CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

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

Teacher understands the

content and determines
which elements must be
mastered as a prerequisite
to another.
I include vocabulary slides
in most lessons to introduce
the academic vocabulary
the students need to
understand the lesson.

Evidence
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring
Has basic knowledge of Expands knowledge of
student stages of student development and
development while implements learning
becoming aware of activities in single lessons or
differences in students’ sequence of lessons that
understanding of subject addresses students’
matter. proficiencies and support
understanding of subject
Teaches subject-specific matter including related
3.2 Applying vocabulary following academic language.
knowledge of curriculum guidelines.
student development Provides explicit teaching of
and proficiencies to essential content vocabulary
ensure student and associated academic
understanding of language in single lessons or
subject matter sequence of lessons.
Explains academic language,
formats, and vocabulary to
support student access to
subject matter when
confusions are identified.
Teacher supports student
learning by connecting content
to the students’ prior
experiences (“into” activity
includes connection to prior
lessons or journal prompt
connects new content topic
with students’ personal
experiences)
Evidence:
Students do a writing exercise
where they decide to be a
Loyalist or a Patriot in the
Revolutionary War.
Applying Integrating Innovating
Adapts instruction in Integrates knowledge of Utilizes comprehensive
response to knowledge range of students knowledge of students to
of student development into guide all students to
development and instructional decisions to develop proficiencies,
proficiencies to meet ensure student understand subject
students’ diverse understanding of the matter including related
learning needs. subject matter including academic language.
Ensures understanding related academic
of subject matter language. Engages student at all
including related levels of vocabulary,
academic language. Provides explicit teaching academic language, and
of specific academic proficiencies in self-
Provides explicit language, text structures, directed goal setting,
teaching of essential grammatical, and stylistic monitoring, and
vocabulary, idioms, key language features to improvement. Guides all
words with multiple ensure equitable access students in using analysis
meanings, and to subject matter strategies that provides
academic language in understanding for the equitable access and deep
ways that engage range of student language understanding of subject
students in accessing levels and abilities. matter.
subject matter text or
learning activities.
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

Follows organization of Examines organization of Uses knowledge of Integrates knowledge of Uses extensive
curriculum as provided curriculum and considers curriculum and curriculum and resources knowledge of curriculum
by site and district to adjustments in single student readiness to to organize and adjust and related resources to
support student lessons or sequence of organize and adjust the instruction within and flexibly and effectively
3.3 Organizing understanding of the lessons to support curriculum to ensure across subject matter to organize and adjust
curriculum to subject matter. understanding of subject student understanding. extend student instruction.
facilitate student matter. understanding.
understanding of the Ensures student
subject matter comprehension and
facilitates student
articulation about what
they do and do not
understand.
Teacher can connect
historical events and
literature to current
events. I use a writing
exercise for students
where students write as if
they were at the Boston
Tea Party.

Evidence:

3.4 Utilizing Uses instructional Gathers and uses additional Selects and adapts a Integrates instructional Uses an extensive
instructional strategies that are instructional strategies in variety of instructional strategies appropriate to repertoire of
strategies that are provided in the single lessons or sequence strategies to ensure subject matter to meet instructional strategies to
appropriate to the curriculum. of lessons to increase student understanding students’ diverse develop enthusiasm,
subject matter student understanding of of academic language learning, to ensure meta-cognitive abilities,
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

academic language
appropriate to subject
matter.
appropriate to subject student understanding of and support and
matter and that academic language, and challenge the full range of
addresses students’ guide student in student towards a deep
diverse learning needs. understanding knowledge of subject
connections within and matter.
across subject matter.
Teacher uses
instructional strategies
that enable students to
effectively engage with
the subject matter. I use
Kahoot it! To review
material we are currently
working on. This method
keeps students very
engaged.

