Components 4b – 4e comprise the Professional Responsibilities domain of the CPS Framework for
Teaching. These components speak to the teacher’s role outside of the classroom and include responsibilities such as professional growth, contributions made to schools, the district, and to the profession as a whole. Components 4b-4e are demonstrated through teacher interactions with colleagues, families, and the larger community.
Evidence for components of Domain 4 (except 4a) should be gathered by the teacher and school administrators throughout the school year and submitted at the end of the year.
When collecting evidence and artifacts, choose a subset that highlights your professional responsibilities. Use the guidance below to help support you as you make selections.
4b: Maintaining Accurate Records
GUIDANCE:
Select artifacts that demonstrate:
● Clear procedures for ensuring accuracy
● Opportunities for students to assist in maintaining the system
● Anticipation of the likely uses for the information in the future, like assigning grades or following up with families
4d: Growing and Developing Professionally
GUIDANCE:
Select artifacts that demonstrate:
● Willingness to participate in school events
● Leadership with colleagues
● Enhancement of skills based on identified needs
● Service to the profession
● Clear analysis of how the learning can be applied to your own teaching
4c: Communicating with Families
GUIDANCE:
Select artifacts that demonstrate:
● Clarity of language
● Knowledge of students (1b)
● Sensitivity to culture & backgrounds of students & families
● Information that is communicated in a manner non-educators can understand
● Skill in engaging families in their children’s learning
● Honesty about students’ progress or behavior, combined with respect for parent concerns
4e: Demonstrating Professionalism
GUIDANCE:
Select artifacts that demonstrate:
● Advocacy on behalf of students
● A commitment to college and career readiness
● Professional judgment, honesty, and confidentiality
● Proactivity on behalf of students, seeking resources and supports
● Leadership within the school
● Sound decision-making
Check below for a non-exhaustive list of sample evidence & artifacts generated by CPS teachers!
Evidence & Artifacts (Non-Exhaustive!) for
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Component 4b: Maintaining Accurate Records
1. The teacher’s grade book records student progress toward learning goals
2. The teacher creates a spreadsheet for tracking which students have paid for their school pictures
3. When asked about progress in class, a student shows her data file and can explain how the documents indicate her progress
4. Field trip slips
5. Students bring in homework, permission slips, etc. and add their own information to the database
6. Attendance
7. Completed assignment checklist
8. Sample grade book record
9. Results of student assessments
10. Graduation payment records
11. Tutoring volunteer sheets
12. Teacher updates grade book weekly
13. Organization of gradebook, database, portfolio, etc.
14. Systems for paperwork (student work, tests, “homeroom” tasks, permission slips, lunch tickets, classroom inventories, reports, etc.)
15. Teacher creates an easily accessible list of students’ IEP test modifications
16. Teacher maintains a log of parent phone calls
17. Teacher keeps an updated spreadsheet of student records and transfer information to Gradebook before the end of each marking period. (For additional evidence, see my Gradebook online.)
18. Teacher enters attendance daily, following-up with families via phone if a student has a pattern of absences. (Phone call log is also evidence for 4c.)
19. Student table leaders are responsible for collecting missing work for absent classmates and adding them to the table folder, ensuring that absent students receive their missing assignments.
20. Teacher tracks student assessment data (NWEA results, exit slips, conferring logs, etc.) and updates ata tracker weekly, using the information to regroup and reteach, as necessary.
21. Learning mgmt. site where all students turn in assignments electronically.
22. Tests and quizzes: enter grades into the online gradebook and save the tests for a year to go back and review for each student over the course of the year, if needed.
23. A student collects permission slips, maintains the list, and submits the slips to the teacher/administrator when all have been received
24. Students complete self-evaluations after discussions (1-2x per week) which they turn in and receive feedback from the teacher, and the student keeps them for self-improvement.
25. Organizes email box to keep emails separated into folders for different topics/audiences
26. Students in academic distress receive weekly progress reports, which are saved and accessible on the community share drive.
27. Family contact log (date, person contacted, type of contact, purpose, outcome)
28. Class List Checklist (can be used for completion of assignments, homework or collection of permission slips, money, etc.)
