Preparing Elementary Teacher Candidates for the edTPA Prior

to Student Teaching: Documenting Experiences in a

Math Methods Course

Dr. Erica Kwiatkowski-EgizioLewis University, Department of Elementary Education, Romeoville, Illinois2013 EdTPA Implementation Conference, San Diego, CaliforniaNovember 1 & 2, 2013

Purpose of Today’s Session

1. Discuss the components of a Math Portfolio, in a Math Methods Course, to prepare elementary teacher candidates for the edTPA

2. Share results from a research study, that explored which Math Portfolio tasks are best for documenting Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching

3. Facilitate a discussion on what other institutions are doing to prepare teacher candidates for the edTPA prior to student teaching

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Agenda for Today’s Presentation

1. Background Information2. The Math Portfolio Process3. Research on the use of the Math Portfolio4. Discussion of how to prepare candidates for the edTPA prior to

student teaching5. Questions

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Background Information – Lewis University• Private, Catholic, Lasallian Institution, founded in 1932• Main campus situated on 410 acres in Romeoville, Illinois just 30 minutes

southwest of Chicago• Nearly 6,600 undergraduate and graduate students• Seventh largest private, not-for-profit in Illinois• 210 full-time faculty• Student / faculty ratio is 13:1• College of Education, 30 full-time faculty• Offers degrees in: Elementary Education, Special Education, Combined

Elementary and Special Education, Secondary Education • Pilot test site for edTPA, Spring 2012

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Background Information – Math Methods Course• P-12 Math Methods – Elementary Majors, Combined Majors, and Special

Education Majors all in one class (due to decrease in enrollment)• 15-Week Semester – class meets two times/week for 75 minutes• A majority of the students are co-enrolled in a Field Experience Course at

the same time• Math Teaching Portfolio – 50% of the grade in the course

• modified version of Elementary Mathematics Teaching Event Candidate Handbook 2011-2012 (PACT Consortium, 2009)

• Developmental Process – students can re-submit pieces before the due date; peer and instructor feedback

• Timeline of Tasks – Task 1 = Week 4; Task 2 = Week 8; Task 3 = Week 10; Task 4 = Week 12; Task 5 = Week 14; Presentation = Week 15

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Prior to Starting Math Portfolio

1. Mathematics Teaching Portfolio Information Sheet2. Mathematics Teaching Portfolio Record Sheet3. Overview of Elementary Mathematics Teaching Event

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Task 1: Context for Learning

1. Context Commentary2. Context for Learning Form

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Task 2: Planning Instruction & Assessment1. 3 Consecutive Lesson Plans = Learning Segment2. Planning Commentary3. Lesson Plan Components4. Lesson Plan Template5. Lesson Plan Reflection Template

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Task 3: Instructing Students & Supporting Learning1. Provide one or two video clips of no more that 15 minutes total.2. Instruction Commentary

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Task 4: Assessing Student Learning

1. Collect a student assessment from the entire class from one of the lessons; summarize whole class performance

2. 3 individual work samples highlighted – range of performance (1 ELL student, if possible)3. Assessment Commentary

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Task 5: Reflecting on Teaching & LearningOverall Reflection Commentary

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Math Portfolio Rubrics

1. Context for Learning Rubric2. Lesson Plan Rubric3. Planning Commentary Rubric4. Instructing Students & Supporting Learning Rubric5. Assessing Student Learning Rubric6. Reflecting on Teaching and Learning Rubric

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Math Portfolio Submission

1. Hard copy and electronic versions2. Final Checklist3. Presentation Rubric

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Permission to Videotape

1. Letter to Districts2. Student Permission

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Dissertation Research Study

With the implementation of the edTPA for licensure, teacher education programs are trying to determine how and which pieces of the edTPA should be incorporated deliberately into their curriculum.

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Research Question #2 and Rationale• What types of portfolio tasks best lend themselves to documenting

mathematical knowledge in teaching, to prepare elementary teacher candidates for the edTPA, at the math methods level?

