Throughout the Administrative Services Credential program, students will have to complete three California Administrator Performance Assessments (Cal APAs). Each assessment will be accompanied by a TCSJ class that will help guide you through the assessment. It’s really easy to get overwhelmed by the assessments, but here are some tips to ensure that you are successful in completing them:
DO NOT PROCRASTINATE: Trust me on this one. Speaking from experience, the majority of my challenges came because I kept putting the APA off. Make a plan and stick to it.
Set time aside each week to complete tasks. There are a lot of moving parts for each assessment, and taking time to get through each step in a timely manner will help you meet the deadlines. Hold yourself accountable to the plan that you established at the start.
Look at the rubrics. Then look at them again. And maybe one more time. Try to aim for at least a 3 or 4 on each rubric to give yourself some wiggle room when they are being graded. Base your responses for each step off of the rubrics and make sure to use their buzzwords!
Choose volunteer teachers that you trust and can easily collaborate with. Cal APA Cycle 2 and 3 both include working with other teachers and/or team members. Ideally, choose people that you have an established relationship with. This will help collaboration throughout the process go more smoothly.
Ask for help from your professor or cohort. Each APA cycle has a class that correlates with it. When you are stuck, reach out to your professor for help! Some of them are graders and have behind-the-scenes knowledge of what they are looking for!
Don’t Procrastinate- did I already mention this? These assessments are rigorous and time-consuming. If left until the last minute, this adds more stress!
Stay organized. Keep your artifacts, reflections, and videos in a Google Folder so they are easily accessible and organized.
Participate in Peer Reviews. Your entire cohort is working on the same assessment, so lean on each other for feedback. Share different components of your APA with a trusted colleague and have them look over it while referencing the rubrics. The more feedback you can get before submitting, the better!
I hope these tips are useful on your journey to becoming an Administrator!
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