Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 1

Section Two: Teacher Candidate Background Experiences

Introduction

I have chosen to pursue a career in the teaching profession because of my experiences as

a student and as a teacher. As a student I considered my teacher, who were involved in

extracurricular activities and passionate about their classroom to be ideal educators. In the

classroom, I would feed off of their enthusiasm and admire their dedication to overall student

life. The environments of their classroom flourished with visual, auditory and kinesthetic

opportunities. I have been drawn to this vocation that encompasses variety, cooperation,

commitment, challenges and respect for the youthful minds of our society. Teaching is a

privilege and one that I have been devoted to for quite some time.

I feel blessed to have grown up in a multicultural environment for several reasons. First

of all, I love being a part of an environment where many different cultures interact together and

are celebrated on a daily basis. During my educational experiences, I have volunteered or

worked at many primary, intermediate and secondary schools. I have been employed private

schools and public schools. I have worked as a seminar leader at a university in Ontario,

Canada, an education assistant at a special needs school in Alberta, Canada and a private

language school in Auckland, New Zealand. I have worked in amateur sport as a development

officer for the provincial/state, creating opportunities for new and seasoned coaches and referees.

Finally, I was employed as a webinar and seminar developer and trainer for a software company

in the private security sector.

I have always tried my best to listen to what my more experienced colleagues have

suggested in terms of developing my own skills as an educator. I believe that feedback is one of
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 2

the most powerful tools that help us grow and improve. I also believe experiencing as many

growth opportunities as possible and filtering those opportunities and suggestions to better

myself as a professional. At 38 years-of-age, I have been exposed to a variety of learning

environments, worked with individuals from around the world and from all walks of life, this is

why I know I have made the right choice to return to teaching in the classroom.

In section two of the portfolio, I will discuss my own personal background, the goals of

this project, my personal philosophy of education, my resume/curriculum vitae and a conclusion.

Teacher Candidate Educational and Work Experiences

Education Experiences.

Throughout my student career there has been many teachers that have made a positive

impact on my life. In my grade six class, I had my homeroom teacher (French Immersion) who

had us for the entire curriculum except for English class and then we had the vice-principal who

taught us English. This was the first time in my school life that I had another teacher teach us

English and it was the first time I had a male as a teacher outside of health and physical

education. Myself and the other students loved our homeroom teacher, she was young, cool, full

of energy, a provincial/state champion in Judo and we loved everything she did. She

incorporated current social aspects into our curriculum as much as possible. I distinctly

remember listening to Phil Collins song Another Day in Paradise. We listened to the song and

had the lyrics on a hand out. We dissected the song and its social meaning, then we wrote our

own view on how we can help those who are less fortunate (in French, of course). The fact is, I

could still use this song today, however, I would choose a current song that puts forth the same

message. I would also add a video on the smartboard or projector screen making sure to utilize

technology and help the students who are visual learners.

Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 3

Alternatively, the vice-principal was very good at implementing the creative writing

process. I absolutely loved how he was able to break the process down into small manageable

steps. Not unlike the process of writing this assignment. At first our class was scared of this

man, who was well over six feet tall and rarely smiled. In the end, he turned out to be a big softy

but Ill never forget him having a strong demeanor at the beginning of the year and easing up

towards the end. We are told often as new teachers, Youre not there to be the students friends,

and if you are nice at the beginning of the year, by the end, those students will be walking all

over you.. I undoubtedly believe that being consistent and being firm at the beginning of the

year is key to my success.

It was during my high school years in high school, in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada

where I will acknowledge a pivotal point in my life. This is when I discovered the need to make

a difference. Due to my overall enjoyment of attending school and participating in school life, I

had developed a strong appreciation for the people who educated and coached me. Because of

this, while I was still in high school, I began helping the health and physical education teacher

for one of his grade nine health classes. I had this teacher for several classes, including science

and health and he also knew my Father from the Rugby community. I had met him even before

attending high school and I looked up to him due to his athleticism and personality. Once in

high school and taking one of his courses, I concluded that he was also quite intellectually gifted.

His classes were engaging, entertaining and I always looked forward to that part of the day. The

teacher was very kind and became a mentor, even to this day I am in contact with him, post his

retirement. With regard to the experience with his health class, he would debrief with me before

and after the class. I distinctly remember him going over some of the questions he would be

asking the students. He then listed some of their potential answers and how he would address
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 4

them professionally. I believe it was at this time when I started to really appreciate the types of

questions we ask are vital. Many years later, it has continued to capture my interleague and has

lead me to do further research into the world of appreciative questioning.

