Quality Teaching Practices
Resource Guidebook
Quality Teaching Practices are best implemented in a way that is culturally responsive and sustaining.
Cultural Proficiency is a mindset that encompasses explicit values, language, and standards for effective personal interactions and professional practices at all times.
Culturally proficient educators ensure lessons are designed to value and respect the cultural identity of the learner and her or his family and friends.
Culturally proficient educators recognize students’ cultural displays of learning and meaning making. They use cultural knowledge as a scaffold to connect what the student knows to new concepts.
Culturally proficient educators are constantly aware of the critical role that cultural identity and cultural perceptions play in the dynamics of the classroom environment.
Strategies that support QTPs are...
Grounded in standards
Tied to explicit learning objectives
Implemented alongside other Quality Teaching Practices
Authentic and relevant to students’ lived experiences
Begin with a Learning Objective- Write, post, and (most importantly) talk about the learning objective with students so they know what they should be attempting to learn.
Identify Success Criteria- Set clear expectations for learning and mastery with success criteria. Success criteria can be co-constructed with students.
Student Articulation of the Learning Objective- To help develop clarity of understanding of the learning objective, engage students in articulating the learning objective.
Use Non-Verbal Representations- Non-verbal representations help develop clear understanding. To help students understand, use tools such as pictures, charts, graphic organizers, concept maps and diagrams.
Connect- Verbalize how new ideas and content build on prior instruction or students’ prior knowledge.
Explicitly Teach and Monitor Strategies- Introduce strategies or content in a strategically sequenced way using a series of supports and scaffolds. Provide clear explanations and demonstrations of the learning objective.
Provide Direct Instruction- Structure and sequence instruction, using modeling and checking for understanding. Engage students in guided practice by working through activities or tasks that are directly related to the learning objective.
Clarity of Purpose
Strategies
Use this Quality Teaching Practice to provide clear direction in learning, goal setting, and effort.
Focus on Mastery
Strategies
Use Multiple Modalities- Consider the prior knowledge, backgrounds, and interests of your students. Offer multiple ways and varied experiences to engage with the learning objective or content.
Prompt for Depth of Understanding- During instruction, use prompts that push students to higher levels of understanding. Connect to the learning objective and consider the learning modality.
Build Ownership of Critical Vocabulary- Building students’ vocabulary contributes greatly to academic success. Ensure all students have multiple opportunities to practice essential vocabulary during instruction.
Gradual Release of Responsibility- Use a gradual release of responsibility approach to support successful practice and student mastery.
Guided Practice- Prepare students to successfully work independently.
Monitor Independent Work- When students are working independently, carefully monitor to ensure students are practicing successfully. Provide immediate assistance when an important aspect of the lesson has been misunderstood to prevent incorrect practice.
Build Student Capacity to Self Monitor- Give students tools to check their own independent work. Allow students to self-assess and determine progress towards learning objectives as they move towards mastery.
Formative Evaluation- Provide instruction and feedback during the lesson rather than at the end of a lesson or series of lessons.
Use this Quality Teaching Practice to create purposeful instruction and provide opportunities for students to develop deep understanding.
Use this quality teaching practice to engage all learners in productive struggle.
Meaning Making- Whether during guided practice, group work, partnerships, or independent practice, use relevant specific strategies with the goal of improving performance and understanding.
Self Verbalization/ Self Questioning- Ask students to self-verbalize and self-question in order to deepen understanding.
Concept Mapping- Students can create graphic representations of the learning and its connection to other concepts. Concept mapping serves as both a flexible tool for students and as an evaluation tool for educators.
Reciprocal Teaching- In reciprocal teaching students learn to lead a dialogue.
Classroom Discussion: Invite students to speak about the topic at hand by asking open-ended questions.
Jigsaw- The jigsaw technique is a cooperative learning approach that makes students dependent on each other to succeed and puts students in the expert seat.
Questioning- Ask questions to provide students with opportunities to think about, discuss, and experience the learning.
Productive Struggle- Allow students time for productive struggle that will deepen understanding.
Collaborative Poster- Have students work in groups of 3 or 4 for this activity. Give students the poster topic/concept/idea connected to the learning objective.
4 Corners Debate- Post a prompt and provide think time. Display the following opinions, one in each corner:
Strongly Agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly Disagree
Active Participation
Strategies
Use this Quality Teaching Practice to understand, validate, and support students’ social, emotional, and academic needs in the moment.
Quick Response- Use a system to check every students’ level of understanding efficiently by having them respond in unison.
Question and Collect- Check for understanding frequently by questioning, listening attentively, and keeping track of what students understand.
Objective Driven Discussion- Check for understanding by engaging students in group discussions and partner talks focused upon the lesson objective.
Lift or Shift- In the moment, provide feedback and adjust instruction to correct misconceptions and affirm accurate responses.
Keep Track- Use a tool such as a checklist, matrix, or note-taking grid.
Feedback- Feedback can be provided for academic, social, and behavioral expectations.
Conferring- Conferring is a great way to check for understanding and provide feedback by engaging in a conversation with a student. Conferring is not about fixing a student’s work, but rather about deepening understanding and developing agency.
Check for Understanding
& Provide Feedback
Strategies
Reflect and Revise
Strategies
Use this Quality Teaching Practice to build critical awareness, confidence, and agency in order to help students construct meaning.
Self Verbalization- Ask students to self-verbalize in order to deepen understanding. To get students to self-verbalize, direct them to talk to themselves about the task or concept.
Self Questioning- Ask students to self-question in order to deepen understanding. To get students to self-question, direct them to ask themselves questions about the information they are encountering.
Self Reflection- Self-reflection is critical to developing independence and helps students understand where they were and where they are now in relation to the learning.
Strategy Monitoring- Strategy Monitoring is a metacognitive practice whereby a student monitors her or his own strategies to complete a task.
Rubrics/ Checklists/ Scoring Guides- Guide students to use checklists, rubrics, and scoring guides to:
Cognitive Routines- Guide students to use cognitive routines to process information and solidify understanding.
Click here to see the full slide decks for each QTP.