CCSS in the Classroom:
How do we know?
Linda L. Jordan
Senior Implementation Advisor
The International Center for
Leadership in Education
Agenda
Welcome
Elements of
Effective
Instruction
Closing
Collaborative
Instructional
Review Process
Relationship Building
How would you describe the relationships in
your building between the following groups?
Staff to Staff
Staff to Student
Staff to Administration
Staff to Parent
Staff to Community
Staff to Student
Learning Outcomes
•
Define a common voice and expectations for
rigorous, relevant, and engaging instruction.
• Provide standards-aligned, rigorous, and
relevant instructional support to instructional
leaders.
• Engage in a collaborative process with staff
to align lesson planning and delivery to
higher standards.
.
OUR FOCUS
Having ONE Voice - Sharing the
message/the focus
It’s about Instruction
– Using Common Vocabulary
– Talking about Student Learning &
Instruction
– Being Collaborative, Not Evaluative
Elements of
an Effective Lesson
Elements
1.
2.
3.
4.
Define
Plan and Prepare
Teach
Reflect
Define
• Lesson Title:
• Subject:
• Grade Level:
• Lesson Description:
• Lesson Duration:
• Outcomes: (enduring understandings,
essential questions, or guiding themes)
Lesson Delivery
1. Introduction – Do Now and Opening
2. Lesson Flow – Quad D, Gradual
Release, Problem Solving, Close
Reading
3. Closing – Reflection and Next Steps
Teach
1. Lesson Introduction
2. Flow(Teach)
Quad D Format
• Multiple short segments of instruction:
• Quad D Model:
• Investigate• Justify• Real World Application• Checks for Understanding/Feedback:
• Differentiation:
• Application:
3. Lesson Closure
• Assessment:
• Homework/Extension/Home Connection:
Two Key Areas to Focus On
Introduction
Closing
Introduction
• How will you engage students?
• Which instructional strategies will you
use?
• What is the vocabulary that will be
needed?
• What are your goals?
Closing
• How will you end the lesson?
• Last 5 minutes of the lesson
• Reflection/processing to raise rigor and
relevance
• Align to standards
• Assessment
Lesson Flow
Many models for lesson
design/delivery
4 Examples
Gradual Release
I do
We do
You do
Close Reading
FIRST
READING
Read for general understanding.
SECOND
READING
Dig deeper into language and ideas.
THIRD
READING
Synthesize information and cite
evidence.
Close Reading
Teach Academic Vocabulary
Multiple Reading
Text-Based Question/Academic
.
Discussion
Problem Solving
INTRODUCTION
Establish a purpose.
EXPLORATION
Engage in the problem.
SUMMARIZATION
Connect new thinking.
Quadrant D
Investigate
Justify
Real World Application
Collaborative Instructional
Review Process
The Conversation is the
Relationship
A Formative Process
• Focuses on students
• Helps guide the thinking and the work of
instructional planning
• Uses the data to inform and guide professional
dialogue
• Helps professionals make decisions about
increasing rigor, relevance, and student
engagement in lessons
• Collaborative, Not Evaluative
What do you remember about
the
Rigor/Relevance Framework?
Rigor/Relevance Framework
TM
6
5
4
3
2
1
1
2
3
4
5
Rigor/Relevance Framework
Evaluation
TM
6
“Judge the
Outcome”
Adaptation
Knowledge Taxonomy
Assimilation
Synthesis
5
“Putting Together”
Analysis
Students have the competence, that when confronted
with perplexing unknowns they are able to use their
extensive knowledge base and skills to create unique
solutions and take action that further develops their
skills and knowledge.
Student Thinks
Student Thinks and Works
(Relationships Important)
(Relationships Important)
4
“Taking Apart”
Application
Students extend and refine their knowledge
so they can use it automatically and
routinely to analyze and solve problems and
create solutions
3
“Making use of
Knowledge”
Comprehension
2
“Confirming”
Knowledge
Acquisition
1
“Information
Gathering”
Relevance
Makes Rigor
Happen!
Application
Students gather and store bits of knowledge and
information and are expected to remember or
understand this acquired knowledge.
Teacher Works
Students use acquired knowledge to solve problems,
design solutions, and complete work. The highest level of
application is to apply appropriate knowledge to new and
unpredictable situations.
Student Works
(Relationship of little Importance)
(Relationships Important)
1
2
3
4
5
Knowledge in ????
Discipline
Apply Knowledge in
???? Discipline
Apply Knowledge
Across Disciplines
Apply Knowledge to
Real World
Predictable Situations
Apply Knowledge to
Real World
Unpredictable
Situations
Application Model
CONSIDER….
Who is doing the work?
Who is doing the thinking?
Student Roles
Collaborating to Increase
Instructional Effectiveness
80/20 Rule
80%
observing/listening to what the
students are doing and saying
20%
observing/listening to the
instructional design
Rubric Overview
Share out
big
ideas/questions/observations
RIGOR


