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Section Two: Teacher Candidate Background Experiences

Introduction

In this section of the portfolio, I will outline my educational background, work

experiences, school observations, philosophy of education, classroom applications and resume. I

will support the lessons that I have learned from these experiences and my philosophy of

education by making connections to theory or theorists in the field of education. As you will see

from this section, my experience is what has encouraged me to follow my passion as a teacher in

elementary education.

Teacher Candidate Educational Background and Work Experiences

I always knew I wanted to be a teacher ever since I was a little girl. I remember making

our dining room into my “classroom”. My friends, my sisters, and I all used the table as the

student’s desk, set up a huge chalkboard that my dad had bought for us, and bought tons of items

from the dollar store to put in our “classroom”. Almost every day we would come home after

school and play “school”. I used all the kids’ homework as “school work”. Every time we played

school, I had to be the teacher. My friends and my sisters always had to be the students.

At almost every school I attended including my elementary school, intermediate school,

middle school and high school, there were many teachers who influenced my life. It is

sometimes difficult for me to remember my experience as a student, but my most prominent

memory is that I really enjoyed school. I loved learning new things and seeing all my friends

every day. I was, and still am the type of student who strives for perfection. I always wanted to

get the highest grade possible. I love gaining new knowledge and always want to learn new

things. The teachers that stand out the most to me are my sixth grade teacher, my middle school

English teacher, my high school business teacher, my high school German teacher, my high
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school history teacher, and my high school orchestra teacher. The teacher who inspired me most

was my high school orchestra teacher. He had a gift for music and teaching students how to play

string instruments. His intense love of music influenced my passion for playing the viola. He

always gave strategies to make playing the viola easier. He knew exactly how to challenge me. I

remember a time when I went to the orchestra room for a viola lesson and he proposed that I try

a new song. At first I was excited, but when he showed me the song I got nervous. I remember

telling him I didn’t think I could perform that song. He encouraged me to just try it, so I did.

Although the song wasn’t perfect, I was so happy that he had pushed me to go beyond what I

thought were my limits. We continued to practice the song every lesson until I mastered it. This

continued for many songs. Once I mastered one, he would give me another song that was a little

bit more difficult. Because of the progress I made, he nominated me to try out for All County

Orchestra. At first I was very hesitant to take him up on the offer because I was extremely

nervous and scared to fail. But after extra lessons, and many hours of practice at home, I did it. I

did not make the All County Orchestra, but I realized that day that it didn’t matter. What

mattered is that he encouraged me to push myself to reach my full potential, and that day I had

felt like I did just that. He encouraged me to continue playing up until my senior year of high

school and for that I am extremely grateful.

Another teacher who influenced me was my high school history teacher. Growing up, I

hated social studies or anything that had to do with history. This teacher always made sure that

he made learning about history exciting and fun. Although the curriculum seemed boring to me,

he always found a way to make it exciting, which made me want to learn more and more. My

teacher knew that I disliked learning about history, but he still tried his best. He always made

sure to ask if I understood, and even offered to help me after school if needed. The fact that he
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believed in me, and offered his attention and time is what enabled me to succeed. This allowed

me to realize that teachers really do care about their students and that his main goal was to see

me do well in his class.

In my prior experience at a non-profit youth organization, I gained experience working

with children ranging in age from five to sixteen years old. I volunteered for this youth

organization for eight years. During this time, I was the Cheerleading Coordinator for the entire

program and the Varsity Cheerleading coach. The varsity team was made up of girls that ranged

in ages twelve to sixteen years old. I was responsible for creating their routines, cheers, and

dances. Our league competed in multiple cheerleading competitions throughout the season. I was

also responsible for teaching them how to stretch, train and tumble. I also assisted the mascot,

peewee, freshmen and junior varsity teams. The mascot team was made up of five year olds. The

peewee team was made up of six and seven year olds. The freshmen team was made up of eight

and nine year olds. The junior varsity team was made up of ten and eleven year olds.

