LKES to TKES 8

Greek, Feet, Seat, Week -LKES & TKES all year BABY!

My “NI” (Needs Improvement) Story
Let me tell you about the time TKES 8 humbled me.

Picture this: brand-new teacher, 14 exceptionalities in one room, IEPs galore. Normal day, until, boom, evaluation time.
I’m never scared; what you saw was what you got. I thought I was doing great.

Then came the marks: 1s, 2s, a few 3s, and barely any 4s. I told myself, “Okay, I’m still learning.” But I completely misread TKES 8.

Yes, I had student work that showed rigor.
Yes, I felt confident in my teaching.
Yes, I used data to drive instruction.
Yes, I planned carefully.

Still… WRONG.

Mid-fall evaluation? Still wrong. Another Level 1 on TKES 8. My curriculum coach told me to focus on one or two TKES standards, so I zeroed in on this one.

Truth was, I thought I knew, the assumptions were there , yet, I didn’t know.

 
The Turning Point
Then came one of the best curriculum instructors I’ve ever had. She broke TKES 8 down piece by piece and showed me what it looked like in practice. She gave me two strategies that got me off the Level 1 grid, but even that wasn’t enough.

So, me being introspective (very), I started writing questions, questions I could answer using TKES language, her guidance, and real classroom examples I’d seen along the way.

That process changed everything: lesson demonstration, differentiation, communication, and so on (all the ations - LOL)

 
Here’s the Connection
Leaders, remember this:

LKES Standard 1 ensures leaders champion rigor.
TKES Standard 8 shows it in the classroom.

Together, they raise test scores, growth percentiles, and CCRPI/report card ratings, proving that strong instructional leadership equals measurable school success.

If you’re ready to dig deeper, grab the 3-question guide, “LKES to TKES-8” (under “Seeds of Success”), to help teachers who struggle with TKES 8.

It won’t cover the full scope of the standard, but it’ll shine a light on areas ready for improvement.

And as you work, keep this in mind: LKES 1 drives and sustains rigorous teaching and learning that moves the whole school forward.