CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

Has a foundational Examines concepts in Understands and explains Uses broad knowledge of Uses extensive
knowledge of subject subject matter and the relationship between inter-relationships of knowledge of subject
matter, related academic academic language to essential subject matter concepts, academic matter concepts, current
3.1 Demonstrating language, and academic identify connections concepts, academic content standards, and issues, academic
knowledge of subject content standards. between academic language, and academic academic language in language, and research to
matter academic content standards and content standards. ways that ensure clear make relevant
content standards instruction. connections and connections to standards
relevance to students. during instruction and
extend student learning.

This is one of the aspects My mentor has done an Where once I doubted my
of lesson planning that I amazing job in helping skills in understanding
am learning from my me to not only plan day- subject matter, I now no
mentor teacher. It is not to-day activities, but to longer do so. I feel
just about planning from also look at long term confident in my abilities
day to day, but identifying goals and to find, read, and organize
those connections and accomplishments. I now standards into units in
making sure they are feel much more confident order to facilitate
properly implemented in in my abilities to create learning and find suitable
the instruction of lessons. clear connections and learning materials to
9/26/17 relevance to students. supplement lesson
5/8/18 instruction.
12/10/18

In my college days, research

papers were my least
favorite form of assessment.
Research seemed never
ending and difficult to
maneuver. However,
researching as a teacher is
much more interesting and
rewarding. Through
conducting research, I can
better my craft, find new and
engaging ways to teach my
students various topics, and
learn more about the ever-
changing dynamics of
education.
5/5/19
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging
Has basic knowledge of student
stages of development while
becoming aware of differences
in students’ understanding of
subject matter.
3.2 Applying Teaches subject-specific
knowledge of vocabulary following
student development curriculum guidelines.
and proficiencies to
ensure student
understanding of
subject matter
Exploring
Expands knowledge of student
development and implements
learning activities in single
lessons or sequence of lessons
that addresses students’
proficiencies and support
understanding of subject matter
including related academic
language.
Provides explicit teaching of
essential content vocabulary
and associated academic
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.
Academic language and
vocabulary is something we
focus on a lot in second grade.
We are finalizing many of the
building blocks that were begun
in preschool, before larger, new
concepts, such as multiplication,
are taught in third grade. In
order to ensure their success in
these new endeavors, it is our
job to really grab hold of that
academic knowledge and
present in such ways that are
meaningful, engaging, and
understanding for all students.
9/26/17
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.
Integrating
Integrates knowledge of range
of students development into
instructional decisions to ensure
student understanding of the
subject matter including related
academic language.
Provides explicit teaching of
specific academic language, text
structures, grammatical, and
stylistic language features to
ensure equitable access to
subject matter understanding
for the range of student
language levels and abilities.
Differentiated instruction was
something I understood at the
beginning of the year, but did
not always feel comfortable
implementing, especially since I
was still learning my students’
individual needs and abilities.
Now, I differentiate without
second thought. I know which
students need challenges, and
which need additional support,
and feel much more confident in
my abilities to reach those
students and provide materials
that will help them to succeed.
5/8/18
Innovating
Utilizes comprehensive
knowledge of students to guide
all students to develop
proficiencies, understand
subject matter including related
academic language.
Engages student at all levels of
vocabulary, academic language,
and proficiencies in self-
directed goal setting,
monitoring, and improvement.
Guides all students in using
analysis strategies that provides
equitable access and deep
understanding of subject matter.
My students’ needs, abilities, and
interests truly guide my instruction.
Their needs guide my pacing, and
help for me to plan both challenge
opportunities and opportunities for
support. Additionally, I have work
ready for students of all learning
platforms. The language varies from
assignment to assignment, as well as
the expectation. Students think they
are all completing the same work,
but really it has been differentiated
to meet their specific needs. This
method helps for them to focus on
their own personal achievement,
instead of the achievements of those
around them. Students become self-
motivated, not by comparing
themselves to their peers, but
comparing themselves to their
former work.
12/10/18
Differentiation in the
classroom is essential for
students to reach their true
academic and social
potential. Through
differentiating assignments
and assessments, students
are completing challenges
that are applicable to their
