The Kinyan Master Teacher Audit
Mastery is observable. So we observe it.
The Kinyan Master Teacher Audit is the heart of our work: trained observers in real classrooms, watching real lessons, scoring what they see against the Master Teacher Skills Assessment (MTSA) — an instrument built by credentialed experts in psychology and education. No self-reporting. No paperwork credential. A master teacher is found where master teaching happens: in front of students.
- 4 assessed domains
- 37 observable indicators
- 1–3 scored in observation
In brief
The Audit at a glance
Behind every item on the instrument is a child’s experience of school. A classroom that meets the Standard is one where a child can feel seen, safe, challenged, and capable — and the Audit exists so that more children sit in classrooms like that.
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Public
Recognition, and only recognition — teachers who meet the Standard are named Kinyan Master Teachers, publicly and by name.
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Private
Findings and developmental feedback are shared with the school alone. Nothing about an observation is published.
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What the school receives
A domain-by-domain findings summary — where mastery was observed, and where a strong teacher can grow.
The standard
The four domains
The MTSA scores classroom practice across four domains:
Each domain is a defined section of the instrument — with named sub-domains and observable indicators, scored item by item against the published scale.
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Section 1 · §1.1–1.9 · 9 indicators
Interpersonal Dynamics
The relational fabric of the room — rapport, respect, and whether every child is truly seen.
Sub-domains
- Engages with every student
- Fosters positive student-to-student interaction
Representative observable indicators
- Teacher uses rapport-building strategies to create a positive classroom environment.
- Teacher acknowledges and responds to student communications.
- Teacher fosters active engagement of students such as asking questions and leading discussions.
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Section 2 · §2.1–2.7 · 7 indicators
Classroom Procedures
The invisible architecture — routines, transitions, and structures that make learning time sacred.
Scope
- Scored as a single section
Representative observable indicators
- Teacher communicates classroom rules and expectations before new tasks.
- Teacher gives instructions for preparation and use of class materials.
- Teacher prominently displays classroom behavior expectations.
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Section 3 · §3.1–3.8 · 8 indicators
Relational Approach to Discipline
How the teacher corrects course — preserving dignity, building responsibility, keeping the relationship whole.
Scope
- Scored as a single section
Representative observable indicators
- Teacher uses redirection-plus-positive reinforcement to correct behavior.
- Teacher gives most attention to students who are behaving appropriately.
- Discipline is reserved for behavior that has not responded to management or for severe infractions.
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Section 4 · §4.1.1–4.2.5 · 13 indicators
Instruction
The craft itself — clarity, questioning, participation, assessment, and whether students leave owning what they learned.
Sub-domains
- Develops and implements plans for each lesson
- Employs strategies to maximize student comprehension
Representative observable indicators
- Teacher presents subject matter in a stimulating and engaging manner.
- Teacher chunks larger tasks into manageable units.
- Teacher concludes lesson with a summary or review.
Across the four sections, the instrument holds 37 observable indicators — the full set an observer scores against, item by item.
The complete MTSA — every section, item, and footnoted example of what observers look for — is the basis of each engagement.
Inside the Audit: what we watch for
What does an observer actually watch for? Not charisma, and not reputation — dozens of specific, observable classroom behaviors, recorded item by item. Here is a sampling of the indicators, quoted directly from the instrument. Every parent will recognize their child’s best teacher in them.
Master Teacher Skills Assessment
Representative indicators, quoted from the instrument
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Interpersonal Dynamics
“Teacher greets students.”
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Interpersonal Dynamics
“Teacher praises students for specific behaviors and accomplishments.”
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Interpersonal Dynamics
“Teacher circulates throughout the classroom to provide assistance, praise, and redirection.”
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Classroom Procedures
“Teacher prepares students for transitions and schedule changes with cues.”
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Relational Approach to Discipline
“Teacher instructions, reminders and redirection are given in ‘what to do’ language.”
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Relational Approach to Discipline
“When addressing problematic behavior, teacher uses a neutral tone of voice.”
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Instruction
“Teacher demonstrates mastery of curriculum content.”
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Instruction
“Teacher encourages students to elaborate and expand their responses.”
