FOUNDATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

ELEMENT

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Maslow Before Bloom

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT:

In order to build safe, healthy, welcoming, joyful, anti-racist & culturally and linguistically affirming classroom environments that allow for student learning, educators and evaluators must address the needs of the whole child and work toward social emotional healing from the experiences of the past months. Maslow Before Bloom prioritizes social, emotional, and physical wellness of students and is addressed in DESE Guidance (Aug. 3, 2020) and the BPS Reopening Guidance .

REFLECTION POINTS:

• Does the teacher take time to make a student feel seen by individually address each student (i.e., greeting students by name as they enter, visiting break out, using a connect and engage strategy at the beginning of class)? (CRIOP Connection 1.1; Teacher Rubric II-A-2 Student Engagement, II-B-1 Safe Learning Environment)

• Does the teacher have and invest in relationships with students? (CRIOP Connection Pillar 1; Teacher Rubric II-A-2 Student Engagement, II-B-1 Safe Learning Environment, II-D-3 Access to Knowledge)

• Has the educator modelled healthy self-care behaviors (i.e., processing emotions, time for reflection)? Resources/examples: (elementary) finding a feeling face, (secondary) choosing a word for an emotion, having a secure base , and virtual activity room

• Are teachers aware of physical, social, and emotional health needs and make accommodations accordingly? Are student health concerns elevated to appropriate levels for additional support (i.e., school nurse, SST)?

• Does the educator establish predictable classroom rituals and routines? (I-A-4 Well Structured Lesson, II-B-1 Safe Learning Environment, II-D-1 Clear Expectations)

• Has the educator built trust and established relationships so all students feel safe and supported? (CRIOP Connection: Pillar 1; Teacher Rubric II-B-1 Safe Learning Environment)

• Has the educator provided tiered supports as needed? (II-A-3 Meeting Diverse Needs, II-D-3 Access to Knowledge)

• Has the educator created opportunities to deepen their understanding of their students’ cultural backgrounds? (II-C-1 Respects Differences)

• Does the educator’s instruction of bias and culturally and linguistically affirming ? (CRIOP Connection: Pillar 6; Teacher Rubric: II-C-1 Respects Differences)

• Do students have opportunities for movement and brain breaks?

• Does the teacher include social emotional wellness in their instruction? (CRIOP Connection: 1.1; Teacher Rubric II-B-1 Safe Learning Environment)

Professional Practice & Growth

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT:

Teacher professional learning and growth is at the center of remote instruction, as well as the purpose of the 5-step evaluation cycle. Remote instruction is a learning curve for educators, students and evaluators, so healthy risk-taking in pedagogical approaches and a growth mindset become the hinges of remote instruction. It's important with each observation to ensure that evaluators are recognizing growth in educator's practice from one observation to the next.

REFLECTION POINTS:

• Did the educator try something different in this observation than in previous observations (i.e., a different way of calling on students, a different type of interaction, using the white board or annotation feature in Zoom)? Has their repertoire of remote tools increased over time? (Teacher Rubric: IV-A-1 Reflective Practice, IV-B-1 Professional Learning and Growth)

• Is the educator making progress in school-wide, team or individual focus areas during the observations? (Teacher Rubric IV-A-2 Goal Setting, IV-B-1 Professional Learning)

• Is the educator taking reasonable risks and allowing for trial and error? How is the educator reflecting on their own practice after each lesson and unit? (Teacher Rubric: IV-A-1 Reflective Practice)

• Does the educator reflect on the effectiveness of remote instructional strategies for representing the content, engaging students and assessing student learning? Does the educator use insight gained through this reflection to guide professional development and apply new learning to their practice. (Teacher Rubric: IV-A-1 Reflective Practice)

Student Learning, Growth, and Development

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT:

Despite the learning curve of remote instruction for teachers and students, students must continue to learn by engaging in cognitively demanding tasks and teachers must maintain high expectations for all students. In each observation, look at what the students are doing to see if students are doing the heavy lifting. This can be challenging to observe in a zoom class, which is why a 2-way conversation to debrief the observation becomes critical. Viewing teachers’ asynchronous classwork can give insight into whether the student task is standards-aligned and grade-level.

