Tips for success!
Dr. Harold Goldstein
12 years teaching experience
• K-3 General Music
• High School Band and Music Theory
Sponsored 8 student teachers in the past 6 years
• LIU Post, SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Fredonia, Dowling…
• Assisted 2 of them in preparation for edTPA (they both passed!)
Qualified scorer of Performing Arts edTPA portfolios
 Teacher candidates will understand what the edTPA is,
what it is intended to measure, and what their
responsibilities are in completing it.
 Teacher candidates will understand the architecture of the
exam: its elements; where to begin; the three tasks; the
rubrics; and important vocabulary and terms.
 Teacher candidates will receive tips for preparing the
artifacts necessary for each of the tasks.
 Teacher candidates will receive tips for interpreting the 15
edTPA Performing Arts rubrics and applying them to their
portfolios.
Teacher Performance Assessment
Measures a Teacher Candidate’s preparedness to
become a beginning teacher. “Is a new teacher ready to
start the job?”
Evaluation of teaching materials and artifacts that
demonstrates each teacher candidate’s ability to
effectively teach his/her subject matter to all students
 New York State requires all teacher candidates to pass
the edTPA in the certification area they are seeking
licensure in
 Exemption through June 2015… if you take the
assessment in a legit manner and do not pass, NY has
temporarily permitted teacher candidates to take the
Assessment of Teaching Skills – Written (ATS-W) to
receive certification
 Other states and educational institutions have other
requirements that may or may not require edTPA.
Check on each state’s department of education website
to find out!
Have a copy of the subject
specific handbook
Newest update just came
out! (Fall 2014)
Collection, preparation, and
submission of materials
This is a new thing…. Many
of your sponsor teachers may
not know what it is!
Registration at the edTPA
website
Professional Responsibilities
p. 36
Architecture of the Assessment
 edTPA is a Portfolio-style assessment
 Candidate submits ARTIFACTS that are evaluated by
scorers.
 Artifacts include:
 Lesson Plans
 Video of teaching
 Sample student assessment with feedback
 Commentary about the above artifacts
 Artifacts are evaluated using 15 rubrics
 Please Note: Some subject areas have a different amount of
rubrics (Elementary Education and World/Classical Languages)
Step 1 – Identify a “Central Focus” to Teach
• What are you going to teach?
Step 2 – Choose a “Learning Segment” to complete
the tasks of the edTPA
• A series of 3-5 lesson plans to teach your “central focus”
Step 3 – Complete the “Context for Learning”
• A general worksheet outlining the school you work in,
demographic information of the school, etc… (p.37)
Step 4 –Complete the 3 Tasks!
Task 1 = Planning
• Context for Learning
• 3-5 Lesson Plans (up to 5 pages per
lesson plan)
• Commentary for Lesson Plans
(answering prompted questions – up to
9 pages max, p. 10-12 of the workbook)
Task 2 = Instruction
• Video clips of Teacher Candidate
Teaching (1-2 clips, total of 15-20
minutes)
• Commentary of Videos (answering
prompted questions – 6 pages max,
p. 19-20 of workbook)
Task 3 = Assessment
• Samples of student work from an assessment
within the learning segment with teacher
candidate’s feedback (3 students)
• Commentary of Assessment (answering
prompted questions – 8 pages max, p. 28-30 of
workbook)
• Evidence of Feedback
• Evaluation Criteria
Each Task has 5 rubrics in which you are evaluated:
 Task 1 – Planning
 1. Planning for Instruction
 2. Planning for Needs
 3. Using Knowledge of Students
 4. Identifying Language Demands
 5. Planning Assessment
Each Task has 5 rubrics in which you are evaluated:
 Task 2 – Instruction
 6. Learning Environment
 7. Engagement of Students
 8. Deepening Student Learning
 9. Subject-specific Pedagogy
 10. Analyzing Teacher Effectiveness
Each Task has 5 rubrics in which you are evaluated:
 Task 3 – Assessment
 11. Analysis of Student Learning
 12. Providing Feedback
 13. Student Use of Feedback
 14. Analyzing Students’ Language Use
 15. Using Assessment to Inform
Instruction
Rubric 2: Planning to Support Varied Student Needs
How does the candidate use knowledge of his/her students to target support for students to
develop artistic skills, knowledge, or contextual understandings to create, perform, or
respond to music/dance/theater?
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
There is little to no
evidence of planned
supports.
Planned supports are
loosely tied to
learning objectives or
the central focus of
the learning segment.
