| (a) Grades 7-12 pedagogy and professional responsibilities
(PPR) standards. The PPR standards identified in this section are
targeted for classroom teachers of students in Grades 7-12. The standards
address the discipline that deals with the theory and practice of
teaching to inform skill-based training and development. The standards
inform proper teaching techniques, strategies, teacher actions, teacher
judgements, and decisions by taking into consideration theories of
learning, understandings of students and their needs, and the backgrounds
and interests of individual students. The standards are also aligned
with the Commissioner's Teacher Standards in 19 TAC Chapter 149 of
this title (relating to Commissioner's Rules Concerning Educator Standards).
(b) Instructional Planning and Delivery. Grades 7-12
classroom teachers demonstrate understanding of instructional planning
and delivery by providing standards-based, data-driven, differentiated
instruction that engages students and makes learning relevant for
today's learners. Grades 7-12 classroom teachers must:
(1) develop lessons that build coherently toward objectives
based on course content, curriculum scope and sequence, and expected
student outcomes;
(2) effectively communicate goals, expectations, and
objectives to help all students reach high levels of achievement;
(3) connect students' prior understanding and real-world
experiences to new content and contexts, maximizing learning opportunities;
(4) plan instruction that is developmentally appropriate,
is standards driven, and motivates students to learn;
(5) use a range of instructional strategies, appropriate
to the content area, to make subject matter accessible to all students;
(6) differentiate instruction, aligning methods and
techniques to diverse student needs, including acceleration, remediation,
and implementation of individual education plans;
(7) ensure that the learning environment features a
high degree of student engagement by facilitating discussion and student-centered
activities as well as leading direct instruction;
(8) set high expectations and create challenging learning
experiences for students, encouraging them to apply disciplinary and
cross-disciplinary knowledge to real-world problems;
(9) provide opportunities for students to engage in
individual and collaborative critical thinking and problem solving;
(10) monitor and assess students' progress to ensure
that their lessons meet students' needs;
(11) provide immediate feedback to students in order
to reinforce their learning and ensure that they understand key concepts;
and
(12) adjust content delivery in response to student
progress through the use of developmentally appropriate strategies
that maximize student engagement.
(c) Knowledge of Student and Student Learning. Grades
7-12 classroom teachers work to ensure high levels of learning and
achievement outcomes for all students, taking into consideration each
student's educational and developmental backgrounds and focusing on
each student's needs. Grades 7-12 classroom teachers must:
(1) create a community of learners in an inclusive
environment that views differences in learning and background as educational
assets;
(2) accept responsibility for the growth of all of
their students, persisting in their efforts to ensure high levels
of growth on the part of each learner;
(3) connect learning, content, and expectations to
students' prior knowledge, life experiences, and interests in meaningful
contexts;
(4) understand the unique qualities of students with
exceptional needs, including disabilities and giftedness, and know
how to effectively address these needs through instructional strategies
and resources;
(5) understand the role of language and culture in
learning and know how to modify their practice to support language
acquisition so that language is comprehensible and instruction is
fully accessible; and
(6) understand how learning occurs and how learners
develop, construct meaning, and acquire knowledge and skills.
(d) Content Knowledge and Expertise. Grades 7-12 classroom
teachers exhibit an understanding of content and related pedagogy
as demonstrated through the quality of the design and execution of
lessons and the ability to match objectives and activities to relevant
state standards. Grades 7-12 classroom teachers must:
(1) keep current with developments, new content, new
approaches, and changing methods of instructional delivery within
their discipline;
(2) organize curriculum to facilitate student understanding
of the subject matter;
(3) understand, actively anticipate, and adapt instruction
to address common misunderstandings and preconceptions;
(4) promote literacy and the academic language within
the discipline and make discipline-specific language accessible to
all learners; and
(5) teach both the key content knowledge and the key
skills of the discipline.
(e) Learning Environment. Grades 7-12 classroom teachers
interact with students in respectful ways at all times, maintaining
a physically and emotionally safe, supportive learning environment
that is characterized by efficient and effective routines, clear expectations
for student behavior, and organization that maximizes student learning.
Grades 7-12 classroom teachers must:
(1) embrace students' backgrounds and experiences as
an asset in their learning;
(2) maintain and facilitate respectful, supportive,
positive, and productive interactions with and among students;
(3) implement behavior management systems to maintain
an environment where all students can learn effectively;
(4) maintain a culture that is based on high expectations
for student performance and encourages students to be self-motivated,
taking responsibility for their own learning;
(5) maximize instructional time, including managing
transitions; and
(6) communicate regularly, clearly, and appropriately
with parents and families about student progress, providing detailed
and constructive feedback and partnering with families in furthering
their students' achievement goals.
(f) Data-Driven Practices. Grades 7-12 classroom teachers
use formal and informal methods to assess student growth aligned to
instructional goals and course objectives and regularly review and
analyze multiple sources of data to measure student progress and adjust
instructional strategies and content delivery as needed. Grades 7-12
classroom teachers must:
(1) gauge student progress and ensure mastery of content
knowledge and skills by providing assessments aligned to instructional
objectives and outcomes that are accurate measures of student learning;
(2) analyze and review data in a timely, thorough,
accurate, and appropriate manner, both individually and with colleagues,
to monitor student learning; and
(3) design instruction, change strategies, and differentiate
their teaching practices to improve student learning based on assessment
outcomes.
(g) Professional Practices and Responsibilities. Grades
7-12 classroom teachers consistently hold themselves to a high standard
for individual development, collaborate with other educational professionals,
communicate regularly with stakeholders, maintain professional relationships,
comply with all campus and school district policies, and conduct themselves
ethically and with integrity. Grades 7-12 classroom teachers must:
(1) reflect on their own strengths and professional
learning needs, using this information to develop action plans for
improvement;
(2) seek out feedback from supervisor, coaches, and
peers and take advantage of opportunities for job-embedded professional
development;
(3) adhere to the educators' code of ethics in §247.2
of this title (relating to Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for
Texas Educators), including following policies and procedures at their
specific school placement(s);
(4) communicate consistently, clearly, and respectfully
with all members of the campus community, administrators, and staff;
and
(5) serve as advocates for their students, focusing
attention on students' needs and concerns and maintaining thorough
and accurate student records.
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