MSEDElementaryPortfolioProjectSectionFive

TeacherCandidateReflection
Introduction:
The portion of section five includes a reflection on the overall experiences I have
acquiredindevelopingthisportfolioprojectwhileincludingmyrelatedexperiences.Tobecome
aneffectiveteacheroneneedstobeabletoreflectontheirworkandmakechangesandlearn
frommistakesthatmayhavebeencommittedtoensurethattheyarebetterpreparedforfuture
tasksandteaching.MedailleCollegesMastersofScienceinElementaryEducationprogramhas
equippedmeintobecomingawonderfulteacherforthefuturewithgreattools,knowledge,
understanding, resources, and much more which I will share with you below. Building the
portfoliowasagreatjourneybecauseIwasabletolookatallmyworkIhaddoneduring
teacherscollege.Itwasanopportunitytoreflectontheitemsandpickwhichshowcasedmybest
work.Itwasalsoagreatlearningexperienceputtingeverythingtogethertoseethegrandpicture.
Ibelieveitwillbeessentialtoupdatemyportfolioasmycareerproceedsasitwillgive
meachancetoseemyprofessionalgrowthintheteachingfield,andalwaysremindmeofthe
traitsandeducationbehindteaching.Medaillehasagreatsetofprofessorsthatdifferfromeach
otherprovidinguswithvariousperspectivesforteaching,theyarehighlyskilledintheircourses
andwereabletoguidemethroughthecoursework,andprovidemewithveryhandytipsand
educationthatwillcomealiveinclassrooms.Furthermore,theprofessorshavetrulyinspiredme
toachievehighgoals.InthisportionIwillreflectonmyexperiences,observationsandlessons

alongwithafinalculminatingsectionshowcasingmyreadinesstobecomeateacherdrawingon
myareasofstrength.
PortfolioProject/TeacherEducationLearningExperiences:
ComingintotheMastersofScienceElementaryEducationprogramIhadmixfeelingsof
excitement,content,andwasabithesitantastowhatIwillbelearning,andwhatteachers
collegewastrulylike.Iamgratefulformyjourneythroughteacherscollegeasittaughtmea
wholelotabouttheartofpedagogy.DuringthefirstsemesterwehadfieldexperiencewhereI
was able to volunteer at three different schools where I gained much over 100 hours in
classroomwithGrade1s,3s,and4s.Myobservationsandexperienceworkingwithteachers,
principals,andchildrenwasimmaculate.Ilearnedawholelot,especiallylearntthatourlesson
plansneednottobelengthy,andthatwecannotputawholelotinitforchildrentolearn,butis
alwaysgoodtooverplanaswhatisnotusedcanbetakenforwardthenextday.
WorkingwiththechildrenIfelthowrewardingtheteachingprofessioniswhenchildren
comeuptoyouandthankyouforhelpingthem,oridolizeyouandgiveyoulittlecardsthatsay
yourethebest,andtrytogetyourattentionwhenyoureoutforrecessorinclass,andwhen
theylistenattentivelywhenyouteachalesson.Iwasabletoteachlessonsinthegradefourclass.
OtherlessonsIhavelearntwhileinteacherscollegeistheimportanceofbeingaculturally
responsibleteacherthatisinclusiveofallstudentswhichdoesnotonlymeantobeawareof
studentspopulationintermsofrace,ethnicityandculturalbackgroundorreligionbuttojust
simplyknowyourstudentslikes,dislikesandabouttheirparents.TheinformationIlearntfor
technologyuseinclassrooms,andthetoolswewereprovidedandhowIgottolearnhowtouse
aSmartBoardandhowtodeveloptheslidesforitwasamazingasourfuturelearnerswillbe

usingtechnologyinvariouswaysIfounditextremelyhelpfulforMedailletodevoteafullclass
ontechnologyforustolearnandbewellequipped.Wewereconstantlymakinglessonplans,
andunitplans,andpresentingourplansanddoingminipresentationsinordertogetbackgood
criticismfromtheprofessorsandclasswhichhelpedusgreatlyimproveonourpresentingskills
andtoimproveourplansthatwewouldcreate.
Medaillemadelearningfun,andsmoothandmadethetransitionfrombeingastudentto
becomingateacherveryseamless.IwasabletomeettheTEAC/CAEPClaimsthroughoutthe
lastthreesemestersbythefollowing.Claim1:MedailleCollegegraduatesknowthesubject
matterintheircertificationareas,asanelementaryfutureteacherMedailleequippedusinsocial
sciences,mathematics,science,technology,languageartsgivingusawellroundedknowledgein
allsubjectsforaelementaryclassroom.MyexperienceinclassroomsduetoMedaillegaveme
knowledgeinhealthandphysicaleducationalongsidedramaandart.Claim2:MedailleCollege
graduates meet the needs of diverse learners through effective pedagogy and best teaching
practices wereimplementedintoourprogramthroughout.Iamwellequippedtoimplement
claim2inmyteachingthroughculturallyresponsibleteaching,dignityforallstudents,and
knowledgeofcateringtowardsmystudents.ThelastClaim3:MedailleCollegegraduatesare
caringeducatorsmademeawareofto,andhowIexpresscaringasaneducator.Thuscaringis
extendedtostudents,schoolandparentsforthebettermentofsociety.
Studentsarethefutureoftomorrow,andcaringreallyshowsthroughwhenyouteach,
andseeresults.ThetwobestlessonsIlearntwhichwillstickwithmeforeverisnumberone
AdaptandOvercomewhenthingsdonotgoasplanned,orforsomereasonsomethinghappens
neverpanicjustadapttothescenarioorsituationandovercomeitwithanotherbrilliantideain