Simultaneously, I also created an opportunity for my fellow female classmates to

participate in the sport of Rugby, my favorite sport. I started the girls rugby program at my high

school with two of my classmates and began my journey as a coach. These two experiences, one

in the classroom and one on the field were both positive experiences and furthered my desire to

enter the teaching/coaching/education profession.

In summary, of the experiences listed, it could be said that there are many different types

of teachers. Ive learned to observe all educators, use what I think will work for me and discard

the rest. At times, I will reflect and re-visit certain classroom management techniques or think

about some of the characteristics I liked about other educators. I place value in knowing that we

can always improve and at the same time realize that caring and helping others is overarching

and key component for all teachers. We must care, and if we care we can hopefully connect with

many young individuals.

Work Experiences.

I am very lucky and humbled by the amount of opportunities and work experiences I

have had in the world of education, coaching and refereeing. I have also been fortunate to have

lived abroad in New Zealand and lived in various cities in southern Ontario. My parents taught

me to work hard and enjoy what I do, but they also told me to explore and try new and different

things in order to truly find what I love. Because of this philosophy I have worked at many

places, some good and some not so good. However, what I determined is that every opportunity

there is a takeaway. A learning experience to put in your tool kit. I have worked in the
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 5

restaurant industry as server/waiter and Ive stocked shelves at a grocery store. I have worked on

oil and gas rigs as a laborer in Canada and the United States and I have worked as a salesman at

various places. All these experiences have made me a better, more companionate human being.

More importantly, these experiences have brought me to the realization that I belong in a school

working with like-minded adults in hopes of helping young individuals improve. For this

assignment, I will focus on the education aspects of my various places of employment.

My first job in education was at the age of sixteen working as a sports camp counselor.

Here, I was able to work with six year olds to twelve year olds. I mention this, because 22 years

later, Ive come full circle back to the same age group. I enjoyed every minute of these two

years of summer time employment. I will never forget my first unit plan. It was explained to

each councilor that they would have to plan an entire week of activity based around one sport. I

went rogue and chose the sport of rugby. This was also the first time I made modifications to suit

the leaning needs of the people in front of me. The sport of rugby is very physical and therefore

had to remove all contact since we had athletes under the age of twelve. It was replaced by flags

at the hips. We also modified several other aspects so that the younger kids could utilize other

skills learned from other sports such as volleyball, basketball and soccer. The game ended up

resembling Australian Rules Football, a sport that encompasses skills from a wide variety of

sports and played on a cricket pitch. As a volunteer earlier on this year, I used the same

modifications and my mentor teacher was thoroughly surprised and appreciative.

In university, for two years I worked as a seminar leader for my Sociology of Sport and

Physical Activity. This was a positive experience because I actually enjoyed more than being a

student at the university. As odd as that sounds, this opportunity kept me working hard in my

own classes. The main learning opportunity I will use today as a teacher is guided learning.
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 6

University seminars were a maximum of twelve students, slightly larger than the four, five or six

students I would have in guided reading, or a guided lesson in mathematics or science. A

secondary learning takeaway form this job was the need to plan. I ended up increasing my

planning time from the day before to the week before, immediately after the current seminar.

Since the classes were weekly, I would use the time after my class to prepare for the next topic at

hand. Then I would modify as ideas came to me throughout the week. I could always change

the plan after the fact, but cramming the day before was stressful and did not produce quality

instruction for the group.

My last two summers during my undergrad I worked as an Intervenor. This is someone

who works one-to-one with an individual who has very specific needs. I was paired up with an

individual who had downs syndrome, legally deaf and blind, had one leg 4 inches longer than the

other and non-verbal. I was placed with Niagara Support Services in Niagara Falls, Canada. I

received this opportunity after 3 years of volunteering at university in a program where students

were paired up with individuals with special needs. In my undergrad, I also specialized in the

special needs assistance program (SNAP) associated with my health and physical education

degree. One of my favorite all time professors who was the head of the program set me up with

this employment opportunity. It was one of the most useful jobs I have had to date. Working

with this individual as an Intervenor and communicating with his family taught me compassion

and empathy beyond belief. I believe that every abled human has the power to change their life

or their current situation, but sometimes when you see how people with special needs live and

how their family has sacrificed, it can be a heart breaker.

