1. Discipline Environment |
Level - 3 (high) |
Level - 2 (middle) |
Level - 1 (low) |
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high |
high-middle |
middle |
middle-low |
low |
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School-wide discipline policy is consistently applied. |
School-wide discipline policy is used by some staff. |
School-wide discipline policy exists in writing only. |
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It is evident from student behavior that there are clear expectations and consistency in the discipline policy. |
In many classes there are clear expectations and most teachers are fair and unbiased. |
Students have to determine what each teacher expects and behavioral interventions are defined by a high level of subjectivity. |
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Teacher uses effective discipline strategies that are defined by logical consequences and refrain from punishments or shaming. |
Teacher uses some form of positive or assertive discipline but accepts the notion that punishment and shaming are necessary sometimes. |
Teacher accepts the notion that the only thing the students in the school understand is punishment and/or personal challenges. |
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Classroom is a positive place, and teacher maintains a positive affect, and follow-through with consequences in a calm and non-personal manner. |
Teachers maintain a positive climate, but some days he/she feels the need to complain about the class and/or get fed up with the "bad kids." |
Classroom is a place where teachers get easily angered by students and there is a sense of antagonism between the class and the teacher. |
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Maximum use of student-generated ideas and input. |
Occasional use of student-generated ideas. |
Teacher makes the rules and students should follow them. |
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Teacher considers discipline within the lens of basic student needs that must be met for a functional class. |
Teacher has some sensitivity to student needs, but the primary goal of classroom management is control. |
Teacher views all student misconduct is as disobedience and/or the student's fault. |
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Teacher-student interactions could be typically described as supportive and respectful. |
Teacher-student interactions could be typically described as fair but teacher-dominated. |
Teacher-student interactions are mostly teacher-dominated and reactive. |
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When disciplining students, teacher typically focuses on the problematic behavior, not the student as a person. |
When disciplining students, teacher is typically assertive yet often reactive, and gives an overall inconsistent message. |
When disciplining students, teacher is typically personal and often antagonistic. |
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Management strategies consistently promote increased student self-direction over time. |
Management strategies promote acceptable levels of classroom control over time, but are mostly teacher-centered. |
Management strategies result in mixed results: some classes seem to improve over time, while others seem to decline. |
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Teacher successfully creates a sense of community. |
Teachers successfully create a working society in their classes. |
Teachers create a competitive environment. |
2. Student Interactions |
Level - 3 (high) |
Level - 2 (middle) |
Level - 1 (low) |
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high |
high-middle |
middle |
middle-low |
low |
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Students feel a sense of community and the classroom is defined by a positive feeling among class members. |
Students generally like the teacher but the class is just another place to learn some content. |
Students feel little or no sense of affiliation with the teacher or the other students in the class. |
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Various cultures and sub-groups blend, interrelate and feel like valid members of the classroom community |
Various sub-groups avoid each other and do not share the same sense of legitimacy. |
Various sub-groups are hostile to one another |
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Students readily accept the purpose of zero tolerance for "put downs." |
Students think put downs are just part of the common use of language. |
Put downs are common and lead to conflict. |
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Most students feel a responsibility to promote the collective success of all the students in the class. |
Most students feel a sense of personal responsibility for their own learning. |
Students feel little responsibility for their own success and/or see other students as competition. |
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Popular students feel obliged but not entitled to act as leaders. |
Popular kids treat the other popular kids in the class well. |
Popular kids use their social capital to oppress the less popular students. |
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It is readily apparent that an effort is made by the teacher to promote positive interactions among students, and there is evidence that it is making a real difference. |
The teacher has made a sincere effort to promote positive interactions among students, and it has made some difference. |
The teacher has made little or no deliberate effort to promote positive interactions among the students in his/her class. |
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Most students in the class take on leadership roles willingly and regularly. |
Leaders in the class come from a small clique of students. |
Students avoid leadership for fear of being labeled as "goody goodies" or teacher's pets. |
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Students in the class believe their gifts are validated and recognized in a meaningful and systematic way. |
Students in the class believe there is some validation of uniqueness and individual recognition, but it is not a clear priority. |
The class structure promotes the recognition of the smarter and more talented students. |
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Most students expect to be given ownership over classroom decisions that affect them |
