EDTPA: Checking for Understanding Questions Guide

The edTPA, a performance-based assessment, requires teacher candidates to demonstrate their teaching effectiveness, and educational institutions use it as a crucial metric in teacher preparation programs; a key component involves formative assessment practices, particularly checking for understanding. Effective formative assessment strategies provide insights into student learning; specifically, the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity (SCALE) emphasizes the importance of strategically designed questions to gauge comprehension. Teacher candidates often seek guidance on how to distinguish checking for understanding questions in edTPA, to refine their questioning techniques. Careful analysis of the edTPA Assessment Handbook is vital to understand scoring rubrics and expectations, thereby improving a candidate's ability to construct and implement effective checking for understanding questions aligned with the Danielson Framework for Teaching.

The edTPA, or Educative Teacher Performance Assessment, serves as a rigorous, performance-based evaluation tool for aspiring educators seeking licensure. Its primary function is to assess a candidate's readiness to teach by evaluating their skills in planning, instruction, assessment, and reflection.

Unlike traditional standardized tests, the edTPA requires candidates to demonstrate their teaching abilities through a portfolio of authentic classroom artifacts. This portfolio includes lesson plans, video recordings of instruction, student work samples, and reflective commentaries. This process offers a more holistic and practical view of a candidate's teaching capabilities.

The Candidate: The Protagonist of the edTPA Narrative

At the heart of the edTPA lies the teacher candidate. The edTPA process is fundamentally about showcasing your understanding of effective teaching practices and your ability to apply them in a real-world classroom setting.

Your active participation and thoughtful reflection are paramount to a successful submission. You are not merely completing a task; you are demonstrating your growth and competence as an educator.

The edTPA prompts candidates to make pedagogical decisions, implement them in the classroom, and then analyze the impact of those decisions on student learning. This iterative process of planning, teaching, assessing, and reflecting is essential for continuous professional growth.

Understanding the edTPA Framework: A Foundation for Effective Teaching

Grasping the underlying principles of the edTPA framework is vital, as this understanding will empower you to design engaging and effective lessons and assessments. The edTPA framework is rooted in established research on effective teaching practices, highlighting the importance of:

• Clear Learning Objectives: Clearly defined learning goals that are aligned with standards.

• Intentional Planning: Deliberate selection of instructional strategies and resources.

• Engaging Instruction: Creating a student-centered learning environment that fosters active participation.

• Meaningful Assessment: Utilizing formative and summative assessments to monitor student progress.

• Reflective Practice: Critically analyzing your teaching and identifying areas for improvement.

By understanding these core elements, you can construct a compelling edTPA portfolio that demonstrates your command of effective teaching strategies.

The Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity (SCALE): Guardians of the edTPA

The Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity (SCALE) plays a crucial role in the edTPA. SCALE is responsible for the development, maintenance, and validation of the edTPA assessment.

Their expertise in teacher education and assessment ensures that the edTPA remains a credible and reliable measure of teaching competence. SCALE continually refines the edTPA based on research and feedback from educators, ensuring its alignment with current best practices.

Furthermore, SCALE provides valuable resources and support materials for candidates, faculty, and assessors, contributing to the overall quality and effectiveness of the edTPA process. Recognizing SCALE's role provides assurance of the rigor behind the edTPA's design and implementation.

Understanding the Key Players in the edTPA Process

The edTPA, or Educative Teacher Performance Assessment, serves as a rigorous, performance-based evaluation tool for aspiring educators seeking licensure. Its primary function is to assess a candidate's readiness to teach by evaluating their skills in planning, instruction, assessment, and reflection.

Unlike traditional standardized tests, the edTPA emphasizes the practical application of pedagogical knowledge in real-world classroom settings. Successfully navigating this process requires a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders involved. From the teacher candidate to state education agencies, each participant plays a critical role in ensuring the integrity and effectiveness of the edTPA.