Evidence of Rigor
Build effective instruction based on rigorous and relevant expectations (DSEI Teaching Element #1)
Plan and provide learning experiences using effective research-based strategies that are embedded
with best practices, including the use of technology (DSEI Teaching Element #4)
Thoughtful Work
Lesson intentionally prepares students to complete a range of high-quality learning tasks.


Student Learning

Instructional
1 - Beginning
Students demonstrate
their learning by
completing tasks that
require critical thinking
skills such as
knowledge/awareness
and comprehension.
Most tasks focus on
responding to textbooks
or content through
answering recall-type
questions.
Learning task results in
one standard type of
work product to



2 - Developing
Students

demonstrate their
learning by
completing tasks
that require
application and
analysis.
There are
opportunities for
students to

demonstrate
mastery through
learning tasks that
require them to
apply knowledge
and analyze
content.
Learning task

includes a one or
more work products
3 - Meeting
Students regularly
complete learning
tasks that
demonstrate their
ability to analyze,
synthesize, and/or
evaluate new
instructional
content.
Tasks include the
opportunity for
students to respond
to content using
creativity, originality,
and/or adaptation.
Learning task
provides students
with options for self-
Build effective instruction based on rigorous and relevant expectations (DSEI Teaching Element #1)
Plan and provide learning experiences using effective research-based strategies that are embedded with best practices,
including the use of technology (DSEI Teaching Element #4)
High-Level Questioning
Lesson provides opportunities for students to respond to a range of questions that increase in rigor and levels of thinking.
1 - Beginning

Student
Learning


Instructional
Design
2 - Developing
3 - Meeting
Students respond to

questions that mainly
focus on critical thinking
skills such as basic recall,
retell, and/or
comprehension.
Few students ask
questions, and most

questions asked focus on
basic knowledge or
comprehension of content.
Students respond to

questions that
demonstrate a range of
levels of thinking, including
questions that require
application and analysis of
information.
Students have
opportunities to ask

questions during the
lesson and most questions
are relational or
application-based,
focusing on why and
cause and effect.
Students fully explain and
justify their thinking when
responding to questions that
demonstrate a range of
levels of thinking, including
questions that require
synthesis and evaluation of
information.
During the lesson, students
generate questions about
content that demonstrate
rigorous independent
thinking.
Lesson mainly includes

questions at the
comprehension level,
and/or not all students are
required to respond to each
question.
Lesson includes

questions at a range of
levels, but not all students
are required to respond to
each question.
Lesson is designed to
carefully support students in
moving to higher levels of
thinking (such as justifying
responses with evidence),
ensuring that all students
have an opportunity to
respond.
Evidence of Rigor
Build effective instruction based on rigorous and relevant expectations (DSEI Teaching Element #1)
Plan and provide learning experiences using effective research-based strategies that are embedded with best practices,
including the use of technology (DSEI Teaching Element #4)
Academic Discussion
Lesson includes opportunities for students to engage in vocabulary-rich academic conversation with
peers.
1 - Beginning
2 - Developing
3 - Meeting


Student Learning

Instructional Design
Student conversation

mainly remains at the
retell level, mostly using
everyday language,
with little to no evidence
of academic or domainspecific vocabulary.

