School of Education Benchmarks

The following information applies only to current Interns in the School of Education. New benchmarks are available for other SOE students.

TED Benchmarks

Strand One | Strand Two | Strand Three | Strand Four

Benchmarks: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18

 

Strand One: Creating a positive learning environment benchmarks

Benchmark 1: Establishes expectations (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate and/or classroom teacher establishes clear expectations and students follow all of the expectations.		Students do not follow expectations.		Students follow a few of the expectations		Students follow all of the expectations.
Candidate establishes positive and reasonable expectations.		None are positive.		Some are positive.		All are positive.
Candidate teaches expectations and students follow all of the expectations.		Students do not follow expectations.		Students follow a few of the expectations		Students follow all of the expectations.

Benchmark 2: Arranges space for safety and effective learning. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate has visual contact with all of the students that is appropriate to the learning environment.		Only a few students have visual contact with the candidate.		Most of the students have visual contact with the candidate.		All of the students have visual contact with the candidate.
Candidate has auditory contact with all of the students that is appropriate to the learning environment.		No students can hear the candidate.		Most of the students can hear the candidate.		All of the students can hear the candidate.
Candidate positions self to monitor student engagement and all students are engaged.		Students are not engaged		Most of the students are engaged.		All of the students are engaged.
Candidate organizes classroom or a small group space to promote safety and effective learning.		No aspects of room or small group space are organized.		Most aspects of room or small group space are organized.		All aspects of room or small group space are organized.
Candidate has total room view.		No view of entire classroom		View of some of the classroom		View of all of the classroom

Benchmark 3: Establishes small and large group procedures, routines, and manages transitions. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate establishes efficient routines and procedures inside the classroom and all of the students follow them.		Few students follow routines and procedures.		Majority students follow routines and procedures.		All students follow routines and procedures.
Candidate establishes efficient routines and procedures outside the classroom and all of the students follow them.		Few students follow routines and procedures.		Majority students follow routines and procedures.		All students follow routines and procedures.
Candidate ensures that school-wide routines and procedures are followed and all of the students follow them.		Few students follow routines and procedures.		Majority students follow routines and procedures.		All students follow routines and procedures.

Benchmark 4: Prepares and manages materials and technology for effective learning. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate has materials ready for instruction.		No materials are ready.		Most of the materials are ready.		All of the materials are ready.
Candidate efficiently manages materials for whole classroom, small group, and/or independent use and all of the students are engaged.		Students are not engaged		Most of the students are engaged.		All of the students are engaged.
Candidate efficiently manages technology and related equipment for whole group, small group, and independent use and all of the students are engaged.		Students are not engaged.		Most of the students are engaged.		All of the students are engaged.

Benchmark 5: Keeps progress records in order to match and adapt curriculum to student. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		ProficientNot Applicable
Candidate uses records that show student progress on standards.		Records do not show student progress.		Uses records show qualitative or quantitative progress of some of the students		Uses records show qualitative and quantitative progress of all of the students
Candidate maintains records and informs students of their progress on standards.		No students are informed of progress.		Some students are informed of progress.		All students are informed of progress.
Candidate designs records that show student qualitative and quantitative progress on standards.		Does not design records that show student progress.		Designs records that show qualitative or quantitative progress of some of the students.		Designs records that show qualitative and quantitative progress of all of the students.

Benchmark 6: Uses reinforcement and correction to increase learning and show respect. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate responds to desired academic or social behavior of students and students' behaviors increase.		Students' behaviors do not increase.		Some of the students' behaviors increase.		All of the students' behaviors increase.
Candidate responds to undesired academic or social behavior of students and students' behaviors decrease.		Students' behaviors do not decrease.		Some of the students' behaviors decrease.		All of the students' behaviors decrease.
Candidate responds to desired academic or social behavior in ways appropriate to the context with all of the students.		Does not respond in ways appropriate to the context.		Responds in ways appropriate to the context with most of the students.		Responds in ways appropriate to the context with all of the students.
Candidate responds to undesired academic or social behavior in ways appropriate to the context with all of the students.		Does not respond in ways appropriate to the context.		Responds in ways appropriate to the context with most of the students.		Responds in ways appropriate to the context with all of the students.
Candidate varies response based upon individual academic and social behaviors.		Responds to all students in the same way.		Varies majority of responses based on individual responses.		Varies all responses based on individual responses.
Candidate monitors interactions with all of the students in all of the settings.		Limited monitoring of interactions.		Monitors interactions with the majority of the students in all areas (setting, academic and social interactions).		Monitors interactions with all of the students in all areas (setting, academic and social interactions).

