Section Five: Teacher Candidate Reflection Guidelines

Introduction

The previous four sections of the Elementary Portfolio Project allowed me to highlight my
competencies within the field of education, focusing on my aptitude as a future educator. The
areas of competencies discussed included planning, instruction, assessment, technology, learner
accommodations, culturally responsive teaching and diversity, classroom management,
professional collaboration, professional and curriculum standards, as well as professional
development. I will now reflect upon the previous sections, taking into consideration the
Elementary Portfolio Project and my time at Medaille College.
In section five of the Elementary Portfolio Project, I will be making reference to the
professional standards of the Teacher Education Accreditation Council/Council for Accreditation
for Educator Preparation (Doe/CAEP) Claims. These claims demonstrate my knowledge of
subject matter, my ability to meet the needs of diverse learners through best teaching practices,
as well as my ability to present myself as an attentive educator. This Elementary Portfolio
Project gave me the opportunity to showcase my aptitude for teaching and my growth as an
educator. In this section I will be able to reflect on the portfolio as a whole. I will also have the
opportunity to reflect on my learning experiences at Medaille College’s Master of Science in
Education program and other related experiences. These experiences highlight my readiness to
take on the role of a professional teacher.

Portfolio Project/Teacher Education Learning Experiences

Life is a Learning Process, we learn the lessons we need to learn in every stop and once
we are done with them, we move on to the next. Learning is self-directed and self-paced journey
of discovery. My choice to become a teacher was not made lightly. This decision was a
culmination of a process of reflection about what I wanted to do with my life. I have chosen a
career in education because I believe that it is one of the most important functions in societies
and cultures. I believe that teachers individually and collectively have the ability to change the
world and improve it. Many of the great teachers I had when I was in elementary and high school
became my role models, as I grew older I began to understand that to become a great teacher
there are many skills that I need to learn. I knew that my teaching style will evolve as I draw on
my own strengths, knowledge, skills, values, and experiences, and to gain all this I was lucky
enough to be a student at Medaille College. This institution provided me with the tools that I
needed, and it enabled me to be a well-rounded educator, while also ensuring that I maintain an
understanding of the diversity of learners Claim 1: Medaille College graduates know the subject
matter in their certification area(s). Claim 2: Medaille College graduates meet the needs of
diverse learners through effective pedagogy and best teaching practices. Being a student at
Medaille I was provided with many different learning experiences.
One of the most rewarding experiences that I had, was the opportunity to develop and
prepare a lesson plan and taking that lesson plan and extending its central focus into a unit plan.
A unit is made of three or more lessons. (DOE/CAEP Claim 1: knowledge of subject matter).
Through this course I was introduced to important aspects such as classroom management
strategies, another important aspect is understanding how to teach in an inclusive environment.
Planning and designing lessons that includes all students, by providing the required
modifications or accommodations as they need (DOE/CAEP Claim 2: effective pedagogy and
best teaching practices for diverse learners).
Another course that I took in my second semester of the MSED program, is Culturally
Responsive Pedagogy: Fostering Culturally Inclusive Classrooms, and it was one of the most
important courses that gave me a great insight into the diversity of today’s classrooms. As a
future teacher it is crucial to respect the diversity in the classroom and to have a place where
students feel safe respected and accepted (DOE/CAEP Claim 3: caring educators). Teaching
diverse learner is a very important skill for a teacher to possess. We have to be able to provide
inclusive environment for all the students, we also have to have high expectations for all our
students, to encourage them and to help them reach their potential (DOE/CAEP Claim 2:
effective pedagogy and best teaching practices for diverse learners).
Another course that I found to be particularly helpful was Technology for the Elementary
Classroom. I have always considered myself to be fairly technologically intuitive. There are
times when I was anxious and worried about using a new software that I wasn’t familiar with,
but I was able to learn and actually took the opportunity and created a SMART Notebook
presentation and the focus was on science. I developed different activities that were appropriate
for the chosen grade level, activities to keep students engaged and motivated to learn
(DOE/CAEP Claim 1: knowledge of subject matter).
Throughout my experience at Medaille College, I have been able to take part in methods
courses, where the focus was one specific subject. These courses incorporated the English
Language Arts, Literacy, Mathematics, and Social Studies. Through the different courses I was
able to learn about the different curriculum standards and apply those standards into my lesson
plans and unit plans (DOE/CAEP Claim 1: knowledge of subject matter).

Reediness to Become a Teacher

The Master of Science in Education program at Medaille College provided me with the
opportunity to develop many skills that I need to become a highly competent and effective
teacher. I am extremely happy and excited to have my own classroom, and to start teaching
students. Even though I am still working in a kindergarten classroom as designated Early
Childhood Educator, this is going to be a completely different experience.
As I approach the completion of the MSED program at Medaille College, I am confident, well
prepared, and ready to pursue my dream as a highly effective teacher. I am very confident with
the skills and knowledge I possess, and I am assured that I am going to be a very successful
teacher.
In section three I was able to use artifacts that highlighted and showcased my capabilities
as an effective teacher. The unit lesson plan that I used as an artifact clearly highlights my ability
to be a culturally responsive teacher while showcasing my knowledge of curricular standards,
and my ability to accommodate for diverse learners. This artifact also places great emphasis on
my confidence in my ability to teach mathematics, a subject in which many students face
struggles. I really hope that I can continue to develop lesson plans that will keep my students
engaged in their learning. Through developing this unit plan I was able to showcase my ability to
teach and assess students learning. Another artifact that highlights my commitment towards
professional development is my certification in School Violence Prevention and Intervention and
Identification and Reporting of Child Abuse and Maltreatment.
In my case I do believe that I have an impactful portfolio, in addition to my work experiences
and education. I feel that I am representative of a well-rounded teacher candidate. I hope that I
can successfully provide my students with the best educational experience they can ever have. I
hope to provide them with a place where they feel confident, safe, and capable of reaching their
potential.

Conclusion
Reflecting on my educational experiences while at Medaille College and making connections to
DOE/CAEP claims, I was able to confirm my belief that I am a capable educator. I was able to
reaffirm that I possess the required skills to be a successful educator. Creating this portfolio
enabled me to look at my learning in a new and different way. The most important thing that I
learned is that I will continuously be learning. The journey of learning doesn’t end and should
not end. I will continue to learn and develop. I will continue to work hard in building on my
content knowledge and skills to be able to provide my future students with a well-rounded and
meaningful educational experience. In the following section, I will be providing you with a video
interview where I plan on demonstrating my pedagogy and best teaching practices by answering
many questions that may potentially be asked during an interview. My Elementary Portfolio
Project has provided evidence of my teacher competencies while also showcasing my
knowledge, skill set, classroom management skills, ability to teach in a diverse classroom, and
my willingness to engage in professional development.