ed TPA General Overview

The Secondary Science Department

The ed TPA is required for NYS Teacher certification beginning in Spring 2014 and requires evidence of a teacher candidate’s teaching ability (e.g., written passages, reflections, the downloading of MS Word templates, lesson plans, video(s) of teacher candidates teaching actual students, samples of student work, extensive writing and more). Because this is a major change in teacher certification requirements, one can anticipate revisions as details become finalized. This orientation guide is in draft form and will be updated as needed.

To date, 34 states and the District of Columbia participate in ed TPA. The ed TPA is unique in that faculty may review a teacher candidate’s pre-submissions and make summative comments (using platforms such as the Chalk and Wire-portfolio Platform). However, faculty may not make specific comments on errors made in the submission.

The ed TPA in its simplest form requires (Active knowledge of teaching & learning):

· Task 1 Planning

· Task 2 Instruction (including a video)

· Task 3 Assessment with Reflection

· Attention to Language and Communication (specifically academic language related to the STEM field )

· At Queens College, the SEYS courses have included elements of Lesson Planning, Instruction, and Assessment that parallel the requirements set forth by ed TPA. Students should have an understanding of the exam requirements, how to communicate through platforms and the technology involved in gathering data as evidence to support claims of effective teaching and student learning. The ed TPA exam is long, complex, and can appear daunting to those who do not put forth the appropriate effort.

· The Secondary Science Handbook is 47 pages.

· The Secondary Science Handbook contains 15 rubrics.

· The ed TPA requires 25 pages of writing, single spaced

· The ed TPA requires files to be downloaded and uploaded

· The ed TPA Secondary Science Task 2 (Instruction) requires two lesson videos no longer than 10 minutes each. The first clip should illustrate how you actively engage students in using science concepts and data to develop explanations. The second clip should illustrate how you facilitate your students’ organization and analysis of data while engaged in scientific inquiry.

· Teacher candidates must use a platform for submitting tasks (evidence of teaching known as artifacts). At Queens College, the Secondary Science Education Program uses Chalk and Wire and suggests that all candidates purchase a three-year subscription upon acceptance into the program.