The document introduces the Strong Classrooms Self-Assessment, which contains evidence-based areas that can lead to critical conversations at schools about improving student literacy achievement. The self-assessment is designed to be non-punitive and encourage positive, collaborative practice among teachers. It covers four key areas and guides teachers through self-reflecting and rating their performance, with the aim of identifying goals and collaborating with others to support professional growth. The ultimate goal is to empower teachers and help children through strengthening classroom practices.

1. Strong
Classrooms
Self-Assessment
Conditions for Highly Effective Literacy Learning
Version: 1.0 September 2016 - © The Educator Collaborative, LLC | All Rights Reserved. Schools may photocopy for internal use.
TheEducatorCollaborative.com @TheEdCollab /TheEdCollab

2. The Strong Classrooms Self-Assessment
contains evidence-based, practical areas
that can lead to critical conversations at
your school that directly impact student
literacy achievement.

3. Evaluation without Fear
The Strong Classrooms Self-Assessment is directly
aligned to positive, affirming, collaborative
practice. There are no punitive labels here. Instead,
points of reflection and self-assessment activities
directly link to opportunities for professional
collaboration.
Research shows that teachers involved in
meaningful, collaborative practice lead to the
strongest student outcomes and have the highest
job-satisfaction.i
i - See document for citations: bit.ly/StrongClassrooms

4. The 4 Areas
Each of the Four Areas in the
Strong Classrooms Self-Assessment are strategically
chosen indicators.
Much like a pediatrician will check a child’s temperature
to evaluate current overall health, these indicators help
to reveal key focus points that improve, or when lacking
can repress, student learning.

5. Conditions
for Highly
Effective Literacy
Learning

6. Area 1:
Global, Diverse
Citizenship
Conditions
for Highly
Effective Literacy
Learning

7. Area 1:
Global, Diverse
Citizenship
Area 2:
Differentiation
and
Learning Mindset
Conditions
for Highly
Effective Literacy
Learning

8. Area 1:
Global, Diverse
Citizenship
Area 2:
Differentiation
and
Learning Mindset
Area 3:
Family
Partnerships
Conditions
for Highly
Effective Literacy
Learning

9. Area 1:
Global, Diverse
Citizenship
Area 2:
Differentiation
and
Learning Mindset
Area 3:
Family
Partnerships
Area 4:
Collaborative
Professional Practice
Conditions
for Highly
Effective Literacy
Learning

10. The Strong Classrooms Self-Assessment is intended to
be non-evaluative.
Instead, it invites not only self-reflection but evaluation
columns of the document are directly tied to
collaboration.
Evaluation ➡ Collaboration

11. Evaluation ➡ Collaboration

12. Self-Assessing

13. Self-Assessing
1. Choose an “Area”
2. Follow a “Do this” activity
3. Self-Assess each bulleted item

14. Self-Assessing
1

15. Self-Assessing
2

16. Self-Assessing
3
{

17. Self-Assessing
Place a check mark OR
date in the
corresponding column.
See the document for
descriptions of each
column.
bit.ly/StrongClassrooms

18. Self-Assessing
Place a check mark OR
date in the
corresponding column.
See the document for
descriptions of each
column.
bit.ly/StrongClassrooms
9/15

19. Self-Assessing
Place a check mark OR
date in the
corresponding column.
See the document for
descriptions of each
column.
bit.ly/StrongClassrooms
9/15
9/15

20. Self-Assessing
You may then give
yourself an overall rating
for each “Do this”
activity.
bit.ly/StrongClassrooms
9/15
9/15

21. Self-Assessing
You may then give
yourself an overall rating
for each “Do this”
activity.
bit.ly/StrongClassrooms
9/15
9/15
9/15

22. Self-Assessing
After completing all
“Do this” activities, you
may give yourself an
overall rating for each
Area.
bit.ly/StrongClassrooms
9/15
9/15
9/15
9/16

23. Self-Reflection
Page 11

24. Self-Reflection
The Strong Classrooms Self-Assessment support you in
your own professional growth and invites you to take
control of your learning.
Choose just one bullet or “Do this…” activity from each
column or just one total. Keep it simple so you can
focus your growth.
Then, describe your goal, collaborators, timeframe, and
vision.

25. Self-Reflection
Keep. It. Simple.
Keep. It. Focused.
Keep. It. Empowering.

26. Learning Support
Final Pages

27. Learning Support
Suggested
readings
and
organizations
linked to each Area

28. Learning Support
Connect with The Educator Collaborative
@TheEdCollab
/TheEdCollab
TheEducatorCollaborative.com

29. Feedback
The Strong Classrooms Self-Assessment is a living
one and your feedback is critical. We welcome
feedback, additional sources, report typographical
errors, or other input that could strengthen this tool
for educators.
Find the feedback for at bit.ly/StrongClassrooms

30. THANK YOU
From The Educator Collaborative,
thank you for all you do for
your students,
your colleagues,
and this incredible profession!

31. About The Educator Collaborative
The Educator Collaborative, LLC, is a think tank and
educational consulting organization working to
innovate the ways educators learn together.
Founded by internationally recognized educator,
author, and literacy expert, Christopher Lehman, we
aim to serve children and the adults who teach,
learn, and grow alongside them.

32. The Educator Collaborative network is made up of
trusted and recognized experts and emerging
voices in literacy, technology, culturally relevant
pedagogy and instructional leadership. Members
author some of the most widely read and relied
upon texts in our profession. Most importantly,
members of the network consistently live their love
for teaching, learning and social change through all
they do.
About The Educator Collaborative

33. Professional Development
The Educator Collaborative provides onsite and online
professional development support to schools in the United
States and around the world.
It also hosts a number of acclaimed online learning
opportunities that are unique in scope and organization,
connected educators from across the world in intensive and
interactive professional learning.
Please visit us at TheEducatorCollaborative.com to learn more.
About The Educator Collaborative

34. Strong
Classrooms
Self-Assessment
Conditions for Highly Effective Literacy Learning
Version: 1.0 September 2016 - © The Educator Collaborative, LLC | All Rights Reserved. Schools may photocopy for internal use.
TheEducatorCollaborative.com @TheEdCollab /TheEdCollab