Section 5: Teacher Candidate Reflection

Introduction

In this section, I would like to take the opportunity to reflect on my Elementary Portfolio

and all the relevant experiences, observations and lessons that I have included in my Portfolio. I

will also include the TEAC/CAEP claims that relate to my portfolio and use this evidence to

show how my work connects with these claims.

The first section of the portfolio acts as an introduction to the entire project. I introduced

this section by asking a variety of questions pertaining to a candidates chosen path of teaching. I

explored a variety of questions, such as: is teaching an opportunity to be a lifelong learner? Has

the candidate acquired the ability to plan, instruct, and assess students from a diverse culture,

such as: socioeconomic status, religion, and ethnicity? Can the candidate apart lessons to meet

the needs of students with different intellectual abilities? Does the candidate understand the

needs of all students? I have also included connections to some very intellectual thinkers in the

field of education, including: Vygotsky, Marzano and Dewey. By exploring these questions, a

candidate can truly reflect on the reasons that they chose this desirable career of working with

students.

The next section of the portfolio acts as an introduction to the candidate, including their

background experience, whether it be working with students or their time as a student in the

classroom. This section allows the reader to learn about the candidate on a more personal level.

In this section, I explored the answers to the questions that I posed in the first section. I feel that

by answering these questions, it allowed me to ponder the reasons that I want to teach. These
reasons will be introduced again throughout this section, but my reasons will be connected to

TEAC/CAEP standards and DOE claims, where I can further explore my reasoning.

The next section of this project was my opportunity as a candidate to showcase my best

work throughout this program. My artifacts were carefully selected from each course to

showcase where my abilities lie. I have chosen to debut these artifacts from my technology

course because technology in the classroom is so important. I wanted to prove that I have the

abilities to use these skills in the classroom.

In the next paragraph of this section I will connect the relevant TEAC/CAEP standards

and DOE claims to help discuss my experiences while a student with the Department of

Education at Medaille College, including the courses that I feel have taught me the skills that I

possess today, and to show how much I have grown as an individual over the course of this last

year. These claims will be discussed in more detail in the next paragraph.

Portfolio Project/Teacher Education Learning Experiences

I started this section with asking a few questions about why a potential candidate chose the

career of teaching. I would like to point out that prior to starting the program, I knew that I wanted to

teach. I did not know that teaching would be so rewarding. I have always taught my children, but I

have never taught a classroom. This program allowed me to not only gain the skills to teach a

classroom, but it also gave me the opportunity to take my newly learned skills and apply them in the

classroom. Finally, I would like to show you that I have gained the necessary skills and exceeded on

my own personal goals for being ready to teach at the elementary level.

I will begin by introducing the courses that has taught me the required skills needed to teach

a classroom. I will explain to you how these courses taught me the skills, as well, I will connect
them to the relevant TEAC/CAEP standards. The first course that I would like to introduce is the

first classroom that I entered while at Medaille College. In EDU500, I learned how to build my first

unit plan. I had a wonderful instructor who was full of life and every class that I shared with him, I

could not wait to teach. In this class, we learned about how to engage our students with the “big

ideas” of the unit. We learned how to provide modification/accommodation to students with 504,

IEP, ENL and students who struggled with their reading. Here we had to apply our newly learned

skills of planning a lesson for diverse student needs. We also learned how important classroom

management was. After hearing these terms for the first time, I was curious to learn more. We were

given that opportunity when we were asked to create a unit based on a student sample of varying

needs. I decided to complete my unit on the Grade 4/5 Social Studies unit on the early society of

Medieval Times. I decided to write this unit as my son was currently in grade 4, and he would come

home each day telling my about the early civilization. This unit was split up over 5 lessons, and I

assessed the students in many different ways. To conclude this lesson, I had the students complete a

summative assessment, where they were to get into groups to share their experiences and come up

with a play where they would act as different individuals in the medieval times. The students were to

present this to the class. I have connected this lesson to the DOE Claim 2, which states, “Medaille

College graduates meet the needs of diverse learners through effective pedagogy and best teaching

practices” (DOE). I have also connected this experience with CAEP standard 1. Content and

Pedagogical knowledge, which states “Candidates demonstrate an understanding of the 10 InTASC

standards at the appropriate progression level(s) in the following categories: the learner and learning

and Instructional practice” (CAEP).

