Teacher Work Sample:

Instructional Decision Making

TWS Standard

Overview

The teacher uses on-going analysis of student learning to make instructional decisions.

Reflecting on and articulating your Instructional Decision Making is an important aspect of

teaching in any context. As part of your Teacher Work Sample, you will describe two specific
examples of how you adapted or modified your teaching based on students learning or
responses. You will also explain how your modifications affected student learning.

Think of a time during your unit when a students learning or response caused you to
modify your original Design for Instruction. Note that the resulting modification may have
affected other students as well. The change you describe may have taken place either within
a particular lesson or at a larger unit-wide level. Cite specific evidence to support your
answers to the following:
o

What student reaction or response prompted you to change your lesson or

unit?
The response may come from a planned formative assessment or another
source, but NOT the pre-assessment.
Describe any additional circumstances that may have influenced your
decision making.

What did you do next and why did you think this would improve student
progress toward the Learning Goal?
Describe the actual changes to the instructional plan and the basis for
these changes. Provide a rationale for your decision making that is
grounded in sound professional practice (i.e., your knowledge of researchbased strategies and your knowledge of your students). You should
specifically cite the source(s) for the research-based practices that you
discuss.
Explain how the changes to the instructional plan are congruent with and
support the Learning Goal(s) for the unit.

How did your changes affect student learning?

Use specific examples from your assessments and experiences with
students to support your answer.

Prompt

Now think of a different time during your unit when a students learning or response
caused you to modify a different portion of your original Design for Instruction. Note
that the resulting modification may have affected other students as well. The change you

describe may have taken place either within a particular lesson or at a larger unit-wide level.
Cite specific evidence to support your answers to the following:
o

What student reaction or response prompted you to change your lesson or

unit?
The response may come from a planned formative assessment or another
source, but NOT the pre-assessment.
Describe any additional circumstances that may have influenced your
decision making.

What did you do next and why did you think this would improve student
progress toward the Learning Goal?
Describe the actual changes to the instructional plan and the basis for
these changes. Provide a rationale for your decision making that is
grounded sound professional practice (i.e., your knowledge of researchbased strategies and your knowledge of your students). You should
specifically cite the source(s) for the research-based practices that you
discuss.
Explain how the changes to the instructional plan are congruent with and
support the Learning Goal(s) for the unit.

How did your changes affect student learning?

Use specific examples to support your answer.

Suggested page length: 3-4 page narrative

Tips for
Success

When implementing your unit, keep samples of all students work (especially copies of all
formative and summative assessments).

Try to engage in deep and honest reflection about your own teaching practice and how you
are helping students move toward the learning goals. Maintain a daily journal where you
record observations about your students performance and your teaching.

At the end of a class, write down any changes that you made from your lesson plan. Did you
have a teachable moment? How did you scaffold learning for students who struggled with
the content? When lessons did not go well, how did you know and what changes did you
make?

When making instructional decisions, consult materials from your general and content
methods classes as well as those from your content areas professional organization. These
sources are likely to emphasize research-based instructional practices that support and
improve student learning.

TWS Rubric:

Student Name:

Instructional Decision Making

Assessor Name:

1. Inclusion of Required
Elements

Indicator Not Met

Indicator Minimally Met

Indicator Partially Met

Indicator Met

0pts

1pt

2 pts

3 pts

All components are

missing.

Date:

One or more components are missing.

The component is lacking one element

required by the prompt.

The component includes the following elements, as

outlined in the prompt.

Descriptions of a first modification to the original Design for Instruction based on observations of students or formative assessment data. For each modification, the
narrative addresses:
o
The student response(s) that caused the modification
o
The actual changes made to the design and a rationale for those changes
o
An explanation of how the changes affected student learning and impacted the Learning Goals
Description of a second modification to the original Design for Instruction based on observations of students or formative assessment data. The narrative addresses:
o
The student response(s) that caused the modification
o
The actual changes made to the design and a rationale for those changes
o
An explanation of how the changes affected student learning and impacted the Learning Goals

2. Modifications
Grounded in On-going
Analysis of Student
Learning

All modifications are

missing.