ordertosolvetheproblem.SecondlessonIlearntishowtoknowwhatyourbigpictureforunit
plans,orlessonsplansare,whatwillthestudentsreallylearnfromyourlessonorunitplanand
whatwillstickwiththem.Thishelpedmegobeyondteachingbuttobecomeaninspiringteacher
forstudentstowanttolearn.Theexperienceofaccumulatinganddevelopingthisportfoliohas
beenanunforgettablejourney,itsnoteasytoputtogethera100+pageportfoliobutitwasa
reflectivelearningexperience.Iwasabletolookatmyobservationsmadeinclassanalyzing
students,andlookbackintomycourseworkandkeepessentialitems asideformyself,and
organizemycourseworkincaseIneeditinthenearfuture,Iwasabletoseemyprogress
through the 3 semesters where I had started and where I am now. Learning what makes a
spectacularteachertoexercisingwhatIhadwritteninsectiononehasbeenspeechless.
ReadinesstoBecomeaTeacher:
Itissaidreachforthestarsandyouwillenduponthemoon,IamproudtosaythatI
havereachedmystar.Mystar,mydreamofbecomingateacherisarealitynow.Iamequipped
toteachandhavemyownclassroomthankstoMedailleCollegeandmyeffortsandsupport
fromfamilyandthestudentsIwassidebysidelearningwith.Iamabletoteachcontentinall
subjects,anddevelopinteractivefunlessonplansandunitplansforstudentsthatfollowthe
curriculum.Iamabletoprofessionallycommunicatewiththecommunityandparentsthrough
theuseofposters,email,remindmeapplication.
Icandevelopplansforallstudentsandbeabletoseewhatreadingleveltheyareinand
cater to their needs in language arts through my knowledge from Medaille College literacy
courses.Iambetterattimemanaging,alongsidedevelopingcreativewaystobringtechnologyin
aclassroomthroughtheuseofSmartBoards,Plickers,Padlet,PowerPoint,Q.RCodes,andthe

vastinternet.Ihavemasteredwaysofgrabbingstudentattentionandhandlingaclassroomand
getting their attention and exciting students to want to learn through the understanding of
classroommanagement.Iamabletoknowwhentousealternativeinstructionmethodsina
classroomandtoalsodiversifymyteachinginstructionwithvariousmethods.Ipossessacaring
and passion for helping and teaching students so that they learn and not just memorize
informationforthetimebeing.Ilovegoingoutofmyway,andgoingtheextramileincreatinga
lessonwherestudentsareengagedevenifitrequiresmetolose3045minutesofsleepfora
nightwhilecreatingamoreengaginglessonorunit.ReasonbeingIcare,andthesatisfactionof
knowingmystudentshavemasteredaskill,orpieceofinformationispricelessandensuresme
thatIamdoingmyjob.WithallthissaidIhavetheabilitytobecomeaprofessionalcaring,
knowledgeable,professionalteacherwhomusesherbestpedagogyskillstouseininclusively
teachingallstudents.
Conclusion:
Myportfoliofromsectiononetofourhasprovidedvastinformationinformingyouon
howwellequippedIamforteaching,alsoshowcasedmydevelopedthroughteacherscollegeat
MedailleCollege.Fromknowledgeincurriculum,tocreatingawebsite,developinglessonand
unitplans,toshowcasingresearchskills,demonstratingmycreative,caring,knowledgeableself,
referencingmyfavoritetheoristbeingBrunerfortheirplaybasedlearningtheoryaswellas
othertheorist,todescribingmyrelatedexperiencesworkingwithstudents,lastlyshowingmy
artifactsandhowtheyarelinkedtoprofessionalstandardsandthecurriculum.InconclusionI
wouldliketoappealthatIamreadytobecomeaprofessionalteacher,andwouldliketotakeall
myexperiencesandeducationandapplytoarealclassroom.