Section Two: Teacher Candidate Background Experiences

Introduction

Pursuing a passion to teach begins with a simple classroom experience. A teacher, a

lesson, a feeling. For myself it was a grade 2 French class and her name was Mme A. She had a

light about her, it lit up the room when she entered. From that moment, she not only changed me,

but initiated a drive and desire to be that same light for children. She led me to a powerful notion

that being a teacher encompasses far more than teaching rudimentary foundational skills; being a

teacher is building a child to believe in their worth. Discovering my calling to teach came first

with years of self-discovery and eventually motherhood. For it was not until I experienced the

miracle of childbirth, that I could fully understand the raw importance of a child’s development.

This section will focus on the proficiencies within my professional work and academic

experiences that have shaped the educator I have evolved into today. You will read how my past

experiences in the workforce, classroom and personal life have shaped my personal and

professional beliefs of what it truly means to be an excellent educator.

Work Experiences

It would be remis if I did not include the years I veered off track, for it was in those years

where I learned a great deal of what makes me who I am. For this reason, I will begin this section

with a cumulation of my work experiences leading up to this moment, because it is ultimately

what has led me toward the realization of my passion. Since my teenage years, I often carried

one or more jobs. Learning the value of money and the importance of contributing to my future

were ways my parents showed us how to stay humble and be grateful. Upon completion of high

school in 2002, I found myself at a crossroads with how I wanted to proceed. Like most
secondary school graduates, I pursued post-secondary education with hesitance and haze because

it was the right thing to do. Not surprisingly, this did not direct me into teaching.

After what felt like a failed attempt at continuing my education, I spent many years

working in various sales and administrative roles including GoodLife and golf courses. Here I

gained valuable strategizes for working under pressure in high demanding positions, as well as

learning how to articulate myself professionally. Later, I spent two years as a manager of a

restaurant where I discovered my desire to help people. I was eager to satisfy a customer and

became quite proficient learning to read an individual or group due to my highly developed

interpersonal skills. This became the basis for my success in customer service, sales and later

finance. I become aware of the notion that when we as individuals stop to listen, we can really

hear what people need. This is even more true for young children, who have not gained the

necessary tools to regulate or even recognize their emotions.

It was sometime after when I purchased my first dog, that PetSmart scouted me for my

ability to train her without any formal education in canine ethology. They offered me a position

as their dog trainer and provided me the education and certification required to enter this role

successfully. These years are so fundamental to my growth as an educator, because it was there I

discovered my love of teaching. During my five years at PetSmart I devised lesson plans from

official curricula and taught pet and pet parent how to coexist in a respectful, safe manner.

I held classes of 5-10 people and each week we would work through a desired behaviour. These

sessions were devised of educating pet parents on canine behaviour theory, accompanied by me

modeling a desired action. After, the parents were sent to practice at home and returned the

following week to receive feedback. These years are so dear to me as they initiated the
motivation to attend The University of Western Ontario. By this time, I knew what I wanted to

do, and I was driven to succeed.

You will later hear how the birth of my children contributed a great deal to my passion

for working with young children, but it was in those early years of their life where I gave to them

before me. Once my son was born, with another quickly on the way, I needed to enter the work

force to contribute to the success of my family. I accepted a position within the bank as a

telephone banking specialist and maintained that role for 3 years. While this job was more of a

means to an end, it did provide me with some valuable financial skills and capabilities. It also

allowed me to create relationships and network in the professional field of finance.

Educational Background

As I mentioned above, I graduated from high school in 2002. I wish I could say I was a

major contributor to the school culture in some manner, but I was not. I was a typical high school

student who was trying to find themselves amongst a multitude of personalities, while

maintaining good grades. I was the peacekeeper, the mediator, the shoulder to lean, the

cheerleader, the light on a dark day, but I was in no way involved in any extracurricular clubs or

activities whatsoever. For a while, that decision haunted me, but now as an adult I realize I was

playing more important roles within the school community and my social group. After high

school I dabbled in post-secondary with no real ambition or direction and after a failed attempt

Fanshawe College, I decided to take a major break, save my money, and figure myself out.

After the aforementioned PetSmart epiphany, I decided to attend The University of

Western Ontario where I majored in French Studies and minored in Developmental Psychology.

These years would prove to be the most trying years of my life, next to my current stage.