As Cheerleading Coordinator I was responsible for creating the practice schedule,

attending board meetings, attending all registration events, managing coaches, ordering and

distributing cheer packages, supervising all games and practices, and creating fundraisers. I also

worked on a 5K fundraiser event for a local youth charity. I asked all the cheerleaders to either

volunteer to work the run, or to participate in it. I also organized a youth gymnastics program for

lower income families in the community. During this time I realized my love and passion for

working with children. I also developed relationships with parents, coaches and board members

that will last a lifetime. Being a part of the future generation is important to me. Sometimes, kids

have less than ideal home situations, and if I am the reason the child puts a smile on their face,

then I did my job as a coach and as a member of society. The world is full of negativity. The
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nurturer inside of me wants every single child to know that they are beautiful, inside and out,

they are strong, and they are loved. Coordinating and coaching allowed this dream to become a

reality.

Through my experience as Family Readiness Group Leader for my husband’s Army

National Guard unit, I have gained experience working with military spouses, their children, and

their family members. I have provided support, assistance, and a means of communication

among the family members, the chain of command, and the community. My main overall goal is

to help provide a strong support group for the soldiers. My main duty as FRG lead, is to keep the

family members informed, and to provide support during the service member’s time with a unit,

especially during a unit deployment. My additional responsibilities as FRG lead include: creating

a bi-monthly newsletter, sending out welcome baby packages to new parents, sending care

packages overseas to our deployed soldiers, creating activities and events for the families and

their spouses, organizing the annual summer picnic and Christmas party, and creating and

organizing fundraising ideas. I am so happy to have had the opportunity to volunteer as the FRG

lead. Being able to bring all the families together and to provide for the soldiers when needed has

brought me great satisfaction.

School Observations and Classroom Application

As a teacher candidate at Medaille, I have had the opportunity to observe many teachers

and students in a variety of demographic areas. During these observations I was able to see many

different learning styles and I really enjoyed watching and learning from the student and teacher

interactions that I observed. I have learned a lot about teaching, and also learned the qualities that

make up a successful teacher.

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During my observations in a second grade classroom in a suburban school district, I

learned many strategies, techniques, and ideas for improving my classroom teaching and student

learning. The first thing I noticed was that the room was Harry Potter themed. The desks were

arranged in groups and every group had a Harry Potter name. I believe that arranging student’s

desks in a certain way can significantly influence their learning. Instructional communication

theory suggests that seating arrangements can impact how the instructor communicates with

students and how the students interact with one another, impacting engagement, motivation, and

focus (McCorskey and McVetta, 1978). By arranging her student’s desks into pods of groups,

she is communicating a learning community where students are expected to work with one

another.

I also noticed that the teacher used a discipline system where the students “flip their

clips”. If a student is doing what they are asked and on task, the teacher would point out a few

students to flip their clip up. If a student misbehaved or if she had to ask the student multiple

times to do something then that student would flip their clip down. Each student had a daily

planner sheet that went home with them in their folder every day. On this sheet the teacher would

bingo dab the sheet with whatever color they were on for that day. The students also worked as

groups to earn extra “house” points. The teacher kept track of this on the board and added up

these points at the end of the day. The students competed to have the most points. I thought this

was a great idea for teaching students how to be responsible for their work, and also promotes

positive behavior management. This is supported by B.F. Skinners theory of operant

conditioning. “According to Skinner, changes in behavior are a result of individuals’ responses

to events, or stimuli that occur in their environment. When a stimulus-response (S-R) pattern is

rewarded, the individual is conditioned to respond similarly in the future.” (Lynch 2016) As the
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teacher positively reinforces the student’s behavior for following directions, being on task, and

following the classroom rules, she encourages for that positive behavior to reoccur.

I noticed that the teacher greeted the students at the door with a smile and a “good

morning”. Every morning the students did the same thing, they got settled and organized and

then began to write in their journals. Any student that was on task the teacher advised them to go

flip their clip up. I noticed that the teacher would walk around the room and make sure that

students were writing in their journals and stop and talk to a few students to “check in” or just

ask how they were doing today.

