Life after the edTPA

For those of you out there currently going through the edTPA process, stop right there. Take a few minutes and just relax. This isn't a blog with all of the answers to what you are going through. What I am going to do is give you the advice I wish I had before I went through it a few months ago.

 It's been a few weeks since I've officially passed the edTPA and it still seems like a surreal experience. I don't think I've ever wanted to pass a project like I wanted to pass the edTPA. Knowing that this project had such an impact on my future as a school librarian was daunting. At times, it was stressful. And yet, it is something that I count now as one of my biggest academic accomplishments.

So here's my list. Here's what I wish I had known. Maybe it will encourage you throughout the process and remind you that there is a great career at the end of this project. The best job in the world is waiting for you. Good luck!

5 Things I wished I knew throughout the edTPA:

1. Start from the end. What do you want your students to walk away with? I focused so much on building each week that I never really felt like the unit was solid. I think by envisioning what the end result should be, I could have better focused on creating a unit that made a little bit more sense.
2. Use the knowledge of others. Right now, you have the full attention of an experienced teacher. USE IT! I wish I had shown my teacher my ideas earlier and more often. I think I didn't want to really bother her with it at the beginning stages, and I should have used her knowledge and experience.
3. Devote a little time everyday to the edTPA. Whether it's time you devote to editing or just reflecting, it will help you in the long run. I wish I had better managed my time earlier on so that I didn't feel rushed at the end. 
4. Take notes!!  There are a few times that I really wished I had taken notes immediately after a lesson. Spending about five minutes reflecting on what worked and didn't work will be really helpful when going to put together your portfolio.
5.  Don't forget to enjoy the time you have with your students in the class you are using for the edTPA. There were times that I was so focused on the things I needed them to accomplish for my project that I didn't take the time to really slow down and enjoy teaching them the way that I was able to with other classes. SO SLOW DOWN! Ultimately, it's about them. They are the reason we are doing this.