CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

Has a foundational Examines concepts in Understands and explains Uses broad knowledge of Uses extensive knowledge
knowledge of subject subject matter and the relationship between inter-relationships of of subject matter
matter, related academic academic language to essential subject matter concepts, academic concepts, current issues,
3.1 Demonstrating
language, and academic identify connections concepts, academic content standards, and academic language, and
knowledge of subject
content standards. between academic content language, and academic academic language in research to make relevant
matter academic
standards and instruction. content standards. ways that ensure clear connections to standards
content standards
connections and relevance during instruction and
to students. extend student learning.

I am observed regularly by Towards this end, and in I use warm up and exit
USA-licensed response to input from ticket activities to
administrators who academic supervisors who introduce and reinforce
themselves have decades have observed my lessons, key academic language
of experience in US public I write daily learning and related core concepts.
schools; their feedback on objectives on the These include pictionary,
alignment and connection whiteboard, and either word relay,
with the CCC standards orally or in writing agree/disagree, A to Z,
have been invaluable - for connect them to the Kahoot, scattergories, and
example, it is at their content standards being others.
suggestion that I not only addressed.
write daily learning November 2020
objectives and I also present subject
corresponding standards matter, academic
Evidence
on the whiteboard, but language, and content
that I also engage the standards to highlight
students in discussion and their potential relevance
take their questions. to standardized tests like
the SAT and IELTS. At
9/30/2019 times I have briefly
presented sample
questions from
standardized tests that call
on skills and analysis
being targeted in the
curriculum.

5/8/2020
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Has basic knowledge of Expands knowledge of Adapts instruction in Integrates knowledge of Utilizes comprehensive
student stages of student development and response to knowledge of range of students knowledge of students to
development while implements learning student development and development into guide all students to
becoming aware of activities in single lessons proficiencies to meet instructional decisions to develop proficiencies,
differences in students’ or sequence of lessons that students’ diverse learning ensure student understand subject
understanding of subject addresses students’ needs. Ensures understanding of the matter including related
matter. proficiencies and support understanding of subject subject matter including academic language.
understanding of subject matter including related related academic
Teaches subject-specific matter including related academic language. language. Engages student at all
3.2 Applying
vocabulary following academic language. levels of vocabulary,
knowledge of student
curriculum guidelines. Provides explicit teaching Provides explicit teaching academic language, and
development and
Provides explicit teaching of essential vocabulary, of specific academic proficiencies in
proficiencies to
of essential content idioms, key words with language, text structures, self-directed goal setting,
ensure student
vocabulary and associated multiple meanings, and grammatical, and stylistic monitoring, and
understanding of
academic language in academic language in ways language features to improvement. Guides all
subject matter
single lessons or sequence that engage students in ensure equitable access to students in using analysis
of lessons. Explains accessing subject matter subject matter strategies that provides
academic language, text or learning activities. understanding for the equitable access and deep
formats, and vocabulary to range of student language understanding of subject
support student access to levels and abilities. matter.
subject matter when
confusions are identified.

I work side by side and To me, one way to address

communicate daily with this is through
teachers who have had my pre-teaching of essential
students in previous years; vocab, idioms, multiple
from them, I am able to meanings and academic
assess what skills and language; I have begun
concepts students should doing this more often and
have by now and, based on in greater depth than
Evidence
that, what texts, previously. One effective
instructional strategies, tool for this has proven to
and activities, and be Kahoot quizzes.
expectations of prior
knowledge are 5/8/2020
appropriate.

9/30/2019
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Follows organization of Examines organization of Uses knowledge of Integrates knowledge of Uses extensive knowledge
curriculum as provided curriculum and considers curriculum and student curriculum and resources of curriculum and related
by site and district to adjustments in single readiness to organize and to organize and adjust resources to flexibly and
support student lessons or sequence of adjust the curriculum to instruction within and effectively organize and
3.3 Organizing
understanding of the lessons to support ensure student across subject matter to adjust instruction.
curriculum to
subject matter. understanding of subject understanding. extend student
facilitate student
matter. understanding. Ensures student
understanding of the
comprehension and
subject matter
facilitates student
articulation about what
they do and do not
understand.
My school’s curriculum is It was filling in for another I adapted a popular
designed to be cumulative, teacher that I developed activity from last year,
with each learning unit one effective method for characterization "speed
building on the one before assessing student dating," making it
in order for students to understanding ahead of multimodal and utilizing
develop analytical, time. The teacher’s lesson technology to increase
mechanical, and other plan involved distributing student engagement and
ELA-related skill sets. At a text, and having students responsibility. This
the beginning of a learning begin by ID’ing and included having students
unit, I review key highlighting unfamiliar submit brief descriptions
terminology and concepts words and terms. This was of characters using Google
to assess students’ followed by a whole-class Forms, then aggregating
familiarity; at the unit’s review and discussion of those descriptive words
Evidence
end, I conduct the review highlighted vocab and and turning them into
again and weight the latter definitions, followed by word clouds. The word
responses against the reading of the text. clouds were then
initial ones. As much as Previously, I had been presented in class and
possible, I seek to connect having students make students used them to
material and ideas to annotations and write guess which characters
things in the students’ definitions individually, their classmates had been
world that they may without review or playing.
recognize or relate to: discussion.
current events, popular October 2020
culture, media, etc… 5/8/2020

