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Section Five: Teacher Candidate Reflection

Introduction

One of the most valuable assets a teacher can have is the ability to be reflective practi-

tioner. The reflection process allows an educator to evaluate the ways in which their ideas are

either helping or hindering their students levels of success. It allows teachers to grow and build

upon. Throughout this section of the portfolio, I will reflect upon my experiences as a student of

education, my experiences constructing this portfolio project as well as my readiness to become

a full time teacher. I have learned a great deal as I have gone through this Masters of Education

program and I feel confident that these experiences have created many different opportunities for

meaningful reflection. It is my hope that throughout this section, it will show that my handwork

throughout this process has been mindful and cognizant of the TEAC/CAEP Claims of Medaille

College. I have done my best to uphold these claims throughout this education program.

Portfolio Project/Teacher Education Learning Experiences

Creating this portfolio was both enjoyable and challenging. The entire experience has al-

lowed me to thoroughly examine my teaching philosophies and teaching practices and taught me

how to organize myself so that I can successfully communicate my commitment and dedication

to being an educator (Claim 3: Medaille College graduates are caring educators). This experience

has also provided me with an opportunity to reevaluate the work I have done thus far as a pre-

service teacher. It has helped me to look back at all of the things that I have learned like class-

room management strategies, best practices and educational theory within the classroom. All of

these things are now a part of my own teaching repertoire (Claim 2: Medaille College graduates

meet the needs of diverse learners through effective pedagogy and best teaching practices). Addi-
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tional, this portfolio has provided me with a wealth of knowledge that I can carry beyond my

time at Medaille College. I am able to share all that I have learned including content knowledge

as well as best teaching practices and pass along that expertise to my future students and col-

leagues (Claim 1: Medaille College graduates know the subject matter in their certification

areas).

My time spent at Medaille College as a part of the Masters of Elementary Education

Program has proved to be invaluable as it has been filled with enriching and very personal char-

acter building experiences. I have learned an incredible amount in my short time at Medaille, and

can credit much of my confidence as a future educator to the success of the program and the car-

ing professionals who have helped to make my student experience both meaningful and worth-

while. As I reflect back on my journey towards becoming an educator, I can identify 3 distinct

aspects and learning experiences that have stood out along the way. These include the courses

offered at Medaille College, the wonderful opportunity for hand on experience within classrooms

and the expertise of the instructors of the program.

All of the courses offered in Medailles education program is hand selected as to give its

students the pertinent information and knowledge to move into their careers as fully equipped

individuals that are able to face challenges with confidence and overcome adversity throughout

their careers. In the first semester, we were introduced to the field of education through a course

called the Core of Education. Throughout the course, we learned how to be thoughtful and re-

flective teachers. We were also exposed to and given the opportunity to develop our first set of

lesson plans within this course (Claim 3: Medaille College graduates are caring educators). Upon

the completion of this course, I was equipped with a strong grasp of best practices as I continued

to navigate through my Masters of Education.

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As my schooling continued, I was able to take part in classes that were based upon diver-

sity and inclusion. Some of these classes included Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and

Foundations of Special Education. These courses played a large role in expanding my thinking

in terms of disability, exceptionality and diversity. They have helped me to experience both the

rewards and challenges that are involved when students with unique needs become a part of our

classrooms (Claim 2: Medaille College graduates meet the needs of diverse leaners through ef-

fective pedagogy and best teaching practices). Participation in these classes gave me insight into

the different methods to face each individual situation that I may encounter throughout my career

as a classroom teacher. There is bound to be many unexpected and ultimately unfamiliar situa-

tions that I may be presented with. However due to the training and knowledge that I have re-

ceived at Medaille, I now have the appropriate base knowledge to help me navigate such in-

stances. For example, the course Technology for the Elementary Classroom has left me with

invaluable skills as a teacher working in the 21st Century. Technology in the current classrooms

is something that all teachers will encounter, but may have varying degrees of familiarity with

such technology. Through taking this course, I have been guided and instructed on how to use

one of the most practical and relevant classroom technology as well as helped me to better un-

derstand the many different multimedia forms so that I am able to teach my students both effec-

tively and to the best of my ability (Claim 1: Medaille College graduates know the subject matter

in their certification areas). This course has helped me to establish a greater degree of confidence

as I navigate the first few years of my professional career.