This section will provide a detailed breakdown of these key players, outlining their specific responsibilities and contributions to the edTPA process.

The Central Role of Candidates/Teacher Candidates

At the heart of the edTPA process lies the candidate, or the aspiring teacher. Their primary responsibility is to successfully complete the edTPA portfolio, demonstrating their teaching competence through a collection of artifacts and commentaries.

This involves meticulously planning a learning segment, delivering effective instruction, assessing student learning, and reflecting on their practice. The candidate must adhere to the edTPA guidelines and rubrics, ensuring their submission meets the required standards for licensure.

The candidate’s performance directly influences their certification status, making their active engagement and thorough preparation paramount.

Assessors/Evaluators: Ensuring Fair and Consistent Evaluation

Assessors, also known as evaluators, are tasked with the critical role of applying the edTPA scoring rubrics fairly and consistently. They are trained professionals who evaluate candidate portfolios based on predetermined criteria.

Their objectivity and expertise are crucial in ensuring that all candidates are assessed equitably. This impartial assessment provides a standardized measure of teaching readiness across different programs and institutions.

The integrity of the edTPA rests on the rigor and consistency of these assessments.

The Guiding Hand: Educators and Professors

Educators and professors play a vital role in providing guidance and support to candidates throughout the edTPA process. They offer expertise in pedagogy, curriculum development, and assessment practices.

Their mentorship helps candidates understand the expectations of the edTPA and develop the necessary skills to create a strong portfolio. They also provide constructive feedback on draft submissions, helping candidates refine their work and improve their teaching practice.

The support and expertise of educators and professors are invaluable to candidates preparing for the edTPA.

Student's Teachers: Real-World Mentorship and Context (If Applicable)

In some instances, particularly for candidates completing their edTPA during student teaching placements, experienced classroom teachers may play a supporting role. These student's teachers offer real-world context and mentorship, providing valuable insights into the practical challenges and rewards of teaching.

Their guidance helps candidates navigate the complexities of classroom management, student engagement, and curriculum implementation. This collaborative relationship can significantly enhance the candidate's learning and development.

SCALE: The Architects of the edTPA

The Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity (SCALE) serves as the architect and steward of the edTPA. They are responsible for creating, maintaining, and validating the edTPA as a reliable and valid assessment of teaching competence.

SCALE conducts ongoing research to ensure that the edTPA remains aligned with current pedagogical best practices and reflects the evolving needs of the teaching profession. They also provide training and resources for assessors and teacher preparation programs.

SCALE's commitment to quality and innovation ensures the edTPA remains a relevant and valuable tool for teacher preparation and licensure.

Pearson: Managing Logistics and Administration

Pearson plays a crucial role in administering the edTPA and handling logistical aspects. This includes managing the online submission platform, processing candidate fees, and coordinating the scoring process.

They work closely with SCALE to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of the edTPA. Pearson's expertise in assessment administration ensures that candidates have a secure and reliable platform for submitting their portfolios.

State Education Agencies (SEAs): Setting Requirements for Licensure

State Education Agencies (SEAs) are responsible for setting edTPA requirements for teacher licensure within their respective states. They determine the minimum passing score required for certification and may also specify which edTPA subject areas are accepted.

SEAs work closely with SCALE and Pearson to ensure that the edTPA aligns with state standards and priorities. Their oversight ensures that the edTPA serves as a meaningful measure of teacher readiness within the context of state education policy.

Teacher Preparation Programs (TPPs): Preparing Future Educators

Teacher Preparation Programs (TPPs) are tasked with preparing candidates to meet edTPA standards. They integrate the edTPA into their curriculum and provide candidates with the knowledge, skills, and support needed to create a successful portfolio.

TPPs play a critical role in helping candidates understand the edTPA rubrics, develop effective teaching strategies, and reflect on their practice. Their commitment to quality teacher preparation ensures that graduates are well-equipped to meet the challenges of the classroom.

