The Delaware Teacher Classroom Observation Framework is a tool for coaching and development. Administrators and teachers use this framework to align expectations for what high-quality teaching and learning looks like. The observer uses the framework to guide the collection of evidence from classroom observations to assess the quality of teaching — both strengths and areas for growth.

Structure

The observation framework is structured into three Performance Areas that describe the major elements of a successful classroom. Each Performance Area is accompanied by an Essential Question. They are:

  1. Learning Environment: To what extent does the classroom environment support all students to learn?
  2. Engagement in Learning: To what extent does the instruction support and engage all students?
  3. Maximizing Learning: To what extent do all students retain and apply their learning with productive struggle?

Each Essential Question guides the observer to focus on three Indicators which describe the Performance Area at four levels of performance. Each Indicator is defined by several Descriptors. The Descriptors articulate the teacher and student behaviors that an observer would see in the classroom, during instruction, at each of four different performance levels. The observer collects evidence based on the Descriptors of those Indicators to identify feedback to support teacher growth and development and to support assessment of the instruction.

There are many things teachers do outside of the lesson that contribute to high-quality teaching and learning. To recognize this important work, each Performance Area includes Core Teacher Skills. Core Teacher Skills are not evaluated, but instead serve to name much of the work teachers do to achieve the levels of performance noted in the Indicators, and to provide a common language and set of expectations to support teacher growth and development.

Use

In the Delaware Educator Growth and Support System, the observer will use the observation framework to observe each teacher several times over the course of the school year, and to collect evidence at each observation. The observer will share feedback after each observation to support teacher growth and will only assign performance ratings at the end of the school year, using the evidence collected over the course of the entire year.

Core Teacher Skills articulate the many factors that go into the action of planning so that high-quality teaching and learning can happen in the classroom. For example, the act of teacher planning and preparation is not specifically addressed in the Indicators but is observed in the quality of the classroom lesson and outcomes assessed in the framework. This does not mean that planning is not important or expected; on the contrary, planning is critical to success in Delaware classrooms. What this observation framework structure affirms is that what matters most for students is the actual instruction they experience in the classroom, and so instruction is what is ultimately assessed in the Delaware Educator Growth and Support System.

Performance Area #1: Learning Environment:

To what extent does the classroom environment support all students to learn?

Indicator 1.1: Structures for Learning

Routines, procedures, and behavior expectations

  • are not taught
  • are not clearly communicated, causing loss of instructional time
  • are clearly communicated but are not taught to mastery
  • do not match to students’ needs
  • require prompts that cause loss of instructional time
  • are clearly communicated and taught to mastery, maximizing instructional time
  • are matched to student needs

Student behavior

  • detracts from others’ learning
  • is not addressed
  • interrupts the lesson
  • is addressed and improved
  • is appropriate, or
  • when inappropriate, is addressed effectively and does not detract from the lesson

And

  • Students take initiative to manage classroom procedures and their own behavior.
  • Students prompt others to follow classroom procedures, routines, and expectations.

Indicator 1.2: Positive Classroom Climate

Classroom interactions

  • are not respectful
  • students do not listen attentively, and teacher does not refocus students’ attention
  • teacher to student interactions are respectful
  • student to student interactions are not respectful unless prompted by the teacher
  • students listen attentively to teacher but not to peers
  • prompting is not effective
  • teacher to student interactions are respectful
  • student to student interactions are respectful
  • students listen attentively to teacher and peers

When working together, students

  • do not share work responsibility
  • share work responsibility
  • do not offer support to one another
  • share work responsibility
  • offer and receive support from one another

Students

  • do not persevere
  • are not motivated to complete quality work
  • are not prompted or encouraged
  • are prompted to persevere
  • praised for their efforts to complete quality work
  • persevere
  • complete quality work
  • require minimal to no prompting

And

  • Students independently use problem solving and conflict resolution skills during cooperative learning opportunities.
  • Students encourage others to persevere.

Indicator 1.3: Equitable Access

High expectations for learning and achievement for all students

  • are not communicated, demonstrated/modeled.
  • are communicated, demonstrated/modeled but with limited impact on students.
  • are communicated, demonstrated/modeled.

