Section Two

Teacher Candidate Background Experiences

Introduction

In this section of my portfolio, I will discuss my road to becoming a teacher

candidate. This was a long road in which becoming a teacher was not my first choice of career.

As a child, I was always the student pretending to be the teacher, reading to my other classmates

just like my Kindergarten teacher did and then I would go home at the end of the day, and use

the whiteboard my dad bought me to play teacher at home. In doing this, I would write down my

classmate’s names on the board, pretend to take attendance, and then teach my imaginary class

the same lessons I learned that day at school.

In section one of this portfolio; I talked about why this portfolio is an important aspect for

me as a teacher candidate. I mentioned that a teacher is one that inspires others; they are ones

that have a huge impact on student’s lives. I also talked about the theorist that are important to

me as an educator and those who influence my teaching style. In this section, I will talk about

my educational background in which I will discuss more about what inspired me to become a

teacher, my work experiences, school observations and classroom application, my philosophy of

education and at the end, I will include my resume. This section of the portfolio gives the reader

a chance to really see and understand the skills and qualifications I have to be an educator.

Teacher Candidate Educational Background

As I mentioned above, my path to becoming a teacher was not one that was made until I

was well into my first career. I had many connections with my teachers growing up, and always

wanted to be like them. One teacher in particular, I remember was one that most students were

afraid of. Many students did not want to be in her class, and I will admit, I was one of them. I
cried every day at the start of the school year when I was in her class, not because she was a

mean teacher, but because I listened to rumors of other students. This teacher however, ended up

being one that I remember the most. She was my grade 2 teacher, and at this time my parents

were getting a divorce and I would have to move to a new school. This teacher had previously

worked at the school I was going to and knew the staff there. One day on lunch, she took me out

to my new school to give me a tour and introduce me to my new Principal and teachers. To this

day, I still remember this experience and will always remember her. I hope to one-day help my

students in the way that she helped me.

Although working with children was a passion that started when I was a child myself,

when it came time to choose my career, I had decided that I would try to find a career in

something else other than teaching. At the time of graduating high school, becoming a teacher

was a competitive career and it was a time when getting a job, as a teacher was difficult. I had

always known that I wanted to work with children. Since the age of four, I was a figure skater in

Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, which is where I grew up. As soon as I was old enough, I

volunteered with my skating club to teach young children how to skate. Around that time, my

family had also taken over running the Children’s Pedal Tractor Pull at the annual Bruce County

Heritage Association’s Tractor and Steam show. My job during this event was organizing the

age group of children who were up next to compete. In high school, I remember taking an Early

Childhood course and creating a profile on a child and watching their development. I should

also mention the countless hours as a babysitter in my neighborhood. Working with kids came

natural to me, but I still was not set on becoming a teacher.

When I graduated high school, I decided that my next step was to go to Sheridan College

and complete their Early Childhood Education program. This program was a two-year program
in which I had placements in daycares. After working with a variety of ages, I had decided that

the age group I liked best was 4-5 year olds. Therefore, after my first placement in a toddler

room, I had requested to be placed in Kindergarten classrooms. I very much enjoyed this

experience; however, I did not enjoy the job of working in a daycare. The hours were long and

exhausting. I knew that my educational career was not done with this diploma program, and I

had decided to go to Carleton University to get a degree in Child Studies with a minor in

psychology.

After graduating from University, I got my first job as an Early Childhood Educator at a

school board in Mississauga, Ontario. I was offered a permanent position in a Full Day

Kindergarten Classroom working in partnership with a teacher. I worked with a teacher that was

very inspiring to me. This teacher showed me what a teacher should be. She went above and

beyond to make connections with her students and the families. Doing whatever she could to

make them feel welcome in the classroom. She followed their interested in learning and allowed

the students to have a part in how they learned and what they learned. This in the end, made the

students want to come to school every day and be a part of our classroom. I learned so much

from her, as well as the other teacher in the school that I work that. It was at this point, working

in that school, that I realized I needed to stop finding another career that would fit me, and start

the challenging journey to become a teacher.

Work Experiences

As I mentioned above, when I graduated from University, I was offered a job at a local

school board as an Early Childhood Educator. My work experiences before this time have for

the most part been associated with working with children. When I was in University in Ottawa,

Ontario, I had a job working in the childcare center at a gym. I worked a few days a week,
watching mostly infants while their mothers attended fitness classes. I enjoyed this job very

much, making connections with the regular children and parents that would come into the gym.