Each indicator is scored in live observation
- Rarely
- Sometimes
- Consistently
These are recognition criteria, not a checklist a teacher is graded against. The bar is consistency — competency must hold across the instrument, not in a single inspired lesson — and a teacher who does not yet meet it may receive professional development and be reassessed. The same instrument that identifies master teachers shows precisely how a strong teacher becomes one.
The scoring standard
How mastery is judged
Every indicator is scored in live observation on a published scale. Mastery is not one impressive lesson; it is consistency held across the whole instrument.
The scale — applied to every indicator
- 1Rarely · Needs Improvement
- 2Sometimes · Developing
- 3Consistently · Proficient
- N/ANot Applicable · indicator not observed
The competency rules
- No more than one “Needs Improvement” is permitted within any sub-section.
- Competency is judged section by section, and then overall — the standard must hold across the instrument, not in a single lesson.
- A teacher who does not yet meet the standard may receive professional development and be reassessed.
The engagement
How it works
Each audit follows the same governed sequence — independent observation, item-by-item scoring against the MTSA, and review before any finding is shared with the school.
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Nomination
A principal or school leader puts forward a teacher they believe embodies the Standard.
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Observation
A Kinyan observer attends live classes — unscripted, in the teacher’s own room, with the teacher’s own students.
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Assessment
The observation is scored against the MTSA’s four domains, item by item.
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Review
Findings are reviewed by the Kinyan team and shared with the school as constructive, specific feedback.
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Recognition
Teachers who meet the Standard are named Kinyan Master Teachers and celebrated publicly.
The deliverable
What a school receives
An audit ends in a document. Each school receives a domain-by-domain findings summary — signed by the evaluator and a school administrator — recording where mastery was observed and where a strong teacher can grow.
Master Teacher Skills Assessment
Findings summary · by domain
- Interpersonal DynamicsCompetency met
- Classroom ProceduresCompetency met
- Relational Approach to DisciplineCompetency met
- InstructionDeveloping · one indicator flagged
- Domain-by-domain findings, scored item by item against the instrument.
- Constructive, specific feedback — a developmental roadmap, not a verdict.
- A summary signed by the evaluator and a school administrator.
- Recognition where the Standard is met — public, by name. Findings stay private.
The foundation
Sourced in the mesorah
The MTSA rests on two foundations at once: contemporary assessment practice, and an unbroken chain of Torah sources. The observable competencies trace to the teaching of Chazal — the way an auditor cites the standard that authorizes every test.
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Receive every student with a bright, welcoming countenance.
Shammai · Pirkei Avos 1:15
Interpersonal Dynamics
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Counsel lies deep as water within a person, and the one who understands draws it out — the teacher mines the wisdom already within the student.
Mishlei 20:5
Instruction
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Our Sages connect moreh, “teacher,” with yoreh, “archer” — the master teacher takes aim, directing each student toward the target.
On the root of the word moreh
Instruction
Themes are paraphrased from the Torah sources that ground the instrument; each is cited in full in the underlying mekoros.
Standards governance
The people behind the Standard
The MTSA was created by Dr. Rebecca Eliason, Psy.D., M.S., Sarah Chana Radcliffe, M.Ed., C.Psych., and Rabbi Jonathan Rietti, M.Ed., and is endorsed by HaGaon HaRav Asher Weiss, shlita, and Dr. David Pelcovitz, Ph.D.
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Dr. Rebecca Eliason, Psy.D., M.S.
Co-creator of the MTSA
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Sarah Chana Radcliffe, M.Ed., C.Psych.
Co-creator of the MTSA
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Rabbi Jonathan Rietti, M.Ed.
Co-creator of the MTSA
Endorsed by
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HaGaon HaRav Asher Weiss, shlita
Endorses the MTSA
One of the generation’s foremost halachic authorities.
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Dr. David Pelcovitz, Ph.D.
Endorses the MTSA
A leading authority on child psychology and education.
Questions about the process? Read the FAQ.
The purpose
A celebration, not an inspection
The Audit exists to recognize excellence, not to hunt for deficiency. Kinyan combs through many teachers across many schools to identify the very best — the educators who embody the Kinyan Standard in practice. For a school, putting a teacher forward is not a risk; it is a statement of pride. Observations are conducted respectfully, findings are shared constructively, and only recognition is made public.
Does your school have a master teacher? Nominate them.
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