29. Progress Monitoring Checklist (student progress of learning).
30. Student friendly rubrics for them to monitor themselves and provide feedback for their peers
31. Progress monitoring in the classroom and as a communication method for parents
32. Website updated regularly
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33. Regular conferences with students during independent reading (log)
34. Sign up sheets for conferences during Writing Workshop
35. Self-assessments (copies) and reflections sheets by students (samples)
36. Student portfolios (Create a table of contents for their portfolio, record a few assignments from each quarter and any summative assessments. Students maintain the portfolios and add a cover sheet to explain their reasoning for why the piece was chosen for their portfolio)
37. Gradebook is updated weekly with notes for specific circumstances
38. Google document for each child for anecdotal notes that is shared with other professionals within the building who work with the child
39. Behavior contracts that progress monitor whatever behavioral skill or incentive child is working towards
40. Progress monitoring records with set benchmark assessments, data collected in one place
41. Printouts from easycbm.com or other goal tracking software.
42. Google form and script to collect data to draft IEPs. It is in electronic format that is efficient, transparent, and uniform. (Side Plug: I am leading a PD on this at the CPS Technology Summit this summer).
43. Paper gradebook (to prevent feverishly entering grades the night they are due on IMPACT)
44. Homework chart or sticker chart for students to see who has completed homework each day
(student helpers can take the laminated homework chart on a clipboard with a dry erase marker and check for homework completion while students are eating breakfast in the morning-- elementary level)
45. Google Doc Spreadsheet (on CPS Google Drive) to track student's reading levels or NWEA scores
46. Google Doc for graduation payment records (which can be shared with parents, for 4c)
47. Posted tracking systems for assignments completed, mastery of objectives, NWEA data, homework submitted
48. Students have tracking system on desk/in folders for behavior, homework, mastery of objectives
49. Entry of parent communication into online system (X amount entered per month)
50. Folders tracking student progress for students enrolled in RTI
51. Accurately completed BAS and STEP forms for students
52. Guided Reading anecdotal notes in binder
53. Maintaining an Edmodo account
54. Maintaining a badge system (either online or hard-copy in classroom)
55. A day planner to quickly record anecdotal records, parent communications, form submissions, etc.
Helps track frequency of positive behavior as well as misbehavior and subsequent parent contacts.
That way it's easy to see if patterns coincide with improved academics, etc.
56. Maintaining their own spreadsheet of grades and other information: IEP info, groupings, student interest surveys.
57. Timely entry into gradebook of grades
58. Students can complete interest inventory/surveys online, thereby contributing information to teacher records
59. Encourage students to actively check gradebook to help maintain records
60. Students post assignments on Google Docs or email to teacher; teacher keeps a digital folder of work from each student.
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Evidence & Artifacts (Non-Exhaustive!) for
Component 4c: Communicating with Families
1. Teacher sends weekly newsletters to families (paper or electronic) weekly, monthly, by classroom or grade level, etc. Detail not only important dates and events but also curricular goals for that week or what they learned throughout the week. Perhaps, one new learning from each day.
2. Beginning of the year parent letter
3. Students create materials for Back-to-School Night that outline their approach to learning science
4. Students design a project charting their family’s use of plastics
5. Each student has a daily reflection log that describes what she/he is learning, and the log goes home weekly for review by a family member
6. Supply list (per classroom or grade level)
7. Parent Contact Log (include name of parent/guardian, name of student, date, method of communication, notes, etc.)
8. Course syllabus
9. Handouts for back-to-school or other parent/family nights
10. Grading policies that get sent home to families
11. Information regarding a new program
12. Activities for families to do at home with children
13. Completed family contact log
14. A note to or from a parent
15. Beginning of the year parent letter
16. Supply list (per classroom or grade level)
17. Parent Contact Log (include name of parent/guardian, name of student, date, method of communication, notes, etc.)
18. Copies of emails between parent and teacher
19. Directions for families about a class trip
20. Guidelines for a project that families will work on with their students
21. Student assignments that incorporate information from home or the community (i.e. interviewing older relatives or neighbors, graphing numbers of furniture, etc.)
