The NYCDOEs citywide instructional expectations for the 2012-2013 school year ask schools to strengthen the
common language and understanding of what quality teaching looks like by deepening the school communitys
comprehension of Danielsons Framework, and encourages schools to focus on the following competencies
because they describe aspects of practice that are pivotal to strong implementation of the Common Core
Learning Standards:
1e: Designing Coherent Instruction
3b: Questioning and Discussion
3d: Using Assessment in Instruction
5. How do I use the competencies to support my professional growth?
The competencies can be used to guide professional conversations among practitioners and to identify learning
priorities as they seek to enhance their practice. Explore the competencies, selfassess your skills against the
continuum of development, and work with your mentor, coach, supervisor or a peer to develop growth goals and
a learning plan for achieving your goals. You can then search on ARIS Learn for Learning Opportunities
(professional development modules) aligned to your plan.
6. How does Learn relate to the other parts of ARIS My Students, Reports and Connect?
The four tabs of ARIS provide complementary supports to school leaders and teachers as they engage in
collaborative and selfreflective inquiry to accelerate student learning.
ARIS Learn supports educators in deepening their knowledge of the pedagogical skills and practices that
enable school leaders and teachers to drive growth in student learning
ARIS Reports and My Students help educators use student assessment data to identify student learning
needs
ARIS Connect serves as a platform for educators to document and share their inquiry and curricular work,
engage in online discussions and find classroom resources and strategies developed by other NYCDOE
educators.
7. How can ARIS Learn support the professional development that is already underway at my school?
Resources available on ARIS Learn can be used to enhance and supplement the existing professional development
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in schools and to support the selfdirected learning that most educators already engage in regularly. A few
examples of how ARIS Learn can support professional development at your schools:
School leaders may use ARIS Learn videos depicting the teacher competencies in their coaching work
with new teachers
Inquiry Teams may complete an ARIS Learn Learning Opportunity to strengthen their knowledge and
skills related to a specific Framework competency (e.g., using assessment in instruction)
Teachers may use a self assessment to determine their area of focus with mentors,
coaches, teacher teams or supervisors
In addition, school leaders and teachers can find professional development resources on ARIS Learn that
supplement those offered or underway at their schools.
8. If I complete a learning plan and/or self-assessment on ARIS Learn, who else can view these?
In ARIS Learn, you decide if and - with whom - to share all or parts of your learning plan or self-assessment
results. All ARIS Learn users have the opportunity to collaborate online through the platform with those who
support their learning (e.g., mentors, coaches, inquiry teams, supervisors), and Learn is designed to support
engagement with others in online conversations with them about your learning experiences and ongoing
development.
Learning Plans
If you are a teacher, you may choose to invite your principal (and others who support your professional
learning) to view parts or all of your Learning Plan.
If you are a school leader, you can share your learning plans and selfassessments with your
superintendent, network leader and cluster leader. If you choose to, you will be able to invite others who
support your professional learning to view parts or all of your ARIS Learn.
Self-Assessments
School administrators will not have access to the selfassessments a teacher takes in ARIS Learn unless
the teacher chooses to give access to a particular administrator.
9. Can the information in my learning plan or any self-assessments I complete on ARIS Learn be used in my
evaluation?
School administrators can choose to use the information a teacher shares through ARIS Learn (e.g. uploads of
student and teacher work samples, progress on learning plan goals, etc.) as an input into their overall assessment
of that teachers effectiveness. School administrators can only access selfassessment results in the event the
teacher chooses to give access to a particular administrator.
10. Do the ARIS Learn courses fulfill the credit requirements for teacher and school leader licensing/certification?
Pending approval by your supervisor (principals for teachers, superintendents for principals), courses on ARIS
Learn may fulfill the 175 hours of professional development required by NYSED to maintain the new Professional
Certificate.
11. Is use of ARIS Learn mandatory for NYCDOE educators?
No, use of ARIS Learn use is not mandatory. ARIS Learn is intended to support all educators in their ongoing
professional learning. Resources available on ARIS Learn are designed to support both selfdirected learning, as
well as use by school teams, school leaders or principal supervisors to enhance the professional development
they offer to staff.
12. Where can I find step-by-step instructions on how to utilize ARIS Learn?
Step-by-step how-to guides for using each function of ARIS Learn are posted on the Learn home page and on
Learning Opportunity 670.