Introduction

This section is all about reflection. Reflection is necessary for growth,

from personal to career or educational growth . I believe that this is very

important as it helps to clearly outline where in life you could have made a better

decision and or be proud of decisions you’ve made. Reflection helps us to step

back and critically review our stance or position on certain things. If we allow

ourselves to look back on our journey it makes the final destination that much

more gratifying. During the course at Medaille, the observation placement and

now this portfolio project, I was able to continuously engage in reflections as each

experience allowed me the opportunity for new learning. Some proved to be more

challenging than others, but nevertheless, all in all they have each made some

significant experiences that have shown to be an immense influence in my

endeavor in becoming an educator. Going forward we will reflect on this portfolio

project the ups and downs and the teacher education learning experiences.

Portfolio Project/Teacher Education Learning Experiences

The experience I had throughout this specific portfolio really challenged

me. Going through each step actually helped me to reflect on all that I have

accomplished through this program. I thought about the different ways I could

have improved and what I could’ve done differently and it helped me to take

mental notes along with this documentation. From the beginning of this portfolio
reflecting on my upbringing all the way through to my resume, my education,

career experiences and the interview question after this I’m actually taken back

and I’m humbled by the life I’ve lead up until this point, just to enter a new

journey and begin to build a life that will impact more lives in a positive way I

hope. Knowing that teaching was not on my radar as a career goal at all to end up

here just proves that God’s plan for your life will always take precedence over

what you thought was your end goal.

Reflecting on my past from where I grew up and the hurdles and bullets

( literally) and had to jump and dodge the steps of this portfolio project challenged

me because it forced me to to retrieve memories that I didn’t want to necessarily

think of, but the great thing was that it allowed me to retrieve those memories and

be able to see the journey. I found section one and two to be the most beneficial

for me as an educator because with all the life and career experiences I have I feel

that I can relate to not only my students of multiple backgrounds but the families

as a whole. Section two was the most reflection I’ve had to do in a long time and

this portfolio opened up the gateway to explore those pivotal points in my life that

brought me to this place in my life today. Section one I spoke about what this

whole project was about and to be honest it scared me getting into this program as

I didn’t believe I was ready. Section one helped open up my mind as well as the

document to what was to come. Discussing my philosophy of education was also

in that section where I spoke about philosopher Paulo Freire. I learned of him

during my undergrad in a philosophy class. His philosophy truly resonated with

me after reading the book. Each section up until this point has really stretched

me. I’m not completely sure if that was due to me being at the end of the program

and being ready to start my career, or the fact that I had to really sit and look in to

things that I wasn’t thinking I would ever have to again.

The portfolio project section two, was the most crucial part as it explained

a lot of what has happened up until this point today, in teachers college and the

path to graduation. Talking about my education history was really eye opening as

I was planning being a paediatrician when I was younger and then finally realized

how much years of school that would take and I said that I’ll just do the social

service worker 2 year program in college and be satisfied. After being in college

for two years, then university part time with what should have been 3 years ended

up being 7 years due to how the schedule worked out with how the classes wee

offered, I probably could have been a paediatrician. After section two comes

section three where I provided eight artifacts that would help potential employers

see some things that would allow me to shine and showcase some items that hav

developed me to where I am today as teacher candidate. Some of the artifacts that

I chose were my bachelor of arts degree in disability studies, Pedagogy of the

Oppressed a novel that was chosen for one of my course in my undergrad. Each

artifact represented something that I meant something important to the growth

I’ve been through on this journey.

The teaching experience I’ve had throughout this journey has been

insightful. I’ve been working in schools for almost 12 years and I’ve seen a lot
and been through a lot. As I reflect on the first experience I had here at Medaille I

wasn’t necessarily learning anything much at Buffalo Prep as we often watched

more than got involved. Learning about educating students on an academic level

has been quite the experience for me. As I mentioned above I’ve been working for

one of the school boards in Ontario for a long time and I’ve been on the side of

the supporter in the classroom, always the teammate who gives the assist but not

the captain of the ship. Although ta team works together someone usually has

little more responsibility; and I believe that’s the case for educational assistant,

teaching assistants and child and youth workers who work for any district or

school board. That person tends to be the homeroom teacher, and beyond that

teacher is the principal. As much as everyone carries their wait and sometimes

share the weight at the beginning and at the end of the day those two individuals

are thrones who will get any feedback, in regards to the students progress, etc. I

have always held the premise, that all students regardless of need, is capable of

learning and achieving his or her goals if given the right chance and support. In

that environment, I came across a wide range of student learning needs. Every

child had their own style and ways of learning that was unique from the others.

They had their own set of unique talents, be it being good at Math, Music or the

Arts, but the thing that was very telling in all these cases was the need for support

and how those that had that support were able to do exceptional. I was however,

not prepared for all the culturally responsive teaching that was needed in order to
help support these students. I was made privy to this aspect of teaching through

the Medaille program.

There we learned how to best incorporate culturally responsive teaching

into lesson plans (DOE Claim 2). This information allowed me to return to my

work and start to incorporate culturally diverse perspectives into my interactions

with my students. Although I do intentionally recognize and am aware of the

different cultures an even take part in the celebrations in whatever capacity that I

do, teaching with this in mind was courtesy of the course at Medaille on Special

needs Education (DOE Claims 1). I am happy for this program overall, because

although I had prior knowledge on how to help students with special needs, I did

not take their culture into consideration. It was then I realized how crucial it was

for me to be mindful, helpful and encouraging to students with different learning

needs as they desire and deserve to be included in all aspects of the classroom

(DOE Claim 3).