REFLECTION POINTS:

• Are students doing the cognitive heavy lifting or does the teacher take the wheel (i.e. students are doing the work of the discipline through active inquiry and problem solving). (CRIOP Connection: 4.2; Teacher Rubric: II-A-2 Student Engagement)

• Are there planned opportunities for students to participate and engage in the lesson or does the teacher do all or most of the talking? (Teacher Rubric: II-A-2 Student Engagement)

• Are the student tasks a demonstration of high level learning or compliance based behavior? (Teacher Rubric: II-A-2 Student Engagement)

• Is the educator continuing to assess student progress (despite remote teaching) to measure accomplishment of Student Learning Goal? (Teacher Rubric: I-C-1 Analysis and Conclusions, IV-A-2 Goal Setting)

• Is instructional time maximized so that independent work, such as reading a text and taking notes, is completed asynchronously? Is synchronous time used to maximize students’ opportunities to engage in collaborative learning that requires students to be interdependent upon each other for success? (Teacher Rubric: I-A-4 Well Structured Lesson, I-A-3 Rigorous Standards-Based Unit Design, II-B-2 Collaborative Learning Environment)

STANDARD 1

ELEMENT

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

I-A-1 Subject Matter Knowledge

• Does the teacher demonstrate the use of pedagogical strategies acquired through district provided professional development related to remote instruction?

• Do students demonstrate high levels of cognitive engagement during synchronous learning time through active inquiry, problem solving, and meaningful academic discourse (i.e., in small group breakout sessions, group tasks, and interactive dialogue via Zoom chat or Padlet)? Or, do students engage in tasks that emphasize surface level rote learning or activities that can be complete asynchronously? (CRIOP Connection 4.1, 5.1, 5.3, 5.4)

I-A-2 Child and Adolescent Development

• Does the teacher make physical and psychological safety a foundation for learning? (CRIOP Connection 1.1, 6.1)

• Does the teacher use technology in a developmentally appropriate way so that it is accessible to all students? (CRIOP Connection 4.2)

• Does the teacher balance and structure screen time, movement breaks, and break out room collaboration with developmentally appropriate time allocations?

• Are most students able to maintain attention and focus?

• Are most students able to flow through the activities and learning platforms with a level of familiarity so that accessing the platforms and technology skill do not prevent them from participating in the lesson?

I-A-3 Rigorous Standards-Based Unit Design

• Does the teacher sequence and use synchronous and asynchronous learning time to appropriately teach, scaffold, and reinforce/practice unit content? (CRIOP Connection 4.2, 4.4)

• How does the teacher convey an expectation for all students to achieve the grade-level objectives of rigorous standards-based units while remote? (CRIOP Connection 1.2)

• Does the teacher draw upon students’ requisite knowledge and developmental skills to enable them to complete asynchronous tasks? (CRIOP Connection 4.1, 4.4)

• Do students have the appropriate prior knowledge and developmental skills to complete asynchronous tasks?

I-A-4

Well-

Structured Lessons

• Does the teacher ensure materials, activities and engagement strategies (i.e., 10-minute chunks of time) enable students to work in a remote environment? (CRIOP Connection 3.2)

• Does the teacher anticipate and deliberately plan for technology support and misconceptions? (CRIOP Connection 1.1)

• Does the teacher use available technology to maintain engagement? (CRIOP Connection 1.2, 5.1)

• Does the teacher intentionally plan check-ins with all students to monitor progress and social emotional well-being? (CRIOP Connection 1.1)

• Are remote academic tasks of sufficient rigor, depth, breadth, and relevance? (CRIOP Connection 1.2)

• Does the teacher provide extension opportunities for students who demonstrate advanced skills and/or knowledge of online achievement? (CRIOP Connection 4.2)

• Do students have equitable access to all relevant resources, materials, and instruction with minimal at home support?

