Raising the stakes: Objectifying teaching in the edTPA and danielson rubrics

Abstract

From pre-service through seasoned professional, teachers in New York are evaluated by rubrics that represent a particular take-for-granted view of teaching. What does this view reveal about expectations for quality teaching? A qualitative content analysis of the secondary English edTPA and Danielson rubrics, grounded in codes derived from the scholarship on teacher quality from a variety of theoretical perspectives, was conducted to identify areas of alignment, dissonance, and silence. While substantial alignment exists, the analysis also reveals how traditional divides between teacher preparation and in-service practice are exacerbated across the rubrics and poses questions about whether the field is served by their use.