The next course that I would like to share is my EDU 502 (Math/Science and Tech). I will

admit that I had some anxiety prior to starting this course, as my strengths lie in literacy, but I was

ready to overcome this anxiety. In the first class, our wonderful and very knowledgeable instructor
advised us that we would create both a math and science lesson, in which we would teach the class

the content. This made my anxiety levels increase ever so slightly. I approached my instructor with

my concerns/anxiety, and he reassured me that I would be ok. After I planned my math lesson, he

said that I did a great job and that made my confidence increase drastically. After creating both a

math, science and a math/science lesson, I decided to teach the class my lesson that I integrated both

math and science together. In this lesson, I taught the students all about the respiratory system and

we used math to show how many times our hearts beat in a minutes. I taught the students about the

importance of the lungs and prepared an assessment for after the lesson where students were

expected to build their own set of lungs using a water bottle, balloons and tape. I modelled this for

the students and they did a wonderful job in creating their own lungs. This course taught me how to

teach the big ideas in math and science, and I came to the realization that I actually have many great

ideas on how to teach science. I would like to connect this course with DOE claim 1, which states,

“Medaille College graduates know the subject matter in their certification areas” (DOE). This

standard is an example of how I re-taught myself the functions of the respiratory system and

brainstormed ways to make this lesson engaging for students. I would also like to connect this lesson

to CAEP standards, which states, “Candidates demonstrate and understanding of the 10 InTASC

standards at the appropriate progression level(s) in the following categories: the learner and learning

and instructional practice. (CAEP)”

The next course that I would like to reflect on is called EDL550. This was a very important

course for me as I learned how to teach students my favorite content in literacy. We were given the

task of teaching a strategy that would help students with their reading skills. We drew our strategy

from a hat and I picked the strategy of teaching how to monitor and repair comprehension while

reading. I completed this task and presented it to my instructor who gave me additional ways to

teach this strategy. I took her advice and I created a lesson that I was very proud of. I decided that if
I was going to teach this lesson to a primary class, I would have to make it fun for them. I decided

that I would have the students use a pylon and a stop sign that I created to let the teacher know that

they were struggling. I told the students that in order to decode a difficult word; we need to first ask

if the sentence/word makes sense when they read it. I asked the students to try and replace that word

with another word that makes senses but uses the sounds of the particular word. If students still

could not decode the word, I asked them to look for context clues that would help them with the

decoding process. I asked them to look at the pictures associated with the text and ask “Do these

pictures give you an idea of what the text is trying to say? Next, I asked students to re-read what

they have read. If they go back and re-read the sentence, they will have a better chance at decoding

the word. I designed this lesson for struggling readers at the primary level but this strategy could be

used by students at any age. To prepare for the lesson, I printed off some leveled text from the

internet. I bought the materials that I would need to make the stop signs and pylons. I also created

some charts to help students remember these strategies during my guided reading lesson. We were

required to videotape this lesson and submit it to the instructor when complete. The feedback that I

received from my instructor was amazing. She really liked how I taught this strategy and this is a

strategy/lesson that I will use with my students whether they are struggling readers or not. I would

like to connect these lesson to DOE claim 1-Subject Matter and 2-Pedagogy and Best Teaching

Practices, as well as CAEP claim 1.1.-The Learner and Learning.