As I mentioned previously, I worked as seminar and webinar trainer with a software

company. This place of employment provided me with the opportunity to get technologically
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 7

inclined and comfortable using software. I also worked with people all over North America and

the world and was provided the opportunity to travel and meet new people. The company I

worked for was based in Sweden, and I had two opportunities to travel there. I love asking

questions about education while in other countries. Finding out what the locals think about how

their country approaches learning. Personal philosophies, belief in standardized testing are often

topics I will enquire about. Many people who I worked with could not believe I left teaching for

Sales and training as they thought I was natural public speaker and very strong at breaking down

curriculum and making learning interactive and enjoyable. When you hear this constantly, and I

am not bragging, you start to question whether your current job is actually your career. This did

lead to me leaving and going to work for the provincial/state governing body for the sport of

Rugby. This job was fairly short and only lasted a year and seven months. It did focus around

coaching and referee development at all levels of play.

School Observations & Classroom Applications

The following is my reflection on my classroom experiences over the past seven months.

I have found this to be a productive process that has provided me with the opportunity to observe

and reflect on teaching best practices. I was lucky enough to observe at four different locations

that were all quite different in terms of best practices. I will separate my reflection for each

location by paragraph so that my reflections are easier to read. The hours spent working with

teachers and students is invaluable and the experience will enrich my journey moving forward in

my practicum and as a professional teacher.

Best practice focus.

I will begin with my experience at Stephen G. Saywell Public School (Saywell). My

reason for going to this class was to learn from a teacher who is a science major who could help
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 8

me improve my science teaching abilities. I was focused on observing what made these classes

successful. It was clear that Ms. Murray stressed having the right materials and making sure she

was planned well in advanced so that she could produce lessons that were cross curricular.

Preparation, materials and cross curricular lessons are all best practices to aid in having a

successful classroom. Being prepared from the start of the year and before the start of every day

will lesson personal stress and produce better lessons. Having the right materials for every

lesson keeps everyone focused, including the teacher. Cross-curricular lessons help with making

sure students are exposed to the entire curriculum more than once. I also found that Ms. Murray

stressed the value of having her students explore and come to their own conclusions. She

accomplished this by modeling the experiment, allowing the students to test, explore and record

their findings then Ms. Murray would ask appreciative questions to get the students thinking and

engaged.

The second location I visited was at Cedarbrook Public School (Cedarbrook). My

rational for working with Mr. Slyfield was to refresh my physical and health education roots and

work with an extremely organized and methodical educator. His role at the school is the

physical and health education specialist - kindergarten to grade eight and he has developed one

of the strongest programs in the city of Toronto (recommended by two friends who are vice

principals). The students have a detailed progression of skill through their years(grades) that is

based on adhering to the curriculum. Curriculum is our guideline for creating our class lessons

and this is a must for all educators. Mr. Slyfield always stresses routine and modeling

expectations/behavior for the students. Routine, especially at the younger ages is key, however

some may say it is a platform for success throughout life. Personally, I thrive on routine, hence

going back to the educations profession. Mr. Slyfield is also of the belief that a teacher must
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 9

provide as much positive feedback and praise for students so that they build their self-efficacy,

self-worth and self-esteem. Positive reinforcement benefits all students and as Ive learned in

other courses equally as important for those with special needs.

The third school that I attended was Buffalo Prep School (Buffalo Prep). I observed an

English class, where the teacher displayed a balanced approach of I do, we do, you do. This is

important and provides opportunity to model, but also to ease the students into more independent

work. The teacher also valued group work which is good for social development and the concept

of working as a team.

The last school I observed at was E.C.C. #82 Public School (ECC 82). Mrs. Adams (who

is also the director at Buffalo Prep) was very strong with the use of technology in the classroom.

This best practice is very important for students in todays classroom. Smartboard use was the

best Ive seen, tapping into the students senses in a grade 1 class. Mrs. Adams, also a strong

planner, had the students moving from one station to the next, moved from one subject to the

next seamlessly. I believe this is a best practice because the students were always occupied and

never got bored. It also taps into the theory of multiple intelligences, meaning the students are

being exposed to different ways of learning. Having students working together, physically

moving, working alone, using numbers with music, using assistive technology all important and

were evident in Mrs. Adams classroom.

Setting.

