Academics Menu ▾

Missouri Teaching Standards

Standard #1 Content Knowledge, Including Perspectives Aligned With Appropriate Instruction.

The teacher understands the central concepts, structures, and tools of inquiry of the discipline(s) and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful and engaging for all students.

  • Quality Indicator 1: Content knowledge and academic language
  • Quality Indicator 2: Engaging students in subject matter
  • Quality Indicator 3: Disciplinary research and inquiry methodologies
  • Quality Indicator 4: Interdisciplinary instruction
  • Quality Indicator 5: Diverse social and cultural perspectives

Standard #2 Student Learning, Growth and Development

The teacher understands how students learn, develop and differ in their approaches to learning. The teacher provides learning opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners and support the intellectual, social, and personal development of all students.

  • Quality Indicator 1: Cognitive, social, emotional and physical development
  • Quality Indicator 2: Student goals
  • Quality Indicator 3: Theory of learning
  • Quality Indicator 4: Meeting the needs of every student
  • Quality Indicator 5: Prior experiences, learning styles, multiple intelligences, strengths and needs
  • Quality Indicator 6: Language, culture, family and knowledge of community

Standard #3 Curriculum Implementation

The teacher recognizes the importance of long-range planning and curriculum development. The teacher develops, implements, and evaluates curriculum based upon standards and student needs.

  • Quality Indicator 1: Implementation of curriculum standards
  • Quality Indicator 2: Develop lessons for diverse learners
  • Quality Indicator 3: Analyze instructional goals and differentiated instructional strategies

Standard #4 Critical Thinking

The teacher uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills including instructional resources.

  • Quality Indicator 1: Instructional strategies leading to student engagement in problem-solving and critical thinking
  • Quality Indicator 2: Appropriate use of instructional resources to enhance student learning
  • Quality Indicator 3: Cooperative, small group and independent learning

Standard #5 Positive Classroom Environment

The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages active engagement in learning, positive social interaction, and self-motivation.

  • Quality Indicator 1: Classroom management, motivation, and engagement
  • Quality Indicator 2: Managing time, space, transitions and activities
  • Quality Indicator 3: Classroom, school and community culture

Standard #6 Effective Communication

The teacher models effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques with students and parents to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.

  • Quality Indicator 1: Verbal and nonverbal communication
  • Quality Indicator 2: Sensitivity to culture, gender, intellectual and physical differences
  • Quality Indicator 3: Learner expression in speaking, writing and other media
  • Quality Indicator 4: Technology and media communication tools

Standard #7 Student Assessment Data Analysis

The teacher understands and uses formative and summative assessment strategies to assess the learner’s progress, uses assessment data to plan ongoing instruction, monitors the performance of each student, and devises instruction to enable student to grow and develop.

  • Quality Indicator 1: Effective use of Assessments
  • Quality Indicator 2: Assessment data to improve learning
  • Quality Indicator 3: Student-led assessment strategies
  • Quality Indicator 4: Effect of instruction on individual/class learning
  • Quality Indicator 5: Communication of student progress and maintaining records
  • Quality Indicator 6: Collaborative data analysis process

Standard #8 Professionalism

The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually assesses the effects of choices and actions on others. The teacher actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally in order to improve learning for all students.

  • Quality Indicator 1: Self-assessment and improvement
  • Quality Indicator 2: Professional learning
  • Quality Indicator 3: Professional rights, responsibilities and ethical practices

Standard #9 Professional Collaboration

The teacher has effective working relationships with students, parents, school colleagues, and community members.

  • Quality Indicator 1: Induction and collegial activities
  • Quality Indicator 2: Collaborating to meet the needs of students
  • Quality Indicator 3: Cooperative partnerships in support of student learning