How to Prepare for the edTPA: Know Your Students and Plan the Video

Nov 11

Chapter 23 is about the groundwork that comes before the edTPA™ lesson plans: getting to know your students well and getting ready to film. It is for student teachers who have their placement and want a calm start on the portfolio. For the full task-by-task walkthrough, see the edTPA Success Guide, and for a system to keep it all organized, Chapter 5.

This is Chapter 23 of 51 from Road to Teaching (2025 edition). Read the whole book free, in order, at Read the Book.

By Dr. Eric Hougan

“We think, mistakenly, that success is the result of the amount of time we put in at work instead of the quality of time we put in.”Ariana Huffington

Preparation is key to tackling any new endeavor—the edTPA™ is no exception. Take into consideration the following strategies below to put you on more solid footing before you jump into lesson planning and videotaping for the edTPA™.

Know Your Students

Accomplished teachers continuously learn about their students and, in turn, use this knowledge to inform their planning, instruction, and assessment. A core proposition of the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards reads, “[Teachers] treat students equitably, recognizing the individual differences that distinguish one student from another and taking account of these differences in their practice. They adjust their practice based on observation and knowledge of their students’ interests, abilities, skills...” etc. The edTPA™’s expectations are no different. The edTPA™ requires that you demonstrate your depth of knowledge of your students in relation to the learning segment you plan to teach, and surface-level connections are insufficient.

As soon as you learn of your placement (the class in which you will be doing your edTPA™), begin investigating and writing about your students: the class demographics, significant subgroups of students with similar characteristics, students’ varied strengths (that includes personal, cultural, and community assets), language development, and learning needs. Remember to review the Context for Learning expectations. As you begin learning more about the students and their community, consider how you will leverage their strengths and assets to assist them in meeting their learning targets. For instance, perhaps there is a respected community member that you could collaborate with to enhance the classroom-to-community connections thus increasing the authenticity and impact of the lessons.

Knowing your students goes beyond basic demographic information. Spend time understanding their interests, learning preferences, cultural backgrounds, and previous academic experiences. This deep knowledge will inform every aspect of your edTPA™ portfolio, from your lesson planning to your analysis of student learning. Consider conducting informal assessments early in your placement to gather baseline data about student learning. This might include:

Pre-assessments related to your planned learning segment
Student interest surveys or learning style inventories
Conversations with your cooperating teacher about individual student needs
Review of student work samples and previous assessment data
Observations of student interactions and engagement patterns

Document this information systematically, as it will be essential for writing compelling commentaries that demonstrate your understanding of learner differences and your ability to design responsive instruction.

To learn about your students and the community, refer back to the earlier strategy Research the Community, Schools, and Students. To briefly recap, immerse yourself in the community and observe the spaces where students naturally gravitate to. Next, gather additional information by being inquisitive. Finally, create a list of local community resources and organizations that could be considered community assets.

Preparing for Videotaping

In the process of researching edTPA™ strategies for this book, a majority of the teacher candidates interviewed discussed the importance of preparing for videotaping. To start, be proactive by sending out your videotaping permission forms as soon as possible to families. Getting your permission forms out to families early on allows for ample time (hopefully) for you to follow-up with any families that have not returned the permission slips. It is wise to anticipate that a few students will not grant permission or return the form to you. If you find yourself in this situation, just be sure that the students’ faces and names do not appear in the video.

Next, consider how you will videotape your interactions, in particular, determining what equipment you will use and where you will place your videotaping device. It is also recommended to set-up the camera and have a few trial runs before taping for your learning segment. Conducting some practice runs with the camera can be beneficial for a few reasons. One, you can determine if the placement of the camera will work for your specific needs, such as capturing only the students who have turned in their permission forms. A secondary benefit is that because students all initially react differently with cameras in the classroom, a few trial runs will give them a chance to adjust to being recorded and having the camera rolling while you are teaching.

One teacher candidate described her experience videotaping for her edTPA™, “I had lots of kids being sneaky with funny faces.” In short, set clear expectations for the students and emphasize why you are videotaping: to reflect on your teaching and improve. You may also want to underscore to the students that you will be reviewing each recording.

Modern technology offers several options for recording your teaching. Many schools now have tablets or smartphones with high-quality cameras that can be used for edTPA™ recording. Consider these technical aspects:

Audio quality: Ensure your recording device can clearly capture both your voice and student responses
Camera placement: Position the camera to show both teacher and student interactions while respecting privacy of students without permission
Backup plans: Have alternative recording options in case your primary device fails
File management: Understand how to save, transfer, and organize your video files securely

Practice with your recording equipment multiple times before your actual edTPA™ lessons. This includes:

Testing different camera angles and positions
Checking audio quality at various distances from the device
Practicing how to start and stop recording smoothly
Ensuring you understand the device’s storage capacity and battery life

Remember that the purpose of the video is to showcase your teaching practice, not to create a perfect production. Focus on authentic interactions with students and clear evidence of your planned instructional strategies rather than worrying about technical perfection.

Work with your cooperating teacher to determine the best timing for your video recording. Consider factors like:

Student energy levels and typical behavior patterns
Classroom routines that might interfere with recording
Other school activities or interruptions that could affect your lessons
Your own comfort level and readiness to implement your planned instruction

Finally, have a clear plan for what you’ll do if your initial recording doesn’t meet edTPA™ requirements. While you hope for success on the first attempt, technical issues, unexpected interruptions, or lessons that don’t go as planned may require you to record again. Build flexibility into your timeline to accommodate this possibility.

Key Takeaway

Invest time early in understanding your students deeply and preparing thoroughly for videotaping, as these foundational elements determine your success on all other edTPA™ components. Approach this assessment systematically rather than leaving it to chance, and use it as an opportunity to demonstrate your professional thinking and impact on student learning.

Working on your edTPA™ now? See every task laid out step by step in the edTPA Success Guide.