Section Three: Teacher Candidate Artifacts

Introduction

This section, Teacher Candidate Artifacts, will introduce the reader to eight artifacts that

will showcase the skills and knowledge that I have developed throughout my education at

Medaille. These artifacts will highlight the many skills that I have mastered throughout my

education, preparing me to be the best educator possible. These artifacts will showcase my

instructional, planning and assessment skills and will also demonstrate my teaching strategies

and ability to accommodate students with disabilities. My classroom management philosophy

and my professional dispositions as an educator will also be evident within these chosen

artifacts. The artifacts that are included in this section include: a SMART Notebook Presentation,

my Weebly Website, my Classroom Management Fun Box, an ELA Lesson Plan, a Science

Learning Segment and Summative Assessment, my DASA Certificate, an Educational Survey and

a Pecha Kucha Presentation.

Throughout this section, I will reference both New York State and Ontario professional

and curriculum standards and their relation to the eight artifacts. Each artifact includes a

rationale outlining why I have included in the artifact and how it reflects my ability to be an

effective educator. Below each rationale I have attached copies of my artifacts to showcase my

knowledge, capabilities and hard work. Each artifact has been chosen to give a well-rounded

perspective of my expertise in the education field.

Artifacts & Rationales

 Artifact #1: SMART Notebook/Author Study Presentation.

My first artifact is an author study on Laura Numeroff that I created using the SMART

Notebook software. This particular presentation includes interactive books for students to listen

to and activities for Math, ELA and the Arts for students in Grade 1, which align to both New

York and Ontario curriculum standards.

I have chosen to include my SMART Notebook/Author Study Presentation because it

showcases my ability to integrate technology in the instructional process. SMART Boards are

very common in classrooms, and it is important that teachers utilize this technology. Technology

is common place in our students’ lives and it is something that they expect, so it is important that

teachers utilize different types of technology in their lessons to get students excited and engaged.

After creating this presentation using the SMART Notebook Software, I feel very comfortable

and know that it is a technology that I will utilize often in my own classroom.

This artifact also demonstrates my ability to create lessons that are engaging. The

presentation is extremely engaging for students and utilizes many of the features available on the

SMART Board. SMART Notebook technology allows teachers to create engaging lessons that

incorporate many mediums for students to participate. I was able to incorporate interactive

games into some of these lessons that are both informative and fun. I was able to create many

activities that promoted higher order thinking skills for my students. Using technology in the

classroom also allows teachers to connect with students with different learning styles.

Connection to Standards:
 Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium Standards (InTASC):

Standard #1: Learner Development: the teacher understands how learners grow and develop,

recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the

cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements

developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.

1 (b) The teacher creates developmentally appropriate instruction that takes into account

individual learners’ strengths, interests, and needs and that enables each learner to advance and

accelerate his/her learning.

Standard #3: Learning Environments: the teacher works with others to create environments that

support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction,

active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

3 (g) the teacher promotes responsible learner use of interactive technologies to extend the

possibilities for learning locally and globally.

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP):

Standard 1. Content and Pedagogical Knowledge. The provider ensures that candidates

develop a deep understanding of the critical concepts and principles of their discipline and, by

completion, are able to use discipline-specific practices flexibly to advance the learning of all

students toward attainment of college- and career-readiness standards.

1.5 Providers ensure that candidates model and apply technology standards as they design,

implement and assess learning experiences to engage students and improve learning; and enrich

professional practice.

Standard 5. Provider Quality, Continuous Improvement: The provider maintains a quality

assurance system comprised of valid data from multiple measures, including evidence of
candidates' and completers' positive impact on P-12 student learning and development. The

provider supports continuous improvement that is sustained and evidence-based, and that

evaluates the effectiveness of its completers. The provider uses the results of inquiry and data

collection to establish priorities, enhance program elements and capacity, and test innovations to

improve completers' impact on P-12 student learning and development.

NYS Code of Ethics for Educators:

Principle 2: Educators create, support, and maintain challenging learning environments for all.

Educators apply their professional knowledge to promote student learning. They know the

curriculum and utilize a range of strategies and assessments to address differences. Educators

develop and implement programs based upon a strong understanding of human development and

learning theory. They support a challenging learning environment. They advocate for necessary

resources to teach to higher levels of learning. They establish and maintain clear standards of

behavior and civility. Educators are role models, displaying the habits of mind and work

necessary to develop and apply knowledge while simultaneously displaying a curiosity and

enthusiasm for learning. They invite students to become active, inquisitive, and discerning

individuals who reflect upon and monitor their own learning.

