CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring Applying
Has a foundational Examines concepts in Understands and explains
knowledge of subject subject matter and the relationship between
matter, related academic academic language to essential subject matter
3.1 Demonstrating language, and academic identify connections concepts, academic
knowledge of subject content standards. between academic language, and academic
matter academic content standards and content standards.
content standards instruction.
Academic language and
vocabulary is one of the
first focuses of any lesson.
Students need to be able
to speak intelligently
about the content.
Students are also made
aware of what we are
learning and are often
told why it is important
we learn these things. As
much as possible, I tie
these things together so
that students are getting
a comprehensive
encounter with the
material.
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Integrating Innovating
Uses broad knowledge of Uses extensive
inter-relationships of knowledge of subject
concepts, academic matter concepts, current
content standards, and issues, academic
academic language in language, and research to
ways that ensure clear make relevant
connections and connections to standards
relevance to students. during instruction and
extend student learning.
Lessons I teach always
start out foundationally
and build. That is, we
start with basic skills and
slowly go more in depth.
Not only that but I make
reference to skills learned
throughout the entire
year to help jog students’
memories and help them
make connections.
Additionally, when
similar concepts or ideas
are expressed across the
content areas, I make
sure we take a moment to
compare and contrast the
elements. I try to always
do what I can to make
connections that will help
my students learn.
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CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

Has basic knowledge of Expands knowledge of
student stages of student development and
development while implements learning
becoming aware of activities in single lessons
differences in students’ or sequence of lessons
understanding of subject that addresses students’
matter. proficiencies and support
understanding of subject
Teaches subject-specific matter including related
3.2 Applying vocabulary following academic language.
knowledge of curriculum guidelines.
student development Provides explicit teaching
and proficiencies to of essential content
ensure student vocabulary and
understanding of associated academic
subject matter language in single lessons
or sequence of lessons.
Explains academic
language, formats, and
vocabulary to support
student access to subject
matter when confusions
are identified.
Adapts instruction in
response to knowledge of
student development and
proficiencies to meet
students’ diverse learning
needs. Ensures
understanding of subject
matter including related
academic language.
Provides explicit teaching
of essential vocabulary,
idioms, key words with
multiple meanings, and
academic language in
ways that engage
students in accessing
subject matter text or
learning activities.
Integrates knowledge of Utilizes comprehensive
range of students knowledge of students to
development into guide all students to
instructional decisions to develop proficiencies,
ensure student understand subject
understanding of the matter including related
subject matter including academic language.
related academic
language. Engages student at all
levels of vocabulary,
Provides explicit teaching academic language, and
of specific academic proficiencies in self-
language, text structures, directed goal setting,
grammatical, and stylistic monitoring, and
language features to improvement. Guides all
ensure equitable access students in using analysis
to subject matter strategies that provides
understanding for the equitable access and deep
range of student language understanding of subject
levels and abilities. matter.

Wanting all of my Based on what I know

students to succeed, I try
to give students a choice
in how they share their
knowledge. Specifically in
science, students are
given on opportunity to
choose how they would
like to share their
knowledge with the class
(projects). Examples such
as poster presentations,
clay models, or making a
song are given but
students are able to
showcase what they
know in a way that best
about my students, I am
always making changes
and accommodations to
my lessons to make sure
they have their most
positive experience. My
response to their needs
are pre-built into the
lessons, such as specific
activities to meet my
kinesthetic, logical, visual,
etc. learners. Based on
pre-assessments, I have a
solid understanding on
what skills my students
already have when we
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

