edTPA @ NYU
Part I: Introductions
Part II: Academic Language
Part III: Choosing Narratives
Marcy Singer-Gabella
Part I: Introductions
• What would make this session worthwhile for
you?
– What specifically would you think about? discuss?
walk away with?
Marcy Singer-Gabella
Part II: Academic Language
(honing in on language demands)
• Strain Gauges
• Formation of Carcinogens in the Preparation
of Chicken
• Pulsation
Marcy Singer-Gabella
STRAIN GAUGES
• A strain gauge (also strain gage) is a device used to
measure the strain of an object.
• The most common type of strain gauge consists of an
insulating flexible backing, which supports a metallic
foil pattern.
• The gauge is attached to the object by a suitable
adhesive, such as cyanoacrylate.
• As the object is deformed, the foil is deformed, causing
its electrical resistance to change.
Assignment: Please read the article and solve the problem.
Task developed by Emily Pendergrass, Vanderbilt University
edTPA re: Language Demands
•
•
•
•
Language Functions
Vocabulary
Syntax
Discourse
See Academic Language Crib Sheet
Marcy Singer-Gabella
Formation of Carcinogens in the
Preparation of Chicken
Identify and analyze the language demands in this
TEDx Talk.
Consider:
• Language functions
• Vocabulary
• Syntax
• Discourse
http://www.ted.com/talks/award_winning_teen_age_science_in_action.html
Marcy Singer-Gabella
Pulsation
Read pilot submission for Task 1, focusing on
prompts 1a-1c, 4a-4d, and lesson plans
– What language demands does the candidate
identify for the proposed learning segment?
– What other language demands can you identify?
– How / to what extent does the candidate plan to
support students’ in meeting these demands?
Marcy Singer-Gabella
Discussion
Where in your program would candidates learn to
identify language demands and develop supports for
their students?
Marcy Singer-Gabella
Part III: Choosing Narratives
Defining the Role of edTPA at NYU
Overview
• Two Implementation Narratives
• Choosing Narrative 1
– as a philosophical commitment
– as a matter of practice
Marcy Singer-Gabella
Implementation Narrative 1:
“We own this.”
The Plot:
1. OMG –
“this” (what the edTPA examines) is what
we try to prepare students to do; this
assessment can serve us well.
2. UH OH – they’re not quite doing “this”
(with an interlude of denial)
3. AHHH – now they’re doing “this”…
and the work is worth it
Marcy Singer-Gabella
Implementation Narrative 2:
“They did it to us.” (#$^%...)
The Plot:
1. The legislature/ The state bureaucrats/ My dean…
decided we have to do this.
2. They can make us do it, but they can’t make us like
it.
3. So much work… and for what?
Marcy Singer-Gabella
Choosing Narrative 1
philosophical commitment
stance
on
teaching
“OURS”
matter of practice
shared
learning
planning
&
support
A Stance on Teaching
• Actively engage students in intellectually ambitious
tasks
• Use a variety of teaching strategies
• Assess student learning continuously
• Adapt teaching to student needs
• Create effective scaffolds and supports
• Provide clear standards, constant feedback, and
opportunities for revising work
• Develop and effectively manage a collaborative
classroom in which all students have membership.
Marcy Singer-Gabella
Teaching as Leveraging Student Thinking and Experience
Rubric 6: Candidate provides a challenging
learning environment that provides
opportunities to express varied
perspectives and promotes mutual
respect among students.
Rubric 7: Candidate prompts students to
link prior academic learning and personal,
cultural, or community assets to new
learning.
Rubric 8: Candidate elicits and builds on student responses to
develop analyses or interpretations of history/social studies sources
and accounts or support arguments. Candidate facilitates
interactions among students to develop their abilities to evaluate
their own interpretations, analyses,
Marcy Singer-Gabella
leveraging what faculty &
supervisors bring
“OURS”
Marcy Singer-Gabella
“OURS”
matters of practice
(eliciting, attending, interpreting, building)
• Alignment exercises (vision, standards, assessments)
Examination of candidates’ work
• Course analysis (where do candidates learn…)
Examination of candidates’ work
• (Deliberate) incidental conversation…
Examination of candidates’ work
• Scorer training and scoring
Examination of candidates’ work
Marcy Singer-Gabella
From OMG/Uh-Oh to Ahhh at Vanderbilt

Clarifying the stance, sharpening focus:
 planning & instruction that link all learners to
subject matter
 systematic assessment and response to learners’
developing understanding
 attention to content specific language demands


Realigning and revising courses
 communicating clear performance
criteria
 working performance data
Collaborating across institutions &
with state & district partners
“OURS”

weaving edTPA into the
institutional fabric
an occasion for program inquiry & renewal
(again, confronting performance)

a context for critical research

an opportunity for extended engagement
with partners in the field (assessing teaching,
CCSS, etc.)
Marcy Singer-Gabella
Working the ideas in practice
• What does edTPA offer you?
• What commitments and assets do you and
your colleagues bring to the table?
• How might you leverage these commitments
and assets to implement edTPA in ways that
make your program and your graduates
better?
• What are your first three steps?
Marcy Singer-Gabella
What will it be?
Ahhh or (#$^%...)?
Marcy Singer-Gabella
Questions? Please ask!
m.singer-gabella@vanderbilt.edu
Marcy Singer-Gabella