For the last year of my University career, I completed my minor in Psychology through

distance education. I moved to Mississauga, Ontario to live with my boyfriend and start my

career as an Early Childhood Educator. I got a job working at the YMCA of Oakville in the

before and after school program. This job is one of my most memorable experiences. I met

lifelong friends and colleagues who were teacher graduates at the time. They could not yet get a

job in a school board, and had decided to gain work experience at the YMCA. These colleagues

showed me that they had a passion for teaching and inspired me to continue on my journey in

working with children. The YMCA was a great organization to work for and they provided their

employees with many professional development opportunities where we could learn about

outdoor education, self-regulation and inquiry based learning. This job is what lead me to want

to work in a full day Kindergarten program.

Around the time I was finishing my minor in Psychology, I decided to start looking for a

full time work position. I enjoyed working for the YMCA, but it did not provide with me

enough hours and salary to survive on my own. At this time, the Ontario government had

announced that all kindergarten classes in Ontario would go to a full day inquiry based learning

model. They would be hiring Early Childhood Educators to work alongside the classroom

teacher to provide a combination of our background experiences in the classroom. I applied to

my local school board, was successful in my interview and the Principal and Vice Principal that

interviewed me requested that I come and work at their school. This work experience has

prepared me to become a teacher because I had the opportunity to follow and implement a

curriculum, work with other educational professionals at my school and take part in observations
and report card writing. I learned to make connections with families and learned the importance

of home-school connections. I frequently have parents asking that their second child be placed in

my class after a positive experience with their first child. The connections that I make with staff,

students and families’ shows me that this is the career that I am meant to have.

School Observations and Classroom Application

One memorable experience observing classroom teachers was during my Field

Experience course. As a class, we went to a Saturday prep school. This class took place on

Saturday, November 17, 2018 for a one-hour period starting at 9:15am to 10:15am. This class

was taught by the science teacher. This class was an all boy’s class and consisted of eight boys

in grades seven and eight and there were ENL students in the classroom. The best practice that

the teacher did in the science class was checking for understanding at the beginning of the class

by reviewing what they learned in the previous class before teaching new content. Students were

learning about RNA and DNA in this class, and they had not had a science class for 2 weeks.

Therefore, they may have had a hard time remembering specific things that they learned from a

few weeks ago and it was important that the teacher reviewed this with the student’s before

moving on to new topics. As a new teacher, it is important to observe this because we have to

ensure that our students are understanding what we are teaching them and can remember

previous topics before going on to new ones.

At the start of the class, the teacher first asked the students to pull out their homework

from the previous class which was two weeks ago. The students were asked for homework last

class to create a “taco” to help represent how DNA and RNA are made. The students were given

codes to understand the concept of making proteins, but to make it relevant to them, they were

given taco ingredients as proteins and they had to use the codes of their ingredients to make
DNA and RNA. The teacher asked a few students to volunteer to share the tacos that they made,

however, none of the boys wanted to share. She then picked the students that would come up and

share their tacos. The teacher had two students share their tacos, and then she picked two more

students and she quickly shared theirs for them before moving on. I found that a lot of time was

spent on this and the students were not engaged at this time.

After going over the Taco homework, students were then asked to take out their

vocabulary sheets. Their vocabulary sheets had a chart, which included the word, a box for the

description and a box for a visual. The teacher used the document camera to show her copy of

the vocabulary sheet for the students to follow along. The teacher went through each vocabulary

word on the worksheet. The worksheet was three pages long and there was very little student

participation during this time. The teacher did bring in the student’s attention by mentioning that

a package of gum contains Phenylalanine. She related to the students by showing them a package

of gum and explaining that the mayor of Buffalo advocating for awareness on Phenylketonuria,

which is a disorder in which people, cannot process phenylalanine. The entire class was spent on

review from the previous class, and at the end of the class, the teacher wrapped up the lesson by

briefly going over homework for their next science class.