As I continued at Medaille I was able to continue to learn and absorb vast amounts of in-

formation from my instructors as well as fellow classmates. More specifically, I was provided

with a great deal of material and knowledge in each of the subject areas that I would be address-

ing as an elementary school teacher. I was able to build lesson plans in mathematics, science, so-
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cial studies and language. Assessment was also a major focus of the semester both how to admin-

ister assessment and how to establish a variety of assessment to ensure the data was accurate and

beneficial to each learner (Claim 1: Medaille College graduates know the subject matter in their

certification areas). By taking part in all of these courses, it has allowed me to step out of my

role as a student and into my role as a future educator. I was given the opportunity to create

lessons, instruct, display my classroom management skills as well as receive meaningful feed-

back from my colleagues and professors as they watched along the way. Although the day to day

life of an authentic elementary classroom will have vast differences from my experiences at

Medaille, each of these situations have given me the opportunity to challenge myself and reflect

upon both my strengths and weaknesses in the classroom.

Medaille College was able to provide irreplaceable opportunities for real life experiec-

nces in the field of education. As new students in our first semester, we were given the chance to

spend time and observe both mathematics and literacy classes at Buffalo Prep. It gave Medailles

students to get a first hand look at students who all had exceptionalities that allowed them to en-

ter the program but also experienced financial hardships. Medaille students were also require to

complete 100 hours of observation during the first semester of the program. This experienced

helped me to immerse myself in the daily workings of a classroom while taking note of best

practices and things to consider when teaching in my own classroom. I was able to watch the

teachers give lessons, manage student behaviour and apply strategies that were appropriate for

the student within their classrooms (Claim 2: Medaille College graduates meet the needs of di-

verse learners through effective pedagogy and best teaching practices). Additionally, during the

4 months that I was placed directly in local school classrooms, I was lucky enough to receive a

great amount of insight from both my associate teachers and college supervisor. Once again I

was able to experience the challenges and joys of life within a classroom, but this time in a more
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authentic setting. I was able to observe different strategies for planning, instruction, assessment,

learner accommodations, classroom management, and responsive teaching. I also had the ability

to take part in multiple seminars and days of professional development. These included math

workshops as well as days dedicated to understanding how we as teachers can better impact and

support different populations of students we may have in our classrooms like LGBTQ students

(Claim 3: Medaille College graduates are caring educators).

Each one of the courses, experiences and assignments I have encountered at Medaille

College has contained pertinent and necessary content that has helped to prepare me to become a

successful educator. Best practices, strategies and assignments were rooted in theory, giving us

the resources to look back upon and the confidence to put each strategy into placing knowing

that they are proven educational theories. These theories have been developed and refined over

time to make up what we now know as todays field of education. Each student that graduates

from Medaille can be confident in the fact that they will enter into the teaching profession as a

knowledge member of the field.

Reediness to Become a Teacher

The combination and culmination of all the moments during my time at Medaille College

has led me to be a more confident, self-assured and fully prepared to be an educator. This pro-

gram has allowed me to build a repertoire of strategies for the classroom that I will continue to

foster and build upon so that my future students will have a great school experience just like I

had. I have established new strengths and talents throughout my masters including planning, cur-

riculum knowledge, application of classroom management, research, technology integration, cul-

turally responsive teaching and knowledge of the Dignity for All Student Act. All of these educa-
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tional practices are critical elements of a teachers skill set and I am confident that I have the nec-

essary knowledge to employ them effectively.

The action of planning accounts for a large portion of an educators daily activities. Plan-

ning and organizing a meaningful lesson is the key to students success within the classroom.

