Section Five:

Teacher Candidate Reflection

Introduction

This section is a personal reflection that allows me to look back on the experiences

throughout the MSED program at Medaille. These experiences have developed myself into a

worthy and prepared teaching candidate. Throughout this portfolio I have placed a large

emphasis on my ability to exhibit the main teaching competencies which are planning,

instruction, and assessment. I have also complimented these major three abilities with other

beneficiaries such as technology experience, student motivation, classroom management and

following the required standards and curriculum. These all make up a successful teaching

candidate. Throughout this section of the portfolio it is my duty to prove to you the reader, why I

am the best choice for the currently open teaching position. My ability to follow requirements,

make the classroom intellectually challenging, promote a fun and inclusive learning

environment, and my overall personality allows me to be a successful teaching candidate.

Throughout this section I will walk through the experiences I have encountered over the

past 12 months that have developed me as both a person, and a teaching candidate. I will do this

by taking a trip to the past and connecting my experiences to the Medaille College DOE Claims

and CAEP Standards throughout my time at Medaille. This claims prove that I am aware and

knowledgeable in the subject matter, as well as provided an environment that is both inclusive

and education for everyone involved. It is important as an educator to be knowledgeable in the

subject matter, meet the diverse needs of learners through effective pedagogy and best teaching

practices, and be an all around caring educator. This section will also build on my readiness to

become a teacher. I have spent ample time in the classroom whether it be the required hours, or
for volunteer purposes. I enjoy being in the classroom and working with the bright young minds

of the future. As noted in section one, my goal is to showcase my professionalism, experiences

and make a positive first impression on potential employers. I feel I have been successful in

achieving my goal at this point of the portfolio. I will continue to develop these thoughts in the

final sections.

Portfolio Project/Teacher Education Learning Experiences

This has been an unforgettable journey that I am extremely grateful and proud of. As

mentioned in section one, I knew that completing this program would allow me to add many

tools and resources that I can bring to my future classroom. From classroom experiences, to

assignments, and collaboration with peers I feel that I have grown incredibly as a potential

educator. I place great pride and value into all of my experiences and will cherish them forever.

Throughout this program I have done my absolute best to stay true to myself and follow the DOE

Claims/CAEP Standards. I place extreme value on these as they allow me to be a successful

educator. The Claims are as follows; TEAC/CAEP Claim 1: knowledge of subject matter,

TEAC/CAEP Claim 2: effective pedagogy and best teaching practices for Diverse Learners,

TEAC/CAEP Claim 3: caring educator. Completing this portfolio has also allowed me to

develop my time management, and organization skills.

Looking back on this journey, I am extremely appreciative for all of the experiences and

encounters that have allowed me to grow. The first orientation meeting discussed a capstone

portfolio that would showcase our development into a strong teaching candidate. I have to admit

I was a little nervous at first due to the severity of this project. However as I completed

assignments and learned more about myself, I knew this project would be an overall appreciation

of my time in the MSED program at Medaille College. I chose to showcase artifacts that I
believe showcase my overall subject matter knowledge, my ability to follow the effective

pedagogy and best teaching practices, and prove that I am an overall caring educator.

Although not every artifact could be showcased through this portfolio, I feel I have

chosen ones that showcase my wide range of abilities in terms of becoming a successful

educator. These artifacts have also allowed me to familiarize myself with the necessary

curriculum and professional standards. Throughout my time at Medaille College I have been

fortunate enough to be exposed to the NYS Common Core Learning Standards, the NYS

Learning Standards, INTASC Standards, ISTE Standards, NYS Code of Ethics, DOE/CAEP

Claims, CEC Standards, ILA Standards, and the Ontario Curriculum. Being a student from

Ontario has given me the opportunity to place emphasis on both the NYS & Ontario

Curriculums. Therefore developing me even more as educator through curriculum exposure and

standard expectations.

The ELED Assessment & Instruction plan is a project that I am grateful to have been a

part of. This project allowed me to work closely with a grade 3 student and administer multiple

reading and writing assessments to them. This project was a long process that allowed me to

develop my skills in the major teaching competencies that are planning, assessment, and

instruction. During this project I developed assessments that were at the specific reading level of

this student. From here, I took the results of the assessments and planned a lesson to allow this

student to develop and grow. This assignment made me familiar with crucial educator tools such

as running records, spelling inventories, comprehension checks, and lesson plans. This allowed

me to be creative and showcase my ability to develop a student at full potential. This assignment

placed emphasis on all three of the TEAC/CAEP Claims; Claim 1: knowledge of subject matter,
Claim 2: effective pedagogy and best teaching practices for diverse learners, and Claim 3: caring

educator. These are all important because they have developed me into a well rounded educator.

Developing lesson and unit plans are crucial to becoming an effective educator. Planning

is important because it sets the standard for the entire school day. These lesson plans have

allowed me to explore the CEC Standards for exceptional children by providing my students

with the necessary accommodations and modifications to ensure their needs are being met. This

also associates with TEAC/CAEP Claim 2: effective pedagogy and best teaching practices for

diverse learners, and Claim 3: caring educator. I am extremely grateful for the amount of practice

I have had to develop my planning skills that ultimately make me an effective educator.

