish aconnection between subject matter and purpose for learning?
• make connections between the subject matter and real-life contexts?
• seek feedback from students regarding relevance of subject matter to their lives?
• engage all students in a variety of learning experiences that accommodate the different ways they learn?
• provide opportunities for all students to acquire and practice skills in meaningful contexts?

1.4 - Using a variety of instructional strategies, resources, and technologies to meet students’ diverse learning needs

As teachers develop, they may ask, “How do I…” or “Why do I…”

• select and utilize a range of instructional approaches to engage students in learning?
• use a variety of strategies to introduce, explain, and restate subject matter concepts and processes so all students understand?
• help all students learn, practice, internalize, and apply subject-specific learning strategies and procedures?
• use differentiated instruction to meet the assessed learning needs of students and increase active participation in learning?
• adapt materials and resources, make accommodations, and use appropriate assistive equipment and other technologies to support students’ diverse learning needs?
• utilize multiple types of technology to facilitate learning?
• examine and use resources that minimize bias?

1.5 - Promoting critical thinking through inquiry, problem solving, and reflection

As teachers develop, they may ask, “How do I…” or “Why do I…”

• encourage students to use multiple approaches and solutions to solve problems?
• encourage students to ask critical questions and consider diverse perspectives about subject matter?
• provide opportunities for students to think about, discuss, and evaluate content?
• ask questions to facilitate discussion, clarify, and extend students’ thinking?
• support students to think and communicate with clarity and precision?
• help students apply previous learning to new situations?
• encourage students to create, imagine, and innovate?
• help students to develop and use strategies and technologies for accessing knowledge and information?

1.6 - Monitoring student learning and adjusting instruction while teaching

As teachers develop, they may ask, “How do I…” or “Why do I…”

• systematically check for student understanding and revise plans accordingly?
• incorporate a variety of strategies in a lesson to check for student understanding?
• monitor the learning of students with limited English proficiency or of students with special needs?
• adjust the lesson plan to accelerate instruction when I determine that the pace of the lesson is too slow?
• make "on the spot" changes in my lesson based on students' interests and questions?
• provide additional support and opportunities for students to learn when some students have mastered the lesson objective(s) and others have not?
• adjust my lesson when I don't have enough time to complete everything I planned to do?