Students

  • do not have access to a variety of tools and/or materials to meet their needs and do not have support for learning
  • are not provided equitable* opportunities to respond and participate and do not engage
  • do not share their interests and/or perspectives and do not accept others’ interests and perspectives as worthy
  • do not share their interests and/or perspectives nor build relationships and connect to their academic work
  • have access to a variety of tools and/or materials to meet their needs but are not encouraged to use them to support learning
  • are provided equitable* opportunities to respond and participate but are not encouraged to engage
  • are not encouraged to share their interests and/or perspectives and to accept others’ interests and perspectives as worthy
  • are not encouraged to share their interests and/or perspectives to build relationships and connect to their academic work
  • are provided a variety of tools and/or materials to meet their needs and encouraged to use them to support learning
  • are provided equitable* opportunities to respond and participate and encouraged to engage
  • are encouraged to share their interests and/or perspectives and to accept others’ interests and perspectives as worthy
  • are encouraged to share their interests and/or perspectives to build relationships and connect to their academic work

Differences related to background, identity, language, strengths, and challenges

  • are not respected and affirmed.
  • are addressed inconsistently.
  • are respected and affirmed.

And

  • Students take initiative to share their interests and perspectives.

*Equitable is defined as what one needs based on their diverse needs related to background knowledge/experiences, language, ability, etc.

Performance Area #2: Engagement in Learning:

To what extent does the instruction support and engage all students?

Indicator 2.1: Objectives for Learning

Lesson objectives are

  • not aligned to grade level or proficiency standard(s)
  • not written in student friendly language that state what the students should know and be able to do
  • not clearly communicated and accessible to students
  • not revisited throughout the lesson
  • aligned to grade level or proficiency standard(s)
  • not written in student friendly language that state what the students should know and be able to do
  • accessible but not clearly communicated to students
  • not revisited throughout the lesson
  • aligned to grade level or proficiency standard(s)
  • written in student friendly language that state what the students should know and be able to do
  • clearly communicated and accessible to students
  • revisited throughout the lesson

Students

  • do not know what they are learning or why it is important for them to know.
  • are able to read or describe what they are learning but not why it is important for them to know.
  • are able to articulate what they are learning and why it is important for them to know.

Criteria for success

  • is not communicated nor explained to students prior to beginning an assignment
  • is not aligned to the objective
  • is communicated but not explained to students prior to beginning an assignment
  • is aligned to the objective
  • is communicated and explained to students prior to beginning an assignment

And

  • Students make connections between what they are currently learning to previous learning and/or to content in other disciplines.

Indicator 2.2: Learning Experiences

*Explanatory devices are defined as analogies, metaphors, gestures, demonstrations, modeling, think-aloud, physical models, visual representations, graphic organizers, interactive whiteboards, mental imagery, presentation software, minimal and progressive cueing, simulations, educational games, and role plays.

**Logically aligned means to consider the knowledge and activities necessary to accomplish the objective, a progression in level of difficulty (Bloom’s Taxonomy), and the gradual release of responsibility to enable students to transfer, retain, and independently apply their learning.

Indicator 2.3: Checks for Understanding and Feedback

Checks for understanding

  • do not occur during the lesson to assess students’ progress towards the objective(s)
  • occur during the lesson but the data is not used to adjust instruction
  • data is gathered from some but not all students
  • occur frequently and at critical moments throughout the lesson
  • assess student progress towards the objective
  • data is gathered from all students
  • data is used to adjust instruction

Opportunities for Students to Demonstrate Their Learning:

  • Students are not provided opportunities to demonstrate their learning, to relearn, redo or be reassessed.
  • Students are given only a single opportunity to demonstrate their learning
  • Students are provided an opportunity to redo or be reassessed without an opportunity to relearn
  • Students are given multiple opportunities and options to demonstrate their learning,
  • Reteaching is provided for students who need it
  • Students are given opportunities to redo and to be reassessed on assignments/tasks

Student Self-assessment:

  • Students are not taught or expected to self-assess their work in relation to established criteria for success
  • Students are not taught or expected to self-assess their work in relation to established criteria for success
  • Students are taught and expected to self-assess their work in relation to established criteria for success

Feedback to students is

  • not specific or timely
  • timely
  • related to established criteria for success
  • not accompanied by a clear expectation that the student will use the feedback to revise or improve their performance
  • timely
  • frequent
  • specifically related to established criteria for success
  • matched to student/s
  • accompanied by a clear expectation that the student will use the feedback to revise or improve performance

And

Student Self-assessment:

  • Students are expected to independently self-assess and determine the steps needed to improve.

Feedback:

  • Students are taught – and receive guided practice on – how to provide academically focused feedback to each other.

Performance Area #3: Maximizing Learning:

To what extent do all students retain and apply their learning with productive struggle?