reflects their strengths. start a new unit and
09/27/17 which ones would benefit
from some review. In
As mentioned before, terms of academic
vocabulary is the language, it is always the
foundation to any lesson. first thing I teach, doing
I introduce it, model it, so explicitly.
and get my students 05/06/18
working with the words 10/26/18
as much as possible. It is 4/10/19
reviewed daily until that
unit of lessons is Academic language is the
completed. first thing that I focus on.
09/27/17 I present the words to my
students, usually with a
written definition for
them to visualize, as well
as a related picture. I try
to get my students
engaged with this, having
them turn to a partner
and explain it in their
own words. I often quiz
them to see if they can
use the word in a
contextual sentence. Key
vocabulary words are
reviewed extensively
throughout the entire
unit and I make reference
to their definitions
constantly.
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CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring
Follows organization of Examines organization of
curriculum as provided curriculum and considers
by site and district to adjustments in single
support student lessons or sequence of
3.3 Organizing understanding of the lessons to support
curriculum to subject matter. understanding of subject
facilitate student matter.
understanding of the
subject matter
Textbooks are merely a
guideline of sequencing
for instruction and they
certainly are not perfect. I
look at the textbook as a
whole and try to group
things similarly and order
them as efficiently as I
can. Specifically in Bible
class, students were to
compare the characters of
Samuel and Elijah
however we were not
“supposed” to read about
Samuel for another four
lessons! Changing things
around, I presented the
stories of Samuel and
Elijah in the same week
so that students were
better prepared for some
of the activities planned.
09/27/17
Applying
Uses knowledge of
curriculum and student
readiness to organize and
adjust the curriculum to
ensure student
understanding.
I believe in giving my
students pre-assessments
before starting a new
unit, especially in math.
There are multiple skills
on these pre-assessments
that relate to the types of
skills students will utilize
throughout the
subsequent arc of lessons.
Based on these results, I
gather knowledge as to
whether my students
need some review or if
they are ready to dive
into new topics. I also did
a lot of reflection last year
in terms of lesson
sequencing and re-
arranged some of my
lesson sequences to
hopefully yield better
results.
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Integrating Innovating
Integrates knowledge of Uses extensive
curriculum and resources knowledge of curriculum
to organize and adjust and related resources to
instruction within and flexibly and effectively
across subject matter to organize and adjust
extend student instruction.
understanding.
Ensures student
comprehension and
facilitates student
articulation about what
they do and do not
understand.
This year, I started out at
a new school. Expecting
to be able to dive right
into novel studies with
my middle school
students proved
challenging because none
of them had been giving
the basic foundation
about how to talk about
books. Because of this, I
had to go back and teach
them the basics of plot,
theme, characterization,
and so on. They’d heard
of none of this! My
students needed me to
double-back and reteach
some things that they had
either forgotten or never
had in the first place so
that they could be
successful with there I
wanted them to be.
Something that I did to
help teach this concept
was that I showed a
YouTube video of the
hero’s journey to ready
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

