boy readingOur five principles of instruction:

  1. Teachers know students as individuals and as learners.
  2. Students are sense makers.
  3. Teachers must design instruction for all students to do complex thinking and work.
  4. High cognitive demand teaching requires knowledge of content and understanding of how students interact with that content, knowledge of how students learn, and setting clear instructional goals.
  5. The measure of good teaching is student learning.

In every classroom, our teachers:

  • Build a culture where every student matters and participates.
  • Maintain a consistent focus on student reasoning.
  • Assess students’ understanding every day to inform instructional decisions.
  • Ensure student read and write in all content areas in meaningful ways, on a regular basis.

These principles and practices are the core of our school’s “instructional guidance system,” providing a framework for assessing student learning, allocating time and resources, identifying areas for professional growth, and ultimately, holding all staff accountable to serve the needs of our students.