Indicator 3.1: Rigorous assignments

Assignments are

  • not aligned to the standards and lesson’s objective, not matched to students or content, and therefore are not cognitively challenging
  • not relevant to the learner and do not require application of knowledge for real purposes
  • not differentiated to meet students’ needs
  • aligned to the standards and lesson’s objective, not matched to students or content, and therefore are not cognitively challenging
  • relevant to the learner or require application of knowledge for real purposes
  • differentiated to meet groups of students’ needs
  • aligned to the standards and lesson’s objective, matched to students and content, and therefore are cognitively challenging
  • relevant to the learner and require application of knowledge for real purposes
  • differentiated to meet individual students’ needs

Assignments do not require application of content through

  • generating examples
  • reviewing material
  • leading discussions
  • critically analyzing information
  • solving problems

Assignments provide opportunities to apply content by

  • generating examples
  • reviewing material
  • leading discussions
  • critically analyzing information
  • solving problems
  • …but many students do not engage in those opportunities.
  • …and students engage in those opportunities.

And

  • Assignments provide students the opportunity to: self-evaluate, reflect and share their problem-solving strategies and/or new ideas.
  • Students can self-select from options in assignments.
  • Students can apply content by developing possible solutions addressing local or global issues, and/or develop creative approaches.

Indicator 3.2: Questioning and Discussion

Questions

  • are not aligned to the objective
  • do not follow a continuum from simple to more complex and/or concrete to abstract
  • are not accompanied by wait time, prompts and/or scaffolds to help students answer questions
  • Students are not expected to support response with evidence and/or explanations.
  • are aligned to the objective
  • do not follow a continuum from simple to more complex and/or concrete to abstract
  • are accompanied by wait time but no prompts and/or scaffolds when needed to help students answer questions
  • Students are prompted to respond to questions using evidence and/or explanations when appropriate.
  • are aligned to the objective
  • follow a continuum from simple to more complex and/or concrete to abstract
  • are accompanied by wait time, prompts, and/or scaffolds to help students answer questions
  • Students are expected to respond to questions using evidence and/or explanations when appropriate.

Class discussions are

  • not evident
  • primarily teacher talk
  • students do not ask or pose their own questions
  • no structures are in place that promote engagement in class discussions
  • primarily between teacher and students but do not include all students
  • primarily among students, but the discussion is low level
  • few structures are in place that promote engagement by all students
  • robust
  • primarily with student talk
  • students asking questions of teacher and peers to expand on thinking
  • structures are in place that promote engagement by all students

And

  • Students engage in accoundiv talk* to challenge thinking, push for evidence, and/or refine assignments.
  • Students initiate class discussions and peer collaboration.
  • Students engage in productive academic discussions where they challenge one another’s thinking.
  • Students encourage one another for evidence.

Indicator 3.3: Academic Language and Vocabulary

Academic Language and Vocabulary is

  • not used or used incorrectly
  • not explicitly taught or not expected to be used/known by students
  • Few to no opportunities are provided for students to use academic language and vocabulary.
  • Students are not prompted to use academic language or vocabulary and/or not corrected when academic language and vocabulary is misused.
  • modeled inaccurately or used appropriately but errors are self-corrected
  • not explicitly taught but students are expected to know
  • Opportunities to use academic language and vocabulary are not authentic and rigorous.
  • Students are prompted to use academic language and vocabulary and are corrected when it is misused.
  • modeled accurately and appropriately
  • explicitly taught
  • expected to be used/known by students
  • Opportunities to use academic language and vocabulary are authentic and rigorous.
  • Students use academic language and vocabulary to explain and elaborate on their thinking with no or minimal teacher prompting.

And

  • Students take responsibility to help others understand academic language and vocabulary.
  • Students prompt others to use academic language and vocabulary.
  • Students correct peers when academic language and vocabulary is misused.

Core Teacher Skills

  • Bringing multiple perspectives to the discussion of content including attention to learners’ personal, family, and community experiences and cultural norms
  • Investing time in knowing individual students and informing relationships to best support their learning
  • Issuing logical and appropriate consequences as needed such that consequences are successful in changing student behavior
  • Providing specific, concrete, sequential and observable directions for behavior and academics
  • Promoting student persistence in overcoming environmental and learning challenges
  • Using efficient routines and procedures
  • Using voice and presence to maintain authority and caring for students
  • Developing clear procedures and processes for group work
  • Reteaching appropriate behaviors
  • Providing positive reinforcement
  • Modeling and reinforcing positive self-talk
  • Explicitly teaching strategies that help students link effort to achievement
  • Uses space to maintain safety and accessibility
  • Uses various strategies to maintain attention
  • Uses calling patterns that invites all students to participate
  • Procuring and using displays, visual aids, props, language cues that reflect students’ cultures and backgrounds
  • Using grouping roles and arrangements (group sizes, students with diverse needs and perspectives) that are matched to content and learners to maximize student understanding and learning efficiency with the objective
  • Using random calling patterns to provide all students equal access to high-level questions