Student conversation
focuses on a variety of
topics, with each
student offering his/her
own thinking, without
building on thoughts
offered by peers.
Student conversation

includes a combination
of retelling, analysis,
and/or stating a claim
and defending it with
evidence.
Students provide
explanations or
evidence of their
thinking and respond
to their peers’

discussions.
Lesson mostly

structures discussion as
teacher-led, with the
majority of
conversations as
Lesson structures
discussion as a mix of
teacher-led and peerto-peer with the
teacher facilitating the

Students engage with
peers in daily
academic
conversations focused
on analysis, synthesis,
and evaluation of
content-driven topic,
using academic
language to express
their thinking.
Students support their
ideas with concrete
explanations and
evidence,
paraphrasing as
appropriate, and build
on or challenge the
ideas of others.
Lesson mostly
structures discussion
as independent peerto-peer. The teacher
facilitates and redirects
Relevance



Evidence of Relevance
Build effective instruction based on rigorous and relevant expectations. (DSEI Element #1)
Possess and continue to develop content area knowledge to make it relevant to the learner (DSEI
Element #3)
Plan and provide learning experiences using effective research-based strategies that are embedded
with best practices. (DSEI Element #4)
Meaningful Work
Lesson requires students to complete relevant, real-world tasks that connect to tasks typically completed
in related careers.
1 - Beginning
2 - Developing
3 - Meeting
 Student work is
 Students think critically  Students think critically
procedural and
about content and
about content and
structured, reflecting a
apply information
apply information
basic understanding of
learned to address a
learned to address a
information learned
specific task. Student
range of crossduring the lesson/unit.
work demonstrates
disciplinary tasks.
 Student work focuses
originality.
Student work
on class-specific
 Student work requires
demonstrates
Student Learning
content with an
application of
creativity and
emphasis on building
knowledge learned
originality.
skills, developing
during the lesson/unit.  Student work requires
comprehension, or
real-world predictable
other foundational skills.
and/or unpredictable
application that has a
direct connection to a
career in the related
field of study.
 Lesson provides
 Lesson provides
 Lesson provides
students an opportunity
students an
students an
to demonstrate
opportunity to
opportunity to select
Instructional Design
foundational
complete a specific
from a range of real-
Evidence of Relevance
Build effective instruction based on rigorous and relevant expectations. (DSEI Element #1)
Possess and continue to develop content area knowledge to make it relevant to the learner (DSEI Element
#3)
Plan and provide learning experiences using effective research-based strategies that are embedded with
best practices. (DSEI Element #4)
Authentic Resources
Lesson includes a range of sources of information and requires students to use information from sources
with relevant, real-world tasks.
1 - Beginning
2 - Developing
3 - Meeting


Student Learning

Instructional Design
Students mainly engage 
with the textbook as the
source of information
for the lesson and/or
unit.
Students mainly use the
textbook to complete
classroom tasks
focused on knowledge 
in one discipline.
Students engage with
the textbook as a
primary source of
information for the
lesson and/or unit,
using supplementary
resources to support
textbook information.
Students use the
textbook and
supplementary
resources to complete
some relevant, realworld tasks.


Lesson is structured
around an essential
understanding/
question and includes
opportunities for

Lesson relies on the
textbook as the main
source of information.
The unit/lesson is
organized around the

Students engage with
multiple sources of
information during a
lesson/unit, including
primary sources,
secondary sources,
textbooks, and media
resources.
Students use multiple
sources of information
to conduct
comparisons, analysis,
argument, research,
and other relevant,
real-world tasks.
Lesson is structured
around an essential
understanding/
question and relies on
multiple authentic texts
Evidence of Relevance
Build effective instruction based on rigorous and relevant expectations. (DSEI Element #1)
Possess and continue to develop content area knowledge to make it relevant to the learner (DSEI Element
#3)
Plan and provide learning experiences using effective research-based strategies that are embedded with
best practices. (DSEI Element #4)
Learning Connections
Lesson includes a variety of opportunities for students to make connections between what they are
learning and real-world applications.
1 - Beginning
2 - Developing
3 - Meeting


Student Learning

Instructional Design
Students seldom have
the opportunity to
engage in content that
has explicit connection
to real-world
application.
Some students may
attempt to make
connections between
content learned and
real-world application,
but these connections
are volunteered rather
than included as part of
the lesson.
Lesson provides
appropriate content but
does not make explicit
connections to realworld application.