Saywell is a Kindergarten to grade 8 school in an urban area in a small city (Oshawa,

ON) and has predominately a Caucasian student body from middle-class socio-economic

families. They provide 2 full special education classes and run a French Immersion program.

The total student population is just over 400 students. I was observing at this school during
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 10

October and November which are the second and third months of the new school year. I was in a

grade 5/6 split class (the classroom is a proper science room with sinks and counters for science

experiments) for science, English language arts, visual arts and music. These are all areas of

improvement for me as these are not my strong subjects. I also wanted to make sure I was

exposed to split grade planning and how the teacher, Ms. Murray approached the IEP planning

effectively and efficiently. In this class, there were 8 out of 25 students on IEPs. Furthermore, I

had the opportunity to visit a special needs classroom where the 8 students varied in age and all

had autism ranging from low to high functioning. In terms of gender, the classrooms were 50/50

boys and girls and during my observations.

Cedarbrook is a Kindergarten up to grade 8 school in an urban area of Toronto, Ontario.

Cedarbrook is identified as a Model School as it is placed very low on the Learning

Opportunity Index (LOI). This means that since it is a Model School, the programs will now

provide students with the tools, resources and opportunities they need to participate fully and

equally like other schools and their communities. This program is very much in line with

discussions and content learned in ESP 600 course at Medaille College. The school is

multiculturally diverse and has a total student population of 509 students with slightly more

females to males. Classroom sizes adhere to Ministry standards and do not exceed 23 students in

grade 1-3 and 24 students grade 4-8. To give some more information, Ive provided their budget

which is $102, 662 (on average $96.50/student). This number does not include salaries for any

staff. I have been attending this school on and off for over six months with more frequent visits

happening in January and February. January, the students are half way through their school year

and are refreshed and rejuvenated to learn, a new beginning and a time for teachers and students

to reset their mind and focus. During this observation, I was a part of heath classes ranging from
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 11

grade 1-6, physical education classes in the gymnasium with grade 1 to 6 and I also had the

opportunity to work with a grade 4 French Immersion class where I used my second language

skills. In many of the classes I was working with ELL students as the school does consist of

students who are new to the country as refugees.

Buffalo Prep is a not for profit school where the students attend so that they prepare to be

accepted to a prep school and acquire the skills they need to be successful in that environment.

To attend, they must have a B average and the cost is subsidized by the state and other donors

but the parents still pay $1500.00 for a year. Five hundred fifty students will attend this program

on a yearly basis from ages 13-16. I attended this class on a Saturday morning while there was a

Science and an English Language Arts class. The classes were separated by gender, and took

place on the University of Buffalo campus. The classroom was set up lecture style, which I

thought to be impractical for learning as students will look at the back of someone else head.

However, it did lend itself to a post-secondary school environment. The program values itself as

providing opportunities for critical thinking and it keeps the students challenged as they still

attend school throughout the week during the day in their regular programs. The students might

attend Buffalo prep 3 times per week depending on their course schedule and needs. The student

body consisted mostly of Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino, however, I do not

like making guesses when it comes to ethnicity, but it was my visual observation.

ECC 82 is public school located in Buffalo and is a part of the Buffalo Public Schools. I

attended this school on a Monday in early April on a mild spring day. The population is 362

students made up of 79.8% Black or African American, 7.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.4%

Multiracial, 5.2% white and 0.8% Asian or Hawaiian or other. The gender makeup of the school

is 55% male and 45% female. The classroom had its own bathroom and was a regular sized
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 12

classroom with plenty of space for the students to have carpet space, smartboard, desks in groups

and learning stations for guided reading, math center, ELA center, audio listening center. The

school was 2 levels with its own cafeteria in the basement where the students received lunch.

This is very different from most schools in Ontario. I am a firm believer that healthy bodies help

create healthy minds and a full stomach helps students focus and learn. The classroom also had

lots of items up on the wall that provided a place of belonging for the students. I believe this

classroom was very welcoming and safe and gave the opportunity for kids to be kids. On the

day, only 8 of the 12 students were present.

Description.

Working with Ms. Murray at Saywell was a very beneficial experience. One lesson stood

out and that was her lesson and unit on Flight. She combined this unit with graphing and tables

from the Math curriculum. The table creation was used to collect the data (flight distance, fly to

the left, middle, right and did it nose dive, or fly up). Graphing helps illustrate the collected data,

transferring the selected, most important data and telling the story via graph. Ms. Murray also

had ordered her flight package the previous year when she knew she would be teaching Grade 6.