During my observation, I saw the teacher check for understanding various times

throughout the class. In my EDU 504 class, we learned that it is important to have frequent

checks for understanding to ensure that our students understand what we are teaching them

before moving on to new topics. We also learned that it is important to bring up previous

knowledge that the students may have learned to help them connect their ideas. In this

observation, I noticed the teacher doing this by reviewing the “tacos” that they made in the
previous class and having the students answer questions and share what they have done. This is

ensuring that students understand how DNA and RNA are made through proteins.

I also saw the teacher make a culturally relevant connection with the students during the

vocabulary review. This is important to keep the student’s engaged in what you are teaching

them and to make sure that it relates to you. The teacher did this by showing the students a

package of gum. In EDU 503, we learned that we should be connecting our students to relevant

things in their community that they can relate to. When planning our lessons, we should be

ensuring that what we are teaching is culturally responsive and we know what our student’s

backgrounds are before we plan a lesson.

When I observed the teacher in the classroom reviewing with the students what they have

already learned, I feel that is important to do so that we check for understanding. However, I did

not like that she spent the entire science class reviewing from the previous week. The students

had taken home the vocabulary sheet and created their “taco” in class the previous week, and I

feel that too much time was spent on review. John Dewey believed that student’s learn best by

doing and having a part in their learning (Ord, 2012. Pg. 55). If I were a classroom teacher, I

would have had the student’s share their tacos and I would have only picked two students to go

over it briefly and collected them so I could assess them outside of class to ensure understanding.

Instead of planning an entire class on vocabulary review, I would have created a vocabulary

game for the students to play. This way, it would be engaging for them, and I could still check to

see if they understood the words. They could also have their vocabulary sheet with them during

the game to fill in anything that they are unsure of.

In conclusion, although this teacher provided a culturally relevant class to get the

student’s interested in DNA and RNA, she should be considering all types of learners in her
classroom and keep the students engaged. I feel that if the teacher considered using Gardiner’s

multiple intelligences and integrated different learning styles into her lesson, the student’s would

have better retained the information. A vocabulary game could have covered a few of these

multiple intelligences such as visual learning, auditory learning, intrapersonal and logical

mathematical. This would also get the students up out of their seats and moving for the bodily

kinesthetic learners who could not sit for that long and listen. I am thankful for the various

observation experiences in the classroom so that I can get a sense of different teaching styles and

reflect on those and how I would implement those in my own classroom.

Philosophy of Education

The School

A school is an essential part of a community. A school is a leader in the community and

has an impact on influences in the community. A school’s policy and mission can be influential

on the school climate and the environment and attitude of the students in the school. I believe

that a schools mission statement should be inclusivity to all staff and students that welcomes

diversity and all types of abilities. In having a mission statement that includes all students, it sets

up an expectation for everyone in the school to feel welcome.

It is also important that schools are aware of needs in their community. I think that

community donation drives are important. Schools are a great place for fundraising for those in

need and it helps students understand the importance of giving back in the community. A school

should have food bank drives around the holidays or school supply drives for students who

cannot afford it. A school can have a huge impact on their students and community and should

use this for positive effects on the community.

The curriculum that should be taught in schools should provide many real world

examples. As educators, we need to prepare our students for life outside of school. Math and

Language are important subjects to teach, but we need to integrate the student’s interests and

culture into consideration when teaching. Students will have more success in their learning if

they are interested in their learning. The curriculum should focus on collaboration,

communication, critical thinking and creativity as per the idea of 21st century learning. Students

need to have the skills to solve problems and think critically. Part of that is learning to work

with others in a team to solve the problems. Working with others is an essential part of life and

no matter where students go after school; they will need to learn to work with others. Although

teaching the curriculum set out by the province or state that we are working in, it is essential that

we teach the 4 C’s above while teaching these concepts.

Learning

Diversity is becoming more of a discussion topic in schools today as our classrooms are

increasingly diverse in not only ethnicity but also abilities. When I was a student in elementary

school, the classroom environment was very different than it is today. There was not a lot of

diversity in the classroom, teachers did not consider the varied needs and abilities of students,

and there was no technology in the classroom to assist students who needed it. I do not

remember there being a classroom aid in any of my classes, but now you see one in almost every

classroom.

Teacher’s need to be fully aware of the different learners in their classroom. One theorist

that is most important to me and one that believes in teaching to all types of learners is Howard

Gardner. Gardner’s multiple intelligences is an important part of education because he believes

should consider Gardner's multiple intelligences and try to incorporate as many of them as

possible.