After the students settled in, the teacher played the morning announcements on the

SMART board. Then, the teacher called all the students to the rug for their “morning meeting”

and told one group to bring their journals so that they could share their journal entry. During

“morning meeting” the teacher advised the students of what their day will consist of. I thought

that this was a great way to start the day. Students are more likely to stay on task if they know

the agenda for the day.

Anytime that the students were working independently, in pairs, or in groups the teacher

walked around the room while students worked to observe the students’ progress. I noticed that

the teacher counted down from the number five for transitions and this seemed to get the students

moving quicker. Any students that were ready and on task, the teacher allowed those students to

go flip their clip up.

In conclusion, I will employ the outcomes of these experiences I have acquired from

school observations into classroom instruction. I believe I have learned many strategies that I can

use to improve my classroom teaching and student learning.

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Philosophy of Education

The School
Through my experiences in the classroom while substitute teaching and the classes I have

taken at Medaille College, I have developed a personal teaching philosophy that I will implement

in my future classroom. For every student who enters a school building or classroom, I believe

that education is an individual, unique experience. In order for children to benefit from what

schools offer, schools need to ensure that students are learning in a safe and supportive learning

environment. I believe that the schools role is to bring each student to their individual, maximum

academic potential. I believe that allowing students to learn in a school setting helps to mold

students into good, responsible and hardworking individuals. Students also learn other important

life skills including, but not limited to, teamwork, manners, respect, unity, sharing and

responsibility. I believe that the schools responsibility is to introduce students to a multitude of

experiences that can help develop a student’s interests, build self-esteem and shape the course of

their academic and professional life.

The Curriculum

I believe that in order to prepare our students for the world around them, we need to

change the way we educate them. I believe that the curriculum in a classroom should be designed

to incorporate many skills including the ability to work in teams, critical thinking skills, oral

presentation skills, research skills, written communication skills, and the ability to use

technology.

In my future classroom I plan to incorporate technology into as many of my lessons as I

can. I believe that technology enhances curriculum in many ways. One way I will include

technology is by creating interactive lesson plans that help to enhance subjects like science and

math, into fun, engaging, educational lessons for my students. I believe that this not only engages
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students, but creates self-directed active learners. Another way I will include technology is by

including virtual lesson plans that can provide accommodations for struggling or disabled

students. I also believe that incorporating technology in my curriculum not only will benefit my

students but will benefit me as a teacher as well. I believe that by using technology in developing

and delivering my curriculum, I can spend more time with the students who need individualized

attention.

I also believe that educators must create a curriculum that will help students to connect

with the real world. I believe this helps to cultivate and maintain the student’s interest in the

content that is being taught. My goal as an educator is to encourage my students to become

lifelong learners.

Learning

Teachers need to understand the importance of multicultural education. I believe that

multicultural education can provide opportunities for students to learn about the many cultures

represented in the world around them. To implement multicultural education in the learning

process of my students I would include content from different ethnic and cultural groups,

develop positive attitudes, provide equal educational opportunities and creating an open and

accepting environment.

I also believe in differentiating and scaffolding instruction to students learning levels so

that all students can experience academic confidence and success. I believe that one standard

approach to teaching will not meet the needs of all students. Using differentiated instruction in

my classroom will help the gifted and talented students to unveil more and more layers of

learning, while at the same time it will provide support to lower level students or students with

learning disabilities.

The Learner
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My concept of “the learner” is the student themselves. I believe in teaching students to

have a “voice”. I can promote this in my classroom by surveying interests, identifying issues,

analyzing findings, and developing projects in response to the results. I believe that by

understanding the impact of their voices, students can stand up for their beliefs and represent

their families and communities. I also believe that students should be able to learn new skills and

obtain new knowledge in a relaxed but structured classroom setting where they can express

themselves without fear. I also believe that each student should be given respect from me and

from their classmates. Each student deserves my love, attention and respect.

I believe that students should take an active role in their learning process and be

responsible and accountable for their academic success. In order to do this, students must be

actively engaged in their learning. I believe that engaging students in the learning process

increases their attention and focus, motivates them to practice higher-level critical thinking skills

and promotes meaningful learning experiences.