The package with the materials arrived well in advance, and that allowed her enough time to use

the materials provided. She looked over the worksheets provided and then manipulated them to

suit her class and her allotted time for the unit. As I mentioned previously, she then went over

the instructions with the class while they were at their desks. Describing the steps in the

experiment and how they would right down their answers in the table. She did this very quickly,

and then did it again at the test station with the materials to provide and tangible visual aid for

the students. She then let the students explore and complete the experiment. The students had

space in the hallway, in another classroom (again, the teacher planned ahead by finding out
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 13

available classrooms by asking teachers) and in their own class to complete their testing. Ms.

Murray floated around the 5 groups. She did mention she could do this because she had a well-

behaved class and she knew they wouldnt be too loud. Once the students had completed the

experiment, the next class was on reviewing the data, writing down their explanation for the

results and choosing a graph that would provide the best visual to display their findings.

Observing Mr. Slyfield teach a physical education class is fun, exploratory and co-

operative. The kids were absolutely loving learning and exploring their space, movement and

body awareness through games and movements. Routines, positive reinforcement and knowing

what to expect allows the students to feel comfortable and confident in Mr. Slyfields class. The

beginning of ever class in the gym, Mr. Slyfield uses the whiteboard to clearly set the class

expectation. He will always list three or four items that show the agenda/directions/expectations.

He does this in the least amount of words and usually will draw a visual or will have an anchor

chart the students can look at or refer to after the initial two minute debrief. Warmup will

involve the student exploring and working on their grades movement expectations and physical

life-long exercises. This is followed by progression of skill and skill development for the sport

or activity the class is working on.

Furthermore, enjoyed how Mr. Slyfield observes constantly and identifies where the

students will have trouble with a particular skill. For example, there is an activity where the

student must use a scoop to pick up a ball (visualize a Lacrosse racket trying to pick up a ball on

the ground). He says its easy for the grade fours to complete this activity by scooping the ball

towards and away, but for a grade two, their stage in motor development only allows them to

scoop towards them. Of course, this is generalizing but for the most part he was correct. He

would stop the activity and tell the students to challenge themselves and try picking the ball up
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 14

by scooping away from them. He reaffirmed that it was ok to not be able to do it, it was

important they try. He would model the expectation of the challenge and then let the students

try. His feedback during this time was very specific. He was also very adamant that nice try or

good effort doesnt necessarily help the student. He believes that specific feedback helps the

student focus their mind on the movement or skill. Try getting your body lower, Bend your

wrist more, guide your hand closer to the ground were all more specific then saying keep

working hard. Although, he did say a combination if fine, such as youre improving every

time, try to bend your knees more so your lower to the ground. I believe the gym mimics the

classroom and it reinforces that everyone learns at a different pace but eventually with enough

practice and encouragement we can all experience success.

Observing the teacher and class at Buffalo prep was very different from my other three

experiences (I only stayed with the ELA class). Specifically, because of the student body, type

of school and the reason for the classes. The students were a little older, the school was a

building on a University campus and the students were taking the class to upgrade the learning.

The specific lesson I observed was based on reading and discussing the novel The Outsiders.

The class to do list for the novel was written on the whiteboard as follows; Talk about

homework, chapter 7/8 vocabulary, pass back papers and finally chapter 7-9 analysis questions.

The English lesson started with an agenda to help students stay on task throughout the class

which was 1.5 hours in length. It is not easy for this age group to stay on task as Im sure their

attentions spans will be challenged on a Saturday. This helps to keep them on task and know

what to expect next. She checked their work, then delivered the lesson with the energy necessary

for keeping the students focused and entertained in a respectful manner. I thought it was very

good to have the students work in groups during their chapter 7-9 analysis questions. The
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 15

students were getting somewhat restless sitting in the lecture style and working together having

discussions about the text was very beneficial. She then wrapped up the class by emphasizing to

the students responsibilities and homework responsibilities.

Overall, the teacher had a very strong classroom presence, with good voice, clarity and

energy. I also found that she would use threats to keep the students focused and make sure that

they stayed on task, Dont make me ride my broomstick or you need to be successful here so

that you can get into the school you want. The teacher was very good at holding the students

accountable by individually checking all their work and building relationships as she did. She

did lots of prompting to help guide the students without spoon feeding them. She was very good

at asking questions that guided the students and required more than just yes/no. For example,

Why would being crippled be worse for Johnny than someone else?. I also enjoyed how she

tried to increase student participation and energy with, if you can hear my voice clap once, if

you can hear my voice clap twice. She also used the thumbs up I understand, thumbs down I

dont.

