Section Two: Teacher Candidate Background Experiences

“A good teacher is like a candle- it consumes itself to light the way for others”
- Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

Introduction

This section of the MSED Elementary Portfolio Project highlights my Teacher

Candidate Background Experiences. It goes into great detail pertaining to both my educational

background and my professional work experiences. It is precisely in this component of my

portfolio that you will be able to see how my experiences have shaped me into being the

professional that I am. Through my school observations section and my philosophy of education,

you will be able to see specific examples that have fueled my desire to become an educator.

Finally, my resume section will highlight the qualifications that I have worked towards gaining

over the last few years as well as any skills that can be applicable and viewed as an asset towards

becoming a teacher.

Teacher Candidate Educational Background and Work Experiences

Educational Background:

Throughout my elementary school years, I was never the ‘ideal’ student. I was unable to

maintain attention, I was often socially awkward so presentations were not my cup of tea, and

finally, I had a home life that often drove me to acting out frequently during lessons. However, I

had a teacher named Mrs. Hall who checked in with me every day and made it her mission to fill

me with the confidence that I was lacking. She never made me feel like she was obligated to

‘help’ me, but she certainly made it her goal. She would always have one on one conversations

with me about deep topics and would help me to look at perspectives from a different angle. She
really supported my needs, and this is precisely how a teacher can change the reality that a

student is in. It was because of her that I took a stronger interest in my studies and regulating my

emotions and behaviours. Teachers like her are what make such a difference in a child’s life. In

my perspective, this was my first introduction to becoming a teacher; learning by example.

As the years progressed, I often found that I took on the role of supporting my friends and

peers when it came to academic work. I was often the friend that they would call to double check

their work and ask for guidance to make sure that they were on the right path – quite a difference

considering my younger years were turbulent. Finally, when I got into my Honours Sociology

Undergraduate Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, I was able to exercise my learned skills

from these experiences in a real life professional teaching setting. I got accepted into a global

internship program for students referred to as ‘AIESEC’, where students apply for positions

around the world and work voluntarily to sharpen their skills. I ended up teaching in Guatemala

and in Greece – which was life changing for me. Not only was I being trained academically

through my online courses to sharpen my educational skills, but I was also physically being

trained in how to run and manage a classroom and construct lesson plans that accommodate the

different and unique students and environments that I was stationed at.

Beyond these internship experiences, my time at Wilfrid Laurier truly embedded me with

perspectives and ideologies regarding the social world around us, ones that I would never have

gained without the teachings that I had there. I was introduced to diverse courses, such as

‘Conversation Analysis’, where dialogue and the etiquette of conversation was deeply dissected

and studying. I believe that this course has instilled in me a sense of grasping how terminology

can affect the message that my words are attempting to send. This in particular is critical when it
comes to teaching, as what words I use to explain information to my students is extremely

important and can influence how their perspectives are shaped.

Another course that I strongly believe has supported my candidacy as a teacher is the

‘Sociology of Disability’ course. This was a class that revolved around explaining what the term

‘ableism’ means and how it functions in our society. Essentially, the course revolved around

learning how to accommodate persons who have a disability or special need without interrupting

their independence in the most appropriate methods possible. Every person deserves to be treated

with equity. Fairness does not always look the same for two persons, which is what many

individuals misconstrue, as there is often a belief that in order to be treated fairly, we must all

treat others the same. However, we all are not born the same, which means that our opportunities

and options should be accommodated and supported based on what fairness in each context looks

like. For example, a student who is tall enough to see the chalk-board may have the same view

from the back seat, as a student with a smaller build does by sitting in the front seat. This is

equity, as both students are placed in areas where their vision is on the same level, based on their

circumstances. This perspective needs to be carried into teaching, as each and every student we

meet will have their own set of unique skills and needs in order to reach their full educational

potential and goals.

Work Experiences:

My position as an Educational Assistant with the Waterloo Catholic District School

Board was one of the most critical roles that I have had to date in regards to practicing my skills

as an educator in a real school setting. When I had applied for this role, I had felt that I was fully

prepared to tackle any challenges that may have come my way. While I do work well under
pressure and difficult situations, I was surprised at how many new skills and lessons I had

learned throughout my role as an Educational Assistant.

I had to adapt to the various circumstances that would occur at any given time. For

example, many of the students that I was supporting had extremely difficult home lives and

would enter our school with a very negative outlook on the world. My work days often

experienced violence, as many of my students would act out aggressively. This was a major

aspect of education that I had not anticipated, however, learned to work through as an

Educational Assistant. Tactics such as mediation skills and the art of calm conversation can truly

make a difference. I also want to note that being trained in ‘Behaviour Management Training’,

which focuses on de-escalating behaviours in the most safest manner possible was critical to

shaping my soul into becoming a teacher. This was a skill that I am thankful I was able to learn

and understand through my position at the Waterloo Catholic District School Board.

Additionally, I was able to learn from other teachers who crafted lessons such as learning

fractions, in the most creative and engaging manner. By being exposed to the various tactics and

approaches that teachers can take, I was able to learn how to diversify my ability to deliver

instruction to pupils. This is extremely important, as many topics are not matters that students are

jumping for joy to learn about- however, I am able to cater to my students’ hobbies and interests

by intertwining the mandatory information they need to learn with subjects that my students have

interest in.

