Program Standard 6:   Opportunities to Learn, Practice and Reflect on Teaching in All Subject Areas

The professional teacher preparation program provides multiple opportunities for each candidate to learn, practice and reflect on each Teaching Performance Expectation (TPE).  Embedded in the planned curriculum of coursework and fieldwork are formative assessments of each candidate’s performance on pedagogical assignments and tasks, similar to those used in the institution’s teaching performance assessment (TPA).  Formative assessment activities are designed to contribute to the candidate’s overall demonstrations of competence and the capacity to pass the performance assessment embedded in the program.

Program Elements for Standard 6

6 (a)     The program provides a systematic, comprehensive curriculum that offers each candidate multiple opportunities to learn, practice and reflect on each Teaching Performance Expectation (TPE) and to understand important connections and practical relationships among the elements of coherent professional practice.

Each course in the Multiple Subject Credential Program (MSCP) program either reinforces or takes major responsibility to ensure that candidates have opportunities to learn, practice and reflect on each of the Teaching Performance Expectations (TPE). The field experience courses (EDEL 438 and 439) provide the opportunity for candidates to implement their knowledge of the TPEs in professional practice. The table below shows the alignment of the TPEs with MSCP courses and the level of responsibility taken for addressing specific TPEs within each course.

Course Alignment with TPEs

*Course has major responsibility 

To further ensure that candidates understand the relationship between important elements of the TPEs and the tasks and assignments they are required to complete within all their courses, each syllabi aligns the TPEs addressed in that course with course objectives and course assignments. As candidates work on assignments they are required to refer to details provided in the TPE descriptions to ensure they address the elements required of the specified TPEs aligned with those assignments. In fieldwork and student teaching candidates are provided multiple opportunities to practice the TPEs and reflect on their ability to implement them successfully. The alignment of TPEs with course goals and assignments and the opportunity for implementation in field experiences allows candidates to understand important connections and practical relationships among the elements of coherent professional practice as they move through the program.

6(b)      During the program’s coursework and fieldwork, each candidate’s assignments and tasks include well-designed formative assessments that resemble the pedagogical assessment tasks in the embedded teaching performance assessment (TPA).  Each candidate is provided informative, helpful feedback regarding their progress toward meeting the TPEs, and this feedback contributes to each candidate’s preparation for the performance assessment.

In all courses candidates are provided informative, helpful feedback regarding their progress toward meeting the TPEs through well-designed formative assessments. In the MSCP program candidates cannot pass a course unless each assignment is completed at a level of “B” or better. For most assignments candidates are provided rubrics detailing expectations and levels of competency. Instructors work with candidates that do not meet expected levels of competence in first attempts to provide the feedback necessary for candidates to revise and resubmit their work to assure it is completed at expected levels of proficiency.

In field experiences (EDEL 438 and 439) candidates are provided ongoing feedback by university supervisors regarding their progress toward meeting TPEs. Candidates meet regularly with their supervisors to reflect on their practice and set goals in relationship to TPEs so that they may improve their abilities prior to formal evaluation.

The student teaching evaluation process reflects our understanding that acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills to demonstrate competency in each TPE is a development process and one that requires formative assessment measures. On these evaluations candidate proficiency is measured on a scaled rubric (1=unacceptable, 2=basic, 3=skilled, and 4=distinguished) for each TPE. In their first student teaching assignment candidates must score a 2.0 or better to continue into final student teaching. The final student teaching evaluation requires that candidates improve on their abilities to meet TPEs by achieving a passing score of 2.85 or better. (Student teaching evaluations are provided with the documentation for this standard).

In addition, during final student teaching assignments, first semester student teaching evaluations are used by master teachers and supervisors to ensure that candidates focus on improving skills for TPEs that were scored at “basic” or below. Candidates are expected to increase their proficiency through this process and score at a level of “skilled” or better in nearly every TPE on the final student teaching evaluation in order to achieve the passing score of 2.85 or better.

These formative assessments in both coursework and field experiences contribute to candidates’ performance on TPA tasks currently embedded in our program. These assessment measures additionally ensure that our candidate’s are prepared to perform well on the formal TPA tasks when they become fully implemented.

6(c)      In the program, formative and summative assessment tasks that address the full range of pedagogical competencies that comprise the program are part of the fabric of ongoing coursework and field experiences.

Credential students are involved in on-going formative assessments throughout coursework and field experiences. Such assessments include feedback and evaluation on a variety of assignments that address the full range of pedagogical competencies that comprise the program, such as designing and implementing curriculum for diverse student populations, formulating and implementing classroom management and discipline plans, and preparing and conducting case studies (e.g., in reading and mathematics).

In addition, there are five “signature assignments” that currently serve as summative assessment measures to assess many of the pedagogical assessment tasks required of the TPA. These assignments are conducted by every instructor responsible for teaching the course and candidates are evaluated on a common rubric used by every instructor. A passing score for each assignment has been agreed upon by all instructors. The table below shows the courses, the assignment, the TPEs addressed, and the passing score required.  The full descriptions of the assignments and rubrics used for scoring are in the documentation provided in this standard.

To further ensure that candidates are provided the opportunity to comprehensively reflect on each Teaching Performance Expectation (TPE) and to understand important connections and practical relationships among the elements of coherent professional practice, all of our candidates currently create a portfolio based on the CSTPs and the TPEs. This is a working document that candidates continue to add to as they progress through the program and ultimately is used as a type of summative assessment in which candidates provide evidence for meeting each TPE based on coursework and field experience. Candidates are required to reflect on each artifact included in their portfolio and assess their growth and areas of weakness. Candidates write a professional goal statement to set goals for their continued development once leaving the program. The portfolio is completed in EDEL 453 and evaluated by the course instructor and/or university supervisor.

The final student teaching evaluation submitted by each master teacher and university supervisor (as described in 6c above) serves as one of the summative evaluations for meeting TPEs in field experiences. In addition, each master teacher and supervisor writes a narrative evaluation that is designed to address the TPEs as embedded in the five categories of the California Standards for the Teaching Profession.

Supporting Documentation (found in the Appendix)

Section 3:  Student teaching evaluations and observation form

Section 5:  Signature assignments

Section 7:  EDEL Syllabi