Teacher Talks- Amanda Kirkman

Amanda Kirkman came into to talk to us today. This is her first year teaching and is a recent UW-Stout graduate. She was a very sweet and kind woman as she gave us plenty of tips about the edTPA and how to better prepare for it during student teaching.

Amanda handed us a sheet on the Bee’s of student teaching.  First on the list was be ahead of the game. Meet with your cooperating teaching prior to teaching and even before the school year starts. During the summer she suggested reading the Wisconsin DPI report cards of your school and become familiar with the school district. Keeping a to-do list helped her stay on track when tackling the edTPA. When it is bulleted you can lay it out easier and does not seem as overwhelming as you might think if you write it down. You also get the satisfying pleasure of crossing something off the list once you complete it. Amanda stressed the aspect of getting to know your students, know their names too! It can help build relationships faster between you and the students. It also just helps with classroom management also. Attending IEP meetings is a must as this furthers your knowledge of your students and helps you meet their individual needs. Amanda was very persistent on journaling as she felt it was very important to keep a journal as it helped you remember, reflect and rewind on situations that may have happened during the day. Keeping a journal can also help when filling out the commentary for the edTPA as thoughtfulness is very important when filling out the commentary. She mentioned that it is OK to discuss your weaknesses as it shows your thoughtfulness and understanding of the situation and lesson at hand. She mentioned that you could never over do it when filling out the commentary. They like to see deep reflections. Amanda also had a great suggestion in regards to filming. By filming often it helps the students feel more at ease when it is the real thing. By practicing it helps them get over the giggles and nervousness of a camera being in the room. On a funny note, she suggested that candy bribery works wonders when getting parent consent forms back from students.- ha. Go figure!
Amanda was very knowledgeable when talking about the edTPA and student teaching. The information she provided helped establish and further our understanding of the process. Very good information to know!