22. Information about an upcoming school or class event
23. Schedules for parent contact/conferences
24. Parent responses to student information requests
25. Student agenda notes
26. Conference records
27. Records that show consistent communication (i.e. calls, emails, letters, postcards, etc.)
28. Records of whole-class communication (i.e. newsletters, postcards, etc.) when appropriate or individually (i.e. calls, emails, etc.) as necessary
29. Guidelines for students and parents about student-led conferences
30. Information for how to look at assessment results or a student’s work
31. Teacher sends home monthly progress report cards for each student
32. Teacher incorporates students’ families into a project about life in the 1950s
33. Students write a daily reflection in their learning logs that go home each week for a response from a parent or guardian
34. Teacher creates a website to update parents on daily objectives and homework and emails the link
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to parents
35. Always responds to emails
36. When parents are in the school, teacher eats lunch with them and talks about academic program
37. Reach out to parents to chaperone school club trips
38. Parent-teacher night
39. Weekly progress reports for students in academic distress
40. Invited a parent in the finance field to talk to students in the economics class
41. Always accommodate requests for meetings with parents
42. Family contact log (date, person contacted, type of contact, purpose, outcome)
43. Parent letter/survey
44. Family contract
45. Teacher Website through the school website,
46. Welcome Packet at beginning of year
47. End of Year packet for new students coming to you in the fall.
48. Homework/behavior logs
49. Academic progress logs
50. Volunteer materials to assist academic support
51. Parent workshops and resources
52. Quarterly writing conferences: Students make a portfolio of their writing and schedule a conference at home with a parent. Parents fill out a form with feedback on their child's writing
53. Family checklist of things like: Does your child read every night? Do you take them to the library? Are you aware that he/she keeps a writing journal and must complete three entries per week?
54. Copies of Multiple Intelligences Checklists/Letters of Introduction written by parents that show parent input is valued
55. A reading log that parents sign and can comment on
56. I follow our school’s expectations for entering attendance daily. I also follow-up with families via phone if a student has a pattern of absences. (Phone call log attached, which is also evidence for 4c.)
57. My class blogspot is accessible to parents and families, so they can check our classwork and homework. Plus, it has a page where 8th grade parents can review 8th grade info
58. I call and text parents, as necessary, to follow-up on misbehavior, plus make 1 positive phone call or email per night to recognize students
59. Students lead the conversation during report-card pickup, highlighting strengths and needs in reading and writing, plus sharing work they’re proud of
60. Communicating with parents through notes in student agendas
61. Invitations to special events, such as a poetry reading.
62. Sending home "mini-charts" from class. For example, making a replica of the subtraction strategy chart and photocopying so students have an example of the tool at home
63. Hosting parents or a literacy, math, or curriculum night to inform them about current topic or learning strategies
64. List of ideas and skills that will be good for summer practice
65. Sending home "just-right" books for parents to read with their children
66. Weekly Student Behavior Updates - I send home a folder with each student every Friday that gives updates on their behavior and homework completion for the week. It also gives me a chance to share achievements with parents.
67. My school creates a spreadsheet shared to all staff on phone log activities to family on google drive.
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This way, a teacher can sort by student and see what kinds of activities/problems a similar kid might have throughout the day and any working numbers that could be provided.
68. Edmodo.com (website for posting assignments and notifications for students and parents)
69. Remind101 (website that allows teachers to text parents reminders without parents having access to their phone number)
70. Two way communication log sent home on a daily basis
71. Entry of parent communication into online system (X amount entered per month)
72. Teacher outside at dismissal speaking with parents
73. Class website
74. Parent sign up sheets for volunteering
75. Photos of parents volunteering in room
76. Photos of parents completing volunteer projects
77. Maintaining a Twitter account to make general contacts with students and parents
78. Maintaining an Edmodo account to directly contact students and parents
79. I give out my phone number and accept texts for homework questions. That way if a parent doesn't have a lot of free time or internet access, they can just get a quick answer!
80. I also like to walk students to out to meet with their family members when possible--if I am giving praise for excellent class work or behavior, students can be part of the conversation
81. Family curriculum night(s) - like math night. Student and parent surveys regarding student information like learning styles, favorite activities, disposition toward specific subjects. Translate communications as needed.
82. Teacher and students post to online blog or website to convey information about assignments, expectations, deadlines, and parent volunteer opportunities. Teacher also highlights student work by providing examples and evidence.
