EdTPA

After having had a chance to get a good look at the EdTPA format, i must admit that I'm still not too keen on going through it, but I do see its uses. I definitely feel as though it's a little too vague in its questioning in some areas, such as the section on lesson connections. I'm not really sure what qualifies as research that supports my lesson plan, for example. Perhaps this is something that will be cleared up as we go on, but ultimately I feel like this section is far too open to interpretation at first glance that it would be easy for someone like me to do it incorrectly the first time.

I will say, I do like the in-depth questioning regarding student voice and differentiated education. I think that's a valuable tool for teachers with students who are struggling to perform at grade-level or who may have some sort of learning difficulty. The inclusion of learning tasks as a section also will make me as a student teacher think carefully about my choices both in the learning activities I use as well as instructional techniques. Rather than having a vague lesson plan with goals and assignments, the EdTPA is asking what I will be doing to, so that my actions in the classroom are held accountable for.

There are a few things I feel like we might have difficulties addressing as well, such as parents and community. With some of our lessons, we may be teaching a selection that is only a small part of the whole unit, and may not require parent-teacher dialogue or community involvement (allowing for students whose parents we must remain in contact with regarding progress due to an IEP or 504, or due to disciplinary issues). Also, being a fairly new student teacher, I feel like I may not be well-equipped enough in my knowledge of the students in my class to answer questions like "How does the content build on what the students already know and are able to do?", which requires me to have a little more background on the students. I think by working with my master teacher I can sort out that challenge, but it still will prove challenging, I think.