Benchmark 7: Paces lessons and activities to engage students. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate allocates time and sequences classroom activities based on students' characteristics (e.g., task completion, achievement, and developmental levels).		Based on time or content coverage only regardless of student characteristics.		Based on a majority of the characteristics of students.		Based on all of the characteristics of students.
Candidate's pacing within the lesson is based on students' characteristics and the students are engaged.		Students are not engaged.		Most of the students are engaged.		All of the students are engaged.

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Strand Two: Assessment benchmarks

Benchmark 8: Assessment method matches knowledge (curriculum) and student characteristics. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate selects curriculum-based, alternative, criterion, and/or norm-referenced methods to assess student(s) that matches the knowledge and student characteristics.		Selection does not match knowledge or the student characteristics		Selection does match knowledge and characteristics of some of the students.		Selection does match knowledge and characteristics of all of the students.
Candidate designs/organizes curriculum-based, alternative, and/or criterion-referenced methods to assess student(s) that matches the knowledge and student characteristics.		Design does not match knowledge or the student characteristics.		Design does match knowledge and characteristics of some of the students.		Design does match knowledge and characteristics of all of the students.
Type and form of assessment varies based on student(s) characteristics.		Assessment is not related to student(s)		Assessment varies for some of the students.		Assessment varies for all of the students.

Benchmark 9: Formative assessment provides information regarding student(s)' achievement level. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate uses multiple assessment methods that provide formative information about the student(s).		Methods do not discriminate with any students.		Methods discriminate with the majority of the students.		Methods discriminate with all of the students.
Candidate involves student in self-assessment.		Student is not involved in any self-assessment.		Student is involved in self-assessment during pre and post tests only.		Student is involved in self-assessment continuously
Assessment information is used in the referral process for special programs.		Assessment is not used.		Assessment provides some information about students' strengths and weaknesses that is used in the referral process.		Assessment provides specific information about students' strengths and weaknesses that is used in the referral process.
Assessment is continuous throughout the instructional process.		No assessment is used for planning instruction.		Occurs at the beginning and/or end of instruction only.		Is continuous.

Benchmark 10: Assessment information is communicated to students, parents, and other professionals. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate communicates information in professional contexts (e.g., ARD, parent conferences, team meetings, disciplinary purposes).		No communication with professional.		Communicates general information about student's strengths and weaknesses.		Communicates specific information about student's strengths and weaknesses.
Candidate communicates progress to student.		No communication with student.		Communicates information about student's strengths and weaknesses at the beginning and end of the semester.		Communicates specific information about student's strengths and weaknesses throughout the semester.
Candidate communicates progress to parents.		No communication with parent.		Communicates information about student's strengths and weaknesses at the beginning and end of the semester.		Communicates specific information about student's strengths and weaknesses throughout the semester.

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Strand Three: Curriculum planning benchmarks

Benchmark 11: Focuses students' attention on the information. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate gets student(s)' attention and all students attend.		Students do not attend.		Most of the students attend.		All of the students attend.
Candidate describes what the students will be learning and the students describe the knowledge to be learned (declarative, procedural, and strategic/conditional).		Student does not describe.		Most of the students describe two types of knowledge to be learned.		All of the students describe all types of knowledge to be learned
Candidate relates students' prior knowledge to lessons.		No connection.		Connects to the majority of the students.		Connects to all of the students.

Benchmark 12: Organizes the knowledge when planning instruction. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate organizes knowledge (e.g., declarative, procedural, strategic).		No organization is present.		Organized according to content field the majority of the time.		Organized according to content field(s) consistently.
Candidate matches type of knowledge to state and/or national standards.		No match.		Standards match the majority of the time.		Standards match consistently.
Candidate matches type of knowledge to students' characteristics.		No match.		Match is made to students the majority of the time.		Match is made to students consistently.
Candidate sequences activities in a logical order.		No logical order.		Sequenced according to content field the majority of the time.		Sequenced according to content field(s) consistently.