Planned supports are
tied to learning
objectives and the
central focus.
Supports address the
needs of specific
individuals or groups
with similar needs.
Level 4 plus: Supports
include strategies to
identify and respond
to common errors,
weaknesses, and misunderstandings.
AND
Planned supports are
tied to learning
objectives and the
central focus with
attention to the
characteristics of the
class as a whole.
Candidate attends to
requirements in IEPs
and 504 plans
Candidate attends to
requirements in IEPs
and 504 plans.
OR
Candidate does not
attend to
requirements in IEPs
and 504 plans
Candidate attends to
requirements in IEPs
and 504 plans.
Parts of rubric: Title, Guiding Question, Levels, Criteria/Descriptors
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Teacher Focus
Student Focus
Whole Class
Instruction
Individual/
Flexible Group
Instruction
Lacks Coherence
Integrated,
Intentional,
Well-Executed
 Rubrics are graded on a scale of 1-5
 1 = Unprepared to be a Teacher
 2 = Developing into a Prepared Teacher
 3 = Prepared to be a Beginner Teacher
 4 = Very Prepared to be a Beginner Teacher
 5 = Prepared to be a Master Beginner Teacher
 What should you be aiming for?
 Remember, this needs to be completed on top of all of
your other student teaching responsibilities…
 Read them – all of them!
 Look up definitions – Glossary provided in handbook!
 Submit artifacts that support what the rubrics are
looking for!
 Beware of the words “AND” and “OR”
 Scorers are literally trained to evaluate exactly where
you fall on the rubric.
 Some rubrics require citations and references to
theory/research to get scores of 3, 4, and 5
 You must teach or have students apply one (or more) of the
following:
 Artistic Skills – personal expression, imaginative choices,
creativity, improvisation, ability to explore/create freely
without formal boundaries
 Knowledge – individual techniques, tools/instruments,
processes, elements and organizational principles –
fundamentals which will allow students to learn and
understand performing arts concepts that will lead them to
artistic expression
 Contextual Understandings – The notion of learning about
and reflecting upon the skills and techniques of an art form as
it is influenced by all elements of the world, including
historical, cultural, social, global, and the impact that those
elements have made upon the evolution of the art form
 Sample Classes:




Music Theory Class
Small Group Clarinet Lesson
3rd Grade General Music Class
Full High School Choral and Band Rehearsals
 Choose your class wisely. Some of the classes you teach will be harder
than others to complete the edTPA tasks
 Sample Central Foci:
 Teaching Elementary GM class how to play the recorder
 Teaching HS chorus how to interpret the phrasing a specific song
for concert performance
 Teaching acting class how to prepare for auditions
 Teaching HS chorus better tone production
 Be as specific or as general as you want… but make sure your lessons
focus on what you want to teach!!!!!
Preparation of Artifacts
 Task 1 Requires you to submit the “Context for
Learning,” 3-5 lesson plans, and commentary about the
lesson plans
 Don’t forget the Context for Learning!
 Use any format of lesson plans that you like, feel free to
tweak it or add to it to address rubrics
 These are formal lesson plans, not simple lists of
objectives or brief outlines of procedures.
 Follow directions on the commentary! Provide what is
asked for! The rubrics align with the commentary! The
more specific, the better!
 Task 2 Requires you to submit 1 or 2 video clips of your
teaching totaling about 15-20 minutes and commentary
about the videos.
 As a general practice as a student teacher, record yourself
often to reflect upon how well you are doing.
 If you record yourself often, you should have plenty of video
to choose from within your chosen learning segment.
 GET TO KNOW THE RUBRICS! Choose video clips that best
demonstrate what the rubrics are asking for!
 We expect to see teacher/student interaction! Not just conducting!
 Follow directions on the commentary! The commentary
prompts line up with the rubrics you are evaluated on!
Provide what is asked for!
 Video tips:
 Do some test runs with your camera
 If too blurry or not viewable, you may have problems
 Confidentiality – if students appear without signed
consent, you may blur their faces
 Video clips should be of consistent non-stop
instructional time and include group work time, student
personal work/reading time, etc. Edit the beginning and
end, but not the middle.
 If inaudible at times, you MUST transcribe dialogue and
include at end of commentary (no more than 2 pages).
 Task 3 Requires you to submit 3 student work samples and
feedback from you to these students from one of your
assessments in the learning segment and commentary
about them.