Having the opportunity to observe Mrs. Adams and her students was very informative.

She did a fantastic job of having the students in their routine. Id never seen kindergarten

students sit at the desk right when they walked through the door. The students knew exactly

what to do. During this time, there was soft music playing in the background, obviously used to

set the mood, the students knew it was quiet time. The when the bell went the students moved to

the carpet so that they could pledge allegiance to the flag, listen to announcements and go over

attendance using ClassDojo. This is a software to track progress, attendance and have a direct

line to parents of the students. Then using a program called Activeinspire on the Smartboard the

students went through the days of the week, the month the weather. Here the class went through
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 16

the I do, we do, you do. Mrs. Adam and the students had mastered this process of teaching and

learning together. Mrs. Adams said every day starts the same way, almost like a program on a

TV station. Still at the carpet, the kids then stood up as it was dance time. Continuing to use the

smart board, the kids followed the video on YouTube to dance to a couple of songs. I believe

three songs were played all with actions for the kids to follow so that they would burn some

energy. After the daily physical activity, the students remained at the carpet to go over their

Mathematics together. The kids would go out to the Smart Board to write the answers. They did

their adding and subtracting review and then Mrs. Adams modeled it again.

Afterwards, the students went back to their desks which were set up as 4 students per

group. The instructions that were given were to work together and ask a friend if you needed

help. The students worked very well together, although the challenge was some students thought

helping meant to literally complete their friends work for them. During their Math time, Mrs.

Adams would check their progress and help as needed. She did this numerous times, I believe

this is good, because as she continuously walked around to each group she would provide help

and encouragement to all her students. Mrs. Adams also used items, toys and tools to help the

students. An example of this was using a popsicle stick so that the students would be able to

have a good space between their words when writing. Also, when the students learn their ones,

tens, hundredths she will sometimes use a Cheezit for ones, a pretzel stick for tens and a ritz

cracker for hundredths. I also observed students taken ownership of their class understanding

that they need to pick things up off the floor and place them in the garbage. Again, this is taught

from day one and is constantly reinforced by holding the students accountable by following

through to remind the students when they dont follow the expectations.
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 17

Analysis (connection/links).

Best practices I observed with Ms. Murray at Saywell were unit planning, organization,

cross-curricular lessons, appreciative questioning and not micromanaging classroom behaviors. I

had discussions about how she would set up for the year by placing the standards in large font

and placing them up on the wall in her office, she would then pull standards from math and

science and place them into a unit. For example, she took the science flight unit and math

graphing, data and numeracy and placed those specific strands in the flight unit for week

six/seven. She was very organized with materials, which is important for all lessons to be

successful.

Every course at Medaille has stressed the importance of planning and cross-curricular.

This is useful in making sure the students have been exposed to all the curriculum by the end of

the school year. One of my major takeaways from her was her ability to not micromanage

students. I believe this is more important know that we have many students with different needs.

Meaning, if a student chooses to walk around the class to refocus do we need to tell them to sit

down? If they are not bothering anyone it should be ok and itll most likely help the student.

This could be related to Gordons empathic understanding so that instruction can cater to every

student. I also believe Fritz Redl and William Wattenbergs group dynamics are evident as

students are always exploring topics with each other.

With Mr. Slyfield, I could see he used many of Skinners positive reinforcement

philosophies. As I mentioned earlier, Mr. Slyfield is constantly providing focused feedback for

the students so that the positivity of the classroom helps build their confidence. Although, there

are classes on physical education in my current courses, I believe the positive reinforcement that

I observed can be useful in any classroom. I also think the strength of positive reinforcement can
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 18

also increase the value of tough love. I have seen this with Mr. Slyfields students. When Mr.

Slyfield is disappointed with a student, I could see the student was very upset that they

disappointed him. Mr. Slyfield did not have to say much, it was more of a look, but the student

knew immediately that they had done something wrong. As I mentioned Mr. Slyfield stressed

routines which can be linked to William Glassers theories or Harry Wongs. Medaille

obviously follows the theories of Harry Wong as his philosophies have come up in every class.