Benchmark 13: Presents information for instruction that is related to assessment. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate presents information related to assessment (i.e., formative and summative) and all of the students learn new information.		Students do not learn new information.		The majority of the students learns new information.		All of the students learn new information.
Candidate adapts presentations to ongoing assessment and adaptations are effective with all of the students.		No adaptation is made.		Adaptations are made and effective with a majority of students.		Adaptations are made and are effective with all of students.

Benchmark 14: Guides students' application of knowledge. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate provides varied learning opportunities.		No variation.		Majority of learning opportunities are varied.		Learning opportunities are consistently varied.
Candidate relates knowledge to student characteristics and students learn new knowledge.		Students do not learn the knowledge.		A majority of the students learn new knowledge.		All of the students learn new knowledge.
Candidate uses methods of the discipline(s)(e.g., acts as a professional in that discipline).		Methods of the discipline(s) are not used.		Methods of the discipline(s) are used a majority of the time.		Methods of the discipline(s) are used consistently.

Benchmark 15: Provides opportunities for student to use information independently. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate designs activities for the students to apply skills and concepts independently.		Students do not apply skills and concepts independently.		Some of the students apply skills and concepts independently.		All of the students apply skills and concepts independently.
Candidate facilitates independent research.		No students do any independent research.		Independent research is an option for some of the students.		Independent research is an option for the majority of the students.

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Strand Four: Professional development and communication benchmarks

Benchmark 16: Participates in professional development. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate reflects accurately about professional practice, accepts assistance/feedback, and uses feedback in improving instructional practices.		Reflections do not match others' observation.		Reflections match others' observation.		Reflections match others' observations and are used in improving practices.
Candidate seeks Professional Development (e.g., workshops, conferences, meetings of a professional group) that is related to a professional plan.		Never attends Professional Development.		Attends Professional Development.		Attends Professional Development that is related to strengths and weaknesses (e.g., a professional plan).
Candidate collaborates with other professionals in planning instruction for students.		Never collaborates.		Collaborates some of the time.		Collaborates continuously.
Candidate's professional development contributes to the improvement of student performance.		Professional development is not linked to students' instructional activities.		Professional development is linked to students' instructional activities.		Professional development is linked to students' progress in the classroom.

Benchmark 17: Is proficient in communication with students, parents, and other professionals. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate communicates effectively with students by matching the style of communication to the audience, using communication that reflects professionalism, using appropriate grammar/syntax, and maintaining confidentiality.		Does not demonstrate any of the characteris-tics.		Demonstrates some of the characteristics.		Demonstrates all of the characteristics.
Candidate communicates effectively with parents by matching the style of communication to the audience, using communication that reflects professionalism, using appropriate grammar/syntax, and maintaining confidentiality.		Does not demonstrate any of the characteristics.		Demonstrates some of the characteristics.		Demonstrates all of the characteristics.
Candidate communicates effectively with professionals by matching the style of communication to the audience, using communication that reflects professionalism, using appropriate grammar/syntax, and maintaining confidentiality.		Does not demonstrate any of the characteristics.		Demonstrates some of the characteristics.		Demonstrates all of the characteristics.

Benchmark 18: Collaborates with parents and other caregivers. (Back to top)
Characteristic		Developing		Competent		Proficient
Candidate communicates with parents regarding child's progress.		Seldom communicates.		Communicates at reporting periods only.		Collaborates frequently between reporting periods.
Candidate collaborates with parents in a timely manner regarding the student's performance and parents have an opportunity to respond.		Parents have no opportunity to respond.		Parents have some opportunities to respond.		Parents always have opportunities to respond.
Candidate demonstrates understanding and a positive regard for family's needs, culture and religion.		Never demonstrates positive regard.		Frequently demonstrates positive regard.		Always demonstrates positive regard.

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Benchmarks Revised (9/10/04)
Benchmark 10 excluded and benchmarks renumbered 4/19/05
Strands reinserted 4/25/05