my students for the unit. I
show a lot of videos in
class, either as a
readiness tool or to help
reiterate points later on.
(ISTE Standards for
Students 6d).
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Uses instructional Gathers and uses Selects and adapts a Integrates instructional Uses an extensive
strategies that are additional instructional variety of instructional strategies appropriate to repertoire of
provided in the strategies in single strategies to ensure subject matter to meet instructional strategies to
3.4 Utilizing curriculum. lessons or sequence of student understanding of students’ diverse develop enthusiasm,
instructional lessons to increase academic language learning, to ensure meta-cognitive abilities,
strategies that are student understanding of appropriate to subject student understanding of and support and
appropriate to the academic language matter and that academic language, and challenge the full range of
subject matter appropriate to subject addresses students’ guide student in student towards a deep
matter. diverse learning needs. understanding knowledge of subject
connections within and matter.
across subject matter.
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring Applying
The teacher’s editions
have some great ideas for
instructional strategies
and activities but they
also have some that
entirely miss the mark. I
am very selective from
what I use from the
teacher’s editions and I
seek out other sources
such as Pinterest for
“better” ideas. Typically, I
take bits and pieces from
the resources I find and
mold it into something
that best fits the students
I have. In each lesson, I
try my best to have
strategies prepared for
the diverse class I have.
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3.5 Using and Uses available Explores additional Selects, adapts, and
adapting resources, instructional materials, instructional materials, utilizes appropriate
technologies, and resources, and resources, and instructional materials,
standards-aligned technologies for specific technologies to make resources, and
instructional lessons to make subject subject matter accessible technologies for concept
materials including matter accessible to to students. and skill development in
adopted materials, to students. subject matter. Resources
make subject matter Explores how to make reflect the diversity of the
accessible to all Identifies technological technological resources classroom and support
students resource needs. available to all students. differentiated learning of
Integrating Innovating
Each week, I use an
article to help students
develop critical reading,
thinking, and question
answering. I know that I
have students who
struggle with reading
expository or nonfiction
texts. Because of this, I
guide them in using a
summarizing graphic
organizer that breaks the
article down into its main
idea and three supporting
facts. This has boosted
their understanding of
the articles. As part of
their note taking for the
articles, these same
students highlight words
they don’t know and we
complete various
activities to help them
learn these words.
Additionally, the articles
come from all different
interests: science,
historical, about pets,
famous people, the
Internet, current events,
etc.
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Integrates a wide range of Engages students in
adapted resources, identifying and adapting
technologies, and resources, technologies,
instructional materials to and standards-aligned
meet identified student instructional materials to
needs and make subject extend student
matter accessible to understanding and
students. critical thinking about
subject matter.
Assists student with
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring Applying
subject matter.
Guides students to use
available print, electronic,
and online subject matter
resources based on
individual needs.
I spend a lot of time In my classroom, I use a
finding ways to make the lot of resources to help
material is accessible to my students learn. We
all students. Material is sometimes watch videos,
provided in Spanish and pertinent anchor charts
English as needed for my are hung around the
students whose primary classroom, I encourage
language is Spanish. Also, students to use models,
I try to not assign any draw pictures, and use
online homework for manipulatives in math, as
students because I know needed. Informational
not everyone has Internet texts are sent home in
access. Instead, I will Spanish, when
print articles or Internet appropriate, to ensure
resources I want them to students are receiving
review so that everyone consistent help and
has equal opportunity. understanding at home.
09/27/17 Additionally, in my
lessons, I plan sequences
of activities that meet the
learning styles of my
students, such as
kinesthetic,
mathematical/logical, and
visual.
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Students are taught how
to research online using
Kiddle and students are
Integrating Innovating
equitable access to Ensures that student are
materials, resources, and able to obtain equitable
technologies. Seeks access to a wide range of
outside resources and technologies through
support. ongoing links to outside
resources and support.
This year, at my new
school, it became obvious
quite quickly that many of
my students did not have
technology at home. For
some of those that did,
the technology was not
always reliable. Needing
them to use the computer
for different aspects of
my lessons and
assessments, I talked with
my students’ other
teachers to see if, when
needed, and when the
student had free time, if
they could use the
computers at school to
work on homework for
my class. Additionally, I
connected the students in
need with the local public
libraries and helped
arrange for them to be
able to go there after
school and use the
technologies provided.
(ISTE Standards for
Students 1b).
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CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

taught to use reference
materials such as
dictionaries and
encyclopedias so that
they can better access
information when
needed.
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Is aware of students’ Seeks additional Identifies language Integrates knowledge of Engages English learners
primary language and information describing proficiencies and English English language in assessment of their
English language elements of culture and learner strengths in the development, English progress in English
proficiencies based on language proficiencies in study of language and learners’ strengths and language development
available assessment listening, speaking, content. Differentiates assessed needs into and in meeting content
data. reading, and writing. Uses instruction using one or English language and standards. Supports
multiple measures for more components of content instruction. students to establish and
3.6 Addressing the assessing English English language monitor language and
needs of English learners’ performance to development to support content goals.
learners and student identify gaps in English English learners.
with special needs to language development. Develops and adapts
provide equitable Provides adapted Creates and implements instruction to provide a Is resourceful and flexible
access to the content materials to help English Attempts to scaffold scaffolds to support wide range of scaffolded in the design, adjustment,
learners access content. content using visuals, standards-based support for language and and elimination of
models, and graphic instruction using literacy content for the range of scaffolds based on
organizers. strategies, SDAIE, and English learners. English learners’
content level English proficiencies, knowledge,
language development in and skills in the content.
order for students to
improve language
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

proficiencies and
understand content.