Assistive technology has also become a great tool in the classroom that students can now

use to excel in their learning. Teachers need to have more training on different ways to

incorporate technology into the classroom. There are so many great ways that students can learn

through technology. In particular using text to speech, translation tools and programs that can

read to struggling readers.

The learner

The age range that I would like to work with is Grade 4 students. When student teaching,

I really enjoyed working with this age group because they were old enough to be independent,

but they also really enjoyed learning and coming to school every day. I feel that students at this

age are in a major part of their educational development. They are old enough to read chapter

books, have meaningful discussions and are aware of what is going on in the world. The students

at this age are old enough to understand and be responsible for their own learning. Although

they still need some direction, they are ready to start understanding that they put into what they

learn and that is what they will get out of it.

Assessment

I feel that educators should have a variety of assessment techniques for their

students. Students need to have different ways to show their learning, as they do not all learn in

the same way. The teacher needs to be clear about assessment expectations in the classroom and

what requirements the students are expected to complete. This can be done through checklists,

such as success criteria or rubrics. The teacher should not just provide tests as assessments for
students. Examples of assessments can be exit tickets, paragraph writing, short answer, or

project based. Technology can be included in assessments. For example, students can do their

own research on a topic, and then write a paragraph through a google document to explain what

they learned.

The goal of assessment in education should not just be a formal assessment at the end of

a unit or learning segment. Assessments should be ongoing throughout the lessons. Educators

should ensure that their students understand the topics that are being taught. This can be done

through informal assessments and checks for understanding such as reviewing any worksheets

that were done in class that day, walking around during tasks and asking students questions, or

through small group instruction.

Classroom Management

Classroom management is key in the classroom. An educator has to have control of their

students and the respect of their students in order to provide a positive learning

environment. Classroom management ensures that the students know what is expected of them

in the classroom, and how they should be treating their teachers, and other classmates.

The most effective classroom management technique is building connections with the

students and making sure that the lessons are engaging. In my experience, the best way to reach

the students is to build a mutual respect with them. The teacher needs to be firm with students

when necessary, but they also need to ensure that the students know that school is a safe

place. The educator can do this by spending the first few weeks of school building a classroom

community through icebreakers and get to know you activities, or community circles. Once the

classroom community and connections are set, the students should feel comfortable in the

classroom and have a mutual respect for their educator. As mentioned already, engaging lessons
are key to classroom management. If students are interested in the lessons, and not bored, then

fewer behaviors will come out. Teachers need to ensure that there is always work for students to

do, so they should have extra tasks ready for the early finishers and be available to assist the

struggling students. When there are still behavior issues in the classroom, the teacher can use

reward type systems to keep the students motivated. In the past, I have tried a gumball machine

where students earn “gumballs” (colored in on a paper). When the gumball machine is full, they

can get a reward. I have also tried classroom money. Students can do tasks in the classroom and

save money to buy rewards. No matter what the teacher chooses for classroom management, it

should always be a priority in the classroom.

The teacher

Teacher education should involve a variety of courses. Elementary teachers are required

to teach a variety of subjects and should therefore be knowledgeable in all of those subject areas

(such as math, science, literacy, social studies, health, and phys ed). In addition to courses in

those subject areas, there is a lot more that goes into teaching than just knowledge of the

subjects. Teachers need to have more courses on integrating technology into the classroom,

classroom management techniques, report card writing and assessment.

A teacher needs to have a kind and patient personality. Working with students is not easy

and often involves a lot of patience. Another important personality trait that teacher should have

is work ethic. Teaching requires a lot of work outside of school hours, often at home. To be an

effective teacher, hard work is an asset.

Conclusion

In this section, I have created an overview of my educational background and experiences

that have allowed me to become a qualified teacher. I have reviewed my journey on what made
 me decide on this profession and my work experiences that allows me to be a qualified teacher. I

have reflected on my own teaching practices and those of teachers that I have observed. I have

created a Philosophy of Education, which will prepare me to understand who I want to be as an

educator and what important qualities a good educator should have.

References

Ord, J. (2012). John Dewey and Experiential Learning: Developing the Theory of Youth Work. Youth &
Policy, 55.