Each and every lesson should be mindful of the individual students and their learning styles and

interests. The most effective learning will occur when students are able to actively engage in the

content and comprehend the information in a meaningful and long lasting way. During my time

in the classroom I have learned that it is beneficial to create lessons that are both creative and

informative. As an individual ready to enter the teaching profession, I take pride in my ability to

do just this. I take the time and effort to plan engaging and purposeful lessons that will impact

my students. I ensure that each lesson is not only creative but also adheres to the provincial cur-

riculum. I understand that these mandated documents are put in place to help all student receive

the appropriate content and knowledge in each year of their lives and as an educator I take the

delivery of this curriculum very seriously. As a teacher I will do everything in my power to cre-

ate positive experiences in the classroom that encourage my students success.

Another major component of classroom life is a teachers ability to effectively manage

their students. A teacher must have the ability to provide an environment that establishes com-

munity, respect and a safe place for all students. I have utilized this safety and respect when it

comes to developing relationships with my students. I then am able to use these positive relation-

ships to my advantage within day to day situations in the classroom. I have also learned that

when it comes to classroom and behaviour management that there is no one size fits all strategy.

Throughout my time at Medaille I have developed an arsenal of strategies to use with students

but am also committed to continuing to add to it through collaboration with colleagues, profes-

sional development and further research throughout my career.

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Meeting the needs of students within your classroom is another essential part of a teach-

ers daily life. In the current technological era, the use of technology within the classroom has be-

come an important piece of the curriculum. Students entering the classroom are individuals that

have never experienced life without technology. At a very young age they are equipped with a

vast knowledge of computers, iPads and other every day technology. It is then my job as a

teacher to keep up with the ever changing technology and effectively utilize them to make

lessons and activities relevant and relatable to students. The technology course that I took part in

at Medaille has equipped me with countless ways to integrate electronics and online applications

into the classroom. I now have the ability to create my own teacher website, construct Smart

Board lessons and post virtual lessons using a screen cast. In addition to applications in the class-

room I have learned how to use different tools to communicate with my students outside of the

classroom including Animoto and Voki.. While technology may not be suitable for all learners, I

understand that it is extremely important to have a working knowledge of how to use the relevant

pieces of technology within the classroom. Having this knowledge will allow me to provide my

students with engaging lesson plans, relevant material and give us the opportunity to get to know

each other and build positive relationships.

In addition to technology, there are other ways in which teachers can cater to the unique

interests of their students. As an educator, I have the responsibility to be culturally responsive to

all of my students and teach them according to their own individual learning styles. In accor-

dance with this responsibility, I have been trained and certified on the Dignity for All Students

Act (DASA). I am able to identify ways in which to support and protect my own students as well

as students within our school community. Throughout my experiences as a pre-service teacher I

have learned that my responsibility as an educator goes beyond that of the four walls of my
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classroom. I have a duty to all students and am confident that I can serve all students to the best

of my ability.

Conclusion

As I conclude this section of my portfolio, I am pleased to look back on my reflection of

my experiences as a per-service teacher and am excited to venture into my first year as a profes-

sional in the field of education. I hope to have given examples of my ability to look at my past

and reflect upon my experiences in order to help move forward and improve my skills as a

teacher. I am confident that the knowledge that I have gained as a Masters student at Medaille

will drive me forward and send me into a fulfilling teacher career. My courses, field experiences

and instructors have all played a critical part in providing me with the highest quality of educa-

tion. Through this experience I now have the ability and knowledge to satisfy all 3 TEAC/CAEP

Claims. I have done my best in this reflection to prove that I exhibit exceptional preparedness to

take on a teaching position in the field.

In the following and final section of my portfolio, I will demonstrate my skills, compe-

tencies an abilities as a teaching professional through an interview video as well as a written

transcript. My hope is that these two items will conclude this portfolio and communicate my con-

fidence and reveal the image of an ideal teacher candidate.

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