 You can submit written assessments, audio clips of
assessments, or video clips of assessments.
 If audio/video is inaudible, you MUST submit a transcription of
dialogue! Blurry video could result in return to you!
 All work samples MUST include feedback from you!
 The 3 student work samples should represent 3 different types
of students in your class (perhaps high achievers, mid-level
achievers, and lower achievers; at least one should be a
student with special needs – IEP, ELL, gifted, struggling,
underperforming)
 Reattach portions of Task 1 here if you think it is
appropriate, especially if you have rubrics, checklists,
etc. that are a part of the assessment you are presenting.
 If you choose audio or video clips, please transcribe your
comments/feedback and attach to the end of the
commentary (no more than 2 pages)
 I do not recommend you use a True/False, Multiple
Choice, or written exam/quiz with short answers – You’ll
see why…
 GET TO KNOW THE RUBRICS! Follow directions on
the commentary! Provide what is asked for!
 Little known fact:
 Scorers only grade one task at a time in the order of the three
tasks.
 Scorers only have access to one task at a time (Task 1, then
Task 2, then Task 3).
 Once scores for Task 1 rubrics are submitted, they can not be
changed.
 So…If you want something considered in rubrics 1-5, you must place
it somewhere in Task 1! If you address it in Task 2 or 3, it will NOT
be considered in Task 1 (Rubrics 1-5)
 Do NOT rely on your scorer remembering something you provided
in Task 1 for Tasks 2 or 3! Restate it, or find a place for addressing it!
 It is OK to be repetitive in this assessment!
What we’re looking for!
 How do the candidate’s plans build students’ knowledge
and skills related to creating, performing, or responding to
music/dance/theater by applying artistic skills, knowledge,
and contextual understanding?
 Found in:




Context for Learning
Planning Commentary Prompt 1
Lesson Plans
Instructional Materials (if you supplied them)
 What we’re looking for at Level 3:
 Logically sequenced Lesson Plans
 Lessons build upon each other
 You are appropriately addressing artistic skills, knowledge, or
contextual learning
 How does the candidate use knowledge of his/her students
to target support for students to develop artistic skills,
knowledge, and contextual understandings to create,
perform, or respond to music/theater/art?
 Found in:




Context for Learning
Planning Commentary Prompts 2 & 3
Lesson Plans
Instructional Materials (if you supplied them)
 What we’re looking for at Level 3:




Plans address learning needs of the whole class
IEP and 504 requirements are addressed
Consider different types of students in your class
AUTOMATIC 1 – Missing plans to address 504/IEPs
 How does the candidate use knowledge of his/her
students to justify instructional plans?
 Found in:
 Planning Commentary Prompts 2 & 3
 What we’re looking for at Level 3:
 Relevance of learning tasks to PRIOR KNOWLEDGE or
knowledge of students’ cultural backgrounds or
personal interests/experiences (assets)
 Reference to research/theory in relation to plans to
support student learning
 AUTOMATIC 1: Only provides a DEFICIT view of
students and their backgrounds
 Deficit View (BAD!)
 Low academic performance based primarily on students’
cultural or linguistic backgrounds, the challenges they
face outside of school or from lack of family support.
This leads to patterns of low expectations, not taking
responsibility for providing appropriate support, or not
acknowledging student strengths
DEFICIT VIEWS MAKE EXCUSES FOR POOR
STUDENT PERFORMANCE
 Assets (GOOD!)
 Personal – background information that students bring to the
learning environment: interests, knowledge, everyday experiences,
family backgrounds, etc. that a teacher can draw upon to SUPPORT
STUDENT LEARNING.
 Cultural – cultural backgrounds that students bring to the learning
environment: traditions, languages, world views, literature, art, etc.
that a teacher can draw upon to SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING.
 Community – common backgrounds and experiences that students
brings to the learning environment: resources, local landmarks,
community events and practices, etc. that a teacher can draw on to
SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING.
FOCUSING ON ASSETS FORCE TEACHERS TO WORK WITH
WHAT STUDENTS HAVE TO SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING!
 How does the candidate identify and support language demands
associated with a key performing arts learning task?
 Found in:
 Planning Commentary Prompts 4a – 4d
 Lesson Plans
 Instructional Materials (if provided)
 What we’re looking for at Level 3:
 Identify one of the Language Functions
 Identify language demands related to the language function,
including: specific terms or symbols and either syntax or discourse
 There is support described (either in lesson plans or commentary)
where students apply both vocabulary and either discourse or
syntax in your lessons. This includes instructional materials and
strategies that are selected, modified, or scaffolded to assist
learners.
