Instruction is consistently clear, organized, and purposeful, with students able to articulate what they are learning and why. Explanations, modeling, and pacing maximize engagement and understanding.

Directions and explanations are clear and consistent, allowing most students to understand lesson objectives and expectations. Occasional checks for understanding guide instruction effectively.

Instruction is sometimes unclear or inconsistent, causing confusion about objectives or tasks. Checks for understanding occur but are limited in scope or effectiveness.

Instruction lacks clarity and coherence, leaving students unsure of expectations or lesson purpose. Misunderstandings often go unaddressed.

Facilitates dynamic, student-centered dialogue using purposeful, high-level questions that promote critical thinking, collaboration, and self-reflection. Students build on peers' ideas, use academic language, and pose meaningful questions of their own.

Regularly uses purposeful questions to guide discussion and deepen understanding. Most students participate using relevant academic language, and dialogue connects learning activities to larger concepts or skills.

Uses a mix of surface-level and analytical questions that lead to uneven engagement. Discussions are mostly teacher-directed, and students rarely elaborate on or connect their ideas to broader learning goals.

Questioning and discussion are limited or unclear, focusing mostly on recall or compliance. Student participation is minimal, and academic language or higher-level thinking is rarely encouraged.

The classroom environment is intentionally designed to support multiple modes of learning—whole group, small group, and independent work. The teacher flexibly adjusts seating, materials, and space throughout lessons to enhance engagement and minimize downtime or distraction. The room is consistently clean, organized, and welcoming.

The classroom setup supports learning goals and allows for smooth transitions between activities. The space is organized and inviting, and the teacher occasionally adjusts layout or materials to meet different learning needs or lesson types.

The classroom is generally orderly but not consistently organized to support lesson objectives or varied learning styles. Movement or transitions can be inefficient, and the space may not fully promote collaboration or engagement.

The classroom setup is static, cluttered, or misaligned with instructional needs. The teacher relies on a single layout that limits interaction and engagement, and transitions often cause disruption or lost learning time.

Maximizes use of class time to ensure all students are focused on critical learning objectives from bell to bell; time off-task or on ancillary discussion points is minimal, as clear directions and transitions enable students to seamlessly shift between learning activities.

Most class time is geared towards key learning objectives and duration matches students' attention span, with only occasional ancillary discussions or less than seamless transitions. Directions are clear and easily followed for students to eliminate spending time reiterating.

At times the duration of different activities or portions of lesson is misaligned with students' attention span and/or key learning objectives. Transitions could be smoother, and class sometimes stalls while directions are being repeated/re-explained.

A sizeable portion of class time is not spent on key learning objectives. Transitions are not well thought out and break up the flow of the class, and directions are insufficiently clear to help students navigate through the different parts of the lesson plan successfully.

Students are highly engaged and take ownership of their learning through active participation, collaboration, and inquiry. The teacher uses a variety of strategies such as: movement, discussion, choice, and real-world connections, to sustain attention and enthusiasm throughout the lesson.

Most students are actively participating and attentive during lessons. The teacher uses effective strategies to keep students engaged, and activities are relevant and appropriately challenging, though a few students may need additional prompting or support.

Student engagement is inconsistent; some students participate while others remain passive or off-task. The teacher attempts engagement strategies but may rely on limited approaches that don't fully capture students' interest or accommodate different learning needs.

Students show minimal participation or investment in learning. Lessons lack interactive or meaningful elements, and the teacher rarely adjusts instruction to re-engage distracted or disengaged students.

Consistently reinforces clear, fair, and positively framed expectations that students internalize and uphold with minimal redirection. The classroom culture reflects mutual respect and shared accountability.

Clearly communicates and consistently enforces expectations. Most students follow rules with minimal reminders, maintaining a respectful and orderly environment.

Rules and expectations are stated but inconsistently reinforced. Students require frequent reminders, and classroom order or respect occasionally breaks down.

Expectations are unclear or inconsistently applied, leading to off-task behavior or a lack of respect for rules and routines.

Creates a positive, structured learning environment through proactive strategies that prevent disruptions before they occur. Skillfully addresses issues within the classroom, guiding students toward reflection and restoration, and consistently communicates with families to support long-term growth. Rarely uses formal infraction system to effectively run the classroom and achieve learning goals.

Maintains a calm and orderly classroom using clear expectations and consistent follow-through. Addresses most behavioral issues within the room and reaches out to parents when patterns or concerns arise. Does not overuse the formal infraction system to maintain control of the classroom.

Responds to behavior as it occurs but often reactively rather than preventatively. Tends to rely on removal from class instead of in-the-moment redirection or problem-solving; communication with parents is inconsistent. Overuses formal infraction system in ways that show limited experience with classroom management techniques.

Classroom expectations and management practices are unclear or inconsistently enforced. Frequently sends students out rather than managing behaviors within the classroom, with minimal communication or follow-up with families. Often solely relies on formal infraction system as a form of classroom management.

Transitions and routines are seamless, efficient, and student-led, maximizing instructional time and maintaining focus without teacher prompts.

Transitions and routines are clear and consistent, allowing students to move smoothly between activities with minimal loss of learning time.

Transitions and routines are somewhat established but require frequent reminders or result in occasional loss of focus and time.

Transitions are disorganized or unclear, causing confusion, wasted time, and disruption to the learning environment.