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CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Uses instructional Gathers and uses Selects and adapts a Integrates instructional Uses an extensive
strategies that are additional instructional variety of instructional strategies appropriate to repertoire of instructional
provided in the strategies in single lessons strategies to ensure subject matter to meet strategies to develop
3.4 Utilizing curriculum. or sequence of lessons to student understanding of students’ diverse learning, enthusiasm,
instructional increase student academic language to ensure student meta-cognitive abilities,
strategies that are understanding of academic appropriate to the subject understanding of and support and challenge
appropriate to the language appropriate to matter and that addresses academic language, and the full range of students
subject matter subject matter. students’ diverse learning guide students in towards a deep
needs. understanding knowledge of subject
connections within and matter.
across subject matter.
Strategies I use that enable My colleagues and I The teaching of the
students to effectively brianstorm regularly on characterization speed
engage with the subject how to engage students in dating lesson was made
matter include integration unconventional and more challenging due to
of visuals as much as innovative ways, as an COVID restrictions; the
possible; peer review and alternative to main activity had to be
editing; student-directed straightforwardly held in a seminar room
in-class online research; distributing and reading a due to partitioning of
and student agency and text, then responding with desks in the classroom.
choice in formative and an essay. Critical to this Nevertheless, the
summative assessments. approach is engaging technological
multimedia elements in enhancements and
For example: In writing assessments, having adjustments led to
assignments, prompts are students work in groups, consistent student
generated by student and getting them to move engagement and
questions that they have around the room and independence over the
Evidence written down, discussed, interact with each other. course of the activity.
and shared in small groups The speed dating
and in whole-class characterization activity I October 2020
discussion. Students are have made reference to is
given a choice among 3-5 an example of this.
prompts to respond to.
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CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Uses available Explores additional Selects, adapts, and Integrates a wide range of Engages students in
instructional materials, instructional materials, utilizes appropriate adapted resources, identifying and adapting
resources, and resources, and instructional materials, technologies, and resources, technologies,
technologies for specific technologies to make resources, and instructional materials to and standards-aligned
3.5 Using and
lessons to make subject subject matter accessible technologies for concept meet identified student instructional materials to
adapting resources,
matter accessible to to students. and skill development in needs and make subject extend student
technologies, and
students. subject matter. Resources matter accessible to understanding and critical
standards-aligned
Explores how to make reflect the diversity of the students. thinking about subject
instructional
Identifies technological technological resources classroom and support matter.
materials including
resource needs. available to all students. differentiated learning of Assists students with
adopted materials, to
subject matter. equitable access to Ensures that students are
make subject matter
materials, resources, and able to obtain equitable
accessible to all
Guides students to use technologies. Seeks access to a wide range of
students
available print, electronic, outside resources and technologies through
and online subject matter support. ongoing links to outside
resources based on resources and support.
individual needs.
Locating and integrating I've begun using Kahoot as
material that I think more than a fun warmup;
students will find relevant based on forum
and engaging is a daily conversations with FOTIP
task for me. My school’s classmates, I'm seeing its
curriculum does not use efficacy as a pre- and
textbooks and we do not post-assessment tool.
give final exams; this Example: recently, I
allows me great leeway in combined a previous
material I can bring to Kahoot I'd written as an
lessons and how I assess intro to Kate Chopin's
student learning. I also "The Story of an Hour"
assess how students with another Kahoot on
Evidence respond to various kinds the story I found in a
of material, and try to search, one with more
regularly feature those in-depth questions. I
that are most popular: rewrote and tweaked the
Kahoot, YouTube, questions throughout to
activities like Hot Seat and make the Kahoot an
Pictionary. extended (15 Q's),
effective tool to assess
9/30/2019 comprehension after the
students' first reading.
I am in the process of Based on their responses,
identifying, adapting, and I realized more discussion
integrating various tools to and review was necessary
enhance my online classes before we moved forward
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
during the COVID-19 with activities related to
quarantine. Among these characterization of Mrs.
are Hypothesis (for Mallard.
annotating text) and
Jamboard (virtual October 2020
whiteboard).

