Introduction

Education is a privilege because not everyone in this world is fortunate enough to receive

it. In my previous section of this portfolio, I wrote one of my favourite quotes by Nelson

Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”

(Strauss, 2013). Education is a powerful weapon. Education can help change the world for the

better. It is our responsibility as educators to teach our students and prepare them to be

contributing members of society. We must help them gain skills and knowledge that betters their

futures. We can help our students by learning the curriculum that needs to be taught in order for

our students to gain the knowledge and skills they require for further education and life in

general. Simply put is the famous quote by Malcolm X which states that “education is the

passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today” (Quote Master,

n.d.).

In section one of this portfolio, you were able to gain a brief understanding of how I got

to this point in my life and the theorists that have influenced my approach to education. You also

received a brief overview of what my portfolio project will entail. Section two of the portfolio

will give you a better understanding of the path I have taken to get here. I will introduce myself

more and describe my educational and work experiences which have impacted and prepared me

for the role as a teacher. This section will also entail my school observations and classroom

applications. My philosophy of education is very important to me and will be discussed

throughout this section a great deal along with my resume. By the end of this section, you will

know exactly why I have chosen to become a teacher and how excited I am to embark on this

next chapter in my life.

Educational Experiences

My educational experiences, both positive and challenging, have made me appreciate the

field of education. I have had wonderful teachers and professors throughout my educational

career from elementary school all the way through to my time here at Medaille College.

Although I have had many teachers over my academic career, two in particular stood out to me

from elementary to middle school.

One of my experiences and best memories from elementary school was my grade 6

teacher. She was so passionate and charismatic about teaching and it showed in her daily

interactions with her students. Her approach was firm but fair in everything she did in the class

from actual teaching to classroom management. Throughout my elementary and high school

years, I always struggled in math. My grade 6 teacher would spend extra time with me working

through math related problems to make sure my understanding level was on point to be able to

move on. Much of the curriculum is focused on getting things covered and rushing through. But

this teacher took her time with her students and is someone who I consider to be a great role

model even though grade 6 was many years ago. She showed so many wonderful qualities of a

teacher that I hope to strive for such as patience, compassionate, considerate, and much more.

In middle school, my physical education and health teacher was an absolute inspiration.

She was one of the most encouraging teacher’s that I have had in my entire life. The way she

taught her students was real and genuine. She always spoke with confidence and always

reassured her students that they could achieve anything they put their minds to. This is something

I hope to achieve with my future students. I always looked forward to this class because she

made her students feel safe and free of judgement. This teacher never took no for an answer and
always pushed her students to do their best even if it was out of their comfort zone. I personally

really appreciated this method because I was shy and conservative growing up and this approach

helped me academically and socially.

Work Experiences

My work experiences thus far have provided me with many practical and useful skills

that can be transferred to my teaching career. With my degree in Psychology and my diploma in

Social Service Work, both of these educational achievements have led me to have wonderful

experiences working with children and youth. I have worked as a Child and Youth Worker as

well as my current role as an Educational Assistant. Both of these roles have provided much

insight into my desire to become an educator and have ensured that this is the right career for me.

While completing my post-graduate diploma in Social Service Work, I had the

opportunity to complete my placement at a recreational facility for children and youth for six

months. I worked closely with one program facilitator and helped run social programs for

children and youth. I was able to help plan and facilitate programs and activities. Some of the

lessons and activities that I helped facilitate included topics on self-esteem and body image,

bullying, staying active, positive relationships, and problem solving for children ages 9-12. This

was a great learning opportunity for me as I worked with children and youth from diverse

cultural backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, and familial backgrounds.

Once my placement at the recreational facility ended and my Social Service Work

program was complete, I was hired by a group home where I worked with high risk female youth

ages 12-18 years. My role at this job was as a Child and Youth Worker which I worked for three

and a half years. I had many responsibilities at the home which included shift coordinator, case
manager for specific youth, and placement supervisor for college students entering the field. I

experienced many ups and downs working at the group home but all of my experiences I hold

dear because the skills that I gained while working there are invaluable. The youth I worked with

taught me to be patient, resilient, compassionate, to take one day at a time, taught me the

importance of self-care along with so much more. Throughout my time at the group home, I

advocated for my youth that I supported whether it was directly within the home or to their

families and case workers. It was through this job experience that I was able to work in a section

23 classroom. This program was implemented by a local school board for students unable to

adjust to the regular classroom setting and allowed students to earn credits towards graduation at

their own learning pace. This experience allowed me to get a feel for what it would look like

within the classroom setting. This work experience was highly enlightening for me as a

professional.

My experience within the group home allowed me to gain many practical and

transferrable skills which led me to my current role as an Educational Assistant. I have been

employed as an Educational Assistant for the past three and a half years and have absolutely

loved every minute. I have worked in many grades working with diverse student populations. I

have worked with students with various needs including intellectual disabilities, behavioural

needs, students with autism, students with fetal alcohol syndrome disorder, and students with

various learning disorders. This position has challenged me in ways that I did not think was

possible. I have learned more about myself through this role than anything I have experienced

before.

Throughout my time working as an Educational Assistant, I have been honoured and

privileged to work with teachers and principals that have been wonderful role models and
mentors for me as I move forward in my professional career. The teachers that I have been

fortunate to work with directly have shown me what a safe and inclusive classroom environment

looks like. The mentors have shown me what it is like to directly impact students on a day to day

basis and also shown me the qualities it takes to be an effective teacher in today’s ever changing

classrooms. I have learned about how to communicate with other professionals that may assist

students to how to conference with parents and guardians. These are all skills that will help

ensure that I become an effective educator one day.

