Ideas for Documenting TKES Standard 3: Instructional Strategies

Instructional Strategies: The teacher promotes student learning by using research-based instructional strategies relevant to the content to engage students in active learning and to facilitate the students’ acquisition of key knowledge and skills.

1. Engages students in active learning and maintains interest
1. An essay that encompasses your overall emphasis in student engagement and mastery of standards.
2. Lesson plans that show standard, concept, practice, and application of new ideas.
3. Examples and lesson plans of how the lesson builds on students' prior knowledge.
4. Pictures or copies of handouts of how you maintained students' interest
2. Builds upon students’ existing knowledge and skills
1. Lesson plans that consistently show activating students' prior knowledge
2. An essay that would detail how you regularly build on your students' pre-existing knowledge and skills.
3. Examples of handouts/worksheets that show scaffolding of knowledge
4. A list of the different ways you activate students' prior knowledge
3. Reinforces learning goals consistently throughout the lesson
1. Lesson plans that detail how the learning goal is reinforced throughout the lesson
2. Examples of depth of knowledge questions used during a lesson.
3. Words, sequencing, or structure that shows your regular reinforcing of the lesson.
4. Uses a variety of research-based instructional strategies and resources
1. Lesson plans that show differentiation of content, process, and/or product (differentiation can be one, two, or all three of those; additionally, it can be differentiated groups, locations, environment, etc.)
2. Provide pictures of differentiated classroom.
3. Lesson plans that detail acceleration and remediation
4. Lesson plans that show pacing, transitions, and expectations.
5. List of instructional strategies used for that learning goal (use the "75 Instructional Strategies" or the "Nine Most Effective Instructional Strategies" links for ideas)
5. Effectively uses appropriate instructional technology to enhance student learning
1. Examples (list) of technology used in learning goals and how they were used.
2. Lesson plans listing technology used for that lesson.
3. Examples of SmartBoard pages used for lesson
4. Examples of handouts, visuals, non-linguistic representations which help supplement learning
6. Communicates and presents material clearly, and checks for understanding
1. Examples of handouts, visuals, pictures, links that have been used to supplement students' learning.
2. Examples of the aural, visual, and kinesthetic means used to supplement students' learning.
3. Essay: 3.6; Checks for Understanding
4. Lesson plans showing depth of knowledge questions and sequencing of lesson
7. Develops higher-order thinking through questioning and problem-solving activities
1. Lesson plans detailing the sequencing of material for a learning goal; list higher order thinking questions, problem solving activities, and grouping activities; be sure to state how and why the students are grouped in the way they are.
2. Provide pictures with explanation of problem solving activities
8. Engages students in authentic learning by providing real-life examples and interdisciplinary connections
1. If you link your subject to real life examples or other subjects, this should be easy. Provide a copy of the program, the study guide, the other subject's connection to yours, etc.
2. Provide lesson plans of the integration of the interdisciplinary connections
3. Provide pictures of the out-of-classroom (real life) connectedness.

TKES/TAPS Teacher information for evaluation

I decided that I would have copies of the TAPS (Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards) information at my area in preparation for the first observation.  I copied the standards and each element for Standard 3 & 7 and then underlined the parts I wanted to ensure I mentioned during the observation.  While I would normally say or have the students demonstrate 90% of this anyway, I want to hit 100%.

To that end, I had a copy of the Depth of Knowledge section from my lesson plans with questions for levels 1, 2, 3, & 4 highlighted (so that I could see the easily), then overlaid a copy of Standards 3 & 7 with the specific elements underlined.  It looks like this:

This is the lesson plan format I created last year to prepare for TKES.  Each line/element is a drop down field where I can create a TKES/TAPS complete and compatible lesson plan for a class in <1 minute.  You can see it here, but you can also see it at my online portfolio (here) or in my Keys to Successful Teacher Assessment (here),

Evidence for 3.6

Standard 3: Instructional Strategies, Element 6: Communicates and presents material clearly, and checks for understanding.

Some of the elements could be problematic in providing a hard copy for evidence and documentation.  I started thinking outside of the box - a little - to see how I could accomplish some of the more difficult elements.  

For 3.6, as an example for presenting material clearly, I put a copy of 

1. A handout (diagram) I created to help clarinet players understand the relationship of the "pinky keys" for the upper and lower registers.  In essence, it clearly portrays the note names for each key in the low register and the upper register when the register key is pressed.  (Handout can be seen here)
2. I included an "Articulation Chart" which I use to visually represent the length and volume of different articulations.
3. Example of a brass valve instrument's descending chromatic fingering pattern
4. An example of instructions for beginning saxophone students on instrument assembly, sitting position, hand position, embouchure, and instrument care.  (Handout can be seen here)

As an example for checks for understanding, I put a copy of 

1. A lesson plan which includes depth of knowledge (DOK) questions
2. An example from the book when I used DOK use
3. An essay entitled: Checks for Understanding.  (Portions of the essay can be seen here)

Because we have been told specifically that the evaluator has to see each element in action, see each element in a lesson plan, &/or see each element documented, I concluded that it is safe to include handouts - and Essays - detailing how I accomplish each element.