Elementary Education

Task 2: Instruction Commentary

TASK 2: INSTRUCTION COMMENTARY

Respond to the prompts below (no more than 6 single-spaced pages, including prompts) by typing your responses within the
brackets following each prompt. Do not delete or alter the prompts. Commentary pages exceeding the maximum will not be
scored. You may insert no more than 2 additional pages of supporting documentation at the end of this file. These pages
may include graphics, texts, or images that are not clearly visible in the video or a transcript for occasionally inaudible portions.
These pages do not count toward your page total.

1. Which lesson or lessons are shown in the video clip(s)? Identify the lesson(s) by lesson plan
number.
[The video clips were taken from lesson three. This lesson is titled Presidents Day- Lesson
Three.]
2. Promoting a Positive Learning Environment
Refer to scenes in the video clip(s) where you provided a positive learning environment.

a. How did you demonstrate mutual respect for, rapport with, and responsiveness to
students with varied needs and backgrounds, and challenge students to engage in
learning?
[In the video clip, mutual respect is demonstrated by the way the students speak to the
teacher and vice versa. The students are aware of the expectations the instructor has.
The expectations and procedures for carpet time are reviewed in the video clip,
Massee_Task2_Video_Lesson3a between 0:10 and 2:32. The students raise their hands
and wait until they are called upon before speaking. The teachers one is always positive
and respectful. The students have a rapport with the teacher. There is a banter that
exists within the classroom. The teacher seats the students with more complex learning
needs and students that require more attention on the first row of the carpet. These
students are selected to help remind the teacher of the proper procedures. These
students have proved to be more apt to engage in learning if they receive attention at the
beginning of lessons. The teacher has a deliberate method for selecting students to
answer questions. The teacher utilizes data from the learning styles inventory and
personality information the teacher has obtained from each student to determine which
student will be selected to answer questions.]
3. Engaging Students in Learning
Refer to examples from the video clip(s) in your responses to the prompts.

a. Explain how your instruction engaged students in developing an essential literacy

strategy and requisite skills.
[The instruction encouraged students to refer back to text in order to recall important details,
make connections, and interpret complex texts. In video clip Massee_Task2_Video_Lesson3b,
you will observe the students having trouble recalling facts from the text. I modeled referring
back to the text in order to obtain details or build comprehension. Between 0:30 and 1:07 in the
video, the students were struggling to recall the names of Abraham Lincolns four sons. I turned
to the page in the book that discussed that information and read the names to the class. This
displayed the importance of referring back to text for details. Also, between 1:21 and 1:49, a
student was struggling to recall the name of Abraham Lincolns wife. I referred to the text and
reread the page to the class. The class was expected to interpret the text and identify the name
of the wife.]

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Elementary Education
Task 2: Instruction Commentary

b. Describe how your instruction linked students prior academic learning and personal,
cultural, and community assets with new learning.
[The lesson began with an activity that was created to activate students schemas. The students
would share the information they already knew about Abraham Lincoln. I served as a scribe,
writing down the facts each student verbalized and placing the facts on the chart paper. The
lesson incorporated community assets initially when the class discussed the importance of the
president and the role the president plays in the government. We also discussed briefly
discussed how citizens have a voice in the actions of the government. This voice is expressed
through voting. The video clip, Massee_Task2_Video_Lesson3a between 2:35 and 8:20,
demonstrates instruction being linked to students prior knowledge and community assets.]
4. Deepening Student Learning during Instruction
Refer to examples from the video clip(s) in your explanations.
a. Explain how you elicited and built on student responses to promote thinking and
apply the essential literacy strategy using requisite skills to comprehend OR compose
text.
[During the lesson, I encourage the students to respond to higher level questions. The students
are expected to begin building the skills to think critically. Student responses are valuable
because they allow the instructor to gauge the level of comprehension the student has acquired.
Refer to the video clip, Massee_Task2_Video_Lesson3a between 3:18 and 3:35, to observe the
instructor building on student responses. I posed a question to the class, who is the president?
One student answered by responding with the name George Washington. I was able to see
what caused the students confusion. After hearing her peers give the correct answer, the
student was able to recognize and understand her mistake. I took a moment to ask the class
who George Washington was? which built on the students response to the previous question.
The class was able to identify that the first president of the United States was George
Washington. By building on student responses, I can check and correct any misconceptions or
confusion that might arise. In video clip Massee_Task2_Video_Lesson3b, between 4:31 and
5:02, a student was struggling to recall what Abraham Lincoln called his stepmother. I listened
as the student Said, angel mom. This answer was extremely close to the correct answer. I
stopped and encouraged the student. Then I explained that Abraham Lincoln called his
stepmother Angel Mother. The class repeated the term Angel Mother to me. I explained that
he viewed her in such a positive light because she was good to him and treated him well.]
b. Explain how you modeled the essential literacy strategy and supported students as they
practiced and applied the strategy in a meaning-based context.
[I modeled how to refer back to text to recall information and increase comprehension. When
the class revisited the chart, I was prompting the students to engage in higher level thinking.
The students were providing surface-level information. I pushed the students to provide more
details. For example, in Massee_Task2_Video_Lesson3b video clip, between 0:30 and 1:07, I
pushed the class to recall the names of Abraham Lincolns sons. This allowed the students to
utilize the concept of referring back to text and applying higher level thinking skills to accurately
answer the question. This is also modeled in Massee_Task2_Video_Lesson3b, between 1:21
and 1:49.]
5. Analyzing Teaching
Refer to examples from the video clip(s) in your responses to the prompts.

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Elementary Education
Task 2: Instruction Commentary

a. What changes would you make to your instructionfor the whole class and/or for
students who need greater support or challengeto better support student learning of
the central focus (e.g., missed opportunities)?
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/support,
such as students with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners, struggling readers,
underperforming students or those with gaps in academic knowledge, and/or gifted students.

[I would add another section to the chart to allow the students to share what information that
would like to learn more about. This change would create a chart that resembled a KWL. I would
also locate and utilize another factual trade book that discussed, in more detail, the important
things that Abraham Lincoln did for the United States of America. My students understand that
Abraham Lincoln was president and an importance figure in U.S. History. I wish I would have
provided more text options for the students to explore.]
b. Why do you think these changes would improve student learning? Support your
explanation with evidence of student learning AND principles from theory and/or
research.
[Adding another section to the chart will likely empower the students. When you allow students
to make decisions in the classroom, they be accountable for their own education. Asking
students what they want to know and creating lessons that cater to those desires will keep the
students engaged. By providing the class with more texts to study on Abraham Lincoln, I will
give the class more opportunities for learning. The more opportunities for learning a teacher
creates, the more likely the students will learn.

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All rights reserved.
V3_0914
The edTPA trademarks are owned by The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Use of the edTPA trademarks is
permitted only pursuant to the terms of a written license agreement.