Students occasionally 
engage in content that
has explicit connection
to real-world
application.
Some students begin

to articulate the
connections between
content learned and
real-world application.
Students consistently
engage in content that
has explicit connection
to real-world
application.
Students clearly
articulate the
connections between
content learned and
real-world application.
Lesson provides some 
opportunities to
connect content
learned to real-world
application.
Lesson provides
multiple explicit
opportunities for
students to connect
content learned to realworld applications.
Learner Engagement


Evidence of Learner Engagement
Create and implement an effective learner environment that is engaging and aligned to learner needs.
(DSEI Element #2)
Use assessment data to guide and differentiate instruction. (DSEI Element #5)
Active Participation
Lesson is designed to maximize engagement of all students throughout the duration of the lesson.
1 - Beginning
2 - Developing
3 - Meeting
 Most student
 Students remain focused  Students remain on-task and
engagement is
and on-task during the
engaged throughout the lesson. All
through handlesson. Students answer
students are actively involved in
raising. Some
questions when asked,
routine as designed.
students are off-task
but not all students have  Students lead their own progress
or have disengaged
the opportunity to
through learning new content,
from the lesson and
respond verbally.
working productively and
Student
are not redirected.
 Led by the teacher,
collaboratively.
Learning
 Led by the teacher,
students progress
students progress
through learning new
through learning new
content productively.
content with some
challenges with
productivity.

Instructional
Design
Lesson relies mainly 
on direct instruction
with few
opportunities for
student engagement
through application.
Lesson relies on one or 
two strategies designed
to engage students, with
the lesson focused more
on direct instruction than
on student engagement
through application.
Lesson provides multiple strategies
designed to maximize student
engagement, achieving a strong
balance of direct instruction and
student engagement through
application.
Evidence of Learner Engagement
Create and implement an effective learner environment that is engaging and aligned to learner needs.
(DSEI Element #2)
Use assessment data to guide and differentiate instruction. (DSEI Element #5)
Learning Environment
Classroom environment is centered around a culture of respect and commitment to learning.

Student Learning


Instructional Design
1 - Beginning
Students rely on peers 
or teacher for answers
to questions. There is a
lack of evidence of
students being required
to persevere in

responding to rigorous
tasks or questions.
Students demonstrate a
lack of respect for
peers, teacher, and/or
learning environment.
2 - Developing
Some evidence that

students are beginning
to take risks and
persevere in learning
rigorous content.
Students demonstrate
respect for the learning
environment, but
challenges exist in
demonstrating respect 
for peers.
3 - Meeting
Students are
encouraged to take
risks and persevere
through productive
struggle. Students are
praised for
demonstrating
commitment to
learning.
Students consistently
demonstrate respect
for peers, teacher, and
the learning
environment.

Classroom procedures 
and routines are
visible, but are not
consistently
implemented.
Clear classroom
procedures and
routines are visible
and are consistently
implemented.
Classroom procedures
and routines are
inconsistently
communicated and/or
implemented.
Evidence of Learner Engagement
Create and implement an effective learner environment that is engaging and aligned to learner needs.
(DSEI Element #2)
Use assessment data to guide and differentiate instruction. (DSEI Element #5)
Formative Processes and Tools
Lesson is tailored to meet the needs of all students, including using results from formative tools and
processes to plan for differentiated instruction.
1 - Beginning
2 - Developing
3 - Meeting
 Students demonstrate
 Students demonstrate  Students demonstrate mastery of
mastery of content by
mastery of content by
content by completing a variety of
completing infrequent
regularly engaging in
formative assessments that allow
formative assessments.
formative assessments
for reciprocal feedback.
Assessment results
that allow for
Assessment results indicate that
indicate that student
reciprocal feedback.
students are achieving expected
growth is minimal.
Assessment results
outcomes and are able to self Students are partnered
indicate that student
reflect and share responsibility for
Student
or grouped, but all
growth is progressing.
their learning.
Learning
students receive the
 Students are partnered  Students are regularly and
same lesson content,
or grouped and
strategically partnered or grouped
process, and product.
receive some
based on data, and lesson content,
opportunities for
process, and/or product is
differentiated learning
differentiated to support varying
based on adjusting
student needs.
content, process,
and/or product.

