About Educator Growth Academy
Educator Growth Academy was created to provide California credential candidates with clear, structured, and personalized support as they navigate CalTPA.
CalTPA asks candidates to demonstrate not only what they teach, but why they make particular instructional decisions and how those decisions support student learning. Educator Growth Academy helps candidates better understand those expectations, apply feedback intentionally, and communicate their thinking with clarity and confidence.
Our coaching approach focuses on:
Understanding CalTPA expectations and requirements
Applying feedback intentionally
Strengthening reflective thinking
Connecting evidence to instructional decisions
Clearly articulating professional reasoning
Candidates remain fully responsible for their own work while receiving individualized guidance designed to help them understand the process and move forward with confidence.
About the Founder
Drawing on findings from her doctoral research, Dr. Gess recognizes the importance of timely communication, specific feedback, and mentorship in the preparation of pre-service teachers. She brings these research-informed practices into her CalTPA coaching by providing candidates with clear, specific feedback, responsive communication, and individualized mentorship throughout the process.
Her work reflects a scholar-practitioner approach, connecting research with practice to help candidates examine student learning, strengthen connections between evidence and instructional decisions, and clearly articulate the professional reasoning behind their teaching.