Few modifications to the instructional

plan are made to address the needs of
students; teacher seems to regard class
with a one plan fits all approach.
Modifications that are included do not
appear to be informed by analysis of
student learning and performance. Little
to no classroom-generated evidence is
provided to justify any modifications that
have been made.

Some modifications to the instructional

plan are made to address the needs of
students individually and/or as a group.
These modifications are partially
informed by the on-going analysis of
student learning and performance. Some
classroom-generated evidence is
provided to justify the modifications.

Appropriate modifications to the instructional plan are

made to address the needs of students individually
and as a group. These modifications are informed by
the on-going analysis of student learning and
performance. Specific classroom-generated evidence is
provided to justify the modifications.

3. Congruence Between
Modifications and
Learning Goals

All modifications are

missing.

Modifications to the instructional plan

lack congruence with the Learning
Goal(s) for the unit and are unlikely to
facilitate students progress toward the
Learning Goal(s).

Modifications to the instructional plan are

partially congruent with the Learning
Goal(s) for the unit and may facilitate
students progress toward the Learning
Goal(s).

Modifications to the instructional plan are fully congruent

with the Learning Goal(s) for the unit and are likely to
facilitate students progress toward the Learning
Goal(s).

4. Sound Professional
Practice

Instructional decisions are

missing.

Instructional decisions are

inappropriate and are not
supported by research and/or
knowledge of a particular group
of students. Modifications to
instruction do not reference
specific research-based
strategies.

Instructional decisions are mostly

appropriate, but are only partially
supported by research and/or knowledge
of a particular group of students. Some
modifications to instruction reference
specific research-based strategies.

Instructional decisions are pedagogically sound: they

are supported by research and knowledge of a
particular group of students. All modifications to
instruction reference specific research-based strategies;

Score

5. Writing Quality

Organization: No
organization in that no
paragraph demarcation is
apparent

Style: No attention to style.

Contains repetitive
sentence errors that
consistently obscure
meaning, reoccurring
issues with run-on
sentences, comma splices
and sentence fragments.
Tone is informal and
inappropriate, multiple
errors in word choice and
diction.

Usage and Mechanics:

Demonstrates consistent
substandard use of
grammar, punctuation, and
spelling; consistent errors
that interfere with meaning.
Verb tense inappropriate.
In-text citations are
improperly formatted.

Organization: Lack of
coherent structure in
narrative and/or
paragraphs interferes with
meaning. Headings and/or
transitions between ideas
are not present.
Style: May lack sentence
variety and/or contain
serious problems with runons and sentence
fragments. Inappropriate
word choice and diction.
Usage and Mechanics:
Demonstrates substandard
use of grammar,
punctuation and spelling;
multiple mechanical errors
interfere with meaning.
Verb tense inconsistent
and/or inappropriate. Any
in-text citations are
improperly formatted..

Organization: Coherent narrative

and paragraph structure; may lack
appropriate headings and/or
transitions between ideas.

Style: Some varied sentence

structure; run-ons and/or sentence
fragments present; some attention
has been paid to phrasing and
word choice.

Usage and Mechanics:

Demonstrates reasonable use of
grammar, punctuation and spelling;
some mechanical errors are
present. Appropriate verb tense
used throughout.

Passing Score = 12

Organization: Coherent, clear narrative and

paragraph structure; appropriate headings and
transitions between ideas are present.

Style: Varied sentence structure is appropriately

used to enhance meaning; conscious attention to
phrasing and word choice is evident.

Usage and Mechanics: Demonstrates mastery

of grammar, punctuation and spelling; few
mechanical errors are present and do not impact
meaning. Appropriate verb tense used
throughout. Any in-text citations are properly
formatted.

Total Score= 15 pts

Total