Medaille College places an emphasis on group work and collaboration between peers

which I see as beneficial to educator development. This allows us to share thoughts and ideas

with one another in order to expand our knowledge of any given topic. This group work also

allows to be ethically proper when following the NYS Code of Ethics for Teachers and the

Ontario Ethical Teacher Standards. It is important to be ethical in all aspects of life, but

especially in a profession of a high standard such as an educator. Furthermore, this places an

emphasis on TEAC/CAEP Claim 3: Caring educator. The instructors and peers I have been able

to work with have been spectacular throughout my time at Medaille. The honesty and integrity

we shared has allowed me to develop as both a quality human being and all round educator. My

developing experiences with technology is also beneficial to my readiness to become a teacher.

In a growing technological world, our students are exposed to technology at young ages.

This allows them to be technologically advanced while maintaining a consistent interest in

technology. One of my main teaching philosophies places a large emphasis on classroom

management. This include students being prepared, interested, and focused throughout the
duration of a lesson. I believe that I will include technology in my lessons because it grabs the

students attention and allows them to be interested in a unit. I have seen this during my various

observation and field work experiences. There are many good apps, and games that are both

educational and entertaining. The technology course has also increased my familiarity with

teaching tools such as Weebly, SMART Notebook, and Kahoot. These are all technological

engaging applications that keep students interest through a lesson. Due to fact I will be educating

the younger generation this places an even larger emphasis on the importance to keep them

engaged, and motivated. I believe technology is a good way to grasp the students attention and

keep them focused. This also can be used in the form of accommodations and modifications for

students with exceptionalities. Thus aligning with TEAC/CAEP Claim 1: knowledge of subject

matter, TEAC/CAEP Claim 2: effective pedagogy and best teaching practices for Diverse

Learners, TEAC/CAEP Claim 3: caring educator. My time at Medaille and completing this

portfolio project has allowed me to focus on my organization and time management skills.

Time management and organization are definitely skills that are necessary to becoming a

successful educator. This portfolio has brought forth my time management and organization

skills that I believe I already expressed. Meeting deadlines is a crucial aspect of accountability

and throughout this entire portfolio process I was able to successfully meet all of the required

deadlines. I did this by staying organized and on task. These are qualities that also contribute to

being a successful educator. Organization is a key part of my personality. Nothing goes

undocumented of out of place because I pay close attention to detail. Originally, this portfolio

seemed to be an adequate amount of work. However, showcasing my abilities to you the reader

is an absolute honour and privilege.

Readiness to Become a Teacher

In section one of this portfolio I mentioned how my goal is to prove my readiness to

become a teacher through the use of pedagogies such as planning, instruction, and assessment. It

is my duty to give you the reader an overview of the achievements I have obtained during my

time in the MSED program at Medaille College. I provided an overview about what this entire

portfolio would look like. I feel I have done an adequate job in giving various reasons for myself

to be considered as a qualified teaching candidate.

In section two I went on a journey through my educational background experiences that

contribute to myself as an educator today. I have contributed many hours to the classroom which

includes both fieldwork placements and volunteer work. I feel my volunteer work in the

classroom shows my desire and dedication to the school environment. I was always willing and

able to contribute my time to the benefit of the students. I often gave up countless recess hours to

provide the students with extra help if necessary. I volunteered to help coach the school handball

in order to provide the students with an extracurricular activity they enjoyed. This again shows

my dedication to the classroom and my readiness to become an educator. My collaboration with

peers allows me to be an asset to any school community. This also showcases my knowledge and

understanding of the NYS Code of Ethics for Educators and the Ontario Ethical Teacher

Standards.

In section three I showcase some of the artifacts that have highlighted my journey

through the MSED program at Medaille College. These artifacts highlight my areas of strength

and have played a major role in shaping my views as an education professional. I feel I will take

many of these artifacts into my professional career because I believe they are well suited for the

classroom today. I connected these artifacts to theorists in the field, and the current professional
and curriculum standards to show my ability to follow proper guidelines, procedures, and ethical

standards. This leads us into section four.

In section four of this portfolio I showcased my knowledge, awareness, and ability to

maintain a professional classroom through the required curriculum and standards. This is

essential as these standards play a major role in classroom facilitation to ensure the proper

regulations are being met. In section five I had the grateful opportunity to share with you my

experiences and reflect back on this journey I am so lucky to have been on.

Overall, I feel that my dedication to the school, and development of the students will

make me the best possible teaching candidate. I have shown this through countless volunteer

hours that have given the students a better educational experience. My teaching philosophy that

includes an equity over equality approach will ensure all students individual needs are met and

accounted for. My certificates of excellence in both the DASA and CARE/SAVE seminars show

cultural competence along with best teaching practices. I can assure you that the evidence

provided throughout this portfolio is authentic and contributes to my readiness to be an educator.

Conclusion

Reflecting on my educational experiences and the development of this portfolio project

has been a rewarding experience. This reflection has allowed me the time to look back and be

appreciative for all of the hard work and effort that has gone into this educational journey. This

has also shown me the amount of important information and life lessons I have obtained

throughout this experience. My MSED portfolio is slowly wrapping up, however the educational

journey will also continue due to my willingness to learn and open minded approach. The next

section of this portfolio will include a teacher candidate interview video where I will answer

some of the potential questions that could be asked by you the reader, or potential employers.
This section is important because it allows me to clear up any details that may be in question.

This video will also demonstrate my technological knowledge by use of the Weebly Website and

screencast-o-matic view.