Section Five: Teacher Candidate Reflection Guidelines

Introduction

It’s amazing to me to look back on the experiences I have had while at Medaille College

and what I have gained from the program in my quest to become a teacher. I’ve had the

opportunity to observe different teaching styles and environments, acquire knowledge from a

wide variety of subjects relevant to becoming a teacher, learn from some excellent educators, and

form a lasting bond and support system with my fellow teacher candidates. I’ve been able to

participate in online learning during a pandemic, observe virtually, and assess what worked and

what may need improvement in this situation. I have experienced firsthand what students across

North America have been facing and the challenges associated with that. Putting this portfolio

together is another project that has helped to shape my journey. A great amount of thought and

reflection has taken place in creating this in the hopes that it will showcase not only my

knowledge and skills, but my overall readiness to be a teacher. These varied experiences have

provided me with insights far beyond what I expected, and my hope is that they showcase that I

am ready to apply this knowledge and these skills in a teaching environment.

Portfolio Project/Teacher Education Learning Experiences

The experience of assembling this portfolio project and the completion of my teacher

education has been a fulfilling, but at times challenging experience. During the course of my

studies at Medaille College I have also been working full-time for a not-for-profit foundation

managing their fundraising walks. It’s been a bit of a balancing act in making sure to coordinate

my work, school, and home responsibilities, but it’s also taught me a great deal about resilience

and time management.

 Upon compiling this portfolio, I have had the opportunity to reflect on my time at

Medaille College and the experiences I have had with the professors and in the classes. Each

professor brought something different to the table and provided me with exposure to various

teaching styles and key learnings. In my first semester, I had my Early Field Experience class

and it was so engaging and thought-provoking. Class discussions were interesting and the

professor included firsthand experience that was invaluable to me in making everything seem

that much more real and relevant. I participated in creating content as if I was a real teacher with

a real class. All of these things I was able to add to my toolbox and have ready to reference and

apply when needed (TEAC/CAEP Claim 1: Subject Matter). The two things that stood out the

most to me during this course was the emphasis on communication with the students and the

parents, and to be empathetic (TEAC/CAEP Claim 3: Caring Educator). So much of teaching is

really about ensuring the expectations are clear to parents and students, and to make sure that

you are listening to the students and their parents and meeting their needs. Knowing the content

and being able to teach it is one thing, but having the empathy and communication skills is what

will make a great teacher.

During my first semester I was also able to participate in Field Experience observations

both with Medaille College and independently. My cohort had the privilege of being able to

observe the City of Buffalo’s Saturday Academy at a number of schools. These experiences

were so valuable to me for a number of reasons. First of all, I was able to interact and engage

with students of all ages and socio-economic statuses as they attended the Saturday Academy

(TEAC/CAEP Claim 3: Caring Educator). I was also able to prepare activities to engage the

students, and it was so wonderful to see when the kids got so excited about what we had put

together for them. I was able to plan fun games and activities that incorporated math and English
Language Arts for various age groups (TEAC/CAEP Claim 2: Pedagogy and Best Teaching

Practices for Diverse Learners). Through my independent field experience, I was able to observe

in a self-contained Special Education classroom. This was an extremely unique opportunity that

had a great impact on me and my future teaching practices. The classroom consisted of 10

students, 9 education assistants and 1 special education specialist teacher. Three of the students

had two education assistants dedicated to them exclusively. Each student had an Individual

Education Plan (IEP) and a unique classroom schedule and alternative curriculum paired with it.

The teacher was an inspiration to watch as the students knew what the expectations were and

what the routine of the class was. Technology was utilized extensively, but not just for the sake

of technology. It truly added value to the classroom environment and to the learning and

engagement of the students. I cannot say enough about the impact this experience had on me in

regards to meeting the needs of a diverse group of learners (TEAC/CAEP Claim 2: Pedagogy

and Best Teaching Practices for Diverse Learners).

One course that surprised me as to what I took away from it was Research in Education.

I was not sure what to expect from this course, and I actually found it quite interesting and

impactful. We learned about the concept of Action Research and being able to conduct little

experiments in your own classroom by making small changes to see if you end up with different

results. Examples of this could include changing seating arrangements, procedures with specific

students, timing of activities in the day, etc., that can potentially alter the dynamic in your

classroom. This is something that can be applied on a daily basis to always be adjusting your

teaching style and approach based on the students in your classroom and their needs

(TEAC/CAEP Claim 2: Pedagogy and Best Teaching Practices for Diverse Learners).
 In second semester I had the privilege of participating in one of my most favourite

courses, Assessment and Evaluation of Literacy. The professor was engaging and insightful, and

shared experiences that would be relevant to apply moving forward. I utilized tools including

Kahoot!, Plickers and Quizlet that I was able to add to my toolbox to use when I am teaching. I

learned about various literacy evaluation and assessment tools and how to administer them

(TEAC/CAEP Claim 1: Subject Matter; TEAC/CAEP Claim 2: Pedagogy and Best Teaching

Practices for Diverse Learners). From a personal perspective, this course was invaluable to me

as it provided me with evaluation methods and strategies to help support my grade 1 son who

struggles with reading. I was able to learn the skills and tools necessary to better support him at

home, and gain some practice with assessment as well in reading with him (TEAC/CAEP Claim

1: Subject Matter). I loved that I was able to immediately apply what I had learned in a real-life

setting.

The methods classes in regards to the Arts, Language Arts, Social Studies, Math and

Science were extremely valuable as well. These classes provided me with not only the methods

on how to teach the content, but also explained ways to ensure that the subjects are

interconnected and various standards are satisfied across the curriculum. I love the idea of

incorporating English language arts into a math or science lesson, and really having a cohesive

and engaging plan. The content becomes that much more comprehensive and the students will

be more engaged as different medias and methods are implemented (TEAC/CAEP Claim 1:

Subject Matter).