Mastering Core Pedagogical Concepts for the edTPA

Understanding the Key Players in the edTPA Process. The edTPA, or Educative Teacher Performance Assessment, serves as a rigorous, performance-based evaluation tool for aspiring educators seeking licensure. Its primary function is to assess a candidate's readiness to teach by evaluating their skills in planning, instruction, assessment, and reflection. Mastering the core pedagogical concepts that underpin the edTPA is paramount. It allows candidates to not only meet the assessment requirements but also cultivate effective teaching practices. Let us delve into the crucial elements.

Checking for Understanding (CFU)

Checking for Understanding (CFU) involves a range of strategies employed during instruction to gauge student comprehension. These techniques provide immediate feedback, enabling teachers to adjust their approach and address any misconceptions promptly.

Effective CFU is not merely asking, "Does everyone understand?" It requires carefully designed methods that elicit genuine responses from all students.

Examples of Effective CFU Strategies

• Think-Pair-Share: Students reflect individually, discuss with a partner, and then share their thoughts with the class. This encourages participation from all learners.
• Exit Tickets: Brief questions or prompts completed at the end of a lesson to summarize key concepts.
• Thumbs Up/Down: A quick, non-verbal method for students to indicate their level of understanding.
• Mini Quizzes: Short, low-stakes assessments to check comprehension of specific topics.
• Cold Call: Randomly selecting students to answer questions, ensuring everyone is engaged.

Formative Assessment

Formative assessment is a dynamic process that utilizes assessment data to inform teaching and learning. Unlike summative assessments, which evaluate learning at the end of a unit, formative assessments are ongoing and integrated into the instructional process.

The goal is to provide both students and teachers with timely feedback to improve understanding and adjust teaching strategies.

The Importance of Feedback in Formative Assessment

Feedback is a crucial component of formative assessment. It should be specific, actionable, and timely, guiding students on how to improve their performance. Effective feedback focuses on the learning process, not just the outcome, and encourages self-reflection.

Assessment for Learning

Assessment for Learning (AfL) takes formative assessment a step further by integrating assessment as an integral part of the learning cycle. It shifts the focus from assessing what students have learned to using assessment to actively promote learning.

AfL emphasizes student involvement in the assessment process, empowering them to take ownership of their learning.

Key Elements of Assessment for Learning

• Clear Learning Goals: Students understand what they are expected to learn and the criteria for success.
• Self-Assessment: Students regularly evaluate their own progress and identify areas for improvement.
• Peer Assessment: Students provide feedback to each other, fostering collaboration and critical thinking.
• Teacher Feedback: Teachers provide specific and actionable feedback that guides student learning.

Learning Segment

A learning segment refers to a coherent sequence of lessons designed with clear learning objectives that build upon one another. It is a crucial element assessed in the edTPA.

A well-designed learning segment demonstrates a candidate's ability to plan instruction that is purposeful, engaging, and aligned with standards.

Components of an Effective Learning Segment

• Clearly Defined Learning Objectives: Specific and measurable objectives that guide instruction and assessment.
• Logical Progression of Content: Lessons build upon each other in a logical and sequential manner.
• Varied Instructional Strategies: Using a range of teaching methods to engage students and cater to different learning styles.
• Formative Assessment: Regularly checking for understanding and adjusting instruction based on student needs.
• Differentiation: Adapting instruction to meet the diverse needs of all learners.

Rubrics

Rubrics are essential tools for evaluating student work and guiding instruction within the edTPA framework. Understanding and applying rubrics effectively is crucial for both assessing student performance and informing instructional decisions.

Understanding the edTPA Rubrics

The edTPA rubrics provide specific criteria for evaluating teaching performance across various dimensions. Candidates should familiarize themselves with the rubrics for their specific subject area and use them to guide their planning, instruction, and assessment.

Applying Rubrics to Evaluate Student Work

When evaluating student work, use the rubrics to assess the quality of their performance against the established criteria. Provide students with clear and specific feedback based on the rubric, highlighting their strengths and areas for improvement.