 HOLY COMMON CORE, BATMAN!
 Language Functions for the Performing Arts:
Choose 1 of the following! (Don’t resist!)
Analyze
Compare/C
ontrast
Describe
Explain
Express
Identify
Interpret
Perform
Summarize
Synthesize
Find a place in one of your lessons where you have students
do one of these things!
 Language Demands:
 Vocabulary and/or Symbols
 Words and phrases used in the discipline
 They have different subject-specific meanings that differ from
meanings used in everyday life (e.g., table)
 General academic vocabulary used across disciplines (e.g. compare,
contrast, analyze, evaluate)
 Subject-specific words defined for use in the discipline
 Syntax
 The set of conventions for organizing symbols, words, and phrases
together into structures (e.g. Sentences, Graphs, Tables)
 Discourse
 Written and oral language
 How members of the discipline talk, write, and participate in
knowledge construction
 How members of the discipline communicate the content
 Example: Look at Planning Question 4
 Central Focus: Dynamics and Dynamic markings
 Prompt a: Language Function: Analyze
 Prompt b: Language Function is in Lesson plan 2
 Prompt c: Vocabulary students need to know:
dynamics, volume, forte (f), mezzo forte (mf), mezzo piano (mp), piano (p), loud,
medium loud, medium soft, soft
 Prompt c: How you might provide syntax Students will be analyzing the dynamics of a selected piece of music by circling the
dynamic markings on the music in different colors. Then, they will list the
dynamics they found on the table on the blackboard in the order from softest to
loudest, and include both the musical name of the symbol and what level of
volume is needed.
 Prompt c: How you might provide discourse –
Students will be analyzing the dynamics of a selected piece of music by circling the
dynamic markings on the music in different colors. Students will then discuss
which dynamic markings they found and what they mean to do.
 Discourse and Syntax is not displayed if:
 You ask only Yes/No questions
 You ask only for definitions of vocabulary
 You ask only “What does this symbol mean?”
 You ask for what the word is after giving a definition
 You are teaching only by rote
 You are the source of the vocabulary and symbol identification
 Discourse and Syntax are displayed if:
 Students are using the vocabulary/symbols
 Students are interpreting/analyzing and showing/explaining what they
are doing
 Students are using performing arts vocabulary to critique each other
 Students are demonstrating that they can use the vocabulary in
conversation or writing
 Students are the source of vocabulary and symbol identification
 How are the informal and formal assessments selected or designated to
monitor students’ development of artistic skills, knowledge, and/or
contextual understandings through creating, performing, or
responding to music/dance/theater?
 Found in:




Context Information
Planning Commentary Prompts 2 & 5
Lesson Plans
Assessment Materials
 What we’re looking for at Level 3:
 Planned assessments provide evidence of students’ artistic skills,
knowledge, and/or conceptual understandings at various points during
the learning segment
 Adaptations or modifications are planned to accommodate IEPs and
504s
 AUTOMATIC 1: Adaptations for 504s and IEPs are missing!
 AUTOMATIC 1: Assessments are misaligned to central focus and
standards/objectives for the learning segment
 How does the candidate demonstrate respectful
environment that supports students’ engagement in
learning?
 Found in:
 Video Clips
 Instruction Commentary Prompt 2
 What we’re looking for at Level 3:
 Interactions with students are respectful, demonstrate
rapport, and students communicate easily with candidate
 Environment that is both described and verified with video
shows that candidate facilitates a positive environment
wherein students are willing to answer questions and work
together without candidate or other students criticizing their
responses
 How does the candidate actively engage students in
developing artistic skills, knowledge, and/or contextual
understandings to create, perform, or respond to
music/dance/theater?
 Found in:
 Video Clips
 Instruction Commentary Prompt 3
 What we’re looking for at Level 3:
 Students are engaged in learning tasks that provide
opportunities for students to focus on artistic skills,
knowledge, or contextual understandings
 Clips show candidates making connections to prior academic
learning to help develop new content or skills
 How does the candidate evoke student
performances/responses to promote and develop artistic
skills, knowledge, and/or contextual understandings?
