Focus Group on the 

Draft InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards

Focus Group Set-Up

• Moderator: [Insert Name]

• Note taker: [Insert Name]

• Purpose: To solicit feedback on the Model Core Teaching Standards: A Resource for State Dialogue. We can impact the future of the teaching profession!

• Note: We do NOT need to reach consensus.

Focus Group Set-Up

• Confidentiality

• Audio taping

• Ground rules

• Introductions

Overview• Please open the standards document and any

notes you took prior to this focus group

Overview

• First, we will consider the standards as a whole.

• After, we will go standard-by-standard to provide an opportunity to comment on each individual standard.

General Questions on the Standards Overall

• How representative are the core teaching standards as a whole of a clear, coherent vision for effective teaching?

• What aspects or qualities of the standards are particularly strong?

• What aspects or qualities are weak, missing, or should be strengthened? How might they be strengthened?

General Questions

• If you were advising the InTASC Committee on changes to make to the standards overall, what would be your top three recommendations?

Specific Questions About Each Standard

• Now we’ll talk about each standard individually.

• For each, I’ll ask about strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations for improvement.

Standard #1: Learner Development

• What aspects or qualities of Standard #1 are particularly strong? Why?

• What aspects or qualities are weak or should be strengthened? How?

• If you were advising the InTASC Committee on changes to make to Standard #1, what would be your top recommendation?

Standard #2: Learning Differences

• What aspects or qualities of Standard #2 are particularly strong? Why?

• What aspects or qualities are weak or should be strengthened? How?

• If you were advising the InTASC Committee on changes to make to Standard #2, what would be your top recommendation?

Standard #3: Learning Environments

• What aspects or qualities of Standard #3 are particularly strong? Why?

• What aspects or qualities are weak or should be strengthened? How?

• If you were advising the InTASC Committee on changes to make to Standard #3, what would be your top recommendation?

Standard #4: Content Knowledge

• What aspects or qualities of Standard #4 are particularly strong? Why?

• What aspects or qualities are weak or should be strengthened? How?

• If you were advising the InTASC Committee on changes to make to Standard #4, what would be your top recommendation?

Standard #5: Innovative Applications of Content

• What aspects or qualities of Standard #5 are particularly strong? Why?

• What aspects or qualities are weak or should be strengthened? How?

• If you were advising the InTASC Committee on changes to make to Standard #5, what would be your top recommendation?

Standard #6: Assessment

• What aspects or qualities of Standard #6 are particularly strong? Why?

• What aspects or qualities are weak or should be strengthened? How?

• If you were advising the InTASC Committee on changes to make to Standard #6, what would be your top recommendation?

Standard #7: Planning for Instruction

• What aspects or qualities of Standard #7 are particularly strong? Why?

• What aspects or qualities are weak or should be strengthened? How?

• If you were advising the InTASC Committee on changes to make to Standard #7, what would be your top recommendation?

Standard #8: Instructional Strategies

• What aspects or qualities of Standard #8 are particularly strong? Why?

• What aspects or qualities are weak or should be strengthened? How?

• If you were advising the InTASC Committee on changes to make to Standard #8, what would be your top recommendation?

Standard #9: Reflection and Continuous Growth

• What aspects or qualities of Standard #9 are particularly strong? Why?

• What aspects or qualities are weak or should be strengthened? How?

• If you were advising the InTASC Committee on changes to make to Standard #9, what would be your top recommendation?

Standard #10: Collaboration

• What aspects or qualities of Standard #10 are particularly strong? Why?

• What aspects or qualities are weak or should be strengthened? How?

• If you were advising the InTASC Committee on changes to make to Standard #10, what would be your top recommendation?

Overall Assessment

• What is your overall assessment of the draft core teaching standards?

‗ Needs no or only minor work

‗ Needs moderate work

‗ Needs major work/rethinking

‗ Entirely rewrite

‗ No opinion

Final Comments

• Is there anything you would like to add that we have not discussed?

Thank you!

• We will send the feedback we generated here to the CCSSO Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) to help them refine and finalize the standards.

• You may submit personal comments via the public comment survey form at www.ccsso.org/intasc.