Focus:​ ​Classroom​ ​Environment
Topic Looking​ ​For:
Learning ● Lesson​ ​Essential​ ​Questions​ ​are
posted​ ​and​ ​easily​ ​visible​ ​for​ ​all
students.
● Evidence​ ​of​ ​small​ ​group
teaching​ ​(small​ ​group​ ​table,
area,​ ​etc.).
● Evidence​ ​of​ ​student-created
anchor​ ​charts.
● Evidence​ ​of​ ​student-created
graphic​ ​organizers.
● Evidence​ ​of​ ​vocabulary/word
walls.
● Students​ ​are​ ​arranged​ ​to
promote​ ​collaboration.
Climate ● Evidence​ ​of​ ​routines​ ​and
procedures
● Positive​ ​Teacher-Student
rapport​ ​is​ ​established
● Positive​ ​Student-Student
rapport​ ​is​ ​established
● Evidence​ ​of​ ​communication
of​ ​high​ ​expectations​ ​(level​ ​of
questioning,​ ​assignments,
etc.)
Interaction ● Students​ ​are​ ​engaged​ ​with
the​ ​environment,​ ​each​ ​other,
and​ ​the​ ​curriculum
● Teachers​ ​use​ ​structures​ ​to
create​ ​collaborative
opportunities​ ​(i.e.​ ​Kagan
Structure,​ ​Numbered​ ​Heads,
Collaborative​ ​Pairs)
● Teacher​ ​is​ ​allowing​ ​students
to​ ​do​ ​most​ ​of​ ​the​ ​talking​ ​and
thinking
Potential​ ​Questions:
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​determine​ ​the
lesson​ ​essential​ ​question​ ​and
how​ ​do​ ​you​ ​use​ ​it​ ​with​ ​your
students?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​meet​ ​the​ ​needs
of​ ​all​ ​students?
● What​ ​are​ ​the​ ​purposes​ ​of​ ​the
anchor​ ​charts​ ​you​ ​have
posted?​ ​How​ ​do​ ​students
use​ ​them?
● What​ ​are​ ​the​ ​purposes​ ​of​ ​the
graphic​ ​organizers​ ​being
used?​ ​How​ ​do​ ​students​ ​use
them?
● How​ ​does​ ​your​ ​word​ ​wall
help​ ​students​ ​learn?
● How​ ​are​ ​student's​ ​desks
arranged​ ​in​ ​your​ ​classroom?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​use​ ​routines
and​ ​procedures​ ​to
manage​ ​student
behaviors?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​promote
positive​ ​interaction
between​ ​students?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​facilitate
positive​ ​student
interactions?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​facilitate
positive​ ​student
interactions?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​ensure
student​ ​engagement
during​ ​the​ ​lesson?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​monitor​ ​the
conversations​ ​when
students​ ​are​ ​collaborating
with​ ​each​ ​other?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​perceive​ ​your
role​ ​as​ ​a​ ​facilitator​ ​of
learning?
 Focus:​ ​Curriculum
Looking​ ​For:
● Lesson​ ​plans​ ​are​ ​available​ ​and
current
● Lesson​ ​plans​ ​are​ ​complete
● Instructional​ ​activities​ ​match​ ​lesson
plans
● Instructional​ ​activities​ ​are​ ​planned
according​ ​to​ ​data
Focus:​ ​Lesson​ ​Essential​ ​Questions
Looking​ ​For:
● LEQ​ ​is​ ​written​ ​to​ ​make​ ​students​ ​think
at​ ​a​ ​high​ ​level​ ​and​ ​is​ ​aligned​ ​to​ ​the
learning​ ​goals​ ​and​ ​the​ ​assignment
● LEQ​ ​is​ ​provided​ ​to​ ​students​ ​and
referred​ ​to​ ​throughout​ ​the​ ​lesson​ ​to
reinforce​ ​and​ ​connect​ ​parts​ ​of​ ​the
lesson​ ​being​ ​studied
Focus:​ ​Strategies
Looking​ ​For:
● Strategies​ ​are​ ​research-based​ ​or
evidence-based
● Evidence​ ​of​ ​activating​ ​strategies
● Graphic​ ​organizers​ ​are​ ​selected
according​ ​to​ ​how​ ​they​ ​can​ ​help
students
● Anchor​ ​charts​ ​are​ ​student​ ​friendly,
reflect​ ​current​ ​content​ ​and​ ​are​ ​easily
visible​ ​by​ ​all​ ​students
● Assessment​ ​prompts​ ​are​ ​used
throughout​ ​the​ ​lesson
● Summarizing​ ​is​ ​being​ ​done
throughout​ ​the​ ​lesson
Potential​ ​Questions:
● What​ ​is​ ​your​ ​process​ ​for​ ​planning?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​address​ ​questions​ ​and
suggestions​ ​from​ ​administrative
review​ ​of​ ​lesson​ ​plans?