Choosing the path of languages was both pragmatic and passion. I chose French because it is our
national second language and we are fortunate to received education in another language.

However, this decision was also a realization of the impact of my elementary French teacher.

Her compassion, desire and love of all things French, is what I want for the evolution of a

language that unfortunately has become stale dated due to so many passionless educators.

Choosing the path of Psychology was about my need to know all things human nature, especially

in regard to the growth and development of the human brain; it was to satisfy my why. It was

during my 3rd year of university I became pregnant with my first child. Determined to finish, I

completed my 4th year of university with my family by my side. Those months of studying with a

newborn were some of the hardest I have ever had to endure, but would prove to be one of the

many instances where I have demonstrated resilience.

I was always projecting on entering teacher’s college following the completion of my

degree, but after meeting my son, I knew there was nothing more I wanted to learn than what

was in my arms. In the time from completion of my 4-year Bachelor of Arts Degree until

entering Medaille College we grew our family to 3, and once my two oldest boys entered school,

I knew it was my time once again. Attending Medaille has been exhilarating and challenging but

completely evident that I made the right choice and am on the right path

School Observations

Nobody prepares you for the moment when you enter a classroom and have 30 faces

eagerly looking to you for guidance and direction. The fear and excitement that races over you as

you stand in front and prepare to influence future minds. My journey to becoming a professional

educator is unique; I was given the opportunity to work as a teacher in the classroom before

receiving my certification. I currently occupy the role of Uncertified French/Prep and Planning

Teacher. I have chosen to include this experience under school observations rather than work
experience because I believe this role is still developing. The experience I have gained actually

doing the job has been monumental. I have considerable firsthand experience in classroom

management, lesson planning, assessment creation and documentation, report card writing,

parent teacher interviews and studying and delivering the Ontario Curriculum. In this school year

I had the privilege to teach grades 1-8 French, as well as grades 1 and 2 Health and Science. I am

learning proficiencies with operating successful classroom centers that focus on the 4 measurable

strands of the Ontario French Curriculum: reading, writing, listening and speaking. I have had

the opportunity to teach children of varying educational levels and have experience in

modifications and accommodations to better suit the learner.

As a student enrolled in the Master of Education Elementary Education Program, it has

provided me immense opportunity to apply what I am learning as a student and transfer it

immediately into the classroom. It has been remarkable to see how I have improved as an

educator over the past 2 years with the academic supports from the Department of Education at

Medaille College. Notably as well, is the experience gained playing an active role in Buffalo

Public Schools Saturday Academy. These weekends spent within the community widened my

perspective from only having experienced the Canadian school system. Each school has given

me an educational or enlightening take away that I will carry with me as I continue my

educational journey. The Science Center was a great way to see how you can bring education out

of the box and encourage families and the community to see learning in a fun light. Another

great school I became very fond of was Frank A. Sedita Academy. Since we spent the most time

there, I had the opportunity to really bond with the community, venders, students and their

families. Each time I arrived it felt more and more like home and it allowed me to truly feel more

comfortable and confident in that environment. I enjoyed this school so much because I feel it
really benefited the community and provided the families a positive, welcoming, and loving

environment for them to come and build educational and social skills. I remember our first time

there; being outside playing basketball with the children, it was so rewarding seeing their joy and

confidence build with every successful shot. On our last visit I loved the way we all piled around

a game of sequence. We really got to know the kids and their families; it was rewarding being a

part of each other’s story for the day. I hope they carry some of that joy with them, as I continue

to. We also had the opportunity to participate in a professional develop conference. This was an

unconventional field placement experience, however extremely necessary. It allowed us future

educators to see the education system as more than just delivering lesson plans to kids, more than

just inside the school; it is what teachers must to do from an administrative side to advocate for

children. We are their voice in the development of their future and we must fight for them both

inside and outside the classroom. Building strong schools is all about building strong

communities.