Most students are upset when classroom rights are withdrawn, but typically take little action |
Most students assume that they have few or no rights in the class. |
3. Learning/Assessment |
Level - 3 (high) |
Level - 2 (middle) |
Level - 1 (low) |
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high |
high-middle |
middle |
middle-low |
low |
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Assessment targets are clear and attainable for learners. |
Most high-achieving students can find a way to meet the teacher's target. |
Students see grades as relating to personal or accidental purposes. |
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Instruction / Assessment promotes student locus of control, sense of belonging, and sense of competence. |
Instruction / Assessment is most often focused on relevant learning, yet mostly rewards the high-achievers. |
Instruction / Assessment is focused on bits of knowledge that can be explained and then tested. |
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Student-controlled behavior (investment, process, effort, etc) is rewarded and even assessed when possible. |
Student-controlled behavior is verbally rewarded. |
Only quantifiable academic and athletic outcomes are rewarded. |
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Teacher has some mode of making sense of, and being responsive to, varying learning styles. |
Teacher is aware of learning styles as a concept, and makes some attempt in that area. |
Teacher expects all students to conform to his/her teaching style. |
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Instruction is dynamic, involving, learner-centered, and challenging. |
Instruction is mostly based on relevant ideas but often seems to be busy-work. |
Instruction is mostly "sit and get." |
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Students learn to work cooperatively and as members of teams. |
Some teachers buy into the idea of cooperative learning. |
Cooperative learning is seen as leading to chaos and cheating. |
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Students are given systematic opportunities to reflect on their learning progress. |
Mostly higher-level students are given occasional opportunities to reflect on their learning in some classes. |
Teaching is seen as providing maximum input, and little opportunity for reflection exists. |
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Students are seen as the primary users of assessment information, and assessment is used for the purpose of informing the learning process and is never used to punish or shame. |
Assessment is seen as something that occurs at the end of assignments. Grades are used primarily for student-to-student comparison. |
Assessment is used to compare students to one another and/or to send a message to lazy students. |
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Classroom dialogue is characterized by higher-order thinking (e.g., analysis, application, and synthesis). |
Classroom dialogue is active and engaging but mostly related to obtaining right answers. |
Classroom dialogue is infrequent and/or involves a small proportion of students. |
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Students consistently feel as though they are learning subjects in-depth. |
Students are engaged in quality content, but the focus is mostly on content coverage. |
Students feel the content is only occasionally meaningful and rarely covered in-depth. |
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Teacher promotes the view that intelligence and ability are a function of each students' effort and application, and are not fixed. The major emphasis is placed on the process over the product. |
Teacher promotes the view that effort has a lot to do with how much students are able to accomplish. The major emphasis is placed on working to produce good products. |
Teachers promote the view that intelligence and ability are fixed/innate traits and not all students have what it takes. The major emphasis is on the comparison of products / grades. |
4. Attitude and Culture |
Level - 3 (high) |
Level - 2 (middle) |
Level - 1 (low) |
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high |
high-middle |
middle |
middle-low |
low |
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Students feel as though they are part of a community. |
Students feel as though they are part of a society. |
Students feel as though they are visitors in a building. |
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Students self-correct peers who use destructive and/or abusive language. |
Students seek adult assistance to stop blatant verbal abuse. |
Students accept verbal abuse as a normal part of their day. |
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Students feel as though they are working toward collective goals. |
Students feel as though they are working toward independent goals. |
Students feel as though they are competing with other students for scarce resources. |
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Students speak about the classroom in proud, positive terms. |
Students speak of the classroom in neutral or mixed terms. |
Students denigrate the classroom when they refer to it. |
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Most students feel listened to, represented, and that they have a voice. |
Most students see some evidence that some students have a voice. |
Most students feel they have very little voice when at school. |
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Most students feel a sense of belonging to something larger. |
Most students see some evidence that efforts are made to promote school spirit. |
Most students feel alone, alienated and/or part of a hostile environment. |
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Teacher shares commonly high expectations for all students. |
Teacher has high expectations for students who show promise. |
Teachers often expresses doubts about the ability of some students. |
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Students feel welcome and comfortable in talking to the teacher. |
Some students feel comfortable talking to the teacher. |
Students assume the teacher does not have any interest in their problems. |
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Classroom has rituals and traditions that create a sense of belonging |
Classroom has routines, but little sense of belonging. |
No effort is make to create a sense of belonging. |