An Instructional Leader at Dora Moore K-8 School defines a

Successful and Effective Educator

As One Who...

*values professional development
(i.e., receptive to new learning, completes learning tasks, initiates and discusses new strategies, promotes professional development)

*pursues professional growth

(i.e., verbalizes and addresses areas of instructional focus for improvement,

self-reflects upon and engages with the Best Practices)

*aligns teaching to the CDE Standards and DPS matrices

(i.e., plans using standards and matrices, shares these plans as artifacts, writes quality "Big Ideas" as guideposts for long-term planning, verbalizes worth of "Big Ideas", aligns planning with CSAP)

*aligns data with instruction on an ongoing basis

(i.e., establishes a progress monitoring system which includes a pre-, mid-, post- recording system, daily instruction recording system which reflects fluid groupings, focus goals and strategies)

*verbalizes effective curricular conversation

(i.e., displays instructional organization through artifacts, makes classroom decisions which revolve around what is best for the students, engages students in instructional strategies which minimize classroom management)

*practices positive intentional talk

(i.e., sets high expectations as the norm for all students, fosters observable intellectual and emotional nurturing within classroom)

*understand and supports vertical teaming

Vertical Teaming

Guiding Beliefs:

1) Vertical Teams consist of one teacher teaching in the area of Math & Science.  One teacher, teaching in the area of Literacy & Social Studies.

2) Two teachers at a specific grade level will be teaching in their personal/professional content area of strength and expertise.


3) All students at a particular grade level have access to each individual teacher’s content area of expertise.

4) All teachers at a particular grade level will be familiar with all children within their specific grade level.

5) Teachers will effectively manage the systematic process of ongoing data collection and the application of using such data to inform instruction.

6) Identified strategies within our School Improvement Plan are sustained.

7) The building staff development structure of 60 minutes per week (group work) and 30 minutes per week (individual work) is supported.

8) Continual student growth resulting in ongoing improvement for our School Accountability Rating.


Points to be Considered:

1) Need for teacher teams to align classroom management systems and language between both rooms for increased academic time.

2) Need to examine classroom schedules to minimize loss of instructional time due to transitions.

3) Need to conduct teacher interviews and vacancy posting which reflect the Vertical Team Components.

4) Need to provide time for teacher teams to meet, plan, and norm.  I.E. Two hours per District Professional Development Days plus ½ Release Days per quarter during the 2006-2007 school year.  (Note: additional time may be required and planned for based on need.)