Classroom Application

From the time I received the call from the Ontario school board to say I was hired, until I

taught my first class was five days. In five days I went from being a banking specialist to a

classroom teacher with no previous experience. Looking back at all I have already accomplished

within a classroom fills me with pride. Nevertheless, education is continuous and I still have a

great deal to learn. I have however, been able to apply a great deal of the knowledge gained at

Medaille and Saturday Academy to my classroom, but none greater than realizing the importance

of implementing a continuously evolving culturally responsive environment. The lessons I

learned in ECI 535: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy will forever change me and my role as an

educator. It enabled me to check my privilege and to see my students for who they are, and make
sure they see themselves in everything around them and learn about. I want every student to see

themselves as the leader in their life story, capable of everything. Another enlightening

experience I take with me along my educational journey is when my professor of EDU 504:

Early Field Experience Seminar said to the class in regards to parent-teacher interviews, “don’t

you dare sit across from that mother, grandmother, caregiver and think you are better than them.”

It really resonated within me as both mother and educator of just how important parental support

is to child development. She also shed some insight from her many years of teaching in the

Buffalo school system that often times home life is much more complicated than you think, try

not to add to it. This resonated so profoundly within me that for my first set of parent teacher

interviews, I put the chairs beside each other to convey equality and stewardship towards

wanting what is best for their child’s future. Before attending Medaille College, lesson planning

was quite foreign to me. While I have become proficient at dissecting a curriculum and

implementing long range goals for a school year, my lesson plans were more ‘scratch plans’. My

time spent at Medaille has shown me the contributions diligent lesson planning has to effective

teaching, teacher accountability and classroom organization. It is also an educator’s physical

documentation of an academic environment.

Philosophy of Education

Aristotle once said, “educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at

all.” These words are so profound and shape my core beliefs as a future educator. Education is a

journey of both personal and profession discovery. This discovery and realization, as I can attest

to, is ongoing. To be an exceptional educator is to understand that professional and personal

development are continuous. How can we expect excellence from our students when we are not

willing to desire it for ourselves? We must always strive to be better than we were yesterday. In
the following section I will provide my core beliefs on education and how they will shape my

role as an educator

The School

The school plays a vital role in the community. It provides the necessary means for a

successful future; giving children a safe place to gather, develop and learn. It is where the aspect

of team is first established. It provides children with the opportunity to not only navigate with

autonomy through their academics, but it allows them to develop socially. Social development is

crucial for a child’s development of the self, as well as learning fundamental problem-solving

skills (Vygotsky, 1978). The school gives a child a home away from home, a place to feel safe

and valued.

The Curriculum

The curriculum, or academic content, is fundamental as it provides consistency for all

individuals and accountability for educators. It provides structure to the field of education and it

allows students to feel accomplished as they progress through their year. Without the curriculum

the school year would be far less efficient, with potential for overlap of subject areas from one

year to the next. While the curriculum provides the skills that should be acquired after a unit of

study, there is autonomy in the delivery of the content. This allows for teachers to use innovative

techniques which increases a child’s critical thinking skills.

The Learner

Children need to be active participants in their learning. A learner who actively constructs

or makes their own knowledge is an engaged and motivated learner (Elliot et all., 2000, p.256).

Effective instruction teaches a child how to be the driver of their learning experience; they must

be taught the way to productive and useful skills. For example, the importance of listening to
others to learn and effective note taking. The learner is inquisitive and constantly questioning;

they understand the curriculum and assessments are designed for growth. They can see

themselves in the classroom environment and their value and worth in the school and

community. The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognize development

varies between learners and across development, social, emotional, and physical areas and are

representative of all-inclusive developmentally appropriate and challenging learning

environments.

Learning

Learning will occur in a structured environment, with a well devised schedule, where

students understand what can be expected of them. Learning will consist of critical thinking

concepts, as well as inquiry-based instruction. Successful learning occurs when the teacher meets

the needs of the students and environment within a classroom. It is the product of discovering

who your learners are, how they learn best and adapting to an ever-changing environment and

group. Similarly, learning will be most successful when there are different avenues for each child

to learn, while being sensitive to how students learn best; this will increase student learning

overall. Learning is not always the product of providing the answers, but encouraging critical

thinking strategies through effective questioning. Successful learning incorporates appropriate

assessment which allows for the opportunity for growth. Learning takes place when we listen to

ourselves and each other.

Assessment

Assessment is vital to educational instruction because it determines if the goals were met.

Assessment is designed for growth and feedback for both teacher, student and parents. It

facilitates movement to the next level of learning. If the curriculum is what should be learned,
assessment is if learning occurred. Assessments should not be secretive; they should be

accessible and designed for success. Allowing students to visualize their assessment expectations

before hand promotes strong academic, organizational and critical thinking skills. The teacher

understands each students’ diversities and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage

learners and to monitor learner progress, while determining the path to quality instruction.