• Are barriers to learning surfaced at the beginning of a lesson (ie. physical, social, emotional, technological)? Are appropriate modifications and interventions provided to address these barriers to learning?

• Do students' questions and comments demonstrate an understanding of lesson objectives, expectations and procedures for accessing, completing and submitting remote work? (CRIOP Connection 3.1)

I-B-1.

Variety of Assessment Methods

• Does the teacher use synchronous tools and methods for quick on-the-spot assessment during instruction (i.e., online polling, breakout rooms, teacher/student chats, shared google docs, survey, or visual cues)? (CRIOP Connection 3.1, 5.2)

• Is assessment feedback timely and specific and easily accessible through online learning management platforms or email/messaging so that students are continuously aware of their progress? (CRIOP Connection 1.2, 5.2)

• Are assessments accessible for all students, including accommodations outlined in a 504 or IEP, and is appropriate time allocated for students to complete or resubmit assessments? (CRIOP Connection 3.3)

• Do students receive timely, actionable feedback on their work? Do students know where and how to access this feedback in remote learning platforms?

• Do students have equitable opportunities to demonstrate learning, seek clarification and reveal learning challenges, through student friendly synchronous and asynchronous learning tools?

I-B-2

Adjustments to Practice

• Is the teacher using online tools to capture assessment results in an organized way during on the spot instruction, full class meetings, or break out rooms? (CRIOP Connection 3.1)

• Is the teacher mindful of student engagement during synchronous meetings and adjust approach when engagement is low? (CRIOP 4.1, 4.2, 5.1)

• Does the teacher use online tools to provide flexible, personalized instruction or intervention in order for students to achieve or demonstrate content mastery? (CRIOP Connection 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 6.1)

• Are students offered access to the teacher’s office hours, or other virtual opportunities, in order to receive feedback and understand their own progress toward standards mastery and assessment data? (CRIOP Connection 1.2)

• Do all students receive appropriate support and interventions based on synchronous/asynchronous informal and formal learning data?

I-C-2

Sharing Conclusions With Colleagues

• Does the teacher collaborate with colleagues in appropriate ways using technology to share assessment data (i.e., g-chat, email, zoom)?

• Does the teacher proactively seek feedback and input from staff that supports students with special needs while in a remote setting?

• Does the teacher collaborate with colleagues in how they assess online progress and use data to modify teaching strategies?

• Does the teacher share effective ways to teach material online with colleagues?

• Does the teacher ask students for feedback on the successes and challenges in a remote learning environment and share feedback with colleagues?

I-C-3

Sharing Conclusions with Students and Families

• Does the teacher use available tools to communicate with families (i.e., TalkingPoints, Google Classroom, SeeSaw, Google Translate)?

• Does the teacher seek to understand family and student’s preferred methods of communication and use those methods for family outreach?

• Is the teacher’s communication with students and families content specific and lend to addressing COVID-19 public health concerns as barriers to learning?

• Do students and families have equitable access to student learning data in remote learning platforms?

• Are students and families supported in interpreting this data?

• Are families engaged as partners to develop appropriate supports and interventions designed to meet the individual needs of students while also being flexible and responsive to family contexts?

STANDARD II

ELEMENT

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

II-A-1

Quality of Work and Effort

• Are rubrics and/or exemplars readily available for students to use in synchronous and asynchronous work so that they serve as resources and guidance for assignment expectations? (CRIOP Connection 3.3)

• Does the teacher provide formative feedback on task progress so that students can revise or know that they are ready for the next level of tasks or assignment submission? (CRIOP Connection 1.2, 5.2)

• Are students provided with time during synchronous periods, breakout rooms and office hours to share about their progress on assigned tasks? (CRIOP Connection 3.2)