 Found in
 Video clips
 Instruction Commentary Prompt 4a
 What we’re looking for at Level 3:
 Students are prompted to offer performances or responses
that require application to artistic skills, knowledge and
contextual understandings. (e.g. use “how” and “why”
questions)
 Automatic 1: There are significant content inaccuracies or
significant error in content core
 How does the candidate use modeling, demonstrations,
and content examples to develop students’ artistic skills,
knowledge, and/or contextual understandings for creating,
performing, or responding to music/dance/theater?
 Found in
 Video clips
 Instruction Commentary 4b
 What we’re looking for at Level 3:
 Candidate is modeling, demonstrating, or using examples
that support student learning
 AUTOMATIC 1: Representations are incorrect, inappropriate,
or not used appropriately
 How does the candidate use evidence to evaluate and change
teaching practice to meet students’ varied learning needs?
 Found in
 Video clips
 Instruction commentary prompt 5
 What we’re looking for at Level 3:
 Proposed changes in teaching practice relating to central focus and
address needs of the class
 References to theory or research in relation to plans to support
student learning and connections are made between student
learning and theory/research
 ONLY ADDRESSING CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES WILL
ONLY GET YOU A “2!”
 Focus on techniques, accommodations, and methods that you can
do to help students learn better. It’s about student learning, NOT
solely classroom management!
 How does the candidate analyze evidence of student
learning?
 Found in
 Evaluation criteria
 Student work samples
 Assessment Commentary 1
 What we’re looking for at Level 3:
 Student work samples support an accurate listing of
what students did both correctly and incorrectly
 Differences in learning across the class are identified
 More specific analysis extends to individuals and groups of
students in class get higher than a 3!
 What type of feedback does the candidate provide to focus
students?
 Found in
 Student Work samples
 Evidence of written/oral feedback
 Assessment Commentary 2a & 2b
 What we’re looking for at Level 3:
 Feedback is accurate and emphasizes both strengths and




weaknesses of students
Feedback is evenly distributed amongst students, with no student
receiving significantly more feedback than others
A simple multiple choice or True/False “test” does not do this!
AUTOMATIC 1: Feedback has errors
AUTOMATIC 1: Feedback is unrelated to learning objectives or is
inconsistent with analysis of student learning
 How does the candidate provide opportunities for
focus students to use the feedback to guide further
learning?
 Found in
 Evidence of Feedback
 Assessment Commentary 2c
 What we’re looing for at Level 3:
 Opportunities for applying feedback are provided
 Application of feedback focuses on revising current
work
 Specifications of how focus students can use feedback to
improve current work
 How does the candidate analyze students’ use of language
to develop content understanding?
 Found in
 Student work samples
 Assessment commentary 3
 What we’re looking for at Level 3:
 Explanation/Identification of evidence that the students used
or attempted to use the identified language function
 Evidence addresses students’ use of vocabulary or an
additional language demand (syntax or discourse)
 AUTOMATIC 1: Overlooking students’ significant misuse of
language
 How does the candidate use the analysis of what
students know and are able to do to plan the next steps
of instruction?
 Found in
 Assessment Commentary 5
 What we’re looking for at Level 3:
 The next steps focus on support for student learning
 Next steps focus on learning artistic skills, knowledge,
and/or contextual understandings
 References to research/theory when describing next
steps and connecting them to the plans.








Be familiar with scanning devices and programs
Be familiar with video devices and programs
Provide evidence in a clear and clean fashion
Never assume we know what you are talking about! If it is
not there, we will not assume you meant for it to be there!
Always err on the side of being more specific! Rubrics often
differentiate between “vague,” “general,” and “specific”
details within your responses.
Plan in advance and take your time in choosing wisely…
…but remember that you need to complete this relatively
fast.
We do not deduct scores for spelling mistakes or poor
grammar/writing… but come on! You are going to be a
teacher!
As a scorer, they don’t really tell us because everyone who
requires edTPA interprets the scores different… but…
New York State requires a score of 41 to pass (adding the total
of all 15 rubric scores…. That’s an average rubric score of 2.73)
There is a “mastery score” for New York. But what does mastery
mean!? (Score of at least 48, average rubric of 3.20)
Every state may be different. Be sure to check out your state
 Registration/Submission/Uploading/Timelines
 edTPA website = www.edtpa.com
 Pearson support
 Friends with scanning/filming experience
 Teacher Certification Requirements
 State Education Department Website
 Content of edTPA
Check the handbook!
edTPA website
Do a web search
Have a professor/sponsor teacher look over your portfolio or
portions of it
 Send me an e-mail: hbgoldst@gmail.com