Instructional
Design
Results from formative 
processes and tools are
used to monitor
progress.
Results from formative 
processes and tools
are used to plan
differentiated
instruction and monitor
Results from formative processes
and tools are used to immediately
adjust instructional pacing, plan
differentiated instruction, and
monitor progress.
Previewing the Rubrics
Rigor
What did
we notice?
What
questions
do we
have?
Relevance
Engagement
4 Phase Process
Phase 1: Pre-Visit
Phase I: The Pre-Visit Meeting
•
Discuss focus of the lesson
•
Discuss teacher’s vision
•
Reflect on the Rigor, Relevance and
Engagement rubrics
•
Reflect on the meeting itself
Pre-Visit Questions
Pre-Visit Lesson Reflection Form
Directions: Teachers: complete this form and share with the
Instructional Leader/Reviewer during the Pre-Visit Meeting.
Name:
Date of Observation:
Lesson Title:
1. Why is your lesson plan is the right one for today?
2. What are you doing to help students accomplish the goals of the
lesson?
3. What do you hope to see students do and/or hear students say?
4. How will the students capture their thinking and work?
5. Are the goals of the lesson aligned to the rubrics? (Check off all
ENGAGEMENT
that apply.) RIGOR
RELEVANCE
□ Thoughtful Work
□ Meaningful Work
□ Active Participation
□ High-Level Questioning
□ Authentic Resources
□ Learning Environment
□ Academic Discussion
□ Learning Connections
□ Formative Processes
and Tools
Phase I: The Pre-Visit Meeting
• Tell me why your plan is the right one for
today.
• What do you hope to see students do/hear
students say?
• What are you doing to help them get there?
• How will the students capture their thinking
and work?
Phase II: The Visit
0 Visits
200+ Visits
Phase III: The Debrief
Phase III: The Debrief
• Ask effective questions
• Reflect on the rubric
• Share notes
• Give the final report to the teacher
• Support teacher in action planning
Phase IV: Applying the Action Plan
Reflection
Imagine you are introducing the four-step
process to your teachers. Summarize the
four phases of the process, including the
benefits, to persuade them of its
effectiveness.
Modeling Using Evidence
STEP 1
Watch the video and take copious
notes.
STEP 2
Use the Rigor Rubric to rate the
student work.
STEP 3
Use evidence from the video to
support rating.
Reflection on Rigor
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
In Pairs: Share your thinking for
Thoughtful Work, High-Level Questioning,
and Academic Discussion.
Come to Consensus:
Discuss the evidence to support your
rating.
Share:
At your table, share your rating and
explanations.
Collaborating for
Relevance
http://vimeo.com/74579104
Relevance
is the purpose of learning.
5. REAL-WORLD UNPREDICTABLE
4. REAL-WORLD PREDICTABLE
3. APPLY ACROSS DISCIPLINES
2. APPLY KNOWLEDGE
1. AQUIRE KNOWLEDGE
A Relevant Lesson Answers:
• What am I learning?
• Why am I learning it?
• How will I use it?
Meaningful Work
• Clear that the teacher talk matches the
student population
• Clear that the teacher knows the students
and uses examples that reflect the student
population
• Work is developmentally appropriate
• Real-World
• Connections to careers
Authentic Resources
• Multiple resources that reflect real world
applications (careers)
• Range of cross-disciplinary tasks
• Tools include using digital, print, visual,
auditory, video, text
• Real manipulatives used when possible
Learning Connections
• Students connect the concepts and skills
taught to examples from their lives
• Students can articulate and discuss the
concepts and skills
• Students can explain how what they are
learning is used in the real world.
Relevance
Reflection on Relevance
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
In Pairs: Share your thinking on the
relevance of the lesson.
Come to Consensus:
Discuss the evidence to support your
rating.
Calibration Discussion:
How does your rating on each indicator
compare?
QuickWrite
What feedback would
you leave for this
teacher before you
leave the classroom?
Collaborating for
Engagement
Engagement
Engagement
is the participation in
learning.
Active Participation
• Students remain on-task and engaged
throughout the lesson. All students are actively
involved in routine as designed.
• Students lead their own progress through
