MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 3

Section One: Teacher Candidate Introduction to the Elementary Portfolio Project

Introduction, Overview and Rationale

Elementary Portfolios are a unique way to demonstrate an educator’s skills and

knowledge. There are many purposes of the Elementary Portfolio, including: to highlight and

showcase the educator, provide proof of the educator’s experiences, reflect the educators

teaching and learning strategies and abilities, and to analyze and develop effective teaching

practices.

I believe that a portfolio can set an educator apart from other applicants. In order for this

to be true, educators need to make sure that they incorporate information in their portfolio that

will greatly reflect their abilities as an elementary teacher. This portfolio will demonstrate my

accomplishments, goals, skills, experiences, and aspirations as a future educator. This portfolio

will also showcase my compassionate and organized personality, my life experiences and values,

and highlight some of my best work as a Medaille teacher candidate.

This program has increased my preparedness to teach in the field of education in many

ways. The content of this program has prepared me to understand the complexity of the culture

of teaching in today’s education field. Throughout the course of this program there have been

multiple opportunities to obtain professional development hours. As you will see in my portfolio

I have obtained professional development in a range of areas including technology, kindness, and

dignity for all students. Through the one hundred hours of observation that I completed at

multiple schools and school districts, I was able to obtain new knowledge and multiple strategies

that I can use in my future classroom.

From my substitute teaching experience I have gained experience and knowledge that

will help me throughout my teaching career. I have learned how to set the tone to positively
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impact student learning in classrooms of varying grade levels. I have learned ways to resolve

problems and difficult situations. I have also learned to be open and flexible. According to

Lemov, he believes that “great teachers are made, not born”. (Leslie 2015) I could not agree with

him more. His theory is that it’s not necessarily the ability of the students, it relies most on the

important variable which is the teacher. Lemov believes that it’s: “What teachers do, know and

care about”. (Leslie 201) I believe that the substitute experience I have gained has prepared me

to be a more knowledgeable and equipped educator.

My goal for my student teaching experience is to be open and embrace the opportunity to

work with different teachers and students. I believe that the student teaching experience will be a

great learning experience that will teach me ways to improve my teaching skills and increase my

confidence as an educator.

Portfolio Development

In section one, Teacher Candidate Portfolio Project Introduction, I will highlight the

purpose and importance of my Elementary Portfolio Project. This project will give an overview

of my background and experience, and showcase what I have learned in my teacher education

program at Medaille. Each section of the portfolio will be introduced and described. I will make

connections to the core teaching competencies that are needed to be an effective educator. I will

also make connections to the theories and theorists that support my portfolio.

In section two, Teacher Candidate Background Experiences, I will outline my

educational and work related experiences in relation to my philosophy of education. I will

introduce myself by making connections to my work in education and my resume. I will

integrate my classroom experiences and will include the application of my learning. I will also

make connections to experts in the field of education to support my work.

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In section three, Teacher Candidate Artifacts, I will provide pedagogical evidence that

supports the skills and knowledge that I will need to teach in an elementary classroom. I will

present instructional material to demonstrate that I have achieved the project goals. The materials

I will present in this section will show how well I have mastered areas of instructional

competencies of knowledge and skill, and attitudes that I have achieved as a result of my teacher

education program at Medaille.

In section four, Alignment to the Curriculum and Professional Standards, I will provide

evidence of best teaching practices by presenting my ability to align curriculum and professional

standards to daily work and responsibilities. I will highlight how curriculum and professional

standards connected and aligned to the artifacts in my portfolio. I will also connect my

professional development plan with DOE & CAEP claims.

In section five, Teacher Candidate Reflection, I will reflect upon my overall experiences

I have acquired in my past experiences and in developing this portfolio project. I will reflect

upon my experiences, observations, and lessons that I have acquired as a result of the teacher

education program at Medaille. I will also identify my strengths, which I believe will be

indicators of my preparedness to become a professional school teacher.

In section six, Teacher Candidate Teacher Interview Video, I will make connections to

my portfolio artifacts, standards, teacher skills, strategies, and professional dispositions in an

interview simulation. The interview will showcase my work and make connections to an

interview simulation where I will answer specific questions that may be asked at a job interview.

I will also make connections to my portfolio artifacts, standards, teacher skills, strategies, and

professional dispositions.
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Theories, Theorists and Experts in the Field of Education

There are many areas of competencies that educators need to be competent in to achieve

learning success with their students in the classroom. This portfolio will display the

competencies that I find most important which include: planning, instruction, assessment,

classroom management, and professional development.

I believe that well-designed and planned instruction helps students to successfully

advance their capability. In order to provide deeper meaning and give student’s better

understanding of the content, lessons should maximize the learner’s ability to interact with each

other through discussion, collaboration and feedback. According to Vygotsky, he believes

students learn through our interactions and communications with others. (Neff n.d.)

I believe that effective classroom assessment will include varying forms. Self-assessment

is an important assessment tool for students. According to Dewey and Piaget’s roles in

constructivist teaching, “children learn best when they are allowed to construct a personal

understanding based on experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences”.

(“Constructivist teaching methods” 2018) Students can use self-assessment as a strategy to help

them become aware of their strengths and weaknesses and to inspire them to set personal goals

for learning.

I also believe that proactive classroom management helps to teach students positive

acceptable behavior. According to Wong, in order for classroom rules and procedures to be

effective and successful, he believes that teachers need to establish procedures and routines early

on in the school year. (Linde n.d.) Classroom rules should be consistent with school wide

procedures, but also be unique in order to meet the needs of a classroom.

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I believe that in order for teachers to be effective educators they need a variety of

professional development skills. This program has taught me how important professional

development really is. As a teacher candidate I will ensure that I grow as an educator by

participating in as much professional development as possible. Life-long learning has become

one of my personal goals.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this portfolio will showcase my compassionate and organized

personality, my life experiences and values, and highlight some of my best work as a Medaille

teacher candidate. This is important because teaching portfolios can set an educator apart from

other applicants. As you can see, my philosophy of teaching is based on the core competencies of

Vygotsky, Dewey, Piaget, and Wong. I will also highlight other theories and theorists throughout

my teaching portfolio. I believe that this portfolio will showcase that through my experience, and

through the elementary education program at Medaille, I feel prepared to teach in an elementary

classroom. Although my program will soon come to an end, I believe that learning and growing

as an educator is very important. I will continue to gain knowledge through life-long learning. As

you will see in the next section of this portfolio, my background experience and my philosophy

of education is what will make me a unique and successful educator.

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