The Ontario Ethical Teacher Standards:

Care: The ethical standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and insight for

developing students’ potential. Members express their commitment to students’ well-being and

learning through positive influence, professional judgment and empathy in practice.

International Society for Technology Education Standards for Educators (ISTE)

5. Designer
5b. Design authentic learning activities that align with content area standards and use digital

tools and resources to maximize active, deep learning.

5c. Explore and apply instructional design principles to create innovative digital learning

environments that engage and support learning.

NYS P-12 Common Core Learning Standards

English Language Arts

CCSS.ELA.LITERACY.RI.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

CCSS.ELA.LITERACY.RI.1.7 Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.

NYS Learning Standards

Math Grade 1

Topic: Operations and Algebraic Thinking

Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction

Standard 1. Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations

of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all

positions

Art Grade 1

Topic: Creating

Standard 1. Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

Topic: Enduring Understanding

1.1 Creativity and innovative thinking are essential life skills that can be developed

Ontario Curriculum
Ministry of Education – The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8 – English Language Arts

Grade: 1

Topic: Listening to Understand

Demonstrating Understanding

1.4 Demonstrate an understanding of the information and ideas in oral texts by retelling the

story or restating the information, including the main idea.

Topic: Reading for meaning

Making inferences/Interpreting Texts

1.5 use stated and implied information and ideas in texts, initially with support and direction,

to make simple inferences and reasonable predictions about them

Ministry of Education – The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8 – Mathematics

Grade: 1

Topic: Operational Sense

- Solve a variety of problems involving the addition and subtraction of whole numbers

to 20, using concrete materials and drawings

- Solve problems involving the addition and subtraction of single-digit whole numbers,

using a variety of mental strategies

Ministry of Education – The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8 - Visual Arts

Grade: 1

D1. Creating and Presenting

D1.1 Create two-and three-dimensional works of art that express feelings and ideas inspired by

personal experiences

D1.2 demonstrate and understanding of composition, using principles of design to create

narrative art works on a theme or topic

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 Artifact #2: Weebly Website.

My second artifact is a class website that I created using the Weebly software. My

Weebly Website showcases my ability to relate and engage with families in a professional and

creative fashion. Having a class website is an excellent way to engage with students and families

at home. There are sections for both students and parents which include useful tools and links

that may help them throughout the year. My website is a place where I can stay in touch with

families and keep communication open. I think that it is very important to communicate

regularly with families so that everyone knows what is going on throughout the school year.

Teachers should try and work collaboratively with families and a website is a great place to start

this collaboration. I included surveys to get parent and student feedback on different things.

This artifact also showcases my ability to incorporate technology in the classroom. It is

essentially a virtual classroom where students and families can visit to find out things that are

going on in the classroom and school throughout the year. I incorporated the use of many

different tools on my website. There is a cyber safety presentation for students and families to

view to learn all about the importance of staying safe on the Internet. There is also a section with

virtual field trips where students can go to visit places around the world, all from the comfort of

their own home. I also developed a Screencast-o-matic video lesson that students have access to

when they are away from school as well as QR codes to enhance my students’ learning and get

them excited.
 Connection to Standards:

Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium Standards (InTASC):

Standard #10: Leadership and Collaboration: The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and

opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families,

colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to

advance the profession.

10 (g) The teacher uses technological tools and a variety of communication strategies to build

local and global learning communities that engage learners, families, and colleagues.

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP):

Standard 2. Clinical Partnerships and Practice: The provider ensures that effective

partnerships and high-quality clinical practice are central to preparation so that candidates

develop the knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions necessary to demonstrate positive

impact on all P-12 students' learning and development.

NYS Code of Ethics for Educators:

Principle 5: Educators collaborate with parents and community, building trust and respecting

confidentiality. Educators partner with parents and other members of the community to enhance

school programs and to promote student learning. They also recognize how cultural and

linguistic heritage, gender, family and community shape experience and learning. Educators

respect the private nature of the special knowledge they have about students and their families

and use that knowledge only in the students’ best interests. They advocate for fair opportunity for

all children.
 The Ontario Ethical Teacher Standards:

Care: The ethical standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and insight for

developing students’ potential. Members express their commitment to students’ well-being and

learning through positive influence, professional judgment and empathy in practice.

International Society for Technology Education Standards for Educators (ISTE):

4. Collaborator

4c. Use collaborative tools to expand students’ authentic, real-world learning experiences by

engaging virtually with experts, teams and students, locally and globally.

4d. Demonstrate cultural competency when communicating with students, parents and colleagues

and interact with them as co-collaborators in student learning.

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