needs and interests.
5/5/19
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring
Follows organization of Examines organization of
curriculum as provided curriculum and considers
by site and district to adjustments in single
support student lessons or sequence of
3.3 Organizing understanding of the lessons to support
curriculum to subject matter. understanding of subject
facilitate student matter.
understanding of the
subject matter
Each part of the curriculum is
looked over and discussed
between my mentor teacher and
I to determine length of the
lessons or units before we begin
to implement the in the lesson
plans. We also provide
availability to always make
lessons last longer if need be,
based on student
understanding.
9/26/17
Applying Integrating
Uses knowledge of Integrates knowledge of
curriculum and student curriculum and resources
readiness to organize and to organize and adjust
adjust the curriculum to instruction within and
ensure student across subject matter to
understanding. extend student
understanding.
The California Common Core
Standards are saved to my
laptop at work. Constantly I
find myself turning to them for
guidance when providing
supplemental materials for my
students. I look at what is
needed ahead for third grade
and look back at what was to be
accomplished in first grade to
help my students who are
struggling with various subjects.
Those standards help drive my
curriculum planning and help
me to keep my students’
learning on track to help them
best succeed next year.
5/8/18
Innovating
Uses extensive
knowledge of curriculum
and related resources to
flexibly and effectively
organize and adjust
instruction.
Ensures student
comprehension and
facilitates student
articulation about what
they do and do not
understand.
Having to create our science
curriculum from scratch using
just the NGSS website has been
integral in me reaching the
innovative category. I have
learned how to read standards,
organize them into units, and
then find the necessary
materials to then teach the
standards in effective and
meaningful ways. Additionally,
if students do not understand a
concept the first time around, I
work to find new materials and
activities that reteach the
concept to ensure
understanding.
12/10/18
Learning how to navigate
through standard websites was
the best skill that I learned
while getting my primary
credential. We do not have
science or social studies
materials, and are left on our
own to create our units and
resources. Using the standards
as our guide, we create
curriculum and assessments for
the students. Knowing how to
find the standards, and then
implement them, has become a
skill that I have been able to
share with my colleagues.
5/5/19
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring Applying
Uses instructional Gathers and uses Selects and adapts a
strategies that are additional instructional variety of instructional
provided in the strategies in single strategies to ensure
3.4 Utilizing curriculum. lessons or sequence of student understanding of
instructional lessons to increase academic language
strategies that are student understanding of appropriate to subject
appropriate to the academic language matter and that
subject matter appropriate to subject addresses students’
matter. diverse learning needs.
One of the most integral
ways I have found over
the years to make
learning engaging for
students at all times is to
create variety in
assignments. Completing
the same worksheets
over and over again is
engaging for no one, but
using centers to complete
a variety of mini projects
centered at teaching a
concept not only manages
to reach more students’
learning styles, but
creates more opportunity
for engagement.
9/26/17
Integrating Innovating
Integrates instructional Uses an extensive
strategies appropriate to repertoire of
subject matter to meet instructional strategies to
students’ diverse develop enthusiasm,
learning, to ensure meta-cognitive abilities,
student understanding of and support and
academic language, and challenge the full range of
guide student in student towards a deep
understanding knowledge of subject
connections within and matter.
across subject matter.
As a fierce believer in Where once I felt stagnant in my
use of instructional strategies,
Gardener’s Theory of
and feared the unknown, I now
Multiple Intelligences, I embrace the unknown and
am constantly searching unpredictable and trust my
for ways to engage and ability to create meaningful
instructional strategies, even
reach all of my different
with little or no time to do so. I
learners. I have learned, have a better understanding of
of course, that I cannot what it takes to support and
just teach what is fun or challenge a full range of
students, and to do so in such a
pretty, but must take
way that results in lasting
those creative ideas and knowledge.
ensure that they are 12/10/18
appropriate for what my
students are learning at Thanks to my Mentor and
that time. The creativity colleagues, I have gained a
plethora of strategies for
must be met with both classroom management
concepts that will stick and instructional purposes.
with students, and At the beginning of this
through trial and error, I program, the thought of
have worked to find a finding strategies terrified
balance between the two. me. It seemed so open-
5/8/18 ended. Now that I have
some experience, and have
luckily been surrounded by
amazingly helpful people,
this search for strategies
does not seem as daunting
as it once did.
5/5/19
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