School Observations & Classroom Applications

I have been very lucky thus far with gaining classroom and school experience. My

current role as an Educational Assistant has provided much insight into how classrooms are

managed and what effective teaching looks like. I have gained first-hand knowledge of how

effective teachers plan their day to day teaching and create learning opportunities for each and

every student in their classroom. I have been fortunate enough to see many do’s and don’ts of

teaching styles and practices and classroom management strategies. The observations that I have

made over the last three plus years have allowed me to have a better perspective as an educator

because I’ve been exposed to what effective teaching looks like for various grade levels.

In order for students to effectively learn what they’re intended to learn, there must be

effective teaching facilitated by the classroom teacher. Effective teachers play three major roles

which include “making wise choices about the most effective instructional strategies to employ,

designing classroom curriculum to facilitate students learning, and making effective use of

classroom management techniques” (Marzano, Marzano, & Pickering, 2003, p. 3). One of the

best classroom experiences I’ve had was last year in a grade one classroom setting. I was
supporting a student with autism and fetal alcohol syndrome. The teacher made this student feel

so included in the class. The student’s IEP and safety plan were extremely detailed and met the

needs and abilities of the student. The teacher created an area in the classroom that was designed

specifically for the student with sensory objects and resources. Although the student was quite

impulsive at times and struggled with differentiating what play looked like with other friends in

the class, the teacher managed the class well and had detailed outlines of what the rules and

procedures of the class were. The teacher and I both worked on picture schedules for my student

that I supported allowing him to be a contributing member of the class.

Throughout my time in various schools, I have worked in kindergarten to grade 6

classrooms. One of the most important aspects to teaching that I have learned is classroom

management. In well managed classrooms, teaching and learning can flourish but takes a great

deal of time and effort to create (Marzano, Marzano, & Pickering, 2003, p.1). One of the most

important things that I have learned throughout my time at Medaille College from professors is

that without proper management of the classroom setting, effective teaching and learning is

difficult to achieve. To obtain proper management of the classroom, teachers must create and

implement rules and procedures for students to follow. In the grade 3 class I work in currently,

the teacher implemented great classroom management strategies. She uses a firm but fair

approach with her students which is respected and taught me various strategies and tools to use

within the classroom that I have considered to have in my own classroom one day which are

mentioned below.

In EDU 504, one of the assigned tasks for the class was to create and present two

classroom management tools that as future educators could be utilized in our own classrooms.

We needed to create one classroom procedure and one for behaviour management within the
classroom. For the procedural tool, I created a job chart to have in the class. This tool allows for

a classroom community to be built and holds students responsible and accountable to

maintaining the well-being of our learning environment. This tool also teaches basic life skills.

Harry Wong advocated for procedural classroom management because it calls for structure and

routine for the students to follow (Wong, n.d.). The second tool that I created was a gem jar for

behaviour management purposes. B.F. Skinner was a behaviourist that focused his work on

positive and negative reinforcement and the theory of operant conditioning (McLeod, 2015). The

purpose of this tool was students would earn gems for positive behaviour and no gems for

negative. Positive reinforcement would occur when students stay on task, follow classroom rules

and routines, working well with others, etc. One of the teachers I work with this year used this

tool to manage behaviour and it was effective for the most part. It is definitely a tool that can be

used but as future teachers we must keep in mind that tools may not always work with our

students from year to year or even month to month. I plan on using both of my tools that I have

created as I feel they can be adjusted and modified to meet the needs of my students in my class

at various grade levels. Classroom management will be one of my top priorities as without it,

effectively teaching my students can become challenging.

As technology has become to increasingly available within the education system, more

and more students are using technology for their academics. This year, I have worked with

students who have IEP’s that require technology for their learning needs, especially for writing.

Features readily available on chromebooks such as voice recorders allow students to speak right

into the microphone and record and type what the student is saying. I have worked with teachers

that will assign students tasks using Google Drive and have students submit their work using
technology more advanced than what I had experienced growing up. I have observed the

influence of technology and how beneficial it is within the classroom and school setting.

Throughout my observations, one of the best practices I have seen within various

classrooms is the overall layout of rooms set up by teachers. When I asked the teacher I worked

with last year, she stated that the setup of the classroom is just as important as teaching. She

spent a lot of time strategically planning out the room from where her desk would be placed to

how the groupings of her students would be throughout the year. It takes great planning to be

able to create a classroom environment that will be stimulating and enriching for students to

learn and thrive in.

I have learned a great deal about the type of educator I want to be once I am certified. I

want to incorporate my learning and observations into actual practice of everything I have

acquired over the years. I know how effective teaching can lead to effective learning and that

classroom management is vital to the success of students as well as the teacher.

Conclusion

This section of my portfolio allowed me to showcase my educational and work

experiences, my school observations and school applications, my philosophy of education, and

my resume. As I was writing this section, it allowed me the chance to reflect on all that I have

accomplished and how I will use my accomplishments and experiences in my teaching role. I

have had so many amazing people in my life that have been supportive and encouraging which

has made the process of obtaining certification much easier, both mentally and emotionally. I

believe that I possess a lot of the qualities of an educator as I am compassionate, empathetic, and

understanding of my students that I work with now and will work with in the near future. I hope
you have gained more knowledge about my journey and can see that I have chosen a path that I

believe I will excel in.