TPA.TPA.TPA.TPA.TPA.TPA.!#$@%

Reactions/Responses to TPA lesson plan:

I do not enjoy the TPA lesson plan but I do see it’s purpose. I don’t like having to break down my lesson minute for minute and try to program every single second because really, it’s unrealistic. You never know how each day is going to play out. As a teacher working with kids, you never know when one of your kids is going to have a behavioral issue or outburst. You never know who is going to be behind or absent. There is too many factors that come with working in an environment with children, especially a learning environment. I find that the TPA confuses me more and makes me more nervous when I teach. Days that I am not teaching using my TPA, which I will admit happen... I have more fun, the kids have more fun, they learn more, and they are more willing to be engaged in the lesson because they don't feel so stressed by a time framed assignment that I am trying to coordinate to. 

The TPA is more of an annoyance over all else because without it I basically do the same thing just less micro details that are kind of mindless points because they are GIVENS. 

I like that it is an organized way to make sure we are hitting our standards and making our connections however the terminology and buzzwords we are being asked to use are irritating. The format isn't going to make someone a better teacher... It might help organize and teach someone how to lesson plan to an extent but the real learning process of becoming a teacher happens in the classroom with time, trial, error, and success. 

What seems valuable/worthwhile:

I think the organization TPA brings to the lesson planning process is great. It helps with making sure you have your bases covered and it also makes sure you are intentionally teaching to an objective the entire time frame you have with your students. 

Questions/Concerns: 

My only concern is that my students will suffer because I am so concerned about my TPA being perfect and stressed about hitting the TPA flush on the timeframe that I will lose my personal connection and relationship to my students which is so important to have in the classroom. The students aren't numbers or robots that should be performing our TPA plans like they are on a conveyer belt. Education is about more than that. I have been doing TPA for 2 years now and it still is a pain. No questions or concerns about that, it is fact.

Why is TPA useful for beginning teachers:

Like I mentioned earlier the organizational factor about TPA helps insure that everything labeled “important” is completed and incorporated. It’s a great floor plan of how you want your class period to go. I think it helps beginning teachers to be intentional with the assignments and content in addition to ensuring that objectives and standards are being taught to. 

Problems with the lesson plan format:

TPA doesn’t require the personal side of being a teacher. It doesn’t account for potential problems that could occur and TPA is so time consuming. The way I am required currently to write my TPA lesson plans are so detailed and time consuming that by the time I am done writing them I don’t even want to teach the lesson. At times it has made me reconsider my career path choice. When I am not doing TPA but am making sure all my objectives and such are hit using the TPA format but simplifying it --- thats when I remember why I decided to teach. I enjoy the interaction and process of teaching kids not the process of TPA. I love lesson planning and getting creative with my assignments but the TPA is a buzz kill.