This self-assessment rubric is designed to encourage ongoing reflection among practicing DLI teachers. Before using the rubric as a self-assessment tool, there should be formal opportunities (e.g., professional development workshops) for teachers to become familiar with and to practice the kinds of strategies and practices described in the rubric levels and to understand how to interpret the four developmental stages of the rubric. We recommend introducing the self-assessment rubric along with the full inservice rubric so that teachers can become familiar with specific practices aligned with self-assessment rubric categories.
As a comprehensive self-assessment tool, this rubric is designed to be completed over time, with input and evidence from multiple reflections on one’s teaching practices.
It is best used as a reflective tool to
- build awareness of areas that need development,
- celebrate areas in a which a teacher excels, and
- promote deeper understanding of contextual and possibly systemic elements that inhibit the enactment of effective DLI teaching and learning.
A teacher should not attempt to reflect on each sub-strand after teaching a lesson (or perhaps even all descriptors within one sub-strand). It is appropriate for a teacher to choose one or several sub-strands on which to focus for a period of time.
Teachers should take notes to support their self-assessments. After each sub-strand there is space for teachers to identify what they have tried and/or observed and to articulate specific goals to work toward improvement in areas where their performance has not yet reach the Excelling level.
The rubric is intended to be developmental and educative; ideally, teachers will learn from interacting with the rubric.
The simplified self-assessment tool was designed to facilitate individual teacher reflection but should also be used in tandem with the full inservice rubric so that teachers become familiar with specific practices that correspond to rubric strands and sub-strands.
The rubric may serve as a powerful professional development tool for DLI teachers. For example,
- School leaders and teaching staff or individual teacher PLCs (professional learning communities) may choose a sub-strand of the rubric to focus on for a month, trimester, or year, with each teacher being responsible for making changes to classroom practice to strive toward excellence.
- Teachers could read resources that correspond to the sub-strand(s) to increase their awareness and understanding of the specific practices.
- They could discuss their progress and offer ideas at meetings as well as observe each other and provide feedback.
- The school principal, curriculum specialist, or program coordinator could observe teachers and engage in dialogue about the teacher’s progress related to the sub-strand practices.
- Professional development offerings could target specific strands or sub-strands that have been selected as the focus.
“The idea is to provide a supportive environment for teachers to openly talk about their practices, the challenges they experience as they attempt to adopt new practices, and the successes they experience as they hone their knowledge and skills. The ultimate goal, of course, is to improve student learning by improving classroom teaching” (Tedick & Lyster, 2020, p. 277).