Section Five: Teacher Candidate Reflection Guidelines

Introduction

Teaching is an all-encompassing career, it is a job that extends far beyond the classroom.

Educating students is a big part of a teacher’s responsibilities however their responsibilities

extend far beyond that into their students’ lives, their students’ families lives and their

communities. I know that I will be an excellent educator because I am a hardworking, dedicated,

caring person. I have a strong passion for teaching and I know I will work hard every day for my

students. I enjoy working with children and watching them grow and learn, and it’s so rewarding

to see their “ah ha” moments from something I taught them. Teaching will place me in a unique

position where I get to have a direct impact on my students. I will be able to help my students in

so many different ways. My goals are to educate, inspire, and a positive impact on my students

lives. I want to build a classroom that provides a safe environment where every student is free to

be whomever they want to be. A classroom that is rich with literature, that includes different

cultures, genders, and represents LGBQT in a shining light.

During my time in the education program at Medaille College I have gained invaluable

knowledge that will make me an excellent teacher. Medaille has provided me with a diverse skill

set that I will be able to carry into our future classrooms. Professors at Medaille have taught me

to be a skillful educator who utilizes a variety of strategies and techniques to deliver

differentiated instruction to cater to the needs of diverse learners by adapting lessons so that

everyone can succeed. The most valuable lesson I have learned from the Medaille faculty is that

if a student isn’t learning, it’s not their fault. I make sure practice reflective teaching, and

scaffold information, and teach in different ways so that my students do learn.

 In this section, I will be reflecting on my past experiences at Medaille and what I took

away from my time in the education program that will make me into a better more effective

teacher. I will also address how I meet the DOE Claims and CAEP Standards. This will provide

evidence of my readiness to begin my teaching career in the field of education.

Portfolio Project/Teacher Education Learning Experiences

Putting together this portfolio has been a great experience, as I have been able to reflect

back on my journey at Medaille College. I have grown a lot over the last three semesters at

Medaille, and I am excited for my next step in this journey at my student teaching placements.

Looking back, I remember walking into class on my first day and being very nervous as I hadn’t

stepped into a classroom in over ten years. Luckily, throughout my time at Medaille all of my

instructors were so warm and welcoming, that I always felt very comfortable. All of my

professors at Medaille exemplify all the attributes an exceptional educator should have, and I feel

honoured to have been given the opportunity to learn from them. As exemplars, my professors

showed me what it means to be a caring instructor. (DOE CAEP Claim 3: Caring Educator). I

will take what they have taught me, as caring individuals, and model it in my classroom. The

professors at Medaille college were also very knowledgeable within the subject area in

education. I feel very prepared as I enter my placements knowing that I have been given a solid

foundation of knowledge and a strong skill set. (DOE CAEP Claim 1: Subject Matter). The

instructors challenged me to think critically, and do the best that I could do. They provided

feedback, and guidance, and were always available for additional assistance.

Developing lesson plans was a process that was tough at first. I remember thinking it was

so overwhelming, and I didn’t know how I was going to be able to teach each student knowing

that they all learned differently and at different paces. As I continued to write lesson plans and
learned more about the diversity of learners, I felt more comfortable with the process, and

become more confident in my ability to write a lesson plan that addressed the needs of all my

students (DOE Claim 2: Pedagogy and Best Teaching Practices). My instructors at Medaille

scaffolded the information in a way that was easy to understand, and therefore became less

overwhelming. As, I continue on my journey I will never forget to include Bloom’s Taxonomy

and higher order thinking into my lessons, as well as making my lessons challenging but within

my students ZPD. By integrating Blooms Taxonomy into my lesson plans I will help my students

with their learning styles, by incorporating knowledge, attitudes, and skills (cognitive, affective

and psychomotor) I will also never forget to include Gardner and his Theory of Multiple

Intelligences, as I know my students will all learn in different ways.

The course ESP: 600 Foundations of Special Education was beneficial as it was very

informative on what teachers need to be well informed on in teaching students with special

needs. This information was valuable as my students with special needs are in the classrooms

with IEPs. (TEAC Claim 2: Pedagogy, Best Teaching Practices for Diverse Learners). I feel this

course exposed me to many different types of disabilities, which was helpful to learn prior to

entering my student placements as I will be able to better develop ways of implementing

activities that meet with the students IEP needs.

The artifacts in this portfolio are an excellent example my ability to understand the 10

InTasc standards. (CAEP Standard 1.1) Section three of my portfolio looks at my artifacts and

demonstrates my pedagogical awareness, developed skills, attitudes, literacy skills, professional

development, technology integration, and content knowledge. (CAEP Standard 1.4). My artifacts

showcase my teaching effectiveness, ability, and readiness to be a caring educator. I highlight

nine artifacts from my time at Medaille College that show that I have developed the skills and
knowledge needed to be prepared to teach in the elementary classroom. The artifacts I chose

demonstrate evidence that I am prepared to move from future educator to educator. I provide

evidence based on the competencies in the area of planning, instruction, assessment, content

knowledge, literacy skills, as well as professional development, dispositions, and technology

integration. Each artifact is connected to best teaching practices, theories, theorists/experts in the

field, connections to the curriculum, and professional standards.

