Writing Commentary for EdTPA Education Capstone Project

The commentary is a critical element of the EdTPA Education Capstone Project because it demonstrates your reflective and analytical thinking about your teaching practice. The commentary links the evidence of student learning to your instructional decisions and overall effectiveness.

2.1 Structure and Content of the Commentary

Your commentary should address the key elements of the EdTPA rubrics and the sections that align with the tasks:

1. Planning: Reflect on your decision-making process behind selecting and designing the lesson. Discuss why you chose the specific instructional strategies, how they align with your students’ needs, and how they contribute to achieving learning objectives.
2. Instruction: Analyze your teaching practice. Reflect on your instructional strategies, how you engaged students, and how you ensured that your lesson was effective. Discuss any challenges you faced and adjustments you made during the lesson to meet student needs.
3. Assessment: Reflect on your assessment strategies. Discuss the data from formative and summative assessments, how you analyzed student work, and how you adjusted instruction based on assessment results.
4. Student Engagement: Discuss how you fostered an engaging learning environment. What methods did you use to ensure that all students were actively involved in the lesson? How did you encourage collaboration, critical thinking, and student participation?

2.2 Analyzing Your Teaching

Use your commentary to analyze your teaching and student responses. Include:

• What went well: Describe successful moments in your teaching and how they contributed to student learning.
• Challenges: Identify any obstacles you faced, such as student disengagement or technical difficulties, and discuss how you responded to them.
• Adjustments: Reflect on how you modified your teaching strategies based on real-time assessment data. For example, if students struggled with a particular concept, how did you adjust the lesson to support them?

2.3 Align with Rubrics

Ensure that your commentary aligns with the EdTPA rubrics for each section. Each rubric has specific criteria for success, such as how well you engage students, the quality of your assessments, and the alignment of your lesson plan with student learning objectives. Address these criteria directly in your commentary to demonstrate your understanding of the expectations.