Domain 3

Artifact Suggestions
Mary Ellen Dannenberg, Santa Fe Public Schools
Jody Martinez, Cimarron Public Schools
Alicia McMurry, Alamogordo Public Schools
Christine Peguero, Socorro Consolidated Schools
 Component 3a: Communication with
Students
Elements Include: Indicators Include:

● Expectations for learning ● Clarity of lesson purpose

● Directions for activities ● Clear directions and procedures
● Explanations of content specific to the lesson activities
● Use of oral and written ● Absence of content errors and clear
language explanations of concepts
● Students understand the content
● Correct and imaginative use of
language
 Component 3a: Communication with
Students
Effective
● The teacher states clearly, at some point during the lesson, what the students
will be learning
● If appropriate, the teacher models the process to be followed in the task.
● Students engage with the learning task, indicating that they understand what
they are to do
● The teachers makes no content errors
● Teacher’s explanation of content is clear, and invites student participation and
thinking
● Vocabulary and usage are correct and completely suited to the lesson as well as
appropriate to the students’ ages and levels of development
 Component 3a: Communication with
Students
Highly Effective
In addition to the characteristics of “effective,”
● Teacher points out possible areas for misunderstanding
● Teacher explains content clearly and imaginatively, using metaphors and
analogies to bring content to life
● All students seem to understand presentation
● Teacher invites students to explain content to the class, or to classmates
● Teacher uses right language, offering brief vocabulary lessons where
appropriate
 Component 3a: Communication with
● Stated/Posted Objective
Students
● Norms of Collaboration
● Classroom Agreements/Expectations
● Routines
● Lesson Plans
● Units of Study
● Graphic Organizers
● Expectations for Learning Charts/Anchor Charts
● Printed Directions and Procedures
● Modification Plans
● Examples of Student Presentations/Plans(Rubrics, Exemplars)
 Component 3a: Communication with
Students
Administrative Look Fors:
● Clear, concise objectives - have students repeat through callbacks
● Academic word walls/ sentence stems/discussion starters

Actions:
● Moel academic vocabulary within context - provide different strategies, games,
activities, or visuals
● Embed opportunities for students to talk, pair shares, groups, in front of class while
using newly acquired vocabulary
 Component 3b: Using Questioning &
Discussion Techniques
Elements include:

● Quality of questions/prompts
● Discussion techniques
● Student participation

Indicators include:

● Questions of high cognitive challenge, formulated by both students and teacher

● Questions with multiple correct answers, or multiple approaches even when there is
a single correct response
● Effective use of student responses and ideas
● Discussion with the teacher stepping out of the central, mediating role
● High levels of student participation in discussion
 Component 3b: Using Questioning &
Discussion Techniques
Effective
● Teacher used open-ended questions, inviting students to think and/or have
multiple possible answers
● Teacher makes effective use of wait time
● Teacher builds on, and uses student responses to questions effectively
● Discussions enable students to talk to one another, without ongoing
mediation by the teacher
● Teacher calls on most students, even those who don’t initially volunteer
● Students actively engage in the discussion
 Component 3b: Using Questioning &
Discussion Techniques
Highly Effective
In addition to the characteristics of “effective,”

● Students initiate higher order questions

● Students extend the discussion, enriching it
● Students invite comments from their classmates during a
discussion
 Component 3b: Using Questioning &
Discussion Techniques
● Lesson Plans ● Prompts & Probes
● List of questions for each ● Think Time
lesson ● Question & Discussion Stems
● Text-Dependent Questions ● Discussion Rubric
● Depth of Knowledge ● Student Participation Checklist
● 100% Engagement ● Units of Study
● Examples of Student ● Talk Moves
Questions ● Gestures (“I agree,” “I want to add”)
● Norms/Guidelines for
student
Discussion/Participation
 Component 3b: Using Questioning &
Discussion Techniques
Look Fors:

● Pre-planned questions
● Academic vocabulary in questions
● Scaffolding

Actions:
● Design a system that allows all students to think and respond
● Set up system that trains students to also ask meaningful/rigorous questions
 Component 3c: Engaging Students in
Elements include: Learning
● Activities and assignments
● Grouping of students
● Instructional materials and resources
● Structure and pacing

Indicators include:

● Activities aligned with the goals of the lesson

● Student enthusiasm, interest, thinking, problem-solving, etc
● Learning tasks that require high-level student thinking and are aligned with lesson objectives
● Students are highly motivated to work on all tasks and are persistent event when the tasks are
challenging
● Students actively “working,” rather than watching while their teacher “works”
● Suitable pacing of the lesson: neither dragging nor rushed, with time for closure and student
reflection
 Component 3c: Engaging Students in
Learning
Effective
● Students are intellectually engaged in the lesson
● Learning tasks have multiple correct responses or approaches and/or demand
higher-order thinking
● Students have some choice in how they complete learning tasks
● Variety of different types of groupings, suitable to the lesson objectives
● Materials and resources support the learning goals and require intellectual
engagement, as appropriate
● Pacing of lessons provide student time needed to be intellectually engaged
 Component 3c: Engaging Students in
Learning
Highly Effective
In addition to the characteristics of “effective,”

