SPU Standard 4: Content Methods

Although the EdTPA is a dreaded word in education programs, I am thankful for my class where I was able to prepare for my high stakes evaluation. Going through the process of formal evaluation helped me to realize my strengths and areas for growth in planning curriculum. SPU program standard 4 explains that a teacher can use their content area knowledge, common core standards, and pedagogy to design curricula to maximize student growth. With this, teachers can create learning targets, align learning activities to these targets, and create a unit based on the assessment of these targets (and ultimately standards). 

Through my content methods class, I developed strategies and tools to help plan units aligned to standards and create sequenced learning targets from those standards. Before taking this class, I was using many strategies and pedagogies I had learned throughout my classes; however, with the pressure of the EdTPA, I started to notice what I would be evaluated on. It was reassuring to realize that most of the items that we needed to include in our lessons I was already doing, sometimes it just wasn't explicitly stated. 

I also discovered a few areas for growth. One of them was academic language. Although I was using strong verbs for my learning targets, I realized halfway through this class that students did not know what they were doing because they did not understand the academic language I was using. Another area for growth was simply identifying what my language supports were. Although I intentionally planned language supports for my students, I did not previously have language for this term. And finally, one area of growth is giving students criteria for assessments, formal or informal. Criteria brings students back to their learning targets and to the standard, reminding them that all assessments are important and that I am looking for specific items. 

My practice has improved from the process of preparing for the EdTPA, but my student's learning will also grow. From this, students will have clearly identified academic language, intentional activities, and criteria for their assessments. For example, I often struggle with students writing everything down. But as I've started giving student's criteria (write down 5 ideas) and hold them to it, everyone begins to participate. 

Overall, I am thankful for doing the process of EdTPA. Although it is a lot of hard work, it is encouraging to be reminded that I am using most of the elements on a day to day basis in my classroom. It is a good reminder that there are always areas for growth and that reflecting on my teaching and really creating lesson sequences from the standard supports student learning.