5/8/2020

Is aware of students’ Seeks additional Identifies language Integrates knowledge of Engages English learners
primary language and information describing proficiencies and English English language in assessment of their
English language elements of culture and learner strengths in the development, English progress in English
proficiencies based on language proficiencies in study of language and learners’ strengths and language development
available assessment listening, speaking, content. Differentiates assessed needs into and in meeting content
data. reading, and writing. Uses instruction using one or English language and standards. Supports
multiple measures for more components of content instruction. students to establish and
Provides adapted assessing English learners’ English language monitor language and
3.6 Addressing the
materials to help English performance to identify development to support Develops and adapts content goals.
needs of ​English
learners access content. gaps in English language English learners. instruction to provide a
learners​ and
development. wide range of scaffolded Is resourceful and flexible
students with special
Creates and implements support for language and in the design, adjustment,
needs to provide
Attempts to scaffold scaffolds to support content for the range of and elimination of
equitable access to
content using visuals, standards-based English learners. scaffolds based on English
the content
models, and graphic instruction using literacy learners’ proficiencies,
organizers. strategies, SDAIE, and knowledge, and skills in
content level English the content.
language development in
order for students to
improve language
proficiencies and
understand content.
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Prior to getting my license, Chat stations, jigsaw
I taught for several years activities, gallery walks,
overseas to ELLs think-pair-share, and
exclusively and earned a group presentations are
CELTA. My current among the strategies that I
students are also all ELLs have made part of my
and my school’s repertoire for teaching
curriculum is designed ELLs with diverse ability
with them in mind. levels.
Materials, activities, and
assessments are aimed at To make content more
identifying language accessible, I emphasize
proficiencies and tailoring materials and activities
content to this. I make it a that can engage ELL
point to be continually groups of mixed ability:
assessing where my Kahoot, videos. graphic
students are and how organizers (EX:
much of a jump it will be characterization charts),
for them to the next level, illustrations and visual
and design instructional aids (plot elements chart
scaffolds accordingly. for story structure).
Evidence
9/30/2019 November 2020

A large part of this for me

has been identifying and
adapting texts that will be
appropriate, engaging, and
complex enough to enable
extended study and
analysis. At times I have
been surprised by what
students have and have
not responded to
positively. For example,
one of the most successful
learning units of the year
was centered on Kate
Chopin’s “The Story of an
Hour,” which I had been
unsure about introducing
due to its 19th-century
setting. Conversely, the
stories of Ray Bradbury,
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
which felt to me more
up-to-date and in many
ways prescient of how
technology is used today,
proved to be less popular
than I anticipated.

5/8/2020

Has an awareness of the Seeks additional Utilizes information on the Integrates Guides and support the
full range of students information on the full full range of students accommodations, full range of studenst with
identified with special range of students identified with special adaptations, and special needs to actively
needs through data identified with special needs to assess strengths extensions to instruction engage in the assessment
provided by the school. needs to address and competencies to for the full range of and monitor their own
challenges or supports in provide appropriate students with special strengths, learning needs,
single lessons or sequence challenge and needs to ensure adequate and achievement in
of lessons. accommodations in support and challenge. accessing content.
instruction.
Attends required meeting Cooperates with resource Communicates and Communicates and
3.7 Addressing the with resource personnel personnel, para-educators, Communicates regularly collaborates with collaborates with
needs of English and families. and families during with resource personnel, colleagues, support staff, resource personnel,
learners and meetings and activities in para-educators, and and families to ensure para-educators, families,
students with special support of learning plans families to ensure that consistent instruction. leadership, and students
needs​ to provide and goals. student services are Supports families in in creating a coordinated
equitable access to provided and progress is positive engagement with program to optimize
the content Seeks additional made in accessing school. success of the full range of
information on struggling appropriate content. students with special
Learns about referral learners and advanced Initiates and monitors needs.
processes for students learners to determine Refers students as needed referral processes and
with special needs. appropriateness for in a timely and follow-up meetings to Takes leadership at the
referral. appropriate manner ensure that students site/district and
supported with receive support and/or collaborates with
documented data over extended learning that is resource personnel to
time, including integrated into the core ensure the smooth and
interventions tried curriculum. effective implementations
previous to referral. of referral processes.
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
As I’ve explained in course This was an area that I Currently, I have several
forum discussions and focused on over the course students identified by
discussions with my of the 2019-2020 school counselors in the school’s
mentor, the country in year and in which I saw Student Services office as
which I am teaching does material results. I engaged having special needs. I
not have nearly the level of the Student Services office coordinate with these
institutional infrastructure and school counselors on students’ counselors and
and awareness to multiple occasions in accept suggestions for
accommodate students order to proactively appropriate
with special needs as does address student behavior accommodations, based
California. Generally, and performance issues. In on the counselors’
special needs at my school one case this was in interactions with the
are dealt with on a response to evidence of students and their
case-by-case basis, often cheating; another was families: extended
Evidence via one-on-one chronic poor academic deadlines for assignments,
conversation between performance and alternate seating
admin and the teacher. It’s absences; and a third due arrangements, and
also incumbent on me to to academic enhanced monitoring of
identify special needs at underperformance and their progress. I will
the basic level: vision, poor attitude in class. In occasionally engage these
hearing, and other physical the third case, I also met students in one-on-one
comprehension issues that with the student’s mother conversations both to
can be accommodated to discuss his behavior. assess their
through seating comprehension as well as
arrangement, sound 5/8/2020 gauge their social and
volume, text size, and emotional well-being.
other means.
November 2020
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