Using Rubrics to Guide Instruction

Rubrics can also be used to guide instruction by providing students with a clear understanding of the expectations for their work. Share the rubrics with students at the beginning of a unit or lesson.

Essential Tools and Documents for edTPA Success

Mastering Core Pedagogical Concepts for the edTPA and understanding the key players involved sets a strong foundation. The edTPA, or Educative Teacher Performance Assessment, serves as a rigorous, performance-based evaluation tool for aspiring educators seeking licensure. Its primary function is to assess a candidate's readiness to teach by evaluating their skills.

Beyond these concepts and roles, a candidate's success on the edTPA heavily relies on the effective utilization of various tools and documents. These resources, when understood and applied strategically, provide the necessary framework for crafting a compelling and successful portfolio.

This section provides an overview of these vital resources, explaining their purpose and how to leverage them effectively.

Understanding the Core edTPA Documents

Navigating the edTPA requires familiarity with a specific set of documents. These resources provide the framework and guidelines for constructing your portfolio and demonstrating your teaching proficiency.

• edTPA Handbooks: These subject-specific guides are your bible. They outline the specific requirements and expectations for your content area. Carefully review your handbook to understand the tasks, rubrics, and evidence required for submission.

  Your handbook will be tailored to the exact subject area you teach. Don't rely on general information or advice from other candidates in different fields.

• edTPA Assessment Materials: These include the task overviews and commentary templates for the Planning, Instruction, and Assessment tasks. These documents provide a structured framework for organizing your thoughts and presenting your evidence.

  The commentary templates are essential for providing context and rationale for your instructional decisions. Use them to articulate your pedagogical reasoning and demonstrate your understanding of effective teaching practices.

• edTPA Rubrics: The rubrics are the core scoring criteria used by assessors to evaluate your teaching performance. Understanding the rubrics is paramount.

  They provide a clear understanding of the expectations at each performance level (Levels 1-5). Analyze the rubrics carefully to identify the key indicators of effective teaching and align your evidence accordingly.

Leveraging Technological and Instructional Tools

Beyond the core documents, certain tools and techniques are crucial for gathering evidence and demonstrating your teaching skills effectively.

• Video Recording: Video recording is a central component of the edTPA, allowing you to capture your teaching in action. Careful planning and execution of your video recording are essential. Focus on capturing key moments that demonstrate your ability to implement effective teaching strategies, engage students, and assess learning.

  Select video clips strategically to showcase your strengths and address specific rubric requirements.

• Assessment Instruments: The edTPA requires you to design and implement assessment instruments to measure student learning.

  These instruments should be aligned with your learning objectives and provide meaningful data to inform your instruction. Clearly articulate the purpose and validity of your assessment instruments in your commentary.

• Questioning Techniques: Effective questioning is a critical component of engaging instruction. You can employ a variety of questioning techniques to stimulate critical thinking and assess student understanding.

  Familiarize yourself with frameworks like Bloom's Taxonomy and Webb's Depth of Knowledge to design questions that challenge students at different cognitive levels.

• Technology Integration Tools: Technology can enhance instruction and engagement. Utilize tools like Kahoot, Poll Everywhere, or Quizizz to create interactive learning experiences and assess student understanding in real time.

  Be sure to clearly articulate the pedagogical rationale for using these tools and how they contribute to student learning.

• Whiteboarding: Visual aids, such as whiteboarding, can be a powerful tool for presenting information, facilitating discussions, and engaging students.

  Use whiteboarding strategically to organize ideas, illustrate concepts, and provide visual support for your instruction.

• Think-Pair-Share: This collaborative learning strategy encourages students to think individually, discuss their ideas with a partner, and then share with the whole class.

  Think-Pair-Share promotes active participation and fosters a supportive learning environment. Document this technique in the instruction section.

• Exit Tickets: Exit tickets are a quick and easy way to assess student comprehension at the end of a lesson.

