There are nine Principles of Learning which are interrelated. AISD will support students' understanding of the TEKS by initially focusing on two of the Principles - Clear Expectations and Accountable Talk. We will continue to be dedicated to the educational processes developed thought these nine principles in support of the TEKS standards. We have only delineated the features and indicators of our focus Principles, although all nine Principles are listed.

Organizing for Effort

Clear Expectations

• Standards that include models of student work are available to and discussed with students.
• Students judge their work with respect to the standards.
• Intermediate expectations leading to the formally measured standards are specified.
• Families and community are informed about the accomplishment standards that children are expected to achieve.

Fair and Credible Evaluations

Recognition of Accomplishment

Academic Rigor in a Thinking Curriculum

• Commitment to a Knowledge Core
• High-Thinking Demand
• Active Use of Knowledge

Accountable Talk

Engagement with Learning Through Talk

• A substantial portion of instructional time involves students in talk related to the concepts delineated in the standards.
• Accountable Talk sharpens students' thinking by reinforcing their ability to build and use knowledge. Teachers create the norms and skills of Accountable Talk in their classrooms by modeling appropriate forms of discussion and by questioning, probing and leading conversations.

Accountability to a Learning Community

• Students actively participate in classroom talk.
• Students listen attentively to one another.
• Students elaborate and build upon ideas and each others' contributions.
• Students work towards the goal of clarifying or expanding a proposition.

Accountability to Knowledge

• Students make use of specific and accurate knowledge.
• Students provide evidence for claims and arguments.
• Students identify the knowledge that may not be available yet which is needed to address an issue.

Accountability to Rigorous Thinking

• Students synthesize several sources of information.
• Students construct explanations.
• Students formulate conjectures and hypotheses.
• Students test their own understanding of concepts.
• Classroom talk is accountable to generally accepted standards of reasoning.
• Students challenge the quality of each other's evidence and reasoning.
• Classroom talk is accountable to standards of evidence appropriate to the subject matter.

Socializing Intelligence

• Beliefs
• Skills
• Disposition

Self-Management of Learning

Learning as Apprenticeship