• Use of teaching portfolio prior to student teaching for a developmental purpose• Meeting the demands of the EdTPA at the methods level

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Method

• Qualitative, exploratory, collective, multiple-case study• Purposeful sample (of convenience)• 6 female, K-8 Teacher Candidates, co-enrolled in Math Methods Course & Field

Experience II during the fall 2012 semester at Lewis University, with no prior exposure to portfolio process• 3 elementary placed candidates – Grades 1, 3, 4• 3 middle school placed candidates – Grades 5, 6, 7• St. Joseph School, Catholic, P-8, National Blue Ribbon School, Lockport, IL –

setting for all field experiences• Math Teaching Portfolio

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Participants’ Profiles

Teacher Candidate

Concentration(s) Comfort Level

Teaching Math

Prior Field Experience in

Math

Grade Level

Topic(s)

Miss Scarlett Language Arts; Social Studies

High Planning, Teaching, and Assessing

4th Division

Miss Mustard Language Arts Low None K Counting; More; Fewer

Miss White Science Middle None 1st Subtraction Miss Green Math Middle None 7th Inequalities Miss Peacock Math; Science High Teaching and

Assessing 5th Primes and

Composites; factors; GCF

Miss Plum Language Arts; Social Studies; Math; Science

Middle Planning, Teaching, and Assessing

6th Variables; Expressions’ Equations; Problem Solving

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Data Analysis

• Analyzed final versions of all five tasks from all participants’ Math Portfolios• Used Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) Framework

developed by Deborah Ball and her colleagues • Domains of MKT = Categories in Data Analysis

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MKT Framework

(Ball, Thames, & Phelps , 2008)

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Domains of MKT

• Common Content Knowledge – correctness of answers, definitions, & procedures• Specialized Content Knowledge –student errors or nonstandard

approaches• Horizon Knowledge – connections in math topics• Knowledge of Content & Students – anticipate student thinking• Knowledge of Content & Teaching – design of instruction• Knowledge of Curriculum – materials

(Ball, Thames, & Phelps , 2008)

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What types of portfolio tasks best lend themselves to documenting mathematical knowledge in teaching, to prepare elementary teacher candidates for the edTPA,

at the math methods level?

RESULTS

MKT Domains Present in Math Portfolio

Portfolio Task

Knowledge at the

Mathematical Horizon

Common Content

Knowledge

Specialized Content

Knowledge

Knowledge of Content

and Students

Knowledge of Content

and Teaching

Knowledge of

Curriculum

Context Commentary

X X

Lesson Plans X X X X X X

Lesson Reflections

X X

Planning Commentary

X X X X X X

Instruction Commentary

X X X

Assessment Commentary

X X X

Reflection Commentaries

X X

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What types of portfolio tasks best lend themselves to documenting mathematical

knowledge in teaching?

DISCUSSION

Best Portfolio Tasks for Documenting MKT• No variation in data among participants – final math portfolios used for

analysis, resulting from multiple revisions, peer feedback, and instructor feedback• Lesson Plans and Planning Commentary demonstrated all (the most)

domains of MKT, as proposed by Ball, Thames, and Phelps (2008)• Knowledge of Content and Students was the only MKT domain that

showed up in all of the portfolio tasks• All portfolio tasks illustrated at least two domains of MKT• Lesson Plans and Planning Commentaries significant focus in Math

Methods Courses• All portfolio tasks demonstrated domains of MKT – potential for

candidates to demonstrate MKT in Field Experience III and Student Teaching

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What are you doing at your institutions to embed pieces of the edTPA into your programs, prior to student teaching?

1. Small group discussions and recording2. Reporting out to the larger group3. Ideas will be posted in the online community or the resource library

after the conference

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QUESTIONSThank you for attending this presentation!

Dr. Erica Kwiatkowski-Egiziokwiatker@lewisu.edu

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