• Instructional Practice Guide

    Observe high-quality, standards-aligned instruction in action. The Instructional Practice Guide (IPG) is designed around Core Actions that encompass the Shifts in instructional practice required by the college- and career-ready standards, including the Common Core.

    Digital VersionPrintable Versions

  • Learn what makes instructional practice aligned.

    Tools for identifying and applying the Shifts in the classroom

    Learn More
  • Beyond the Lesson Discussion Guide

    Beyond the Lesson discussion questions are designed for the one-to-one conversation following a classroom observation using the Instructional Practice Guide (IPG). The questions put the content of the lesson in the context of the broader instructional plan for the unit or year.

  • Best Practices

    We recommend familiarizing yourself with the Core Actions and Indicators by using the training materials and resources provided below.  Here are some additional tips for using the tool:

    • It is important to know the text (ELA/literacy) or standard (mathematics) that will be addressed in the lesson.
    • It is unlikely that the lesson structure will follow the order of the Instructional Practice Guide. Consider capturing your notes and evidence in one place and then tying it back to the Core Actions and Indicators after your observation.
    • Although many Indicators will be observable during the course of a lesson, there may be times when a lesson is appropriately focused on a smaller set of objectives or only a portion of a lesson is observed, and some Indicators will be left blank. We recommend asking the teacher to share any intended focus prior to the start of the observation.

    Multiple observations will allow you to view a teacher’s practice over time and observe the full range of teacher and student behaviors related to the presence of aligned classroom content detailed in the Instructional Practice Guide.

  • Professional Development

    Use these Core Action-based activities and discussions for ELA/literacy and mathematics, according to your needs, in order to:

    • Understand the relationship between the instructional Shifts and the Instructional Practice Guide
    • Identify teacher and student actions that may be present in aligned lessons according to the Instructional Practice Guide
    • Observe and reflect on the alignment of a lesson using the Instructional Practice Guide

    Practice using the Instructional Practice Guide with lesson videos.

    ELA Math

Companion Resources