II-A-2.Student Engagement

• Does the teacher balance synchronous and asynchronous assignments to avoid screen/Zoom fatigue? (CRIOP Connection 1.1, 5.1)

• Does the teacher help students use online tools so that the technology or learning platform does not get in the way of learning or demonstrating content mastery? (CRIOP Connection 3.2)

• Does the lesson include a mix of short discussions, small group chats and projects, video and audio clips and hands-on exercises? (CRIOP Connection 4.5)

• Are students on task, focused and display high levels of effort for the majority of the lesson? High levels of effort may look like, but are not limited to: active listening, note-taking, academic discourse, kinesthetic learning, role-play, designing learning tasks and other 21st century skills, or modeling for peers. Are students using the chat feature, verbally responding in full class as well as breakout rooms, using reaction symbols, and engaging in interactive tools? (CRIOP Connection 4.2, 5.1)

• Does the teacher use participation strategies to actively engage students in live video instruction? (CRIOP Connection 4.2)

II-A-3

Meeting Diverse Needs

• Are lessons “chunked” with ample white spaces, breaking up text with photographs and incorporating color in visual text sections?

• Does the teacher use simple annotations like arrows and text labels to provide visual scaffolding to help direct students’ attention to the aspects that are important in learning materials and help guide learner’s cognitive processes? (CRIOP Connection 4.4)

• Can students demonstrate understanding and self-reflect during both synchronous and asynchronous learning periods? (CRIOP Connection 3.2, 3.4)

II-B-1

Safe Learning Environment

• Does the teacher establish norms for online interactions, including chat and student response forums, in synchronous class meetings, that ensures students adhere to the BPS Acceptable Use policy? (CRIOP Connection 1.1, 1.3)

• Does the teacher respond to inappropriate online behavior of which they are aware? (CRIOP Connection 1.1, 1.3)

• Are students sending messages on chat platforms that are respectful and appropriate at all times? Does the teacher address any inappropriate content as far as the teacher is aware? (CRIOP Connection 1.3)

• Is behavior on screen respectful and appropriate at all times? (CRIOP Connection 1.3)

II-B-2.

Collaborative Learning Environment

• Does the teacher provide opportunities for synchronous and asynchronous collaboration (i.e., use of break out rooms or student interactions on Google Doc, Padlet , Flipgrid, Answer Garden , Pear Deck , Word Clouds , Parlay , NearPod)? (CRIOP Connection 1.4)

• Are the expectations of collaborative tasks clear so that students can get started quickly in a breakout room or small group? (CRIOP Connection 1.4)

• Does the teacher establish a community that nurtures connections by allocating space and time to connect and socialize with peers while remote? (CRIOP Connection 1.3)

• Are student groupings in whole class and break-out rooms designed to ensure work-balance and successful collaboration? (CRIOP Connection 1.4)

• Are student roles and responsibilities in breakout rooms and collaborative times properly balanced so that no student has too much or too little responsibility? (CRIOP Connection 1.4)

II-C-2.

Maintains Respectful Environment

• How does the teacher use routines and procedures for community-building, problem-solving, and repairing harm? (CRIOP Connection 1.1, 1.3)

• Does the teacher use appropriate procedures for identifying and reporting virtual participants who misuse or demonstrate conduct that violates anti-discrimination policies in the virtual learning space?(CRIOP Connection 1.3)

• Are students following routines and using tools and skills to constructively engage with others around subject matter that arises in a pluralistic society? (CRIOP Connection: Pillar 6)

II-D-1.

Clear Expectations

• Are there clear expectations and norms within the synchronous class for participation, attention, and engagement? (CRIOP Connection 1.2)

• Are there predictable routines or cues to help students understand where their attention should be (i.e., a symbol on a PPT refers to a resource on the teacher’s webpage)?

• Are expectations for assignments and deadlines articulated in writing and posted in an established online format? (CRIOP Connection 1.2)

• Are students able to quickly find and submit your work? Is this virtual classroom easy to navigate?