Uses available instructional Explores additional
materials, resources, and instructional materials,
technologies for specific lessons resources, and technologies to
3.5 Using and adapting to make subject matter make subject matter accessible
resources, technologies, accessible to students. to students.
and standards-aligned
instructional materials Identifies technological resource Explores how to make
including adopted needs. technological resources
materials, to make subject available to all students.
matter accessible to all
students
I am always looking for ways to
make learning different and
engaging for my students.
Whether its manipulatives, iPad
apps, projects, etc., I am there,
trying to see how I can best use
this amazing idea for a topic I
am teaching.
9/26/17
Selects, adapts, and utilizes
appropriate instructional
materials, resources, and
technologies for concept and
skill development in subject
matter. Resources 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.
It is always important to reduce
student frustration to provide
guidance when using new
electronic and print resources
before students are sent on their
own complete the task. I work
to do this for all of my students
based on their individual needs.
9/26/17
Integrates a wide range of
adapted resources, technologies,
and instructional materials to
meet identified student needs
and make subject matter
accessible to students.
Assists student with equitable
access to materials, resources,
and technologies. Seeks outside
resources and support.
I am grateful to my mentor
teacher for being a help in
teaching me a wide variety of
resources, technologies, and
instructional materials that I
now consider vital to reaching
my students’ individual needs.
While I still continue to search
for more, I feel much more
settled in my bank of
knowledge.
5/8/18
This is the semester in which I
truly feel as if I found my footing
when it comes to technology in
the classroom. Partly in thanks
to this semester’s class for
challenging me, and partly in
thanks to my mentor for being a
guiding light when it comes to
meaningful technology in the
classroom. iPads are now a
regular occurrence in our
learning, and the ELMO Display
allows for whole-group and
small-group review of concepts
through engaging interactive
games. Through these means, I
am able to reach more of my
students’ individual learning
strengths and needs.
12/10/18
Engages students in identifying
and adapting resources,
technologies, and standards-
aligned instructional materials
to extend student
understanding and critical
thinking about subject matter.
Ensures that student are able to
obtain equitable access to a
wide range of technologies
through ongoing links to outside
resources and support.
Educational resources that are
used in class, especially the free
educational resources, are
shared and taught to our
students and families, in the
hopes that they will go home
and utilize these to help the
students receive additional
practice. Both my mentor and I
are always willing to share with
our school families, as these
resources often prove to be very
engaging for our students who
are in need of additional
support and practice.
5/8/18
Students are provided access to
technologies in the classroom
that are completely accessible at
home. Their entire math and
language arts programs are
available to them online at
home, as well as their JiJi Math,
and the apps we use in the
classroom to facilitate learning.
To help students access these
technologies at home, I reach
out to their parents. I hold
quick meetings to demonstrate
how to access these
technologies at home, as well as
address any questions or issues
that may arise. Parents are the
key to my students’
technological success, and I
work closely with them to
ensure this success.
12/10/18
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