learning new content, working productively and
collaboratively.
• Lesson provides multiple strategies designed to
maximize student engagement, achieving a
strong balance of direct instruction and student
engagement through application.
Learning Environment
• Students are encouraged to take risks and
persevere through productive struggle. Students
are praised for demonstrating commitment to
learning.
• Students consistently demonstrate respect for
peers, teacher, and the learning environment.
• Clear classroom procedures and routines are
visible and are consistently implemented.
Formative Tools and Processes
• Students demonstrate mastery of content by completing a
variety of formative assessments that allow for reciprocal
feedback. Assessment results indicate that students are
achieving expected outcomes and are able to self-reflect
and share responsibility for their learning.
• Students are regularly and strategically partnered or
grouped based on data, and lesson content, process,
and/or product is differentiated to support varying student
needs.
• Results from formative processes and tools are used to
immediately adjust instructional pacing, plan differentiated
instruction, and monitor progress.
Formative Assessment Strategies
(Black, Wiliam,1998; Sadler, 1998; Stiggins, 2007;Heritage, 2007)
• Pre-assessing students
• Sharing Learning goals with students
• Co-creating classroom discourse &
questioning
• Rich & challenging tasks elicit student
response
• Identifying gaps
Formative Assessment Strategies
(Black, Wiliam,1998; Sadler, 1998; Stiggins, 2007;Heritage, 2007)
• Providing feedback/how to improve
• Self-assessments
• Peer- assessments
• Opportunities to close the gap
• Celebrations
Feedback
• Student
Work
Feedback
Feedback
• Student
work
• Student
Proficient
Celebrate
Structured Routines
• Choral Response
• Pick and Point
• Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down
• Idea Wave
What Else?
• “Feedback has no effect in a
vacuum; to be powerful in its effect,
there must be a learning context to
which feedback is addressed.”
(2007 pg. 82)
» Hattie, J. & Timperley, H. The power of
feedback. Review of Educational Research
Hattie & Timperley
Formative assessment
system:
– Where am I going? (feed-up)
– How am I doing? (feedback)
– Where am I going next? (feedforward)
Communicating
Evidence-Based Feedback
Effective Communication
• Active listening
• Verbal and Nonverbal
Communication
• Evidence-based
• Starts with a positive
• Direct and focused
feedback
• Actionable
• Other?
Verbal Formative Feedback
INSTEAD OF…
TRY…
I liked your idea a lot!
I liked the way you got students
to think outside the box. Is it
possible to make this even more
rigorous by using different verbs?
What does this mean?
Can you explain this part to me in
different words? Is there a way to
word this to make it clearer to the
student?
I don’t think this will work.
My students might have trouble
with this unless I made sure to
include _____ or say _____.
Providing Effective Feedback
Feedback on Rigor
The questions you
asked students were
about basic recall of
facts, a question to ask
them is to compare and
contrast the two
characters in the text.
Feedback on
Relevance
The textbook was the
only resource I saw
students using, you
could also include a
graphic or article from
the web to provide
more context.
Feedback on
Engagement
The learning
environment could use
more structure when
transitioning from one
activity to the next, try
assigning roles to
students.
Formative Feedback
Ineffective
You did a nice job on
your analysis. The
section on learning
targets was strong. I
like the topic for your
activity. Students will
really like this.
Effective
Learning Outcomes
•
Define a common voice and expectations for
rigorous, relevant, and engaging instruction.
• Provide standards-aligned, rigorous, and
relevant instructional support to instructional
leaders.
• Engage in a collaborative process with staff
to align lesson planning and delivery to
higher standards.
.
Take-Aways About the Rubrics
1. Note two major
take-aways.
2. Add one idea or
suggestion.
3. Share!
Two to Note,
One We Wrote
Takeaways about Using
the Rubrics:
1.
2.
One idea to add is…
Linda L. Jordan
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518-703-0114
ICLE 518-399-2776
www.leadered.com