Illinois Professional Teaching Standards
Standard 1: Teaching Diverse Students
The competent teacher understands the diverse characteristics and abilities of each student and how individuals develop and learn within the context of their social, cultural, linguistic, and academic experiences. The teacher uses these experiences to create instructional opportunities that maximize student learning.
Why is this important?
Every student is important, and no classroom will have the same students. Each student comes from a different background with different experiences, and the learning environment must be inclusive to all.
Standard 2: Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge
The competent teacher has in-depth understanding of content area knowledge that includes central concepts, methods of inquiry, structures of the disciplines, and content area literacy. The teacher creates meaningful learning experiences for each student based upon interactions among content area and pedagogical knowledge, and evidence-based practice.
Why is this important?
In order to be effective teachers, educators must understand a variety of pedagogical practices and must know how to apply them to curriculum. Teachers can create meaningful learning experiences for students through evidence-based practice.
Standard 3: Planning for Differentiated Instruction
The competent teacher plans and designs instruction based on content area knowledge, diverse student characteristics, student performance data, curriculum goals, and the community context. The teacher plans for ongoing student growth and achievement.
Why is this important?
Every student is important in the classroom, and an effective teacher plans for all students to thrive in the classroom. Differentiated learning instruction allows educators to meet the learning needs for all students.
Standard 4: Learning Environment
The competent teacher structures a safe and healthy learning environment that facilitates cultural and linguistic responsiveness, emotional well-being, self-efficacy, positive social interaction, mutual respect, active engagement, academic risk-taking, self-motivation, and personal goal-setting.
Why is this important?
A safe and healthy learning environment is key for a quality education.
Standard 5: Instructional Delivery
The competent teacher differentiates instruction by using a variety of strategies that support critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and continuous growth and learning. This teacher understands that the classroom is a dynamic environment requiring ongoing modification of instruction to enhance learning for each student.
Why is this important?
Teachers must adaptable throughout their careers. Lessons must be constantly modified to be up-to-date and held to high standards. Each class is important, and educators must continue to educate themselves to better serve their students.
Standard 6: Reading, Writing and Oral Communication
The competent teacher has foundational knowledge of reading, writing, and oral communication within the content area and recognizes and addresses student reading, writing, and oral communication needs to facilitate the acquisition of content knowledge.
Why is this important?
Teachers must model expectations for students through the use of reading, writing, and oral communication.
Standard 7: Assessment
The competent teacher understands and uses appropriate formative and summative assessments for determining student needs, monitoring student progress, measuring student growth, and evaluating student outcomes. The teacher makes decisions driven by data about curricular and instructional effectiveness and adjusts practices to meet the needs of each student.
Why is this important?
Progess is imperative in measuring success. Teachers must collect data to ensure students are progressing in the classroom.
Standard 8: Collaborative Relationships
The competent teacher builds and maintains collaborative relationships to foster cognitive, linguistic, physical, and social and emotional development. This teacher works as a team member with professional colleagues, students, parents or guardians, and community members.
Why is this important?
Teachers and students must work together to foster learning in each other. Building networks with other professionals, students, parents or guardians, and community members is essential in promoting a connected classroom.
Standard 9: Professionalism, Leadership, and Advocacy
The competent teacher is an ethical and reflective practitioner who exhibits professionalism; provides leadership in the learning community; and advocates for students, parents or guardians, and the profession.
Why is this important?
It is critical for teachers to be productive role models for students.
The competent teacher understands the diverse characteristics and abilities of each student and how individuals develop and learn within the context of their social, cultural, linguistic, and academic experiences. The teacher uses these experiences to create instructional opportunities that maximize student learning.
Why is this important?
Every student is important, and no classroom will have the same students. Each student comes from a different background with different experiences, and the learning environment must be inclusive to all.
Standard 2: Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge
The competent teacher has in-depth understanding of content area knowledge that includes central concepts, methods of inquiry, structures of the disciplines, and content area literacy. The teacher creates meaningful learning experiences for each student based upon interactions among content area and pedagogical knowledge, and evidence-based practice.
Why is this important?
In order to be effective teachers, educators must understand a variety of pedagogical practices and must know how to apply them to curriculum. Teachers can create meaningful learning experiences for students through evidence-based practice.
Standard 3: Planning for Differentiated Instruction
The competent teacher plans and designs instruction based on content area knowledge, diverse student characteristics, student performance data, curriculum goals, and the community context. The teacher plans for ongoing student growth and achievement.
Why is this important?
Every student is important in the classroom, and an effective teacher plans for all students to thrive in the classroom. Differentiated learning instruction allows educators to meet the learning needs for all students.
Standard 4: Learning Environment
The competent teacher structures a safe and healthy learning environment that facilitates cultural and linguistic responsiveness, emotional well-being, self-efficacy, positive social interaction, mutual respect, active engagement, academic risk-taking, self-motivation, and personal goal-setting.
Why is this important?
A safe and healthy learning environment is key for a quality education.
Standard 5: Instructional Delivery
The competent teacher differentiates instruction by using a variety of strategies that support critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and continuous growth and learning. This teacher understands that the classroom is a dynamic environment requiring ongoing modification of instruction to enhance learning for each student.
Why is this important?
Teachers must adaptable throughout their careers. Lessons must be constantly modified to be up-to-date and held to high standards. Each class is important, and educators must continue to educate themselves to better serve their students.
Standard 6: Reading, Writing and Oral Communication
The competent teacher has foundational knowledge of reading, writing, and oral communication within the content area and recognizes and addresses student reading, writing, and oral communication needs to facilitate the acquisition of content knowledge.
Why is this important?
Teachers must model expectations for students through the use of reading, writing, and oral communication.
Standard 7: Assessment
The competent teacher understands and uses appropriate formative and summative assessments for determining student needs, monitoring student progress, measuring student growth, and evaluating student outcomes. The teacher makes decisions driven by data about curricular and instructional effectiveness and adjusts practices to meet the needs of each student.
Why is this important?
Progess is imperative in measuring success. Teachers must collect data to ensure students are progressing in the classroom.
Standard 8: Collaborative Relationships
The competent teacher builds and maintains collaborative relationships to foster cognitive, linguistic, physical, and social and emotional development. This teacher works as a team member with professional colleagues, students, parents or guardians, and community members.
Why is this important?
Teachers and students must work together to foster learning in each other. Building networks with other professionals, students, parents or guardians, and community members is essential in promoting a connected classroom.
Standard 9: Professionalism, Leadership, and Advocacy
The competent teacher is an ethical and reflective practitioner who exhibits professionalism; provides leadership in the learning community; and advocates for students, parents or guardians, and the profession.
Why is this important?
It is critical for teachers to be productive role models for students.