The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching Series

For the next 12 weeks, we will share a "touchstone of good teaching" as defined by Bryan Goodwin and Elizabeth Ross Hubbell in their book The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching.  In their book Goodwin and Hubbell present 12 daily touchstones—simple and specific things any teacher can do every day—to keep classroom practice focused on the hallmarks of effective instruction and in line with three essential imperatives for teaching:

• Be demanding
• Be supportive
• Be intentional

Touchstone 1: Use Standards to Guide Every Learning Opportunity

Why is it important: "Aligning lessons and units to standards ensures students are challenged and no gaps or redundancies exist in their learning experiences" (Goodwin & Hubbell, pg. 196)

What it looks like: Teachers unpack and align the standards so they know what the big ideas are and guide lesson planning.  "They view standards not as a one-size-fits-all approach but as a platform for creative lesson planning and self-directed student learning." (Goodwin & Hubbell, pg. 196)

Goodwin, B., & Hubbell, E. R. (2013). The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching: A Checklist for Staying Focused Every Day. Alexandria, VA: ASCD - See more at: http://www.mcrel.org/products-and-services/products/product-listing/100_199/product-111#sthash.NJswMvKe.dpuf