Prepare for observations with evidence, not guesswork.

Danielson FFT

Use the Danielson lens to make planning, classroom culture, questioning, engagement, and assessment evidence visible through authentic student learning.

5 component guides

Marzano Focused Model

Connect standards-based planning and instruction to student evidence so lesson decisions can be traced to what learners know and do.

5 component guides

NIET / TAP

Emphasize clear plans, high expectations, student work, assessment, and classroom routines that support rigorous participation.

5 component guides

CEL 5D+

Keep purpose, student engagement, pedagogy, assessment, and learning culture connected so students can explain both the work and the learning.

5 component guides

Marshall Rubrics

Favor concise, observable evidence that can be noticed during short classroom visits, especially management, delivery, monitoring, and preparation.

5 component guides

Stronge Evaluation System

Link professional knowledge and planning to delivery, assessment, and a learning environment that produces clear evidence of student progress.

5 component guides

McREL Teacher Evaluation

Make leadership, respectful culture, content knowledge, facilitation, and reflection visible in the way students engage with ideas and one another.

5 component guides

Insight CORE

Prioritize rigorous content, student ownership, questioning, checks for understanding, and academic discourse as visible evidence of learning.

5 component guides

CLASS

Focus on the quality of teacher-student interactions, organization, feedback, conceptual development, and the emotional conditions for learning.

5 component guides

Tripod 7Cs

Use the 7Cs as a student-experience lens: care, control, clarity, challenge, captivation, conferencing, and consolidation should be felt in the lesson.

7 component guides

T-TESS

Connect planning, instruction, learning environment, and professional practice to concrete student evidence while following the district's current T-TESS materials.

4 component guides

TEAM Tennessee

Make planning, environment, instruction, and professionalism observable through student thinking, classroom routines, assessment, and responsive teaching.

4 component guides

OTES 2.0

Tie the focus for learning and knowledge of students to lesson delivery, classroom environment, and assessment evidence that informs next steps.

5 component guides

NCEES

Connect leadership, respectful environment, content knowledge, facilitation, and reflection to the actual choices students and teachers make during learning.

5 component guides

CSTP 2024

Center California's teaching standards on student engagement, inclusive learning environments, subject matter, planning, and assessment evidence.

5 component guides

Idaho Teacher Evaluation

Use Idaho's framework as a planning lens for preparation, classroom environment, instruction, professional responsibility, and evidence of student achievement.

5 component guides

Washington TPEP

Because Washington districts use approved instructional frameworks within TPEP, teachers should pair these resources with the exact locally adopted framework and criteria.

5 component guides

Oregon Educator Effectiveness

Connect professional practice, learning environment, instruction, responsibilities, and student learning or growth to visible evidence during the lesson.

5 component guides

Utah Effective Teaching Standards

Use learner development, differences, environment, instructional strategies, and assessment to plan access, rigor, feedback, and responsive next steps.

5 component guides

Nevada NEPF

Make cognitive demand, discourse, metacognition, assessment, and connections to prior learning visible in what students think, say, and revise.

5 component guides

Colorado State Model

Connect content expertise, effective instruction, learning environment, reflection, and leadership to specific student evidence and teacher decisions.

5 component guides

Arizona Teacher Evaluation

Use local evaluation expectations alongside professional knowledge, planning, delivery, assessment, and learning environment evidence.

5 component guides

Florida FEAPs

Connect instructional design, learning environment, delivery, assessment, and professional improvement to purposeful student work and responsive teaching.

5 component guides

Georgia TKES

Make planning, instructional strategies, differentiation, assessment, and professional knowledge visible through rigorous tasks and evidence-informed decisions.

5 component guides

Missouri Educator Evaluation

Connect content, curriculum implementation, critical thinking, student learning, and positive environment to authentic student reasoning and evidence.

5 component guides

Massachusetts Educator Evaluation

Use curriculum and assessment, teaching all students, professional culture, and family/community considerations while keeping the observed lesson focused on learning evidence.

4 component guides

New York APPR

New York practice rubrics can vary locally, so use the exact approved local rubric while making planning, instruction, environment, assessment, and responsibility evidence visible.

5 component guides

New Jersey AchieveNJ

Pair AchieveNJ requirements with the district's approved teacher-practice instrument and focus lesson preparation on observable planning, instruction, environment, and assessment evidence.

5 component guides

Pennsylvania Educator Effectiveness

Connect planning, environment, instruction, professional responsibilities, and student performance to artifacts and student thinking that can be observed.

5 component guides

Virginia Teacher Performance Standards

Use professional knowledge, planning, delivery, assessment, and learning environment as connected lenses for visible evidence of student learning.

5 component guides

Teacher Observation Preparation: A Practical Guide

Build a preparation plan that makes goals, student thinking, assessment, differentiation, and responsive teaching easier to see.

What Distinguished Teaching Evidence Can Look Like

Understand the difference between hidden teacher intention and observable evidence of rigorous, responsive student learning.

How to Make Student Ownership Visible During an Observation

Use success criteria, self-assessment, revision, choice, reflection, and student explanation.

Higher-Order Questioning for Teacher Observations

Strengthen prompts, probes, wait time, participation, and student-to-student reasoning.

Formative Assessment During a Teacher Observation

Plan checks for understanding that lead to visible instructional decisions.

Differentiation That an Observer Can Actually See

Make access, scaffolds, and extensions visible without lowering cognitive demand.

Academic Discourse During Classroom Observations

Create structures where students explain, challenge, connect, and refine ideas.

What Administrators May Look For During a Classroom Observation

Understand common categories of observable evidence while using your exact local rubric.

How to Prepare for a Pre-Observation Conference

Clarify lesson purpose, student needs, evidence plans, likely decision points, and what you want an observer to understand.

How to Strengthen Evidence Before Your Next Observation

Use prior feedback as a planning input without chasing a rating or turning the lesson into a performance.