CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating
Has a foundational Examines concepts in Understands and explains The course content is
knowledge of subject subject matter and the relationship between consistently related back to
matter, related academic academic language to essential subject matter everyday student
understanding of pop
language, and academic identify connections concepts, academic
3.1 Demonstrating culture, sports, high school
content standards. between academic language, and academic life, etc. Academic language
knowledge of subject content standards and content standards.
gets translated into more
matter academic instruction. casual language for
content standards understanding during
informal assessments, while
the academic language itself
is expected for formal
assessments. 7/21/19
The course content is
consistently related back
to everyday student
understanding of pop
culture, sports, high
school life, etc. Academic
language gets translated
into more casual language
for understanding during
informal assessments,
while the academic
language itself is
expected for formal
assessments. 7/21/19
Innovating
Uses extensive knowledge
of subject matter
concepts, current issues,
academic language, and
research to make relevant
connections to standards
during instruction and
extend student learning.
12/12/19
This became all the more
easy to develop and hone
through teaching Psych
Realism, which provided
the lens of psychological
concepts to understand
character choices,
behavior, and identity.
The universality was
apparent throughout; was
almost nothing it couldn’t
be related back to.
12/12/19
In order to not let literary
analysis essays devolve
into book reports, I use a
color coordinated thesis
construction formula that
ensures the students will
make specific, clear
arguments with their
thesis. This is especially
useful for my sophomores
when they are doing their
essay on Macbeth. 5/8/20
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring
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.
Applying
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.
7/21/19
Essay workshops were
expanded this last year so
that students had
sufficient time to focus in
each individual aspect of
the process, before
bringing them all
together.
Students were also given
nights free of homework
so that both essays and
seminar questions
worked on in class could
be focused on and honed
even more. 7/21/19
Integrating Innovating
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. 12/12/19 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.
5/8/20
For Psych Realism, some For my sophomores who I
students had previously knew would struggle with
or were currently taking Macbeth, I adapted the
AP Psychology. These slideshow I used for my
students were seniors last semester with
encouraged to develop Hamlet to help them
seminar questions that break down and analyze
would take advantage of Shakespeare's writing
their heightened style and the content of
understanding, while also the play. It paid big
making the material dividends when it came to
accessibly worded for essay writing and
their fellow students who seminar discussion later.
were not as familiar. 5/8/20
12/12/19
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

Follows organization of Examines organization of Uses knowledge of Integrates knowledge of Uses extensive knowledge
curriculum as provided curriculum and considers curriculum and student curriculum and resources of curriculum and related
by site and district to adjustments in single readiness to organize and to organize and adjust resources to flexibly and
support student lessons or sequence of adjust the curriculum to instruction within and effectively organize and
3.3 Organizing understanding of the lessons to support ensure student across subject matter to adjust instruction.
curriculum to subject matter. understanding of subject understanding. extend student
facilitate student matter. understanding. 7/21/19 Ensures student
understanding of the comprehension and
subject matter facilitates student
articulation about what
they do and do not
understand.
5/8/20
Curriculum is organized Having taught it for the
to allow for both third year, I was able
consistency as well as an organize and adjust my
awareness of student instruction of Macbeth
energy/fatigue. All essays much more effectively.
are assigned, Specifically, through the
workshopped, revised, use of an exercise where
and submitted before the students have write
Thanksgiving break in the out their inner thoughts
fall, and Spring Break in during some part of the
the spring. day, I was better able to
give them an applied
Students close out the understanding of
semester with creative soliloquy, after many of
projects designed to help them found the concept
them integrate course confusing initially.
content, before preparing 5/8/20
for the final. 7/21/19

3.4 Utilizing Uses instructional Gathers and uses Selects and adapts a Integrates instructional Uses an extensive
instructional strategies that are additional instructional variety of instructional strategies appropriate to repertoire of instructional
strategies that are provided in the strategies in single strategies to ensure subject matter to meet strategies to develop
appropriate to the curriculum. lessons or sequence of student understanding of students’ diverse enthusiasm, meta-
subject matter lessons to increase academic language learning, to ensure cognitive abilities, and
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

student understanding of appropriate to subject student understanding of
academic language matter and that academic language, and
appropriate to subject addresses students’ guide student in
matter. diverse learning needs. understanding
connections within and
across subject matter.
7/21/19
All instructional
strategies, from lecture to
essay workshops to
seminars to journals to
discussion boards, are
used to make sure
students are consistently
reading, writing, speaking
and listening at a higher
level than before. If an
instructional strategy or
an activity does not
facilitate enhanced
communication skills, it is
not used. 7/21/19
support and challenge the
full range of student
towards a deep
knowledge of subject
matter.
5/8/20
In order to accommodate
the school closure and
remote learning, I have
employed more self-
directed learning
strategies to my
instruction, specifically in
the form of viewing notes
for documentaries, which
the students can view and
fill out at their leisure,
before submitting them to
a Turnitin dropbox so as
to maintain
accountability. 5/8/20

