Candidates

As a GaTAPP candidate, you are required to complete a series of observations, participate in candidate support team meetings, and demonstrate proficiency in 12 dispositions and 24 competencies. You will also need to fulfill field experience requirements, which include time in a classroom setting where you can apply and refine your teaching skills. Observations are crucial as they allow you to receive feedback on your instructional practice, and these observations should be conducted by mentors or supervisors. The candidate support team meetings are designed to track your progress and provide ongoing support, ensuring that you are meeting program expectations. Throughout the program, you will be expected to develop and demonstrate the 12 dispositions, which focus on professional attitudes, ethics, and behaviors, as well as the 24 competencies, which encompass a range of teaching skills and knowledge specific to your area of certification. Your field experience allows you to practice these skills in a real-world teaching environment, preparing you for a successful career as an educator. 

• Field Experience Requirements

• 12 Dispositions

• 24 Competencies

Classroom Observations

Classroom Observations are conducted by both RESA supervisors and mentors. Supervisors and mentors are to observe three times each semester. The administrator will observe based on district standards.

The mentor and supervisor will conduct a pre- and post-conference with the candidate. Lesson plans should be submitted to the observer at least 48 hours in advance. The lesson plan template found in Appendix 3c should be utilized. The post-conference should be held as soon as possible following the observation. Teacher candidates are asked to contact the mentor and/or administrator to have their next class period covered for this conference if the observation is by the RESA supervisor. Conference forms Appendix 3B and observation forms Appendix 3E
are to be retained for the electronic portfolio.

Click Here to access all observation documents (Appendix 3 and Appendices 3A-3E)

Candidate Support Team (CST)

A Candidate Support Team made up of the candidate, a school-based administrator, a school-based mentor/coach, and a North Georgia RESA GaTAPP Supervisor to ensure a reasonable expectation of initial success in the classrooms. A content area expert is required and will be added to the CST if needed. CST Minutes will be recorded by the supervisor at every CST Meeting (Appendix 11).

Click Here to access Appendix 11 - Candidate Support Team Minutes

Individual Induction Plan
All teacher candidates are required to work collaboratively with the CST to develop a Teacher Candidate Induction Plan. This plan should be data-driven and used to improve candidate performance in areas of need. Data sources for the creation of the plan may include but are not limited to self-assessment results, observation data, GACE results, dispositions, and assessments. Development of the Teacher Candidate Induction Plan should begin during the first CST meeting, with all team members contributing to the initial preparation. The teacher candidate and RESA supervisor should work with the mentor teacher to complete the plan for submission. The initial plan is to be completed no later than September 15th.

The Individual Induction plan should be considered a living document. Progress should be discussed at each CST meeting with revisions documented as needed. Progress should be considered an ongoing pursuit (Appendix 10).

Click Here to access the responsibilities of the CST

Click Here to access Appendix 10 - Individual Induction Plan

Dispositions
All teacher candidates will be assessed by the GaTAPP program coordinator, the RESA supervisor, and the Candidate Support Team at the beginning of the year, mid-year and end of the year for each year of the program. North Georgia RESA Support Team Evaluation of Candidate Dispositions will be used as the evaluation instrument for candidate dispositions. This rubric will be used to discuss goals and track the
candidate’s progress at each CST Meeting. A candidate who repeatedly exhibits dispositions that are not
appropriate for those of an educator will be dismissed from the program (Appendix 2). 

Click Here to access Appendix 2 - Candidate Disposition Rubric

Final CST
In addition to Appendices 2, 10, and 11, the final CST also includes Appendix 19, Appendix 14, and Appendix 16. The candidate's portfolio must be completed before the Final CST. 

Classroom Observations

Click Here to access the Observation Forms Folder. These files can be downloaded and edited in Microsoft. To edit the files using Google, you will need to make a copy of the file and save to your drive. Consider creating a GaTAPP Mentor Files folder (in Google or One Drive) to save all of the files for your candidate.

In this folder you will find:

• GaTAPP Appendix 3A Pre-Observation Planning Form

• GaTAPP Appendix 3B  Pre/Post Conference Form

• GaTAPP Appendix 3C  Lesson Planning Form

• GaTAPP Appendix 3D Candidate Reflection Form

• GaTAPP Appendix 3E Classroom Observation Record

Candidate Support Team (CST)

Click Here to access the CST Meeting Folder. These files can be downloaded and edited in Microsoft. To edit the files using Google, you will need to make a copy of the file and save to your drive. You can add these to your GaTAPP Mentor Files folder for record-keeping.

In this folder you will find:

• GaTAPP Appendix 2 Candidate Disposition Rubric

• GaTAPP Appendix 10 Individual Induction Plan

• GaTAPP Appendix 11 CST Meeting Minutes

• GaTAPP Appendix 19 Principal EOY Progress Report

• GaTAPP Appendix 20  Mentor Teacher Feedback

Click Here to access all Editable Handbook Appendices

Electronic Portfolio Requirement for Program Completion

As a GaTAPP candidate, you are required to complete an electronic portfolio as a key assessment for program completion and certification recommendation through North Georgia RESA.

Purpose and Structure: Your portfolio is a professional collection of evidence demonstrating that you have met the required competencies for certification. Each portfolio element aligns with one of the four Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching domains and provides a comprehensive picture of your growth, practice, and impact as a classroom teacher.

Getting Started: You may begin working on your portfolio at the start of your program and are encouraged to upload elements to Canvas as you complete them. This ongoing process helps ensure that all evidence is gathered thoughtfully and reflects your progress over time.

What You Need to Know

• All required evidence must be uploaded in Canvas in your GaTAPP Portfolio Course.

• Each portfolio component corresponds with a Danielson domain.

• Refer to Appendix 15 of your Candidate Handbook for detailed guidance on required evidence.

• Use the Portfolio Requirements Checklist to track your progress and confirm completion.

• Either you or your Supervisor must indicate in Canvas that each piece of evidence listed in the far-right column of Appendix 15 has been uploaded and is present in the portfolio.

• Your portfolio must be 100% complete prior to your final CST (Candidate Support Team) meeting.
  
  

Final Note

Your portfolio is more than a requirement—it’s a reflection of your journey, your professionalism, and your readiness for certification. Take time to thoughtfully curate each entry and use the available tools to guide your work.

🔗 Access the Portfolio Requirements Checklist

📄 See Appendix 15 in your GaTAPP Handbook for specific evidence requirements.