Evidence:

3.5 Using and Uses available Explores additional Selects, adapts, and Integrates a wide range of Engages students in
adapting resources, instructional materials, instructional materials, utilizes appropriate adapted resources, identifying and adapting
technologies, and resources, and resources, and technologies instructional materials, technologies, and resources, technologies,
standards-aligned technologies for specific to make subject matter resources, and instructional materials to and standards-aligned
instructional lessons to make subject accessible to students. technologies for meet identified student instructional materials to
materials including matter accessible to concept and skill needs and make subject extend student
adopted materials, to students. Explores how to make development in subject matter accessible to understanding and
make subject matter technological resources matter. Resources students. critical thinking about
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

Identifies technological available to all students. reflect the diversity of subject matter.
resource needs. the classroom and Assists student with
support differentiated equitable access to Ensures that student are
learning of subject materials, resources, and able to obtain equitable
matter. technologies. Seeks access to a wide range of
accessible to all outside resources and technologies through
students Guides students to use support. ongoing links to outside
available print, resources and support.
electronic, and online
subject matter
resources based on
individual needs.
Teacher is knowledgeable
about ways that
technology can support
and enhance students’
learning including the use
of computers, calculators,
internet, video…

When learning about the

Battle of Lexington and
Concord in History I use
video to enhance the
Evidence:
student’s understanding
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

Is aware of students’ Seeks additional information
primary language and describing elements of culture
English language and language proficiencies in
proficiencies based on listening, speaking, reading,
available assessment data. and writing. Uses multiple
measures for assessing English
learners’ performance to
identify gaps in English
3.6 Addressing the language development.
needs of English
learners and student Provides adapted materials Attempts to scaffold content
with special needs to to help English learners using visuals, models, and
provide equitable access content. graphic organizers.
access to the content
Teacher allows English
Learners and other special
needs students to demonstrate
their level of learning using
varied appropriate methods
Identifies language Integrates knowledge of Engages English learners in
proficiencies and English English language assessment of their progress
learner strengths in the development, English in English language
study of language and learners’ strengths and development and in meeting
content. Differentiates assessed needs into English content standards. Supports
instruction using one or language and content students to establish and
more components of instruction. monitor language and
English language content goals.
development to support
English learners.
Develops and adapts Is resourceful and flexible in
Creates and implements instruction to provide a wide the design, adjustment, and
scaffolds to support range of scaffolded support elimination of scaffolds
standards-based for language and content for based on English learners’
instruction using literacy the range of English proficiencies, knowledge,
strategies, SDAIE, and learners. and skills in the content.
content level English
language development in
order for students to
improve language
proficiencies and
understand content.

Evidence:
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging
Has an awareness of the full
range of students identified
with special needs through
data provided by the school.
Attends required meeting
with resource personnel and
3.6 Addressing the families.
needs of English
learners and student
with special needs to
provide equitable
access to the content
Learns about referral
processes for students with
special needs.
Exploring
Seeks additional information
on the full range of students
identified with special needs to
address challenges or supports
in single lessons or sequence of
lessons.
Cooperates with resource
personnel, para-educators, and
families during meetings and
activities in support of learning
plans and goals.
Seeks additional information
on struggling learners and
advanced learners to determine
appropriateness for referral.
Applying Integrating Innovating
Utilizes information on Integrates accommodations, Guides and support the full
the full range of students adaptations, and extensions range of student with special
identified with special to instruction for the full needs to actively engage in
needs to assess strengths range of students with the assessment and monitor
and competencies to special needs to ensure their own strengths,
provide appropriate adequate support and learning needs, and
challenge and challenge. achievement in accessing
accommodations in content.
instruction. Communicates and
collaborates with colleagues, Communicates and
Communicates regularly support staff, and families to collaborates with resource
with resource personnel, ensure consistent personnel, para-educators,
para-educators, and instruction. Supports families, leadership, and
families to ensure that families in positive students in creating a
student services are engagement with school. coordinated program to
provided and progress is optimize success of the full
made in accessing Initiates and monitors range of students with
appropriate content. referral processes and special needs.
follow-up meeting to ensure
Refers students as that students receive Takes leadership at the
needed in a timely and support and/or extended site/district and collaborates
appropriate manner learning that is integrated with resource personnel to
supported with into the core curriculum. ensure the smooth and
documented data over effective implementations of
time, including referral processes.
interventions tried
previous to referral.
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning