Step 1
Session Setup
Complete before entering the classroom. These fields populate the emailed summary.
Administrator Name
School / Site
Date
Subject / Period
Grade Level
Teacher (internal records)
Teacher Email Address (for summary delivery)
Step 2
What to Say Before Asking Any Student
Read aloud before approaching any individual student. Do not skip — it changes what students feel safe saying.
Say to the class:
"Hey everyone — I'm going to come around and ask a few of you some quick questions today, nothing you need to prepare for. I'm not checking to see if you have the right answer to anything — I'm just curious what you're thinking about. There are no wrong answers here. If you don't know something, that's actually really useful for me to hear. I'm going to talk to two or three of you for just a couple of minutes."
Then approach the first selected student. Crouch or sit at their level — do not stand over them.
Say quietly to the individual student:
"I'm just going to ask you a few questions about what's happening in class today — totally relaxed, no pressure. You can tell me exactly what you think."
Pause briefly before the first question. A student who feels unhurried is more likely to give an honest answer.
Step 3
Select Three Students
Do not choose based on engagement or visibility. Enter total students present and generate three random seat numbers.
Randomization Protocol
Count from front-left, left to right across each row. If a seat is empty, regenerate that number once.
Students present
—
Student 1
—
Student 2
—
Student 3
IEP / ELL students: Do not skip. If language access is a barrier, record as "Language access — not applicable in current form" rather than a non-answer.
Step 4
Student Questions & Response Capture
Use the navigation bar at the bottom to switch between students. Complete all four questions per student before moving to the next.
1
Learning Intention Clarity
Can the student state what they are learning — in knowledge or skill terms, not activity terms?
Ask the student:
"What are you learning in this class right now — not what you're doing, but what you're actually supposed to get better at or understand?"
Grade 6 variation: "What is your brain supposed to be working on today — like, what's the point of what you're doing?"
If student describes the activity only (e.g. "we're doing a worksheet") — probe once:
"Okay — and when you finish that, what will you actually know how to do that you couldn't before?"
Stop rule: If probe also produces activity description or blank response, record as non-answer. Do not ask a third time. A non-answer is data.
Response quality
✅
Clear
States skill or knowledge goal without further prompting
〰️
Partial
Gets there after probe, or mixes skill and activity language
❌
Non-answer
Activity only, "I don't know," or no response after probe
Verbatim or close-paraphrase
2
Success Criteria Awareness
Can the student explain how they will know if they have successfully learned what was expected?
Ask the student:
"How will you know if you've actually learned it — like, what would show you or your teacher that you got it?"
Grade 6 variation: "How would you know if you did a good job — not just finished, but actually learned it?"
If "I'll get a good grade" or "the teacher will tell me" — probe once:
"What would you be able to do or explain that you couldn't before — like, what's the difference between really getting it and kind of getting it?"
Stop rule: If no performance indicator beyond grade or teacher feedback, record as non-answer.
Response quality
✅
Clear
Describes a performance indicator they could self-assess against
〰️
Partial
References grades but names at least one quality indicator when probed
❌
Non-answer
No indicator beyond completing the task or receiving a grade
3
Relevance and Meaning
Does the student understand why what they are learning matters or connects to something real?
Ask the student:
"Why do you think this is worth learning — like, when would this actually matter outside of school or later in life?"
Grade 6 variation: "Why do you think your teacher picked this to teach you? Like, why does it matter?"
If "I don't know" or "for a test" — probe once:
"Has your teacher ever talked about why this is important or when you'd use it?"
Stop rule: "Because we have to" is a non-answer. "My teacher said it helps with [x]" is a partial.
Note: A non-answer here is not automatically a student failure — some students haven't been given a reason. Note the student's affect in the field below.
Response quality
✅
Clear
Articulates real-world connection or meaningful reason without prompting
〰️
Partial
Recalls something the teacher said about relevance
❌
Non-answer
"I don't know," "for a test," "because we have to"
4
Agency and Self-Direction
Does the student know what to do when stuck — or when they've already met expectations?
Part A — Struggle (ask every student):
"If you get stuck and really don't understand something — what do you do?"
Part B — Mastery (ask if time permits):
"What about if you finish early and feel like you already know this pretty well — what happens then?"
If a student laughs or says "that doesn't happen" — note that verbatim. It is often the most revealing response in the entire protocol.
If "ask the teacher" only — probe once:
"Is there anything you'd try first, before asking? Or anything else the class does when people are stuck?"
Stop rule: "Ask the teacher" is partial, not a non-answer — unless it's the only strategy and no self-directed attempt is described.
Part A — Struggle strategy
✅
Self-directed
At least one self-directed strategy before or alongside asking teacher
〰️
Teacher-dependent
"Ask the teacher" only — no independent attempt described
❌
No strategy
Waiting, giving up, or no response of any kind
Part B — Mastery pathway
✅
Clear pathway
Knows what extension or deeper work looks like — and it exists
〰️
Informal only
"Help a friend," "read" — something exists but not structured extension
❌
None / not asked
"That never happens," no answer, or Part B not asked
1
Learning Intention Clarity
Can the student state what they are learning — in knowledge or skill terms, not activity terms?
Ask the student:
"What are you learning in this class right now — not what you're doing, but what you're actually supposed to get better at or understand?"
Grade 6: "What is your brain supposed to be working on today — like, what's the point of what you're doing?"
If activity only — probe once:
"When you finish that, what will you actually know how to do that you couldn't before?"
Stop rule: If probe also produces activity or blank, record as non-answer.
Response quality
✅
Clear
States skill or knowledge goal without further prompting
〰️
Partial
Gets there after probe, or mixes skill and activity language
❌
Non-answer
Activity only, "I don't know," or no response after probe
2
Success Criteria Awareness
Can the student explain how they will know if they have successfully learned what was expected?
Ask the student:
"How will you know if you've actually learned it — what would show you or your teacher that you got it?"
Grade 6: "How would you know if you did a good job — not just finished, but actually learned it?"
If "good grade" or "teacher will tell me" — probe once:
"What would you be able to do that you couldn't before?"
Stop rule: No indicator beyond grade or teacher feedback = non-answer.
Response quality
✅
Clear
Performance indicator they could self-assess against
〰️
Partial
References grades but names one quality indicator when probed
❌
Non-answer
No indicator beyond task completion or grade
3
Relevance and Meaning
Does the student understand why what they are learning matters?
Ask the student:
"Why do you think this is worth learning — when would this actually matter outside of school or later in life?"
Grade 6: "Why do you think your teacher picked this to teach you? Like, why does it matter?"
If "I don't know" or "for a test" — probe once:
"Has your teacher ever talked about why this is important?"
Stop rule: "Because we have to" = non-answer. "My teacher said it helps with [x]" = partial.
Note: A non-answer is not automatically a student failure — note their affect below.
Response quality
✅
Clear
Real-world connection or meaningful reason without prompting
〰️
Partial
Recalls something the teacher said about relevance
❌
Non-answer
"I don't know," "for a test," "because we have to"
4
Agency and Self-Direction
Does the student know what to do when stuck — or when they've already met expectations?
Part A — Struggle:
"If you get stuck and really don't understand something — what do you do?"
Part B — Mastery (if time permits):
"What about if you finish early and feel like you already know this — what happens then?"
"That doesn't happen" said with a laugh is a finding. Note it verbatim.
If "ask the teacher" only — probe once:
"Anything you'd try first? Or anything the class does when people are stuck?"
Stop rule: "Ask the teacher" = partial unless it's the only strategy with no self-directed attempt.
Part A — Struggle strategy
✅
Self-directed
At least one self-directed strategy alongside or before asking teacher
〰️
Teacher-dependent
"Ask the teacher" is the only strategy
❌
No strategy
Waiting, giving up, or no response
Part B — Mastery pathway
✅
Clear pathway
Knows what extension or deeper work looks like
〰️
Informal only
"Help a friend," "read" — not structured extension
❌
None / not asked
"That never happens," no answer, or not asked
1
Learning Intention Clarity
Can the student state what they are learning — in knowledge or skill terms, not activity terms?
Ask the student:
"What are you learning in this class right now — not what you're doing, but what you're actually supposed to get better at or understand?"
Grade 6: "What is your brain supposed to be working on today — what's the point of what you're doing?"
If activity only — probe once:
"When you finish that, what will you actually know how to do that you couldn't before?"
Stop rule: If probe also produces activity or blank, record as non-answer.
Response quality
✅
Clear
States skill or knowledge goal without further prompting
〰️
Partial
Gets there after probe, or mixes skill and activity language
❌
Non-answer
Activity only, "I don't know," or no response after probe
2
Success Criteria Awareness
Can the student explain how they will know if they have successfully learned what was expected?
Ask the student:
"How will you know if you've actually learned it — what would show you or your teacher that you got it?"
Grade 6: "How would you know if you did a good job — not just finished, but actually learned it?"
If "good grade" or "teacher will tell me" — probe once:
"What would you be able to do that you couldn't before?"
Stop rule: No indicator beyond grade or teacher feedback = non-answer.
Response quality
✅
Clear
Performance indicator they could self-assess against
〰️
Partial
References grades but names one quality indicator when probed
❌
Non-answer
No indicator beyond task completion or grade
3
Relevance and Meaning
Does the student understand why what they are learning matters?
Ask the student:
"Why do you think this is worth learning — when would this actually matter outside school or later in life?"
Grade 6: "Why do you think your teacher picked this to teach you?"
If "I don't know" or "for a test" — probe once:
"Has your teacher ever talked about why this is important?"
Stop rule: "Because we have to" = non-answer. "My teacher said [x]" = partial.
Note: A non-answer is not automatically a student failure — note their affect.
Response quality
✅
Clear
Real-world connection or meaningful reason without prompting
〰️
Partial
Recalls something the teacher said about relevance
❌
Non-answer
"I don't know," "for a test," "because we have to"
4
Agency and Self-Direction
Does the student know what to do when stuck — or when they've already met expectations?
Part A — Struggle:
"If you get stuck and really don't understand something — what do you do?"
Part B — Mastery (if time permits):
"What about if you finish early and feel like you already know this — what happens then?"
"That doesn't happen" is a finding. Note it verbatim.
If "ask the teacher" only — probe once:
"Anything you'd try first? Or anything the class does when people are stuck?"
Stop rule: "Ask the teacher" = partial unless it's the only strategy named.
Part A — Struggle strategy
✅
Self-directed
At least one self-directed strategy alongside or before asking teacher
〰️
Teacher-dependent
"Ask the teacher" is the only strategy
❌
No strategy
Waiting, giving up, or no response
Part B — Mastery pathway
✅
Clear pathway
Knows what extension or deeper work looks like
〰️
Informal only
"Help a friend," "read" — not structured extension
❌
None / not asked
"That never happens," no answer, or not asked
Step 5
Classroom Context
Not scored. Provides interpretive context for the student response data and the FCA findings report.
Learning intention visibly posted?
Success criteria visible or referenced?
Observer notes:
Step 6
Session Summary
Generated from your selections. Review, then use the Email button to open your mail app with a pre-filled summary ready to send.
📋
Complete at least one student's responses above to generate the summary.Reference — Pattern Interpretation
What Patterns Mean for the FCA
🟢 Mostly Clear
Students articulate learning intentions, success criteria, and relevance without significant prompting. Evidence of teacher clarity functioning at the student level.
🟡 Mixed / Partial
Some students articulate elements; others cannot. Clarity present but inconsistently reaching all learners. Most common finding. Check for subgroup patterns.
🔴 Non-answers Dominant
Students describe activities or cannot articulate success criteria. System signal, not student failure. Repeated across classrooms = Component 2 gateway concern.
Critical FCA note: A single classroom's data is context, not conclusion. Component 2 findings are patterns across multiple classrooms. This instrument does not evaluate any individual teacher. Verbatim student quotes are the most compelling evidence in any findings presentation to district leadership.