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Evidence & Artifacts (Non-Exhaustive!) for
Component 4d: Growing and Developing Professionally
1. ILT or other teacher team meeting minutes/agendas
2. Network teacher leader
3. Lesson study
4. Participating in a school/network/district initiative
5. Organizing a club, sport, or other extra-curricular activity for students
6. Making a presentation to parents about a school project
7. National Board Certification
8. Receiving grants
9. Participating on the ILT, PPLC, LSC, etc.
10. CPSU course completion
11. Teacher attends optional PD and workshops
12. Survey of parents or students to find out what areas to improve upon and what areas you are doing well
13. Teacher starts a peer observation program at the school to seek and give feedback to colleagues
14. Teacher records minutes during team meetings and circulates afterwards
15. Teacher initiates an action research project to improve her own instruction
16. Member of professional organizations (National Council of SS Teachers, American History Society, etc.) and learning networks (FLIP Learning Network, Blended Learning Network)
17. Subscribe to educational blogs and podcasts (Mindshift, Daily Riff) and listens to webinars (e.g. the
Flipped Classroom – humanities), then incorporates ideas into classroom¡
18. Examines and shares research and best practices with colleagues
19. Does professional reading and incorporates practices into classroom
20. Attends PD and/or conferences and shares learning with colleagues
21. Leads committees, teams, programs, study groups, and/or book clubs
22. Talks with department colleagues during department meetings; raises ideas for improving instruction in the school
23. I am chair of the ILT and have started a professional book club with the middle school teachers
24. I attended after-school PD on the Framework every other Thursday in the 2nd semester (Agendas attached)
25. I subscribe to professional journals, and implemented the Book Club procedures they suggested in my room in the 3rd quarter
26. I led PD for our staff on writing workshop and the Google suite
27. Our grade level team has started a peer-observation program, where we donate one prep period every other week to observe in another’s room and give each other informal feedback
28. Organized inter-departmental meetings about iPad apps in advance of school-wide adoption
29. Developing an action research plan or log to improve instruction
30. Asked department chair to observe classroom and give feedback
31. Serve as chair of educational technology committee
32. Reached out to other schools in the area to organize visits to see how those schools utilize iPads during instruction; teachers went to various schools and I developed a note-taking system and organized notes to report back at the next staff meeting
33. Attended classes at Newberry Library on (1) the Federalist Papers and (2) the History of Regency
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England to inform classes (US History and Regency England)
34. Proposed a new course of study for students (History of Regency England) and created curriculum
35. Attended an AP Conference over the summer to become a skilled AP instructor
36. Facilitated five after-school PD sessions for colleagues on the Flipped Classroom
37. Presented teaching strategies during two all-staff meetings
38. School/District Contribution Log (date, event, contribution)
39. Professional contribution log (date, event or service, contribution)
40. PD Log (date, event or service, benefits derived)
41. Evidence of teacher training completion (CPDUs) or continuing education courses related to content area
42. Preparing short handouts that include new professional learning to be placed in the teachers' lounge for colleagues to learn from
43. Inviting colleagues to a working-breakfast at which new learning and discoveries are shared
44. Serving on ILT, PPLC, PLC, or grade level team.
45. Team Meetings, Grade Band Meetings, participation on various school committees, such as ILT.
46. Outside work with other CPS personnel, such as PD, Performance Task Development, Curriculum
Planning.
47. Up to date resource base for professional development opportunities, professional articles and websites, and videos or webinars
48. Professional articles and readings, facilitator guides, PD materials, and teacher created resources they have brought to their colleagues to facilitate growth (discussion protocols, agenda templates, action plans, and learning cycles, etc.)
49. Subscriptions to professional journals such as "The Reading Teacher" and membership in such organizations (Membership card, copy)
50. Co-chairing a Middle School Writing Committee (share an agenda)
51. Copies of literary magazine or school newspaper that I am faculty adviser for
52. Copies of agendas from grade level meetings or emails between team members about specific issues
53. Perhaps a teacher book club for professional readings... starting one, participating in one?
54. Initiating instructional rounds with other teachers within the building
55. Attending professional development in the area or via a webinar
56. Starting a professional study group to learn about a particular topic
57. Reviews student data with colleagues multiple times a week
58. Reference letter from a professor or director of an outside of the classroom teacher leadership program
59. Attend PD and come back to volunteer my time to help other teachers interested in it by leading
PD's on it.