● Virtually all students are highly engaged in the lesson

● Students take initiative to modify a learning task to make it more meaningful or
relevant to their needs
● Students suggest modifications to grouping patterns used
● Students have extensive choice in how they complete tasks
● Students suggest modifications or additions to materials being used
● Students have opportunities for reflection and closure on lessons to consolidate
understanding
 Component 3c: Strategies on Engaging
Students in Learning
● Wait Time
● Lesson Plans
● Monitor/Adjust
● Teach to the objective
● Unit of Study
● 100% engagement ● Table Graffiti
● Differentiation Plan ● Question & Sentence Stems
● Assignments (Problem-based, ● Number Talk
Enrichment, Differentiation, ● KFA
Extension) ● Implementing Technology
● Student Engagement Plan ● Manipulatives
● Gestures
● Student Work
● Teacher & Talk Moves
● Norms of Collaboration ● Covert/Overt
● Sentence Stems ● Grouping Plan
 Component 3c: Engaging Students in
Learning

Look For:

● Strategic grouping
● Checking for understanding and adjusting instruction appropriately

Actions:

● Formative assessments
○ Exit tickets
○ Interactive quick checks
○ Fist to 5
 Component 3d: Using Assessment in
Instruction
Elements include:

● Assessment Criteria
● Monitoring of student learning
● Feedback to students
● Student self-assessment and monitoring of progress

Indicators include:

● Teacher paying close attention to evidence of student understanding

● Teacher posing specifically-created questions to elicit evidence of student understanding
● Teacher circulating to monitor student learning and to offer feedback
● Student assessing their own work against established criteria
● Teacher adjusting instruction in response to evidence of student understanding (or lack of
it)
 Component 3d: Using Assessment in
Instruction
Effective
● Students indicate that they clearly understand the characteristics of high
quality work
● Teacher elicits evidence of student understanding during the lessons
● Students are invited to assess their own work and make improvements
● Feedback includes specific and timely guidance for, at least, groups of
students
● Teacher attempts to engage students in self -or peer- assessment
● When necessary, the teacher makes adjustments to the lesson to enhance
understanding by groups of students
 Component 3d: Using Assessment in
Instruction
Highly Effective
In addition to the characteristics of “effective,”

● Evidence that students have helped establish evaluation criteria

● Teacher monitoring of student understanding is sophisticated and continuous
● Teacher makes frequent use of strategies to elicit information about individual student
understanding
● Feedback to students is specific and timely, and is provided from many sources
● Students monitor their own understanding, either on their own initiative or as a result
of tasks set by teacher
● Teacher’s adjustments to the lesson are designed to assist individual students
 Component 3d: Strategies on Using
Assessment in Instruction
● Printed Assessment Criteria
● Student-made Assessment Example(s)
● Examples of Variety of Assessments ● Common Formative Assessments
(Formative and Summative) ● Monitor/Adjust
● Intermittent Assessment (Thumbs up) ● Data Notebooks (Teacher & Student)
● Backwards Planning ● Teacher Moves (Circulate)
● Rubrics ● Feedback (Clear, Concise, Immediate)
● Exemplars ● Self-reflection/Assessment Instrument
● Exit Tickets ● Examples of Written Feedback to Students
● Peer Editing ● Lesson Plans
● Journal Reflections ● Units of Study
● 3-2-1 Techniques ● Data Driven Instruction
● Socratic Seminar
● Peer Instruction
 Component 3d: Strategies for Using
Assessment in Instruction

Teaching for Understanding

● Exit tickets
● Teacher monitoring
● Planned depth of knowledge
● Prepared questions to engage in robust conversations
Component 3e: Demonstrating Flexibility &
Responsiveness
Elements include:
● Lesson adjustment
● Response to students
● Persistence
Indicators include:
● Incorporation of student interests and events of the day into a lesson
● Visible adjustment in the face of student lack of understanding
● Teacher seizing on a “teachable moment”
Component 3e: Demonstrating Flexibility &
Responsiveness
Effective
● Teacher successfully makes a minor modification to the lesson
● Teacher incorporates students’ interests and questions into the heart
of the lesson
● The teacher conveys to students that she has other approaches to try
when the students experience difficulty
● In reflecting on practice, the teacher cites multiple approaches
undertaken to reach students having difficulty
Component 3e: Demonstrating Flexibility &
Responsiveness
Highly Effective
In addition to the characteristics of “effective,”

● Teacher successfully executes a major lesson readjustment when needed

● Teacher seizes on a teachable moment to enhance a lesson
● The teacher conveys to students that he/she won’t consider a lesson “finished”
until every student understands, and that there is a broad range of approaches to
use
● In reflecting on practice, the teacher can cite others in the school and beyond
who she has contacted for assistance in reaching some students
Component 3e: Demonstrating Flexibility &
Responsiveness
● Lesson Plans
● Differentiation
● KWL/KFA
● Monitor/Adjust
● Rewards/Incentives
● Question & Sentence Stems
● Reflection
● Teacher and/or Peer Observation Form
Component 3e: Demonstrating Flexibility &
Responsiveness
● Look Fors:
○ Frequent check for understanding with immediate response
○ Evidence of differentiation of learning (needs, IEPs, interests, etc.)
● Action:
○ Suggest ways to provide a repertoire of strategies to check for
understanding
○ Gallery walk of other teachers’ classrooms
 Summary of Domain 3
3A Communicating with Clearly state directions for activities
Students Use academic vocabulary

3B Questioning and Discussion Use a set of classroom procedures to support questioning (Cold Call)
Create higher order questions in the lesson plan
Use procedures or class norms to ensure that all students answer and/or
participate in discussions

3C Engaging Students Connect new concepts to prior knowledge

Connect activities to learning goals
Group students to enhance engagement

3D Assessment Use proximity to review student artifacts to check for understanding

Create summary questions connected to the day’s learning goal

3E Flexibility and Re-group students or change activities to address challenges with new material
Responsiveness Provide small group or individual re-teaching support