II-D-3.

Access to Knowledge

• Are adaptations to instructional materials and resources accessible via remote-only means? (CRIOP Connection 5.3)

• Do students have a working knowledge of the learning management platforms so that they can access assignments and resources? (CRIOP Connection 1.2)

• Does the teacher ensure access to and provide sufficient wait time for all students to access curriculum resources prior to moving forward in a lesson?

• Does the teacher have an organizational method that's understandable for students (i.e., digital folders to create virtual stations) to support different learning gaps and extensions? (CRIOP Connection 1.2)

• How does the teacher leverage available technology (i.e., district curriculum resources, websites, online resources) to provide multiple modes of access through representation, engagement and expression in the content?

STANDARD III

ELEMENT

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

III-A-1.

Parent/

Family Engagement

• Does the teacher seek to understand family and student’s preferred methods of communication and use those methods for family outreach? (CRIOP Connection 2.2, 2.4)

• Are the teacher’s office hours and contact information accessible for parents so they can get in contact with the teacher by request? (CRIOP Connection 2.3)

• Has the teacher developed genuine relationships with students and families and guardians to keep up motivation and ensure that students work through and complete assignments? (CRIOP Connection 2.1)

• Has the teacher selected a communications solution that combines both video meetings and messaging? (CRIOP Connection 2.2)

• Do families feel connected and informed about how to support students at home? (CRIOP Connection 2.3)

• Are families enabled to participate in the learning process in a manner that does not create undue stress or frustration? (CRIOP Connection 2.2, 2.3)

III-B-2.

Curriculum Support

• Does the teacher use the parents preferred method of communication to share learning standards and expectations for the class? (CRIOP Connection 2.4)

• Has the teacher established a structure of weekly lessons and activities to assist parents and guardians in supporting students work completion? (CRIOP Connection 2.1, 2.3)

• Are families able to access all materials and resources necessary for students to successfully engage in the remote learning platform and for families to support learning at home?

• Are families enabled to participate in the learning process in a manner that does not create excessive stress, worry or frustration? (CRIOP Connection 2.2, 2.3)

III-C-1.Two-way Communication

• Does the teacher initiate dialogue with parents in preferred methods of communication and use a wide range of communication strategies to solicit feedback? (CRIOP Connection 2.4)

• Does the teacher adapt their communication strategy to ensure parents receive communication? (CRIOP Connection 2.2)

• Has the teacher established a structure for regular check-ins with parents and guardians? (CRIOP Connection 2.1)

• Do families have the ability to communicate with their student’s teacher in a manner that is easily accessible to them? (CRIOP Connection 2.3)

STANDARD

ELEMENT

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

IV-A-2.

Goal Setting

• Do teacher goals address opportunity gaps that impact student access, growth and development in remote learning environments?

• Do the teacher's goals address student needs in a remote learning environment?

IV-B-1

Professional Learning

• Is the teacher self-directed in acquiring appropriate knowledge and skills through virtual or in-person professional development to meet students’ needs in a remote environment?

• Does the teacher use district and school professional learning around remote instruction in his/her practice?

• Does the teacher seek support and/or professional resources when faced with challenges related to remote instruction?

IV-C-1

Professional Collaboration

• Is professional culture carried out and/or enhanced in virtual collaborative meetings?

• Does the teacher’s presence in a virtual or in-person meeting alter the outcomes in a positive way?

IV-F-1

Judgment

• Does the teacher ensure student confidentiality during remote instruction, including student records, IEPs, and student discipline, and students with disabilities and English learner needs?

IV-F-2

Reliability and Responsibility

• Does the teacher maintain up-to-date online information for students, parents and supervisors (i.e., zoom links, contact information)?

• Does the teacher regularly and punctually attend virtual classes, office hours, and tutorials?

• Does the teacher honor start and end times?

• Is the teacher consistently fulfilling the professional responsibilities and job duties outlined in the CBA and MOU?