EdTPA Task 2 Strategy Commentary

A Reflection on EdTPA Task 2 Strategy Commentary

Melissa Erickson

Winona State University

Rochester, Minnesota
EdTPA Task 2 Strategy Commentary

Author Note

This paper was prepared for REDG 651-02 Induction Practicum taught by Joel J. Traver, Ed.S

Reflection on EdTPA Task 2 Strategy Commentary

In my teaching experience which is consistent with the training and education Ive

received this summer in preparation for interning at John Marshall High School, it is of utmost

importance to establish relationships with students in my classroom. The existence and

nurturing growth of these individual student relationships allows me to achieve many of my

goals as an educator. Among these goals are the ability to guide students from a place of their

current understanding and experience to a place of understanding the deeper concepts and

skills unique to my subject matter. Another benefit of effective student-teacher relationships is

exemplified in classroom management dynamics. Lastly, a healthy relationship built which

includes mutual respect, helps foster favorable qualities and attributes in the student that is

maturing into a young adult. To establish and build upon these relationships, I have been

utilizing a number of techniques in the classroom. As part of these relationship building

strategies, other classroom strategies have been implemented along the way. This paper

intends to explore some of the approaches I have tried and discuss how they have worked for

me.

Relationships are keenly important. Without a personal relationship, as Ive seen with

some of my students, its a difficult battle to get them engaged in the material regardless how

challenging or interesting the class may be. Knowing from prior experience and having heard it

from individual students in my class, I am aware that the study of physics is perceived as a very

hard subject and many students enter the class fulling intending to just do what is required to

get a passing grade. The wall of indifference and anticipation of failure is a tough one to scale.
EdTPA Task 2 Strategy Commentary

For me to get to know the students, and for them to get to know each other, I placed a

table tent on each desk with their name written on it. Those that wanted to go by another name

changed the named on tent (one female student is now identifying as a male, but most students

selected common names over their formal names (Christopher is now Chris, DAngelo is DLo,

Daniel is Deno, and most of the girls named Mikkayla simply go by Kayla). Those names have

been noted on my seating charts to aid my learning the alternates they prefer. As part of the

warm up exercise on day two, they answered questions about themselves: 1) Something they

did this summer theyd like to do again 2) Something no one knows about you 3) Something

they learned in science and really liked 4 ) Something theyd like to learn in science. The

answers were varied as expected, however unexpected were answers like I have brain cancer

or I have a middle name with 29 letters. After the first few days of class, I kept the tents and

periodically refer to them when I want to make a particular effort in building a relationship with a

student. Tyler was surprised pleasantly when I asked him last week do you really have a

middle name with 29 letters? and he wanted to know how I knew that! Those name tents are

really helping personalize the students which strengthens my ability to recall their names when

speaking to them in and out of class.

Taking heed of advice to participate in the school culture outside of class, I have

attended three pep rallies, one homecoming coronation and the homecoming parade. I have

cheered, applauded and waved at each student Ive been noticing outside of class. I make a

point of looking students in the eye as I walk the hallways and greeting them as I go about my

day. It is already apparent which students I have made headway with on establishing positive

relationships. The cheerful hellos and extended conversations they hold with me is good

evidence. I am aware of students in each hour that I need to make a greater effort with building

connections.
EdTPA Task 2 Strategy Commentary

On the challenging side of establishing relationships, one student has told me outright

that she doesnt like physics. I continually endeavor to get her to open her material packet and

take notes or participate, but she clearly has zero interest and is wanting attention. For her, I

am working on remembering her name and something about her, but she is cagey. So I am

persistent, but recognize it will take some time with her. Its clearly a battle of wills which Im

working on. There are others in the class that I have yet to master their names, and frequently

refer to my classroom seating assignment chart. Each day I am able to add more to my recall

list, but its slower than I like.

Students are working together daily in lab groups chosen by their seating arrangements.

In the first few weeks there are groups whose dynamics are successful and students are able to

work effectively, and there are other groups whose dynamics are not working well one or two

students do the bulk of the work and others just record data from them. When I introduce the

new seating arrangements (and thus new lab group assignments), I will also introduce new lab

group rules. Ideally this would have been implemented at the start of the year, but feeling like I

had enough to do with the students already, I opted to wait. My intention is to introduce

standards of group participation and accountability. I am curious to see how it affects group

results.

Relationships take time to build, and I am thinking about adding a get to know me

powerpoint where students take 1 minute to share something about themselves and how it

relates to physics. This would help me get to know them even better, be a fun warm up during

attendance, and humanize science a bit. Im still ruminating on how this would work. I have

more to do in this area.

One classroom strategy implemented before I even met my students was that the

students were placed in seating charts prior to class. Reviewing their records, students were

arranged with consideration by placing first students with certain physical needs such as one
EdTPA Task 2 Strategy Commentary

student has a wheelchair and two students need frequent and urgent access to use restrooms.

These students were placed on outside rows or at desks nearest the doors to minimize

disruption and improve mobility. Students with behavioral needs were seated according to

recommendations in their IEPs or 504 plans, dispersing them through the class to minimize

distractions to them or neighbors. Some plans called for the student to be placed in front row,

one plan stipulated a middle area, and others were placed closer to the back. I can still see

them, but they are less of a visual disruption for others were they seated behind them. Finally,

lab groups are arranged in groups of 3 to 4 students and based on their seated location in the

class. So, statistics on female performance in labs is improved if they are with one or more

female students in the group. So remaining students were placed according to maximizing lab

group effectiveness. This worked initially quite well, but following drop/add portion of the school

year start, I will be changing the seating chart in the next few weeks - ideally before we start the

second unit.

Another classroom strategy geared towards student success in class is making myself

available for helping outside of class time. So far Ive had a male student make up missed days

in school before school hours, and a female student has come a few times during 6th hour lunch

period to ask questions and study. Following a poor performance on a quiz last week, students

were offered a chance to make up / improve their scores by signing up for Academic Seminar

for Tuesday to review and retake the quiz. I have close to 25 students coming in for quiz

retakes! The downside to this is the loss of expected free time to work on classroom

presentations or other work, but Id far rather tutor a live student than plan for an absent one, so

I welcome the intrusion.

Another strategy Ive used successfully is to randomly select students to answer

questions. If they are unable, they are able to phone a friend and check with their lab

partners, otherwise I walk them through the solution process. This gets them alert and curious
EdTPA Task 2 Strategy Commentary

to see if their name is selected and I get to hear from the kids that are otherwise unwilling to

answer.

For classroom control, I have resorted to holding my hand up and force myself to wait

patiently until the room quiets. They respond well and recognize the implied meaning of a

raised hand. I find I need more training on the use of it than they do.

I remind myself often to give directions before releasing them from their seats, once they

are standing and moving around, I no longer have the ability to teach but only to start working

one on one or group by group. This requires organization and knowledge of the next step on

my part. This is improving for me, but every now and then I find I gave up control of the class

before I intended to release them.

Other areas of classroom management I am working on are in the areas of cell phone

control. Im not opposed to cell phones in class, but I dont like headphones during lecture or

texting. Teaching lessons that are new to me, Im still referencing my notes to keep me on track

and not wandering off on tangents, which I find conflicts with my ability to monitor classroom

behaviours effectively. I prefer discussions that I can put into power point, because then I can

roam the room with remote clicker, but often need to perform example problems that brings me

back to the white board. Its a balance Im striving to find and will take more time and practice.

It would appear that 3 weeks is not sufficient time to make me a master educator.

Perhaps I will achieve that next week?