I use a variety of formal Once we got the results

and informal assessments back from English
to gauge where my proficiency tests, we’ve
English learners are at. been able to make a little
Reading, writing, and oral bit of headway in
communication are all addressing their needs.
things I consider when Our English learners this
identifying where they year are all very
need more support. advanced and, at times, I
09/27/17 forget that they even have
05/05/18 that classification. A big
10/26/18 focus with some of our
eighth grade EL’s is that
I use visuals and models of synonyms, or
whenever I can to aid in describing an action with
student understanding. multiple words. Some of
Graphic organizers are the more fanciful or
introduced specifically in esoteric language proves
science and language arts difficult. Because of that,
to help with the we are heavily focusing
comparing and on extending the
contrasting of ideas. vocabulary of our
09/27/17 students. At present, they
05/06/18 have thesauruses they
10/26/18 can use and I sometimes
4/10/19 sneak new words into
instructions so that they
have to seek out the
meaning, learning it in
context.
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CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

Has an awareness of the Seeks additional Utilizes information on Integrates Guides and support the
full range of students information on the full the full range of students accommodations, full range of student with
identified with special range of students identified with special adaptations, and special needs to actively
needs through data identified with special needs to assess strengths extensions to instruction engage in the assessment
provided by the school. needs to address and competencies to for the full range of and monitor their own
challenges or supports in provide appropriate students with special strengths, learning needs,
single lessons or challenge and needs to ensure adequate and achievement in
sequence of lessons. accommodations in support and challenge. accessing content.
instruction.
Attends required meeting Communicates and Communicates and
with resource personnel Cooperates with resource Communicates regularly collaborates with collaborates with
3.6 Addressing the
and families. personnel, para- with resource personnel, colleagues, support staff, resource personnel, para-
needs of English
educators, and families para-educators, and and families to ensure educators, families,
learners and student
during meetings and families to ensure that consistent instruction. leadership, and students
with special needs to
activities in support of student services are Supports families in in creating a coordinated
provide equitable
learning plans and goals. provided and progress is positive engagement with program to optimize
access to the content
made in accessing school. success of the full range
appropriate content. of students with special
Learns about referral Initiates and monitors needs.
processes for students Refers students as needed referral processes and
with special needs. Seeks additional in a timely and follow-up meeting to Takes leadership at the
information on struggling appropriate manner ensure that students site/district and
learners and advanced supported with receive support and/or collaborates with
learners to determine documented data over extended learning that is resource personnel to
appropriateness for time, including integrated into the core ensure the smooth and
referral. interventions tried curriculum. effective implementations
previous to referral. of referral processes.
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring
I review the IEPs of
students who have been
assigned the IEP before
transferring to my school.
These are used to create
new goals for students,
stemming off of the
benchmarks they
previously were
supposed to meet under
their IEPs. I take these
into account during
lessons and use it as a
support.
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While we do not really
have resource personnel
at my school, I do speak
regularly with parents of
students who come to us
with IEPs. I have made
them aware of what I am
doing to expand on their
child’s previous goals and
share the progress made
with them. I also often
seek the advice of my
colleagues to help reach
these students even
further.
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When I am able to, I talk
with students previous
teachers to gather more
information on the needs
of students who struggle
or excel. While we do not
necessarily do referrals at
our school, I have taken
notes of strengths and
Applying
From the beginning of the
year, I had some concerns
about some students. I
took notes on these areas
of concern and began
implementing strategies
to better serve their
needs. At this same time, I
was conferring with my
colleagues on the matter,
wanting to confirm if they
observed a learning
concern, as well, or if it
was something isolated to
the classroom. At that
point, we teamed up and
began documenting
across all of our classes
and made the referral,
were present at all
necessary meetings, and
provided our data and
evidences to the
professionals. So far, we
have referred two
students this year and are
still awaiting results,
though we do check in
with the status regularly.
(TLMS Domain VII).
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Integrating Innovating
When we had IEP
meetings at the beginning
of the year, I made sure to
take detailed notes. I even
review these folders
throughout the year and
take special note of what
teachers have done in the
past to help. With this in
mind, we have made
goals for students for the
current academic school
year and I make
accommodations to help
them. I have reader
trackers and personalize
alphabet tape on desks
for my students with
dyslexia, and so on. There
is specially allotted time
for my students who just
struggle with school, in
general, when I can work
with them in a more
intimate setting.
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I talk with the parents of
my students with special
needs on a weekly, and
sometimes daily basis.
Communication pertains
to struggles and progress
that occur in the
classroom. We exchange
techniques for behavior
and subject matter that
we use to ensure that
there is consistency at
home and in the
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

weaknesses of specific
students to share with
parents, thusly
encouraging them to find
resources that will better
benefit their child (in
addition to what happens
in my classroom).
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classroom. I make sure to
keep these parents aware
of all the goings on at my
school and go out of my
way to approach them at
any events.
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