In my third semester I was pleasantly surprised by how much I learned in the Technology

for the Elementary Classroom course. Classroom technology has changed so much since I was

in school, and it was really amazing to learn about so many resources and tools that are available
to teachers and how they can be implemented in the classroom. I really enjoyed the idea of

technology being used not just for the sake of technology, but because it added value and

experience to the activity or lesson. I became comfortable using a number of technology tools

including Google Classroom, Padlet, and Weebly websites. All of these can be applied to

various education situations and can add value and engagement in a classroom TAEC/CAEP

Claim 2: Pedagogy and Best Teaching Practices for Diverse Learners).

All that to say, my courses at Medaille College have provided me with endless

opportunities for learning and to apply the skills and knowledge in real-life situations that have

further prepared me to become a teacher.

Readiness to Become a Teacher

I feel that based on my knowledge, skills and experiences I am ready to become a

teacher. I am so excited to be able to begin to apply all that I have learned and experienced over

the course of my studies and my career, and showcase my abilities as a caring, capable, and

prepared educator.

Education continues to evolve over time. We have seen that through the course of the

COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers have had to adjust how they teach and the platforms they

utilize. As a student at Medaille College, I too had to adjust from learning in the classroom to

exclusive online learning. It was an adjustment, but over the course of this period I was also able

to learn more about the tools to effectively make the move to online learning. I plan to continue

to learn and develop as an educator so that I can always endeavour to provide my students with

the best education incorporating the most relevant tools and strategies.

I stated before that a large part of being a great teacher is empathy. Students and parents

deserve empathy and respect. I have received my Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)
certification, as well as my School Violence Prevention and my Intervention/Identification and

Reporting of Child Abuse and Maltreatment certifications. These trainings and certifications

have provided me with the tools and strategies to identify and acknowledge sensitive situations

with my students in an empathetic and caring way. They also have provided me with the

training and knowledge in regards to culturally responsive teaching and the importance of it in

the classroom. It’s imperative that students feel safe with their teacher, and I can provide that

classroom environment for all of my students.

Another area where I feel extremely prepared to become a teacher is in regards to lesson

planning. Over the course of my time at Medaille College I have had the opportunity to create a

number of lesson plans, and practice implementing them. I have the experience in reviewing the

curriculum in regards to what the students should already know, and the knowledge to assess

them to see if they do in fact know that material, and then adapt the lesson plans moving forward

accordingly. I have experience incorporating various mediums and interconnecting different

subjects into lesson plans across the curriculum standards. When I first started at Medaille I was

very nervous about the lesson planning process as the Medaille template was quite extensive. I

have to say that I think that works to my advantage when I become a teacher as I have

experience in writing effective lesson plans that address the needs of the students and that clearly

state what the objectives, expectations and assessments are. This is a skill that will serve me

well over the course of my teaching career as a great foundation to plan through the curriculum.

Through these lesson planning assignments, I have become very familiar with both the

Common Core Standards and the Ontario Ministry of Education Standards. As teachers, it is so

important to ensure that our lesson plans and activities are meeting the standards of the

curriculum, and that we are assessing whether or not the students are understanding and applying
the information we put forth to them. That said, the standards tend to evolve over time, so it’s

critical as teachers that we adapt and change our teaching and lesson plans based on the

expectations of the curriculum and what is needed for our students.

Finally, my readiness to become a teacher can be seen in regards to my classroom

management strategies. Over the course of my education and my field experiences I have been

exposed to a number of classroom management strategies. Some involved physical rewards,

while others were intangible. All had their positives and their challenges associated with them.

This has provided me with strategies to set forth in my own classroom. Realizing that not one

strategy works for all classes or for all students, I think it’s important to have a variety of

strategies in my toolbox so that I can adapt where necessary. What works for one class may not

work for another class, and what motivates and inspires one student may not motivate and inspire

another. The key is reading the needs of your students and the dynamic of your classroom, and

finding a strategy that addresses those concerns. I can say that I prefer one strategy or reward

system over the other, but in reality, these systems may need to be adjusted as they are

implemented based on the results with a specific group of students or classroom. One of the

most important things about being a teacher is being able to adapt, and that includes classroom

management. There is no one size fits all solution, and I believe I’m a teacher candidate that is

ready to adapt their strategies based on the needs of the students.

Conclusion

Putting this portfolio together has been an eye-opening experience. It wasn’t until I

reflected on all of the knowledge and skills I have acquired over my time at Medaille College

that I realized how far I’ve come. I remember being so intimidated by the idea of a lesson plan.

Now I feel so comfortable with preparing one because I’ve been provided with the tools,
knowledge, and experience to remove that intimidation. I continue to strive to improve my

lesson planning skills ongoing, but I also know I have expertise in that area to move me forward.

As a teacher candidate, I am so excited for the opportunity to be an educator and apply what I

have learned. I know it won’t be easy, but it will be rewarding. I believe that after reviewing my

knowledge, skills, and experience I have showcased that I am ready for the challenge of

becoming a teacher. I will endeavour to continue to learn and grow through professional

development opportunities that can only continue to add value to my teaching. I realize that

teaching is about continuing to plan, instruct and assess, and then continue with that cycle. That

cycle also includes the willingness of the teacher to adapt. I know this path as an educator will

be challenging, but I also know that I have a strong foundation in place to make it a fulfilling and

rewarding career where I can truly make an impact.