  Use exit tickets to gather formative assessment data and inform your future instruction.

  Clearly demonstrate how you use the information gathered from exit tickets in your reflections.

Maximizing Your Chances of Success

By understanding and effectively utilizing these tools and documents, you can significantly enhance your chances of success on the edTPA. Remember to thoroughly review all materials, seek guidance from your instructors, and practice applying these strategies in your teaching. Preparation is the key to navigating the edTPA with confidence.

Creating a Positive and Effective Learning Environment

Mastering core pedagogical concepts and understanding the key players involved sets a strong foundation. The edTPA, or Educative Teacher Performance Assessment, serves as a rigorous, performance-based evaluation tool for aspiring educators seeking licensure. Its primary function is to assess a candidate's ability to plan, instruct, and assess student learning effectively. However, creating a positive and effective learning environment is also a fundamental component assessed within the edTPA. It demonstrates your ability to foster student engagement, respect, and a sense of belonging, all of which are crucial for optimal learning outcomes.

This section addresses the importance of creating a supportive and inclusive classroom environment. It directly influences student learning and engagement.

Fostering a Positive Classroom Climate

A positive classroom climate is characterized by mutual respect, trust, and a sense of community. This environment allows students to feel safe, valued, and motivated to learn.

Creating such an atmosphere requires intentional effort and consistent implementation of effective strategies.

Establishing Clear Expectations and Routines

Clear expectations are the bedrock of a well-managed and positive classroom. Students need to understand what is expected of them in terms of behavior, participation, and academic performance.

These expectations should be explicitly communicated, consistently reinforced, and collaboratively developed with students whenever possible.

Routines, similarly, provide structure and predictability, reducing anxiety and maximizing instructional time. Establish routines for everything from entering the classroom to transitioning between activities.

Promoting Respectful Communication and Interaction

Respectful communication is paramount. Model respectful language and behavior yourself.

Actively listen to students, validate their perspectives, and encourage them to do the same for one another.

Implement strategies such as class meetings or restorative circles to address conflicts and build empathy.

Cultivating a Growth Mindset

Encourage a growth mindset by praising effort and persistence over innate ability. Help students understand that intelligence is not fixed and that they can improve through hard work and dedication.

Provide opportunities for students to reflect on their learning and identify areas for growth.

Frame mistakes as learning opportunities.

Creating a Safe and Inclusive Learning Space for All Students

An inclusive classroom embraces diversity and ensures that all students feel valued, respected, and supported. This means creating an environment where students' unique backgrounds, identities, and learning needs are acknowledged and celebrated.

Addressing Bias and Promoting Equity

Be aware of your own biases and actively work to address them.

Examine your curriculum and instructional materials for representation and inclusivity. Provide diverse perspectives and challenge stereotypes.

Differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all learners, including students with disabilities, English language learners, and students from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Building Relationships and Fostering a Sense of Belonging

Get to know your students as individuals. Learn about their interests, backgrounds, and learning styles.

Create opportunities for students to connect with one another.

Use collaborative activities and group projects to foster teamwork and build relationships. Implement strategies to prevent and address bullying and harassment.

Providing Support and Accommodations

Be responsive to the individual needs of your students. Provide appropriate accommodations and support to ensure that all students have access to the curriculum and opportunities to succeed.

Collaborate with special education teachers, counselors, and other support staff to address the specific needs of students with disabilities or other learning challenges.

Remember, creating a positive and effective learning environment is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing process that requires continuous reflection, adjustment, and a genuine commitment to the well-being and success of all students. By implementing these strategies, you can create a classroom where students feel safe, valued, and empowered to reach their full potential, while also demonstrating your teaching competence through the edTPA.

So, there you have it! Hopefully, this guide sheds some light on checking for understanding questions in edTPA and makes differentiating them a little less daunting. Remember to think about why you're asking a question and what information you're hoping to gain. Good luck, and happy teaching!