Routines and procedures help the students focus and alleviate further classroom management so

that the teacher can teach.

At Buffalo Prep I learned that a good classroom presence is important and that the

process of I do, we do and you do is very effective. My interpretation of this is that the students

feel more confident after this process. It is a smart and manageable way to offload the

responsibility of learning to the students. This was reaffirmed in our EDU 504 class with several

videos demonstrating this approach.

Technology in the classroom is extremely important. It allows for engaging instructions

that the students can relate to and find interesting. Technology in the classroom will also help

students because it is the norm and what they are used to in society. I also feel, when used

correctly, technology can aid in facilitating exploration. Dewey believed that learning is

individual growth that comes through social experiences and I believe that technology is

experienced socially and in social environment every day. Technology is very important in our

schools and many school boards are hiring specialist in technology. These specialists will help

teachers use technology effectively during lessons and expose teachers to the latest and greatest

software or any assistive technology that will benefit students and their needs.
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 19

Applications.

In summary, I will be very focused on the following best practices; Effective classroom

management by not micromanaging. Maintain energy and classroom presence but not be

overbearing. Routines and procedures so that students know what to expect. Use technology

(assistive technology) effectively to engage students. For technology to be used effectively I

would make sure to engage the technology specialist so that I would know the best lessons to use

smartboards, video, audio, computer and software. I would also allow students to explore when

learning. Making sure they had time and opportunity to use their imagination. Ask appreciative

questions to foster critical thinking. I would make sure that I prepared my lesson plans and

focused on my questions and follow up questions to the students so that they could critically

think about the subject/topic. Positive reinforcement builds self-esteem, self-efficacy and self-

worth. And finally, planning before the school year and teach as much cross curricular lessons

that I can. I believe if I focus on the above during my placement and future years of teaching I

will be on the right path to providing students with a safe, caring, engaging learning environment

so that they can be successful.

Philosophy of Education

I believe that community is the key to creating a positive learning environment and

ensuring success in the classroom. From the work of Alfie Kohn we see that classroom

communities grow naturally when students see the teacher as someone who genuinely cares for

and respects them. Feelings of physical and emotional safety are paramount for children to

realize that every student, regardless of their background or abilities, has a place within the

community.
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 20

Furthermore, I believe that teaching is a team effort requiring the active involvement and

cooperation of teachers, students, parents/guardians and administrators. By taking a

collaborative approach to teaching I will encourage everyone to take ownership and

responsibility for their education. This process can be facilitated by providing opportunities for

students to make choices with respect to classroom activities, open lines of communication with

parents/guardians and having an atmosphere of support between teachers and administrators.

I believe that teaching children how to think and not just what to think imperative and is

an important outcome of education. It is vital to promote individual growth, self-esteem and

integrity through empowerment. Theorists John Dewey and Barbara Coloroso speak of the

importance of teaching children how to make decisions and solve problems. The responsibilities

given for decision making and problem-solving need to be age/grade appropriate.

In addition, I believe that teaching involves the use of a variety of strategies and

resources to meet individual needs. In a single classroom, there are endless possible

combinations of student and teacher backgrounds, skills and abilities that need to be considered

when developing curricular activities and classroom management techniques. Learning style

theorists such as David Kolb and Howard Gardner encourage teachers to use different resources

in different sequences for different learner. By incorporating the work of these two theorists we

open up a wide variety of teaching alternatives.

Ultimately, I will strive to have a classroom that has as plenty of opportunity for

differentiated learning and provide learner centric activities for the students. The two most

important characteristics for me to exude as a teacher are empathy and equity. Hopefully, this

will allow the students to feel that they are in a safe learning environment with a caring teacher.
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 21

Development of Resume

Gregory Williams
91 Bathgate Crescent, Courtice, Ontario, L1E 0B4 | 905-926-2125 | haleygreg@hotmail.com

OBJECTIVE: To develop my career in education while focusing on students who have

cognitive and physical needs.