The next course that I would like to reflect on for the purpose of this portfolio is my Early

Field Experience in EDU504. This course was the beginning course that paved our way in the

classroom and taught us the best practices and classroom management. The one element of this

course that stood out for me is classroom management. I learned from my instructor that without

classroom management, you will not be successful as a teacher. According to Robert Marzano,

“Effective teaching and learning cannot take place in a poorly managed class” (Marzano). This
course taught us that running a classroom was just as challenging as teaching a classroom. I believe

that when it comes to classroom management, the rules need to be not only presented to the students

but also modelled to them. The second portion of this class had us complete 100 hours of in class

observation. I completed these hours in a Grade 1 classroom with a teacher who inspired me of how

I want to run my classroom. Not only was this teacher very knowledgeable, he had his classroom

very well managed. I observed many best teaching practices in his classroom. The first best

practice that I observed is teacher clarity. When the teacher began a new unit/lesson, he would

make sure to clarify the purpose of the new segment, as well as the learning goals expected from

the students. He would provide explicit detail on how the students can be successful in this

segment of learning. It is important that the teacher not only explains the expectations, but

models them as well. By modeling the expectations, the teacher is providing examples and

explaining exactly how to use these examples to succeed. I understand that modelling is

important in all grade levels, but it is especially important in a grade one classroom. Grade one

students are transitioning from two years of learning through play in the Kindergarten program,

and Grade one can be a shock to most students. It is the job of the teacher to show these students

what will be expected from other teachers throughout their school careers. A Grade one teacher

basically sets the tone for the children to follow, for many years to come. This can be a lot of

responsibility for one person, and explaining may not enough; the teacher must model exactly

what is expected from the students. The second best practice that I observed is discussion. It is

important for the teacher to engage the students in a discussion to determine what their prior

knowledge is of a topic, and throughout the lesson to formatively assess how well students are

grasping the new content. From my observation, I have determined that these are two best

practices that I will use in my classroom, not only because they are effective in academic

performance, but also because they help engage the students.

 I would like to connect this experience in the classroom with DOE standard 2-Pedagogy

and Best Teaching Practices (DOE) I observed many best teaching practices in my observation

and I will use these practices in my classroom. I would also like to connect CAEP standard 1.1-

Content and Pedagogical knowledge and instructional practice/ professional responsibility

(CAEP) I believe that these claims/standards were put into place to help the teacher understand

their role in the classroom.

I would also like to reflect on the use and preparation of these artifacts for my portfolio.

By preparing this portfolio that you are reading today, I have learned that it is important to be

very detailed and thorough in the classroom. It is important to document all the behaviors of the

students, all of the student’s marks and any interactions with other professionals and even

parents. I believe this because in order to be a professional, you must prove that you are a

professional and this can be done by backing up any claim made by other teachers or parents. I

believe that organization is very important as well and I believe that I have had this quality

instilled in me since I was a little girl.

The artifacts that I have presented in this portfolio prove that I have the skills to

become a teacher. I am now at the end of my program with Medaille College and I have learned

more in this year then I can ever remember learning in one year! This school has given me such

a wealth of knowledge and I look forward to putting this knowledge to good use.

Readiness to Become a Teacher

At this moment, I am beyond excited to work in a classroom with students. As this

program has progressed, I have not been able to contain my excitement. I completed my 16

weeks of student teaching placement last semester and since then, I have continued to volunteer
in the school with my first placement classroom on numerous occasions. I volunteered with the

class not only because I adored the students, but I wanted to continue learning from them. I

couldn’t believe how much they had grown and matured in such as a short period of time. I was

welcomed back into the room with smiles and questions; asking me where I had gone and why it

took so long for me to come back! I also volunteered on their year-end trip to Adventure

Village, where we spent the day mini putting and rock climbing. I was very sad when I had to

say good bye to them one last time.