My professional development plan aligns with the DOE claims and CAEP Standards as I

am committed to continue learning beyond leaving the classroom at Medaille. I will continue to

take courses to continue to grow and will constantly reflect and improve. I am committed to life-

long learning and will continually develop my skills through personal development to become

the best educator I can be. I will take courses to keep up to date on subject matter and best

teaching practices. (DOE Claim 1) In reflecting back on my time at Medaille I showcased my

commitment to Professional Development when I attended a lecture by America’s Teacher of the

Year recipient. This shows my commitment to professional development and life-long learning.

It provides evidence that I engage in ongoing professional learning by voluntarily pursuing

knowledge within the field of education for further self-betterment. My professional

development plan aligns with my commitment to continually learn so that I can best prepare my

students to become college, and/or career ready. (CAEP Standard 1.4).

Overall, the Medaille College program has prepared me to be an effective teacher and has

prepared me with a strong foundational knowledge and skill set. I feel confident that I am

prepared for situations and difficulties that will arise in my classroom throughout my teaching

career. (DOE Claim 3: Caring Educator). Medaille college has prepared me to become a caring
educator, that is well-informed on subject matter, and well-versed on meeting the needs of

diverse learners through effective pedagogy and best teaching practices.

Reediness to Become a Teacher

I know that I am ready to become an effective teacher, because I have studied the works

of many theorists such as Lev Vygotsky, B.F Skinner, David Kolb, and Benjamin Bloom, and

they have played a major role in shaping my understanding in the field of education. The

artifacts in my portfolio highlight that I have the knowledge, skill set, desire, dedication,

determination, and passion for teaching. I have the awareness that no two students learn the

same, and therefore differentiating instruction is a must, and scaffolding information is

necessary.

I have a positive demeanor and I know that I will bring my positive outlook with me into

my classroom. As a flight attendant I know what it’s like to have bad days but to push forward

and provide the best experience for all of my guests. Teaching will be the same, as my students

deserve the very best from me, every day. I will bring positivity into the classroom and push my

students towards a growth mindset to help them succeed.

All my artifacts that I have included in my portfolio indicate my readiness to become an

educator. My annotated bibliography demonstrates how I will support ENL/ELL learners and

technology. My lesson plans from the subject areas of ELA, Math, and Science, demonstrate my

ability to create lesson plans with support, planning, instruction, assessment, engagement, and

classroom inclusion of students with disabilities. My lesson plans also demonstrate my

knowledge of curriculum standards. My artifact on technology is a PechaKucha assignment and

it demonstrates how I am prepared to integrate technology into the subjects that I am teaching to

engage my students in their learning.

I am committed to life-long learning and will continually develop my skills through

personal development to become the best educator I can be. The portfolio project recapitulates

my developed skills in the three primary competencies, planning, instruction, and assessment. It

addresses my effectiveness in best teaching practices, technology, accommodation, culturally

responsiveness, classroom management, professional collaboration, professional development,

and curriculum standards. It shows my readiness to become an effective educator as I reflect on

the personal experiences I have gained at Medaille College as well as the knowledge I have

developed. Throughout my time at Medaille College I have been fortunate enough to take

courses that have provided me with an invaluable skill set and a wealth of knowledge in the field

of education. My ultimate goal is to teach in an elementary classroom, and I am ready to do

whatever it takes to become an exceptional teacher. I will continue to take courses to continue to

grow and will constantly reflect and improve. As a former NCAA athlete, I know what it takes to

put in countless hours of hard work, to be driven, to have discipline, focus, commitment, time

management, adaptability, and determination, and I know that I am ready to transfer these

attributes to the classroom to become the best teacher I can be.

Conclusion

As you can see my portfolio is the best example of how I am prepared to be an educator. I

have provided evidence that I am knowledgeable and have the skill set that is required to become

an effective teacher. Section five of my portfolio demonstrates my skills and abilities of

reflection. This section presents my reflection on the overall experiences I have gained in
developing my portfolio and my experiences. In my reflection I have included the process,

collection of material, specific research materials, and artifacts. Section five of my portfolio also

includes a reflection of my educational experiences during my program student with the

Department of Education at Medaille College, as well as my readiness in becoming a teacher. I

also make connections to the Department of Education DOE and CAEP Standards. The final

section of the portfolio is section six. Section six will be done using Screecast-o-Matic and will

be an interview simulation where I will answer questions that might be asked in a job interview. I

will make connections to my portfolio artifacts, standards, teacher skills, strategies, and

professional dispositions.