Classroom Management

Effective classroom management is essential to running an engaged classroom.

Organization and structure are important for a child to feel motivated and valued, so creating and

managing clear goals and expectations are essential to a successfully managed classroom.

Classroom management will by far be one of the biggest time stealers from your class if not

prepared. Teachers must be flexible and adjust for disruptions, while maintaining composure and

skill to redirect back to the subject matter. My motto with classroom management came from my

years of being a mother to 3 closely aged boys and that is ‘respond, don’t react’. Regardless of

the behaviour, it is a form of communication, so it is beyond important as an educator you

remain calm, kind, but direct. Sometimes one must step aside from the plan and read the room to

increase productivity. What you may ‘lose’ in a 10 min break, you will gain in quality

instructional engagement moving forward.

The Teacher

The successful teacher is present in all aspects and values continuous growth. They

realize the importance and difference they are making to a child’s life and they take it seriously.

A teacher is a safe place, one that is free from ridicule and embarrassment. A teacher is one who

strives for excellence both inside and outside the classroom. They promote critical thinking

through inquiry-based learning and effective questioning. The successful teacher is organized
and accountable. They understand the classroom is a dynamic environment and works to

showcase that by addressing the different styles of learners and creating plans that are sensitive

to those different needs, while encouraging personal growth. A successful teacher models and

scaffolds the instructional content, while aiming for student mastery. They realize teaching is not

a 9-5 job, but a service to the community. The provide students with purpose and set them up for

success when their world may not always be perfect. They are the realization of a child’s

potential and future.

Resume

Introduction.

The following is the realization of my educational and work experiences that have led me

to this moment. It is the foundation upon which I have build my professional knowledge base.

My experience in time management, team leadership and conflict resolution demonstrate my

flexibility and confidence with working with people.

 KATIE RICHARDSON
37 Scotchmere Crescent, London, Ontario, N6E 1Z9
Phone: (519) 852-2353
E-Mail: kr899@medaille.edu

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
A reliable, results-oriented and highly motivated individual offering exceptional communication,
and organizational skills.

Demonstrated Srengths Include:

 Team leadership  Sales Oriented  Languages
 Relationship Development  Customer Retention  Training/Educating

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
London District Catholic School Board 2018 – Present
Long-Term Occasional French/Prep & Planning – Grades 1-8
• Plan, prepare and implement unique and beneficial lesson plans for grades 1-8 classes
• Integrate the curriculum into daily lessons reaching all student abilities while using a variety
of assessment tools
• Create grade 1 and 2 science and health units using cross-curricular techniques
• Developed and designed meaningful and engaging online content for distance learning
• Maintain consistent with classroom objectives, expectations, and consequences as part of
classroom management strategies
TD Canada Trust 2015 - 2018
Telephone Banking Specialist
 Exceeded departmental sales targets by successfully leveraging opportunities to further
expand business
 Educate Clients on achieving long term financial security through managing financial
objectives and concerns
 Collaborate within the business to provide a coherent and exceptional experience for client
 Meticulously follow corporate policies and procedures as to adhere to legal standards
Dawghouse Pub & Eatery 2009 – 2015
Server
 Trained and coached new servers
 Managed front house opening and closing operations
 Coordinated promotion of weekly events
 Called upon to handle customer satisfaction concerns
 Smart Serve and Safe Food handler certified
PetSmart 2007 – 2011
Certified Pet Instructor
 Created lesson plans within official curricula and taught classes with pet and parent
 Responsible for achieving sales dollar forecast within training department
 Managed weekly/monthly calendars, seminars and promotional flyers
 In charge of maintaining client records while adhering to the Personal Information
Protection and Electronic Documents Act

EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts in French Studies, Western University 2009 – 2014
 Detail focus in linguistic study
Master of Science in Education, Medaille College 2019 – 2020

Conclusion

While the path to teaching is not always direct, it has been the reinforcement of my belief

that growth, both educationally and professionally are ongoing. The path in which has led me to

this moment is what defines my ability to be a successful and proficient educator. In the

following section I will showcase the physical artifacts that have contributed to my proficiency at

becoming an educated professional elementary educator.