A lot of hours and research has gone into developing my lessons,

activities, anticipatory sets, incorporating technology, providing assessments all at

the same time, while making sure to meet curriculum standards, proved to have

been very challenging but were accomplished. The learning process is ongoing

both for the educator as well as the students, the educator; in the fact that they

have to continuously develop their craft and mastery to help in facilitating

learning environments that are engaging and motivates learning. The integration

of the various theories in education such as learning through experiences,

inquiries and observation has pushed me towards developing lesson plans that are

innovative and intentional, this reminds me of teaching and caring for the whole

child (DOE Claim 1).

Lesson planning has been my nemesis throughout this whole educational

process, I think has to do with the length of the details that are needed specifically

and it forced me to translate my ideas and correlate them to the curriculum even at

a times when I didn’t know how that was going to work. The Ontario curriculum

I’ve had some background in but the NYS common core I had no experience with

but I’m glad I took this opportunity and it pushed to be versed in math and

literacy when it comes to both Ontario and NYS curriculum. I definitely will need

more practice as I do believe that there isn’t a teacher on this planet that is well

versed every subject at every grade level when it comes to curriculum. So again

this is a learning curve that I think will continue to challenge me and build on my

tenacity to achieve the best for my students.

Every step involved in planning for a lesson builds upon my knowledge of

the subject matter and delivery. I have had the chance to tape a few of my lessons

and was able to critique them. As I watched myself delivering the lesson that I had

spent hours to create, I saw all the flaws and mistakes, as well as where I did well

on and was able to reflect on the things that I needed to change. I came face to

face with a fact that not all my lessons will be a success, some will engage some

students and others will not be engaged. In that one reflection I was able to

modify and adopt further lessons to gain students interests, maintain focus while
keeping the lessons interactive enough to have all students participate and be

successful in the learning environment. I found that small groups tend to work

well within the classroom as it helps the students to feel successful at at least one

area and as the teacher your able to gage the students interest as well as where

they can improve, which further helps me as a teacher in the ever so dreaded

lesson planning.

The reality of lesson planning is that it is necessary and the details at times

are super beneficial in making sure to cover certain curriculum strands as well as

give you the teacher an outline to go off of even if you’re not reading the lesson

plan verbatim. I found that while I waist my placement I never even looked back

at my lesson plan once I began my lesson I kind of knew where to go next. But I

find that if I didn’t have the guidelines in place in the lesson plan then I would be

lost which would mean students would be lost as well, and that no one on that

situation would be successful. I’ve come to realize that many things in life and in

teaching may come as tedious and some may say annoying but I found the

necessity of these things far more valuable than not.

Readiness to Become a Teacher

Throughout my portfolio I’ve mentioned time and time again that being a

teacher was not my goal ever. During my education as a student in elementary

school I enjoyed school I was a great student, but I had my challenges when it

came to behaviour and authority. So to put myself into position of a teacher was

never my goals in life. I’ve alway been a leader, within my school, home and
church. To add people often also always believe that I’m the older sibling of my

sibling but I’m the third of four children. I often am and was called bossy or

‘bully” ( when I was younger) but with all that being said I couldn’t change who I

was as a person that as me take to or leave it. My mother passed in 2016 and the

one thing that stuck with me when she passed, is knowing that people had all

these labels for me she would always say “ Deneshia is not bossy or a bully, she’s

direct!” And that truly stuck with me so any journey I’m on I’ll always be direct

and driven.

Being that I have always been leader from as young as I could remember I

don’t believe I chose teaching but that teaching chose me. Your journey alway

leads to where you’re supposed to be regardless of your plan. I heard somebody

say “ If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans, ” which has been my

story for as long as could remember. Teaching isn’t new to me as I work for the

Peel District School Board as a behaviour teaching assistant, so I teach social

skills to all the students from kindergarten to eighth grade and I help them realize

their self-worth and build on their character , by teaching them specifically about

different character traits. The difference with being a teacher of a classroom is the

curriculum piece that’ll be different. I’ve also taught and ran full camps and

programs where I had to organize and put together some kind of programming for

different age groups. Now that I have the chance to reflect I believe that this also

helped in preparing for this career as a teacher. Being that I’ve done plenty of

planning and I’ve really enjoyed those moments I believe that my readiness for
teaching has been ingrained in me from birth and I’m just living out my purpose.

The fact when it comes to working with children it doesn’t come as a burden or it

doesn’t deter me from my purpose because after my student teacher placement I

had a really tough group in a rough area and I enjoyed every moment of it. I

believe that I was built for this my heart and personality has proven to be what is

needed for this up and coming generation. The thorough interactions I’ve had with

different school teams, families and students on a whole I believe has created part

of the foundation of my path to teaching.

One thing as it pertains to teaching is that I don’t believe this is where it

ends for me, I know for a fact that being in the classroom isn’t the end of the road

for me I believe I will be in a position where I can impact students, families and

lives on a whole. My passion for the students is bigger than me and as long as I

fulfil my purpose here on Earth I will be good. I believe that teaching and

impacting lives is a part of my calling and purpose.

Conclusion

This reflection has enabled me to make valuable connections to new

experiences and evaluate the previous ones that Ive had. Looking back, I realized

that had it not been for the learning I encountered at Medaille tI would not have

been able to propel forward knowing that I have a better understanding of the

different teaching practices, be it subject matter, pedagogy or best teaching

practices or just simply being a caring teacher. To be able to really reflect and
change as need be, requires one that is not afraid to take feedback and criticism.

In striving for this goal, this portfolio project has given me the chance to truly

reflect, this will in no doubt give me the confidence needed to execute my role an

effective educator that knows how to propel students towards their learning goals.

The writing component of the portfolio has come to an end, the final section will

look at my overall preparedness in terms of my strengths, teaching approaches,

understanding of planning, classroom management, research abilities, technology

integration, philosophies and reasons for choosing teaching as a career in an

interview, a most critical step that will kick start my career path in the months to

come.