Useful Theorists and Support Guides for the edTPA
Guides for Writing the EdTPA
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Do's and Don'ts
Do
There is absolutely no replacement for this. Each subject is different and has different expectations and requirements.
You will be more exhausted if you write all of it the last week before it is due. Space out the work, read and reread it, and check it at a paced rate.
Write in a professional tone. Remember to answer each question completely and thoroughly.
This report is not scored on these aspects but as with any essay or writing assignment, spelling and grammar errors disrupt the flow of your writing, make it sound incoherent and difficult to understand, and look unprofessional, all of which affects the scoring.
You may not need to submit all of the work that you collect for the edTPA but it is a good idea to keep them. Eventually these can be part of your portfolio. (Follow all privacy guidelines.)
Your peers will have shared the similar experiences through your credential program to student teaching journey. You understand each others' experiences. Backscratch for each other. Help someone in a different content area and get the perspective of someone who is not the most familiar with the content but understands the education and school process.
Don't
Do not wait until the end of your student teaching to do your planning, filming, assessment, and work sample collection. It will be a hassle for you, your students, and your master teacher. We recommend doing the edTPA lessons and filming somewhere between the midpoint and 75% point of your student teaching assignment, depending on your credential program procedures.
It will impossible to do all your writing in a short period of time. You will not be able to manage it.
Insufficient writing will guarantee you will not pass. They desire nuanced answers.
This will automatically disqualify you from passing. You must use Arial 11-point font with one-inch margins. Count pages and do word counts on your word processor as needed to make sure you are entirely within the limits.
We discourage you from choosing content, discussing materials, or any other matter that you know would stir controversy. Scorers are expected to be fair and objective but it is best not to do anything that may stir problems.
Pearson is picky about this and will ensure it gets taken down! Make sure your Google or Outlook documents are set so only you and designated people can see it. We do, however, encourage you to keep copies of your edTPA in your hard drive for future personal reference if you ever need it.
Healthy Practices
Here are some practices to support your physical health and well-being while you're working on the edTPA.
Eat a nutritious snack. Thinking and typing require energy. Yes, you burn calories when you think (but not on the same level as doing exercise.)
Look outside at far away greenery. Staring at a computer screen or set of text for long extended periods of time, can give you eye strain and headaches. If your eyes feel exhausted, close your eyes and look at the far away greenery, such as green mountains. Looking at distant greenery to boost your comfort and improve your vision.
Go out for a walk. Get blood flowing into your brain. Breathe some fresh air. Get oxygen to circulate to your brain to jog your thinking process!
If you just feel too exhausted, get some rest. Take a nap. If you can, set a day to yourself with no obligations. When you wake up, you wake up. Work on it when you feel refreshed.
Pace yourself. Gradually do more and more. If you are stuck, just read the question and brainstorm what you want to write. If you have no idea, go to a theory that you think would suit the answer and use the key words and principles are guides for writing.
You should follow these healthy practices to support your physical health when managing arduous tasks throughout your academic and professional career.
A Suggested Practice with Rubrics
- Print out the rubrics for each task!
- Put them in a sheet protector or a plastic gallon size Ziploc bag.
- Designate a spot next to your computer or in your laptop bag where you normally write your TPA. Place your sheet-protected printed rubrics there.
- After you have completed each task, look at your rubric. Read over expectations to receive the highest scorings. Look at your responses and see if they have met the criteria highest scoring. If you feel they are lacking, write down what you need to improve on that response.
- Place the sheet-protected rubric back into the designated location for the next use. Oftentimes, people will misplace it and not have it for next time.
By physically keeping a copy of the rubric where you do most of your work, you can access it to see if you are satisfied with what you wrote in terms of fulfilling the requirements. The scoring to a large extent is objective and you should be make sure to reach the maximum score requirements.
Having a physical copy is helpful because it is easier to look at a physical copy and underline (preferably in pencil to allow you to erase it after you feel you satisfied the requirement) a few parts of the rubric where you feel like you may need improvement on than it is to do it on a separate screen.
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Grants and Funding
Want to apply for a grant to improve your classroom or reward your master teacher, colleagues, or school?
Check out these grants and funding opportunities! Sign up or subscribe to them to learn more!
The NEA Foundation
Association of American Educators
McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation
Graduate Programs and Professional Opportunities
This project was made possible by skills from Cal State LA College of Education's MA in Education Technology Leadership programs. Consider enrolling or signing up for these programs!