● How​ ​do​ ​your​ ​instructional​ ​activities
correlate​ ​with​ ​what​ ​was​ ​originally
planned?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​adjust​ ​instruction​ ​when
data​ ​is​ ​reviewed?
Potential​ ​Questions:
● How​ ​will​ ​students​ ​answer​ ​the​ ​Lesson
Essential​ ​Question?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​remind​ ​students​ ​of​ ​goals,
essential​ ​questions,​ ​etc.?
Potential​ ​Questions:
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​choose​ ​your​ ​strategies?
Are​ ​they​ ​research​ ​or​ ​evidence​ ​based?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​activate​ ​learning?
● How​ ​are​ ​students​ ​using​ ​graphic
organizers?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​determine​ ​what​ ​anchor
charts​ ​are​ ​created​ ​and​ ​displayed?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​use​ ​information​ ​gathered
from​ ​the​ ​assessment​ ​prompts?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​implement​ ​summarizing
throughout​ ​the​ ​lesson?
 Focus:​ ​Assignment
Looking​ ​For:
● Assignments​ ​reflect​ ​grade​ ​level
expectation
● Assignments​ ​match​ ​learning​ ​goals
● Lesson​ ​activities​ ​prepare​ ​students​ ​for
the​ ​assignment
● Assignments​ ​have​ ​a​ ​literacy​ ​focus
● Appropriate​ ​for​ ​time​ ​of​ ​year
● Evidence​ ​of​ ​rubrics
Focus:​ ​Assessment
Looking​ ​For:
● Evidence​ ​of​ ​formative​ ​assessment
● Evidence​ ​of​ ​summative​ ​assessment
● Evidence​ ​of​ ​teacher​ ​response​ ​to
formative​ ​and​ ​summative​ ​data
● Student​ ​have​ ​knowledge​ ​of:
○ ​ ​Where​ ​am​ ​I​ ​going?
○ Where​ ​am​ ​I​ ​now?
○ How​ ​am​ ​I​ ​going​ ​to​ ​get​ ​there?
● Assessment​ ​prompt​ ​questions/tasks
require​ ​higher​ ​order​ ​thinking
Potential​ ​Questions:
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​ensure​ ​students​ ​are​ ​able
to​ ​complete​ ​on-grade​ ​level
assignments?
● How​ ​does​ ​your​ ​assignment
demonstrate​ ​understanding​ ​of​ ​the
learning​ ​goals?
● How​ ​do​ ​your​ ​instructional​ ​activities
prepare​ ​students​ ​for​ ​the​ ​assignment?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​promote​ ​literacy
(especially​ ​writing)​ ​in​ ​your
assignments?
● Is​ ​the​ ​assignment​ ​appropriate​ ​for​ ​the
time​ ​of​ ​year​ ​(increasing
rigor/complexity)?
● How​ ​are​ ​rubrics​ ​used​ ​with​ ​students​ ​to
guide​ ​expectations?
Potential​ ​Questions:
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​formatively​ ​assess​ ​your
students?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​use​ ​summative
assessments​ ​with​ ​your​ ​students?
How/when​ ​are​ ​summative
assessments​ ​administered?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​access​ ​and​ ​respond​ ​to
data?
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​ensure​ ​your​ ​students
know​ ​what​ ​success​ ​looks​ ​like?
● What​ ​is​ ​an​ ​example​ ​of​ ​an​ ​Assessment
Prompt​ ​in​ ​your​ ​lesson​ ​that​ ​requires
higher​ ​order​ ​thinking?
 Focus:​ ​Student​ ​Learning
Looking​ ​For:
● Students​ ​are​ ​mentally​ ​engaged–​ ​not
worksheet​ ​engagement
● Students​ ​have​ ​multiple​ ​opportunities
to​ ​summarize​ ​via​ ​writing​ ​or​ ​discussion
● Students​ ​are​ ​grouped/paired​ ​during
instruction
● Students​ ​are​ ​grouped/paired​ ​during
instruction
● Student​ ​make​ ​real-world​ ​connections
to​ ​learning
● Students​ ​know​ ​why​ ​they​ ​need​ ​to​ ​learn
concepts​ ​being​ ​taught
Potential​ ​Questions:
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​know​ ​if​ ​your​ ​students​ ​are
learning?
● How​ ​do​ ​students​ ​learn​ ​to​ ​summarize
in​ ​your​ ​class?
● Do​ ​student​ ​grouping​ ​patterns​ ​support
learning?​ ​Explain.
● Do​ ​students​ ​ask​ ​questions​ ​of
themselves,​ ​you,​ ​and​ ​each​ ​other?
Explain.
● How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​connect​ ​learning​ ​to​ ​the
real​ ​world?
● How​ ​do​ ​students​ ​know​ ​why​ ​they​ ​need
to​ ​learn​ ​concepts?