Assessment

I believe for assessment to be an essential part of an effective teaching and learning

process, the purpose of assessment has to be carefully considered. For diverse learning

opportunities to be available to students with different learning style preferences, I believe there

should be a variety of assessments. I also think it is important for assessments to develop

creative, critical thinking and decision-making skills which are valuable for students to become

wise and productive individuals.

In my future classroom, I plan to give my students feedback to promote inspiration and

enthusiasm to push themselves forward in their academic growth. Feedback will be provided

quickly and in an individualized way that best fits each students learning style. I will use

formative assessments to form and guide each students learning process. These assessments will
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be used as a tool for me to gauge each students understanding of the topic. I will also use

summative assessments to outline what each student has grasped during a unit. My overall goal

of assessments in my classroom will be to inspire students to learn from their mistakes and use

these mistakes to improve their future assessments.

Classroom Management

The purpose of classroom management is to hold students accountable for misbehavior. I

believe in providing a safe, relaxed classroom atmosphere and maximizing opportunities for

student learning. In my future classroom, I will use a theme to decorate the room and make it

visually appealing. I will display student work on bulletin boards in the classroom and on the

walls in the hallway. I will also arrange my room in a way that is comforting, welcoming, and

encourages partner and group collaboration.

At the beginning of the year, I would communicate my classroom rules and expectations

clearly, and have every student acknowledge that they understand the consequences if they break

a classroom rule. I feel like doing this at the beginning of the year helps to minimize distraction

and misbehavior, and results in more time for quality instruction. I will value and welcome every

one of my student’s strengths, interests, and cultural backgrounds. I believe if students feel

respected and appreciated, they will give the same attitude in return. As you can see, a well-

managed classroom encourages students to behave and results in students who are eager to learn.

The Teacher

I believe that teachers serve many other roles in the classroom beyond the role of

educating their students. I also believe that teachers not only encourage learning, but also serve

as a role model for their students. My goal as an educator is to extend my role beyond instruction

and make sure that my students have an exceptional educational experience. I plan to always

improve my instruction through professional development and by modifying and enhancing my

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lesson plans on a regular basis. When teachers receive professional development it not only

benefits the teacher, but benefits the students as well. I believe that continuing my professional

development is important because it ensures that I will continue to be up to date and

knowledgeable in my profession.

In order for me to be a successful and influential teacher, I believe that teaching will need

to be a lifestyle and not just a “job”. As a professional who is given much trust and respect to

teach young students, I believe that I must enable learning and growth educationally in a moral

and individual way. I also believe that I can provide my students with the tools necessary for

success in life by providing a quality education to each and every one of my students.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my teaching philosophy promotes students to take an active role in their

educational success. I believe that teaching is a profession that combines the passion and desire

to inspire and encourage students to develop a lifelong love of learning. As a facilitator, I will

assist my students in achieving both their learning objectives and their own educational goals. I

believe that my job is to lead by example and to continually evaluate my performance. I also

believe that my future mentors and teaching experiences will all contribute to my pedagogical

stance and teaching goals. As you can see, the key to my teaching philosophy is not only that I

set high standards for my students but also for myself.

Resume

To demonstrate my abilities as a future educator, I have included my resume which

highlights my unique abilities, educational background, experience working with children of all

ages, and experience in the field of education.

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R A CHE L C RO SS
6233 Versailles Rd (716) 338-5916
Lakeview NY 14085 rachelcross819@gmail.com

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Attentive Teacher Candidate with excellent communication skills. Organized and driven with the innate
ability to stay on task. Uses effective and efficient methods of teaching while focusing on the individual
needs of each student.
Key Strengths:
 An Engaging Personality and Teaching Style
 Classroom Management Skills
 High Energy and Commitment to Excellence
 Exceptional Interpersonal Communication Skills
 Leadership and Strong Work Ethic

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

ORCHARD PARK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Substitute Teacher January 2018 – Present
Responsible for providing instruction and managing the learning environment in the absence of the
Classroom teacher for this school district in Orchard Park, NY.
 Manage a class of 20-30 students.
 Implement existing lesson plans assigned by permanent teacher for students in grades
Kindergarten-6th grade.
 Maintain effective classroom management strategies.
 Apply appropriate teaching strategies in the classroom with various skill levels.
 Correct behavioral problems by using the classroom behavioral system.
 Write a report for the teacher about how the day went.