KEY ATTRIBUTES:
Leadership
Strong computer skills with the ability to learn new software
Articulate public speaker and presenter
Bilingual - English and French
Account management skills
Ability to work in a team and think outside the box
Ability to work individually and problem solve
Networking - ability to build and maintain relationships

EDUCATION:
Masters of Science in Education Current - December 2017
Medaille College, Amherst, NY, USA,
Bachelor of Physical & Health Education 1997 2002
Brock University, St. Catherines, ON, Canada,

CERTIFICATIONS:
DASA Training (Harassment, bullying, cyberbullying, discrimination prevention and
intervention) - New York State Education Department 2017
SMART Notebook 17 Beginner & Intermediate Training, 2017
St. John Ambulance Emergency First Aid CPR C AED, Exp. 2020
Canadian Professional Sales Association Certification, 2011
World Rugby Referee Educator, 2011
World Rugby Referee Coach Level 2, 2011
Petroleum Safety Training (PST) Completed, 2010
World Rugby Referee Training Program Level 2, 2005
National Certified Coaching Program Level 1 and 2, 2002
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 22

WORK EXPERIENCE:
Rugby Development Manager January 2015 June 2016
Rugby Ontario, Toronto, ON
Development of coaches and referees through professional clinics and development
sessions
Convenor of provincial leagues; budget management; seminar and workshop presenter
Interviewed and trained new staff and interns

Sales Executive June 2012 April 2014

Axis Communications Inc., Mississauga, ON
Small systems specialist providing sales and support for Axis cameras and software
Facilitated and developed educational seminars and webinars for channel partners
Developed and implemented sales strategies for a new, unique and specialized sales role

Business Development Manager January 2011 June 2012

i3 International Inc., Scarborough, ON
Trained partners in Canada and North-Eastern United States
Provided analytic software and security solutions with a retail focus
Completed quality assurance processes for security cameras, DVR and NVR recorders
and software
Special Education Assistant February 2009 February 2010
Bowness High School, Calgary Board of Education, Calgary, AB
Worked 1 on 1 with a student with physical needs
Provided extra help for students with learning needs in a Practical Learning Program

Special Education Assistant September 2008 February 2009

Emily Follansbee School, Calgary Board of Education, Calgary, AB
Worked with students, teachers, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and
parents to maximize student potential and quality of life for those with multiple, complex
learning needs

English as a Second Language Teacher 2004 2005

Unique New Zealand English Language School, Auckland, New Zealand
Instructed ESL to students ranging from 10 to 32 years of age
Specialized in Outdoor Education instruction (hiking, soccer, volleyball, rugby, etc.)
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 23

Developed and implemented programs relevant to the current group of learners

Secondary School Teacher & Lab Leader 2002 2004

Mentor College, Mississauga, ON
Responsible for teaching Grade 10 Physical Education, Health, Canadian Geography,
Physical Geography, and Canadian & World Issues courses
Responsible for teaching Grade 5 and 6 Growth and Development courses

Intervenor 2000 2001

Niagara Support Services, Niagara Falls, ON
Responsible for 1 on 1 respite work with an individual with physical and cognitive needs
Participated in indoor and outdoor activities and programs, day camps and individual
outing

Seminar Leader 2000/2001 2001/2002
Brock University, St. Catharines, ON
Responsible for conducting weekly seminars in a small group setting (10-15 students)
Responsible for marking course assignments and examinations under the guidance of the
professor

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE:
Referee Educator, Referee Coach and Referee World Rugby, Rugby Canada, Rugby
Ontario/Rugby Alberta
Referee 1998 present, Referee Coach 2011 present, Referee Educator 2011 present

Director Toronto Rugby

Managed the league convenors and helped organize senior and junior leagues from
Belleville to Oakville; team lead on Strategic Plan Marketing. 2013, 2014
Director Liverpool Supporters Club of Durham Region
Organized events and functions for 180 members who volunteer for various events and
charities in the community. 2013, 2014

Head Match Official

Ontario Federation of Secondary Athletics Associations AAA/AAAA Rugby
Championship. 2014, 2016, 2017
Greg Williams - Elementary Project Portfolio Section 2 24

Coaching
Various teams throughout Ontario and Alberta Canada since 1996

Special Needs Activity Program, Brock University

1:1 facilitated instruction in a physical activity context with people of varying needs.
1999 2001

References available upon request.

Conclusion

After reviewing a brief snapshot of my experiences as a student and educator, I have

confirmed that my choice to return to Medaille College after nine years to be the right one. I

loved many of my teachers as a student because of their mentorship, leadership and hard work. I

missed being in front of the classroom and facilitating learning with young minds. I am excited

to finish school at the college but I know that my learning has only entered a new phase. I am

looking forward to working in the school environment and being a positive addition to any

school that will hire me.