TPA 3: Assessment
Preservice teachers are required to complete four Teacher Performance Assessments (TPA) as part of the Preliminary Teaching Credential requirement. These assessments are designed around tasks that a classroom teacher will typically do throughout the school year such as designing instruction, supporting diverse learners, analyzing student data and classroom management. In a nutshell the TPA assesses a candidates ability to teach.
Just like students have standards they must meet by the end of the school year, a preservice teacher must demonstrate competency in meeting teaching standards as well. Pre-Service teacher standards are the Teacher Performance Expectations (TPE).
In TPA 3 Pre-Service Teachers are required to design an assessment related to a Unit of Study. The assessment can be a benchmark from a school district, chapter test from a textbook, or a teacher created measure. The key is for teachers to match the assessment with the standard they are teaching and articulate how the activities and tasks they are teaching will support students in mastering the standard. For example if the student learning goal is to: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.NBT.A.3 Read and write numbers to 1000 using base-ten numerals, number names, and expanded form. The assessment should determine if student can:
1. Read a number to 1,000 using base ten
2. Write a number using to base ten to 1,000 3. Correctly read and write number names 4. Correctly read and write expanded form.
Teacher Candidates are expected to design activities that would support ALL students in meeting the standard. The teacher could use variety of measures and question types (multiple choice, open-ended, fill in the blank, matching, etc.) to determine if students have met the goal. They could even great creative and create authentic assessments such as having students manage a virtual checking account using Google Docs or an online webtool.
Candidates should clearly articulate what mastery means. If all students are required to score at least 90% for mastery will this then support students in learning future concepts that require a strong understanding of these learning goals.
Pre-Service teachers should be able to distinguish between different types of assessment and how they can be used to not only support student learning but assist the teacher in planning, and reflection on their teaching.
In this Prezi I review the requirements of TPA3. I also have embedded videos that will help you understand how schools can and should be using assessment.