FRONTIER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Substitute Teacher January 2018 – Present
Responsible for providing instruction and managing the learning environment in the absence of the
classroom teacher for this school district in Hamburg, NY.
 Manage a class of 20-30 students.
 Implement existing lesson plans assigned by permanent teacher for students in grades
Kindergarten-6th grade.
 Maintain effective classroom management strategies.
 Apply appropriate teaching strategies in the classroom with various skill levels.
 Correct behavioral problems by using the classroom behavioral system.
 Write a report for the teacher about how the day went.
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HAMBURG CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Substitute Teacher January 2018 – Present
Responsible for providing instruction and managing the learning environment in the absence of the
classroom teacher for this school district in Hamburg, NY.
 Manage a class of 20-30 students.
 Implement existing lesson plans assigned by permanent teacher for students in grades
Kindergarten-6th grade.
 Maintain effective classroom management strategies.
 Apply appropriate teaching strategies in the classroom with various skill levels.
 Correct behavioral problems by using the classroom behavioral system.
 Write a report for the teacher about how the day went.

SOUTHTOWNS FAMILY YMCA

Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Substitute Teacher December 2017 – Present
Responsible for providing instruction and managing the learning environment in the absence of the
Classroom teacher for this program in Angola and Hamburg, NY.
 Implement the curriculum and follow program standards established by the YMCA, New York
State Department of Education, and the School District.
 Perform administrative tasks related to the program.
 Communicate with parents and responsive to the needs of the children.
 Provide a safe environment for all activities.
 Attend staff meetings and trainings as required.

EDUCATION
MEDAILLE COLLEGE
Masters of Science in Education
Elementary Education
Currently Attending

SUNY FREDONIA
Bachelors of Science
Business Administration with concentration in Management
Graduated May 2013
VOLUNTEER/LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

C TROOP 2/101 CAVALRY March 2017 - Present

Family Readiness Group Lead
Leader of the family readiness group for husbands National Guard unit
 Support the Commanders family readiness goals
 Recruit other volunteers to serve in FRG committees and delegates FRG responsibilities
 Identify needs or unique problems of unit families
 Prepare meeting agendas, facilitate meetings, oversee the production and distribution of the FRG
newsletter
 Organize all FRG events, activities and fundraisers
 Ensure that all contact information records are kept up to date
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LAKE SHORE JUNIOR FOOTBALL AND CHEERLEADING 2007 - 2015

Cheerleading Coordinator (2013 to 2015)
Varsity Cheerleading Coach (2007 to 2015)
Assistant Cheerleading Coordinator (2010 to 2012)
Coach youth athletes ages 4 to 16 years old in competitive cheerleading techniques in preparation for
football games and cheerleading competitions, working on average 10 – 20 hours per week (Aug. –
Dec.).
 Assess skills, assign team positions, and actively work with cheerleaders during practices and meets
to establish and model sports-like behavior.
 Create routines, dances, chants, and cheers for games and cheerleading competitions and train
cheerleaders on proper techniques.
 In charge of administrative duties including scheduling, organizing practice times, attending
meetings and clinics and ordering cheerleading packages and uniforms.

SKILLS & CERTIFICATIONS

 Teaching Kindness in the Elementary School

 SMART Notebook Training
 DASA Training
 Blood borne Pathogens Training
 Child Abuse Training
 Preventing Bullying Behaviors Training
 Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Docs

Conclusion

As you can see, this section of the portfolio allowed me to introduce myself by outlining

my educational experience, and work related experiences while making connections to theorists

and theories in education, my philosophy of education, and my resume. In the next section of my

portfolio I will present multiple artifacts that demonstrate subject matter, pedagogical

knowledge, best teaching practices, skills, and attitudes that I have learned are essential in

becoming an elementary classroom teacher.

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