3.5 Using and Uses available Explores additional Selects, adapts, and Integrates a wide range of Engages students in
adapting resources, instructional materials, instructional materials, utilizes appropriate adapted resources, identifying and adapting
technologies, and resources, and resources, and instructional materials, technologies, and resources, technologies,
standards-aligned technologies for specific technologies to make resources, and instructional materials to and standards-aligned
instructional lessons to make subject subject matter accessible technologies for concept meet identified student instructional materials to
materials including matter accessible to to students. and skill development in needs and make subject extend student
adopted materials, to students. subject matter. Resources matter accessible to understanding and
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring
Explores how to make
Identifies technological technological resources
resource needs. available to all students.
7/21/19
make subject matter
accessible to all
students
Occasionally, online
resources such as Prezi,
EdPuzzles, and Kahoot
are explored or
implemented, but I favor
resources that promote
the cultivation on
communication, and I
have yet to find ways to
make these tools
sufficient for my students
in that regard. 7/21/19
3.6 Addressing the Is aware of students’ Seeks additional information
needs of English primary language and describing elements of
learners and student English language culture and language
proficiencies based on proficiencies in listening,
with special needs to
available assessment data. speaking, reading, and
provide equitable writing. Uses multiple
access to the content measures for assessing
English learners’
performance to identify gaps
in English language
Applying
reflect the diversity of the
classroom and support
differentiated learning of
subject matter.
Guides students to use
available print, electronic,
and online subject matter
resources based on
individual needs.
12/12/19
Though usually the bane
of a teacher’s existence,
SparkNotes became an
online resource I actually
learned how to use in my
favor, when it came to
Hamlet. Coupling his
language with modern
translations is extremely
useful for the students to
use as a check in with
their own abilities to
translate themselves.
12/12/19
Identifies language
proficiencies and English
learner strengths in the
study of language and
content. Differentiates
instruction using one or
more components of English
language development to
support English learners.
12/12/19
Integrating Innovating
students. critical thinking about
subject matter.
Assists student with
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
5/8/20 resources and support.
For my Literature and
Film class, in order to
make sure all students
had equitable access to
the films we were using
after the school closure, I
uploaded them all to my
Google Drive account
(after having disabled the
download option, of
course) so that even
those without access to
certain streaming
services would be able to
watch. 5/8/20
Integrates knowledge of Engages English learners in
English language assessment of their progress
development, English in English language
learners’ strengths and development and in meeting
assessed needs into English content standards. Supports
language and content students to establish and
instruction. monitor language and
content goals.
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

Provides adapted materials
to help English learners
access content.
development.
Attempts to scaffold content
using visuals, models, and
graphic organizers.
7/21/19
English Learners are
worked with on an
individual basis in order
to find appropriate
and/or effective
scaffolding methods. All
ELs at O’Dowd come from
other countries, so
seeking out and
developing culturally
relevant practices is
attempted, but not
consistently. 7/21/19
Creates and implements
scaffolds to support
standards-based instruction
using literacy strategies,
SDAIE, and content level
English language
development in order for
students to improve
language proficiencies and
understand content.
English learners are
assessed differently from
non-English learners
during seminar
discussion. Standards of
participation and clarity
ae differentiated based on
current level of English
proficiency. 12/12/19
Develops and adapts Is resourceful and flexible in
instruction to provide a wide the design, adjustment, and
range of scaffolded support elimination of scaffolds
for language and content for based on English learners’
the range of English proficiencies, knowledge,
learners. and skills in the content.
5/8/20
This semester I began
using "Student Support
Plans," which are
designed to help those
students with
Educational Care Plans
catch up before the
semester ends by
allowing them to focus on
certain work as opposed
to all missing work.
Parents, counselors, and
administration are all
involved in this process.
5/8/20

3.6 Addressing the Has an awareness of the full
needs of English range of students identified
learners and student with special needs through
data provided by the school.
with special needs to
provide equitable
access to the content
Attends required meeting
with resource personnel and
families.
Seeks additional information
on the full range of students
identified with special needs
to address challenges or
supports in single lessons or
sequence of lessons.
Cooperates with resource
personnel, para-educators,
and families during
meetings and activities in
Utilizes information on the
full range of students
identified with special needs
to assess strengths and
competencies to provide
appropriate challenge and
accommodations in
instruction.
Communicates regularly
with resource personnel,
para-educators, and families
Integrates accommodations,
adaptations, and extensions
to instruction for the full
range of students with
special needs to ensure
adequate support and
challenge.
Communicates and
collaborates with colleagues,
support staff, and families to
ensure consistent
Guides and support the full
range of student with special
needs to actively engage in
the assessment and monitor
their own strengths, learning
needs, and achievement in
accessing content.
Communicates and
collaborates with resource
personnel, para-educators,
families, leadership, and
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

Learns about referral
processes for students with
special needs.
support of learning plans
and goals.
Seeks additional information
on struggling learners and
advanced learners to
determine appropriateness
for referral.
to ensure that student
services are provided and
progress is made in
accessing appropriate
content.
Refers students as needed in
a timely and appropriate
manner supported with
documented data over time,
including interventions tried
previous to referral.
7/21/19
instruction. Supports
families in po
sitive engagement with
school.
Initiates and monitors
referral processes and
follow-up meeting to ensure
that students receive
support and/or extended
learning that is integrated
into the core curriculum.
5/8/20
students in creating a
coordinated program to
optimize success of the full
range of students with
special needs.
Takes leadership at the
site/district and collaborates
with resource personnel to
ensure the smooth and
effective implementations of
referral processes.

Students with special This semester I began

needs have counselors
who are assigned to them
for all four years, and I
work with those
counselors to tailor
expectations as well as
instruction. This mostly
takes the form of
extended time for
assessment and flexible
deadlines. 7/21/19
using "Student Support
Plans," which are
designed to help those
students with
Educational Care Plans
catch up before the
semester ends by
allowing them to focus on
certain work as opposed
to all missing work.
Parents, counselors, and
administration are all
involved in this process.
5/8/20