Including my students in
identifying strategies,
activities, and resources
has been enlightening. I
always stayed away from
asking for student help to
find strategies, because I
was unsure of what
would be recommended.
This year, by
communicating with both
students and their
parents, I have been
exposed to games, apps,
and more that have been
useful and effective for
student success.
Additionally, for every
resource that I am
exposed to, I share with
the families of my
students as well to access
and use at home.
5/5/19
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging
Is aware of students’ primary
language and English language
proficiencies based on available
assessment data.
3.6 Addressing the needs
of English learners and
student with special needs
Provides adapted materials to
to provide equitable
help English learners access
access to the content
content.
Exploring
Seeks additional information
describing elements of culture
and language proficiencies in
listening, speaking, reading, and
writing. Uses multiple measures
for assessing English learners’
performance to identify gaps in
English language development.
Attempts to scaffold content
using visuals, models, and
graphic organizers.
Applying
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.
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.
I may not have English language
learners this year, but I have
worked with English language
learners in my work in the past.
Differentiation, SDAIE, hands on
manipulatives, and visuals are
just some of the amazing
techniques that I learned how to
use while working with these
students. What is especially
wonderful about these
techniques is that they also
work for students who are not
English language learners, but
struggle in their day to day use
of the English language.
9/26/17
Integrating Innovating
Integrates knowledge of English Engages English learners in
language development, English assessment of their progress in
learners’ strengths and assessed English language development
needs into English language and and in meeting content
content instruction. standards. Supports students to
establish and monitor language
and content goals.
Develops and adapts instruction
to provide a wide range of Is resourceful and flexible in the
scaffolded support for language design, adjustment, and
and content for the range of elimination of scaffolds based
English learners. on English learners’
proficiencies, knowledge, and
skills in the content.
All of my students, regardless of Something that is
English being their first
interesting and
language or not, are English
language learners. They are still fascinating about
learning mechanics of how to teaching such young
speak the language, as well as students, is that
how to write it coherently and
strategies that work for
with meaning. I use
Differentiation, SDAIE, hands-on English learners also
manipulatives, visuals, and work for students who
realia in order to teach all of my are native speakers but
students. English is not an easy
are now learning spelling
language to learn, understand,
and use, so I am grateful to patterns, grammar, etc.
these strategies for helping my Utilizing these strategies
students grasp its concepts a helps all of my students,
little bit more before going on to
not just those who are
third grade.
5/8/18 English learners, to grow
in their spoken and
My inability to reach innovating written skills.
in this area comes from my lack
5/5/19
of experience of working with
students who are English
language learners. Typically, I
am fortunate enough to have
one student who is an English
language learner. Over time,
and with more experience, I feel
as if I will grow in this category,
and learn more about how to
best help those students who
are English language learners in
my classroom.
12/10/18
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging
Has an awareness of the full
range of students identified with
special needs through data
provided by the school.
Attends required meeting with
3.6 Addressing the needs resource personnel and families.
of English learners and
student with special needs
to provide equitable
access to the content
Learns about referral processes
for students with special needs.
Exploring
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 support of learning
plans and goals.
Seeks additional information on
struggling learners and
advanced learners to determine
appropriateness for referral.
Applying
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 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.
With my student who is
identified as needing a one-on-
one instructional aide this year
for social and emotional needs, I
have been working since before
school began with his parents,
aides, and the company
providing the aides, to ensure
this student’s happiness and
success in the classroom. I work
to ask questions, be observant,
take notes, and report what I
see to his aides when they are
not present. So far, I am happy
to say that he is progressing
very well in school, and has
been reported telling his family
that he enjoys second grade.
9/26/17
Integrating
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 instruction. Supports
families in positive 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.
Innovating
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 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.
Fostering student growth, just
like raising a child, is better
done as a village than just as one
person. I am constantly asking
questions of our learning
support personnel, my fellow
teachers, and students’ one-on-
one aides to better gain
understanding of how I can help
my students with special needs
to best succeed and feel safe in
my class. Thanks to them, I feel
more confident now to speak for
these students when necessary
and am happy to say that many
of them are continuing on
feeling happier, more confident,
and surer in their abilities than
they did at the beginning of the
year.
5/8/18
I am not a super hero. I do not
have all of the answers when it
comes to helping every student
in my classroom, and I am fully
aware of this. In order to best
help my students, especially
when I feel confused about what
their specific needs may be, I am
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

always willing to reach out to
my fellow educators, as well as
the student’s parents or
guardians, for support.
Additionally, I think that the
constant growth of my skills as a
teacher is essential in my
abilities to help my students. If I
cannot reach out and ask for
help, how can I expect for them
to do the same? Lastly, I work
with parents directly as our
school’s PTO Teacher
Representative to keep
communication between
teachers and parents fluid, and
to collaborate with others to
help continue to make our
school strong in its community
and academic aspects.
12/10/18

Technology is such a
useful tool when it comes
to assisting the needs of
all students, including
those with special needs
and English learners.
From enlarging texts,
audio options, and
providing visuals, the use
of technology in the
classroom helps to bridge
any gaps that may be
present when working
with students of any
needs. Additionally, the
use of technology also
helps to allow for
constant and consistent
communication with the
families of these students;
creating a seamless
support system for all
involved.
5/5/19
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning