Physical Education

Task 1: Context for Learning Information

TASK 1: CONTEXT FOR LEARNING INFORMATION

Respond to the prompts below (no more than 4 single-spaced pages, including prompts) by typing your responses within the
brackets following each prompt. Do not delete or alter the prompts. Pages exceeding the maximum will not be scored.

About the School Where You Are Teaching

1. In what type of school do you teach? (Type an X next to the appropriate description; if
other applies, provide a brief description.)
Elementary school: _____
Middle school: _____
Other (please describe): __High school__
Urban: _____
Suburban: _____
Rural: __X__
2. Describe the physical facilities (e.g., hallway, parking lot, gym, tennis court) and equipment
available to you for the learning segment.
[My placement site provides me the opportunity to work at a school with 2 gyms, a weight room,
2 smaller auxiliary areas, a track, 4 tennis courts and 2 large outdoor fields. Most of these
facilities, other than one gym, are rather old however and most have a problem spot or two that
shows itself from time to time. Water fountains for the older gym are located outside the gym in
a good-sized hallway near the side entrance to the building. The hallways of the school are
often covered in some form of school spirit and/or school related information. There are 2 small
parking lots on either side of the school which fills up quickly and parking then spills onto side
streets on the curb. Equipment in the physical education (PE) department is somewhat limited
due to what appears to be budget limitations and lack of storage space. There are enough
options between different types of equipment (i.e. basketballs, footballs, soccer, etc.) to deliver a
well rounded curriculum, but often times there are not enough of one type for a class set.]
3. Describe any district, school, or cooperating teacher requirements or expectations that might
affect your planning or delivery of instruction, such as required curricula, pacing plan, use of
specific instructional strategies, or standardized tests.
[I feel I have an excellent relationship with my mentor teacher, we have very similar teaching
styles in some key areas. He has been very flexible with his classes by allowing me to learn and
grow as a teacher through experience and he has provided me with quality council and
feedback. I attended a few district wide PE meetings and I saw a desire by all teachers to focus
on getting students active and developing complex motor-movements in their classrooms. From
my observations with my mentor teacher, as well as others at my placement site, I recognize
their passion towards delivering content that follows in the footsteps of their colleagues across
the district.
While all the courses at my placement site follow general outlines of content to be delivered
there does not appear to be any influence from district or school requirements on units and
instruction. Teachers have professional goals they work towards throughout the year and there
is crossover between those goals and instruction/content but, often times, it is done with
completion of professional development in-mind rather than for effective instruction or quality
content. ]

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Physical Education
Task 1: Context for Learning Information

About the Class Featured in this Learning Segment

1. If a course:
a. What is the name of the course?
[Fitness for life.]
b. What is the length of the course? Type an X next to the appropriate description; if
other applies, provide a brief description.)
One semester: __X__
One year: _____
Other (please describe): _____
2. What is the class schedule (e.g., 50 minutes every day, 90 minutes every other day)?
[50 minutes on Mondays and 95 minutes every other day.]
3. Is there any ability grouping or tracking? If so, please describe how it affects your class.
[There is no grouping or tracking to my knowledge.]
4. Identify any textbook or instructional program you primarily use for instruction. If a textbook,
please provide the title, publisher, and date of publication.
[N/A]
5. List other resources (e.g., electronic whiteboard, heart monitors, stopwatches, online
resources, tablets, pedometers, Polar TriFit system, heart-rate monitors, BIAs
[bioimpedence analysis], DDR equipment, Nintendo Wii) you use for instruction in this
class.
[N/A]

About the Students in the Class Featured in this Learning

Segment
1. Grade-level composition (e.g., all seventh grade; 2 sophomores and 30 juniors):
[All 9th grade students]
2. Number of

students in the class: __38__

males: __20___ females: __18__
3. Complete the charts below to summarize required or needed supports, accommodations or
modifications for your students that will affect your instruction in this learning segment. As
needed, consult with your cooperating teacher to complete the charts. Some rows have
been completed in italics as examples. Use as many rows as you need.
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/supports
or accommodations/modifications to instruction or assessment (e.g., students with
Individualized Education Programs [IEPs] or 504 plans, students with specific language
needs, students needing greater challenge or support, students who struggle with reading,
students who are underperforming or those with gaps in academic knowledge).

Copyright 2015 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.

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All rights reserved.
V5_0915
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.

Physical Education
Task 1: Context for Learning Information

For Assessment Task 3, you will choose work samples from 3 focus students. At least one of
these students must have a specified learning need. Note: California candidates must
include one focus student who is an English language learner.1
Students with IEPs/504 Plans
IEPs/504 Plans:
Classifications/Needs
Example: Physical
limitations
Example: Visual impairment

Number of
Students
2

IEP

Supports, Accommodations,
Modifications, Pertinent IEP Goals
Adaptations for equipment; modifications
of tasks
Proximity to teacher; large, colorful
equipment
Reading and memorization support, notes
for test taking.

Students with Specific Language Needs

Language Needs
Example: English language
learners with only a few
words of English

Number of
Students
0

Supports, Accommodations,
Modifications
Pre-teach key words and phrases
through examples and graphic organizers
(e.g., word cluster, demonstrations,
visuals)
Have students use pre-taught key words
and graphic organizers to complete
sentence starters
Make connections between the language
students bring and the language used in
the instructional materials

Example: Students who

speak a variety of English
other than that used in
instructional materials

Students with Other Learning Needs

Other Learning Needs
Example: Struggling readers

Number of
Students
5

Supports, Accommodations,
Modifications
Provide oral explanations and modeling
for written directions, checking for
understanding

California candidatesIf you do not have any English language learners, select a student who is challenged by academic

English.

Copyright 2015 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.

3 of 4 | 4 pages maximum
All rights reserved.
V5_0915
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.

Physical Education
Task 1: Context for Learning Information

Copyright 2015 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.

4 of 4 | 4 pages maximum
All rights reserved.
V5_0915
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.