Program Components > Benchmarks > Design Element 1
IMPLEMENTATION
BENCHMARKS
DESIGN ELEMENT 1
RIGOROUS AND DEVELOPMENTALLY RESPONSIVE CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, AND
ASSESSMENT
Phase One
Phase Two
Phase Three
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Phase One
The faculty examines the existing curriculum to see whether it is rigorous,
teaches important concepts and skills, and is aligned with state and local
standards.
The Faculty Inquiry Teams begin meeting regularly
and to focus on rigorous curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
The faculty begins using different methods to assess student understanding,
look at student work, and reflect on classroom practice.
The faculty attends a summer institute where they begin to work with a
Teaching for Understanding (TFU) Framework
for designing instruction that leads to understanding.
Phase Two
The faculty uses the TFU framework to design curriculum, instruction,
and assessment.
The faculty begins to make connections across the disciplines to help
reinforce important concepts, address real-world problems, and create
a more coherent curriculum for students.
The faculty provides ongoing opportunities for students to build meaning
and understanding as they develop content-related knowledge and skills.
The faculty uses several assessment methods (projects, portfolios, exhibitions)
to assess student performance. Rubrics are in evidence.
Phase Three
The faculty expands and reinforces curriculum, instruction, and assessment,
using the Teaching for Understanding framework to provide a coherent learning
experience for all students.
Curriculum, instruction, and assessment are aligned with high standards,
focus on enduring understandings, and integrate skills and processes.
The curriculum is coherent, rigorous, and sequential.
Authentic assessment is the norm across grade levels and disciplines.
Rubrics, and examples of high quality student work that has met articulated
benchmarks, are in widespread use.
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Return to Implementation Benchmarks introduction/menu
page.
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View the Implementation Benchmarks for Design
Element 2.
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Read a description of Design
Element 1.
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Learn about the theory and research
supporting Design Element 1
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