Task 3: What are the requirements of the edTPA and what does an edTPA lesson plan look like? (Essential Questions C)
Pre-Posting – In preparation for your edTPA completion DURING YOUR STUDENT TEACHING EXPERIENCE we will be conducting a mini-edTPA for this course. First, print a hard copy of your edTPA handbook to refer to when watching the edTPA Overview Part II video (if you printed a hard copy for Dr. Chapman’s class you can use that one). Next watch the edTPA Overview Part II video (This video is 15 minutes long).
Posting – Post your interpretation of the key points/aspects of edTPA gathered from the video. What information do you see cutting across all of the resources you have read/seen on this topic so far? What are the cautions needed or “hints provided” for making this a quality product?
Fri. November 15, Initial posting
Response Postings – Everyone should respond at least 1-2 times to each group member with a question, clarification, or addition to the thoughts on their postings. You might consider other information, questions you still have as a future teacher, etc.
Response Postings:
By Sunday, November 17: 11:59 PM. Response postings
Again, this video was very insightful. Through this weeks tasks I have a much clearer idea of what is expected, how to accomplish this task and how it will be evaluated.
ReplyDeleteThe key points I took from this video were the eleven rubrics that are provided for each Task. I also thought pages 4-6 and the outline for Task 1, Task 2, and Task 3 is very well laid out and gave a clear picture of what will need to be submitted.
Some other key points I took from the video was that there will be a specific way to submit the 25 pages of commentary and that it all must submitted in Ariel 11 point font.
As I write my three lessons for our current class I am gaining a lot of tools to guide what is expected. I will be referencing the rubrics as I proceeded. The rubric will be relied on heavily to make sure this is a quality product.
Michelle,
DeleteI'm so glad that you noted our commentary had to be submitted in Ariel 11 point font, because honestly I was zoning out and only half listening - but then after reading your comment, I realized I should really be paying closer attention. Such a specific, little detail, and so easy to miss. I agree with you that (when enough attention is being paid) this video is a valuable resource.
I probably won't use the rubrics much, though, because, in general, I find rubrics to be useless and full of generic terms that don't really mean anything and sound subjective to me. I see rubrics as a necessary evil and aim to find some other way to evaluate my students once I'm in the classroom :)
As I noted in my post, I like rubrics as well. I find that they provide a clear, guide to creating the assignment. This entire process is still a bit overwhelming to me, but I think that using each other is a great way to be resourceful.
DeleteAlso, way to notice the font size! I totally missed that!
I think it is safe to assume that the small structural/format will be for the TPA when we submit it during our student teaching. Not that is not good to get in that habit now, but I am sure we will not be docked for not following all of the formatting requirements this go around.
DeleteThis video was a good walk through of the edTPA, as it is such a large and intimidating project. It is the sort of guide that I'd like to have around next fall when I start my "real" student teaching and have to put together my file for Pearson.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I found interesting was that I should be aiming for a level 3, not a 4 or 5. It is counter intuitive after all these years of expecting the best, to be told i won't be able to get there...for a few years, at least. That also takes some of the pressure off being perfect, though.
I also found it interesting that the levels progress from the teacher focusing on their own instruction towards focusing on their students (specifically to all around, "nuanced", general principals). That is something I will try to be cogniscent of as I work through my TPA lessons for this semester. We always need to be student focused, which is especially difficult to do when we're getting assessed in such a complex & massive way ourselves for student teaching!
I like your final point about needing to be student focused. This is something that I think the edTPA aims to do, but realistically, it creates a generation of nervous teachers that want to make sure that the form is good.
DeleteI am more nervous about filling on the TPA form correctly than getting observed teaching this Thursday. :-(
Eric, I have to agree with you. I just said that today. I feel in my head totally prepared to teach the lessons but still have not even gotten close to filling out all of the TPA BOXES!
DeleteI was just talking today to some teachers in my family. I was saying how detailed oriented the TPA is. In hindsight, although I lot of work goes into planning for a TPA it does force you to think of every detail.
One of the activities I will be leading the class in is a Sticky Board activity that I did myself this summer (different content). This summer we only have 4 of us working on the task. When I do it, it will be for a class of 30+ students. The TPA helped me really think through the logistics of how to accomplish that task.
Sara,
DeleteThere is a difference between liking rubrics and navigating being assessed by ELEVEN of them. A little overwhelming to know what to focus on. I agree that a 3 seems like "average". As long as we are prepared now. It would be disappointing to not have watched this video and expected 5's, only knowing that it will not happen.
I am excited for the day when all of the lessons I plan to teach are established, you know what works, what does not. At that point (I am assuming close to year 3 of teaching) you can add, pull or tweak lessons.
I think that this video, while a bit monotone, provide a nice guide for our edTPA process. I was, and still am, a little stressed out for this, but this video put into a clearer perspective! Sara mentioned that level 3 part, and that surprised me as well. I agree with her that it seemed a bit odd that we are not expected to be at that level for a few YEARS.
ReplyDeleteI also took away the section about the rubrics. I really enjoy detailed rubrics because they lay out a plan for success. Following rubrics is easy to do as long as they are clear, and I feel like these will be.
I am sure to use this video as a reference as I am filling out some of my edTPA.
Erik,
DeleteYes, the video was monotone - wasn't it?! I feel like it fits the general robotic tone of the edTPA, though :) Anyway, regarding us being at level 3 for a few years - that is something I just talked about with Dr. Chapman and my cooperating teacher after I was observed. They were saying how their first few years of teacher they, indeed, felt as if they were not doing the students as much good as they did in later years.
How stressful is that?! That we just aren't going to be good enough for a few years...certainly not confidence inspiring. Although, my cooperating teacher also said that he was more enthusiastic in his earlier years, so hopefully what we lack in practiced skill we will make up for with other positives i.e. new eyes and enthusiasm.
You also like rubrics, eh? Michelle said that too...I don't like them much.
I agree with you that a lot of this weeks lessons will be great to use as references. Little by little everything feels more understandable and manageable.
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