  • Considering students’ cultures and language skills when developing learning objectives and activities
  • Allocating instructional time to address the most important content for the grade or course
  • Managing time to optimize learning time
  • Checking whether students understand the key content needed to master the lesson at key points
  • Developing objectives that are manageable, worthy and appropriate for a lesson
  • Developing objectives that have learner as the subject, have an active performance verb, and a curricular knowledge or skill
  • Developing the thinking skills thought processes that students will be required to use to engage with think about the content (e.g., how to “analyze”, deduce, infer, synthesize, etc.)
  • Considering students’ strengths, interests, needs, and IEP goals (where applicable) to develop learning goals and prepare lessons
  • Developing and/or using informal and formal assessments aligned to learning objectives that yield usable data on students’ progress toward grade-level standards
  • Developing and/or using a variety of appropriately demanding and differentiated instructional materials and activities, such as texts, questions, problems, learning experiences and assignments
  • Using multiple ways to explain and share content (for example: model the skill, provide an exemplar, compare or contrast, etc.)
  • Making connections between lesson objective/content and content and learning from other lessons or prior knowledge
  • Varying teacher role in the instructional process (e.g. instructor, facilitator, coach) based on content, instructional purpose, and needs of students
  • Modeling a process for students to provide feedback themselves and to each other
  • Providing opportunities for students to respond to and build on their peers’ ideas
  • Providing a rationale for learning by explaining the benefits of learning a concept, skill, or process and how it applies to the students’ lives at home, work or school
  • Differentiating instructional experiences and assessments
  • Clearly communicates accurate knowledge of the content
  • Adjusts instruction as a result of the feedback received from students
  • Planning and implementing multiple opportunities for students to practice the skills they are expected to master in the lesson
  • Structuring and delivering lesson activities so that students do an appropriate amount of thinking required by the lesson

  • Posing questions or providing lesson activities that require students to support their thinking through citing evidence and/or explaining their thinking
  • Explicitly teaches students criteria for constructing arguments and/or supporting opinions
  • Planning for questions at different levels of cognitive challenge
  • Considering students’ needs to match the level of questions to ask or level of prompting to provide
  • Explicitly teaches skills that students are required to use as part of an assignment
  • Providing opportunities for students to learn, practice, and master academic language
  • Asking questions to stimulate discussion that serves different purposes (e.g. probing for learning and understanding, helping learners articulate their ideas and thinking processes, stimulating curiosity, and helping guide students to question)
  • Using knowledge of content to design assignments that support students to extend their learning
  • Using knowledge of content and students to match students to relevant and appropriate assignments
  • Allow think time for responses
  • Designing assignments that include multiple ways for students to demonstrate their learning (examples: writing, reading, speaking and student discourse

Delaware Smart Card for Classroom Observations

Performance Area #1
Learning Environment:
To what extent does the classroom environment support all students to learn?		 Performance Area #2
Engagement in Learning:
To what extent does the instruction support and engage all students?		 Performance Area #3
Maximizing Learning:
To what extent do students retain and apply their learning?
1.1 Structures for Learning

  • Routines and procedures
  • Behavior expectations
  • Instructional time
  • Student Behavior

1.2 Positive Classroom Climate

  • Classroom Interactions
  • Ownership and responsibility
  • Student perseverance

 1.3 Equitable Access

  • Expectations for learning and achievement
  • Variety of tools and/or materials
  • Opportunities
  • Consideration of interests/perspectives
  • Relationships and connections
  • Cultural differences
 2.1 Objectives for Learning

  • Aligned and student-friendly
  • Accessible, communicated, and revisited
  • Understood by students
  • Criteria for success

2.2 Learning Experiences

  • Aligned and sequenced
  • Teacher and student led
  • Processing time
  • Balance of content input and process
  • Activating and summarizing learning
  • Use of explanatory devices

2.3 Checks for Understanding and Feedback

  • Monitoring progress and adjusting instruction
  • Opportunities for demonstrating learning
  • Student self-assessment
  • Feedback to students
 3.1 Rigorous Assignments

  • Alignment to objective, content, and learner
  • Relevant and meaningful
  • Differentiated and supported
  • Application of content

 3.2 Questioning and Discussion

  • Alignment to objective, content, and learner
  • Continuum from simple to complex (concrete to abstract)
  • Wait time, prompting, and scaffolds
  • Robust and support engagement

3.3 Academic Language and Vocabulary

  • Teacher models
  • Explicitly taught
  • Authentic and rigorous
  • Students use to explain and elaborate thinking