I know that I am a lifelong learner and I am ready to take on my own classroom. I

have spent many hours reading over the Ontario curriculum books and understanding the

expectations of each grade. I often put my knowledge to use on my own children, who are in

grade 6 and grade one as of September. I also read a lot of research pertaining to mental health

and different childhood diagnoses. I would like to continue my education in this area. It is to

my knowledge that once I am a certified teacher in Ontario, I will have to continue my education

by taking AQ courses. I plan on taking mine in the area of mental health training and students

with disabilities.

Throughout my year at Medaille College, I believe that my strengths are in the

arm of planning of lessons and classroom management. I spent a lot of my time at Medaille

planning various lessons in all different disciples. In my student teaching placements, I started

planning and instructing in my first week in both placements. We were told that we did not have

to start teaching until about week 3 but I felt that it was important to start right away. I would

co-teach with my associate teacher and share my lessons with the other grade two teachers in the

school. I especially enjoyed and excelled at literacy instruction and assessment. I also like the

curriculum for literacy in Ontario. As teachers, there are very specific guidelines and
expectations for students, but I especially like that we can teach whatever content that is grade

appropriate. In my Grade 2 placement, I read the story of Rosa Parks and how she stood up for

herself and helped change the views of how people were treated. I enjoyed the discussion that I

had with the students and I loved listening to their thoughts and opinions. I planned a lesson for

each subject for this classroom and like I have mentioned above, I excelled with literacy

instruction.

In the classroom, I learned something very valuable about myself. I learned that when it

came to classroom management, I did not have any issues with the students’ following my rules.

My associate teacher did an amazing job with managing her classroom but I know that I did an

amazing job with gaining the respect and running a very smooth classroom on my own. I owe

my success here to parenting my wonderful, but rule testing children. I have always been the

kind of parent that meant what I say and I believe this works in the classroom as well. I also

believe in fairness and treating everyone as an equal. From past experience, I have noted some

unfair practices in my son’s classroom and this has taught me a lot. I believe that when it comes

to classroom management, I will not have an issue developing rules and respect in my class.

I have also learned a lot about technology and how to incorporate it in my classroom. I

have learned through assigned readings in my technology class that the students of this

generation need to have their lessons integrated with technology. I have learned that they are

natives to technology and they cannot sit with a teacher centered lesson and learn effectively.

Children have curious minds, and lessons need to be adapted to what engages them on a personal

level. By integrating technology in to the classroom, it can serve many purposes. It can not only

help the students learn through a creative means, it can be used as a positive reinforcement for

completing their work or good behavior. In my second student teaching placement, the teacher
would use a point system with the students. If the students gained so many points within a week,

they would be rewarded with time spent on the school iPads. This management worked like a

charm with grade 4/5 students. I witnessed even the off task students working extra hard when

they learned that their reward would be time on the iPad.

I feel that I have learned the necessary skills to teach a classroom because of my courses

at Medaille College. I have acquired the experiences through my Early Field Observation course

and my student teaching placements. I have had the pleasure of raising my beautiful children

and I feel that these experiences have helped to prepare me in a career of teaching

Conclusion

This section was an opportunity for me to reflect on my time at Medaille College and use

these experiences to prepare this elementary portfolio project to show the reader where my

experiences lie. While writing this section, I smiled at a lot of good times that I have had and

gave myself a pat on the back for challenges that I was faced with, but overcame. I have to

admit that there were times over my course of study that I wondered how I would ever make it. I

currently work full time and on top on that, I work shift work. I try to be the best mother that I

can be and there were times that I wondered if I would be able to pull through. I am very proud

of the decisions that I have made and I believe that I have exceeded my personal goals. I am

ready to flip the page of this chapter to the book that I call life. I look forward to the years to

come and most of all, I look forward to a life filled with learning.
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Reference Page
Section 1

Learning Theories. (2017). Social Development Theory. Para. 1

Field, R. (n.d). John Dewey. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. A Peer Reviewed Academic

Resource. Para 2

Room 241 Team. (2012) Overview of Robert Marzano’s Model of Teaching Effectiveness. Para