60. Initiate internal PD around something you feel comfortable and knowledgeable about
61. References professional texts read (in post conferences, grade level meetings, etc). Evidence of implementing strategies learned from text
62. Grant winner
63. Member of outside educational organizations
64. Seeks out feedback from others
65. Observes peers (provide video/photo/written evidence of observation)
66. A new degree or college classes
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67. Developing and maintaining a Personal Learning Network (PLN)
68. Exploring websites and resources (especially from other states using Common Core) has helped me get a lot of great lessons and performance tasks without reinventing the wheel. This is especially helpful if you sign up for e-mail updates so you know when something new is published.
69. Mentoring new teachers, student teachers or National Board candidates
70. Soliciting student and colleague feedback after completing activities.
71. Teacher provides a copy of her Scope & Sequence to colleagues to use for integration and collaboration.
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Evidence & Artifacts (Non-Exhaustive!) for
Component 4e: Demonstrating Professionalism
1. Despite lack of knowledge about dance the teacher forms a dance club at her school to meet the high interest level of her students who cannot afford lessons
2. Teacher realizes a few students in her room need extra help with reading and finds them an after-school program dedicated to improving literacy in the neighborhood
3. The department chair said, “I appreciate when Joe attends our after school meetings – he always contributes something meaningful to the discussion.”
4. Teacher is trusted by his grade partners; they share information with him, confident it will not be repeated inappropriately
5. Teacher notices speech delays in a few of her young students; she calls in the speech therapist to do a few sessions in her classroom and provide feedback on next steps
6. When a new teacher has trouble understanding directions from the principal or district, she immediately goes to a more veteran teacher - who, she knows, can be relied on for expert advice and complete discretion
7. After the school’s IM basketball program was discontinued due to budget cuts, the teacher finds some former students to come in and work with students after school
8. Teachers seeks solutions to problems, keeping the focus on students when difficult decisions need to be made
9. I am chair of the ILT and have started a professional book club with the middle school teachers
10. I started a before-school girls group where we read poetry, write, and do yoga to build relationships and alleviate stress
11. I coordinate the after-school program, and was able to secure donations from business for the sports portion, plus volunteers to start a cooking club for interested students
12. I won a grant for iPads and an expanded classroom library
13. I started a college pen-pal program with my friends so students can talk with college students, ask questions, and share information
14. Doesn’t discuss grades/performance in front of other students
15. Daily interactions with students
16. Helpfulness for needy students
17. Advocacy for underserved students
18. Evidence of long-term goal-setting (plus self-responsibility for professional growth)
19. Promotes college and career awareness and readiness (i.e. research projects, visibility in the school through clothes/bulletin boards/etc., college visits, etc.)
20. Keeps records put away so other students can’t see
21. Keep door shut when conferring with colleagues about student performance
22. Carefully consider students’ requests for additional time request form on ACT and only approve when appropriate
23. Write letters of recommendation for students’ college applications
24. Consider what is asked of students in college and tailor activities/assignments accordingly (e.g.
writing, student assumption of responsibility during long-term assignments)
25. No feedback from school administrators regarding lack of compliance with school/district policies
26. Letter of recommendation for student
27. List of after school resources in community.
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28. Development of a middle school scope and sequence for content area by quarter (share document)
29. Demonstrate proof of collaborating with ELL and Sped resource teachers (emails, lesson plans with their students' accommodations highlighted)
30. Having a bulletin board in your room with other learning opportunities on it (kind of like at
Starbucks!)
31. Teacher works with other specialists in the building to enhance their understanding of a specific student need
32. Teacher sets individualized goals for students
33. Student information is kept in a secure location and student information and/or grades are not posted in the classroom
34. Reference letter from a colleague
35. Grant winner
36. Member of outside educational organizations
37. Seeks out feedback from others
38. Observes peers (provide video/photo/written evidence of observation)
39. Founder of school programs and/or initiatives
40. When possible, I like to ask parents if I can use them as a reference. Who better to describe my performance and student outcomes than those with the most at stake?
41. Writing high school or college recommendations
42. Collecting and collating additional curricular resources for classes, including Advanced Placement materials as appropriate
43. Actively making suggestions for improving student achievement at for all levels of students
44. Articulating teacher concerns with administration in order to enhance school environment.
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