Overall, I have learned that working with others, in particular, elementary level students

will change your life so deeply. These children will become so important you, that you will work

endless hours attempting to find options that can appease their styles and needs, and help them to
reach their full potential. Essentially, being an Educational Assistant has taught me that if you

are passionate about education and supporting others, this is the realm to exercise your skills.

School Observations and Classroom Application

School Observation:
During my fieldwork, I was able to observe various classrooms at both Harvey Austin

School in Buffalo, United States and St. Daniel Catholic School in Kitchener, Ontario. With

Harvey Austin, we were exposed to various teachers between the grades of 1 to 6 for several

subjects, such as Science and Mathematics. The school possessed a majority of students from a

lower socio-economic background, with roughly 88% of students being granted a free lunch and

1% with a reduced lunch. The school had a population of 518 students, with 5% of them being

ELL.

During my experience with Harvey Austin #97, I was exposed to the different platforms

in which teaching may be set up. As a result of the pandemic, our placement had become

switched into digitalized means. This has exposed me, as a teacher, to supporting students in

remote areas with no physical contact. I was able to learn from virtual means and grasp how

teachers adapt under any circumstance to make sure their students are safe and educated

appropriately.

As for St. Daniel Catholic Elementary School, it is a school situated within the Waterloo

Catholic District School board in Kitchener, Ontario. It is noted to offer a fee based extended day

program for students from Junior Kindergarten level to Grade Six. The school itself does not

feature statistics regarding demographic of socio-economic statuses and cultural information.

However, St. Daniel does have parent outreach plans that are featured in English, Spanish,
Arabic, and Tigrigna versions which highlight that there are many students and their families

who have come from countries which speak these languages.

In my perspective, St. Daniel had a strong Special Education team. It featured two special

education teachers, one child and youth worker, and 9 educational assistants that supported

students in need. I was fortunate enough to be integrated into this team often during my

placement. During this time, I was able to be trained in BMS (Behaviour Management Training),

which focuses on de-escalating physically aggressive scenarios in the safest, most appropriate

manner possible. Additionally, I was able to support students with an IEP during certain tasks

and assessments, such as with scribing, performing guided reading assessments, offered one on

one further instruction, and finally, offered guidance with self-regulating emotions and

behaviours.

In addition to these tasks, I also helped to support during recess duties outside and ensure

that students were able to interact and communicate with one another appropriately. By being

exposed to this, I was able to grasp what boundaries ensure that students stay safe, such as

avoiding icy areas in the winter time.

Classroom Application:

The school observation experience that I had was a pre-student teaching position at

Harvey Austin School in Buffalo. I supported various teachers with their students during the

Saturday Academy between the grades of 1 to 6. During my experiences at this school, I was

able to learn that each and every pupil brings with them a luggage of different experiences, lens,

and perspectives of the world around them. In order to truly connect with each student, it is

critical to unpack their needs and unique learning styles in order to better accommodate them and
to design lesson plans that will result in stronger engagement levels from our classroom

community.

While this experience was fruitful, I do believe that given the circumstances of the Novel

Covid-19 and switching our platform to complete digital learning, I experienced more of a

virtual fieldwork experience as opposed to an in-person one for this segment. During this

experience, we had learned deeper skills regarding classroom management through strategies

such as reward systems and movement breaks. I believe that these are critical assets to bring into

any teaching position, as reinforcements can support the function of a classrooms well-being.

Beyond this fieldwork school observation, I was able to perform my additional 15 hours

working at St. Daniel Catholic School in Kitchener, Ontario. During this position, I supported a

Grade 1 classroom most of the time, with occasional hours dedicated towards the Special

Education Department. This experience familiarized me with comprehending how IEP’s support

students on a physical level, and how accommodations and modifications guide them towards

reaching their full potential. Programs such as Razkids, an online guided reading program with

books that are not only interactive but also interactive, was a useful tool that many of my

students with different levels of reading were able to exercise in order to sharpen their skills.

This particular resource is one that I will carry with me into my own classrooms when I perform

reading activities.

Overall, my experiences of being in a school – breathing in the atmosphere and

comprehending how the academic learning that has been bestowed to me is physically applied

within the educational realm was very informative and critical to my candidacy of becoming a

teacher, as I am now more prepared to be placed in such an important role with the appropriate

resources in order to succeed.

Philosophy of Education

A philosophy of education is critical for each and every teacher to have as it creates a

foundation for how their connections with students and what influences they will have on them

are. Essentially, it works as a fuel which drives teachers towards having a moral compass that not

only connects with the curriculum, but also with the passion to ensure that each and every child

is safe and well taken care of.

The School:

I believe that the mission of a school should focus on the well-being of their students and the

community around them. My philosophy is that students should be supported through as many of

their needs as possible – academic and personal. These supports can include but shouldn’t be

limited to: access to support staff, snacks and meals if they are needed, resources and tools they

may need such as pencil crayons and clothing, and also academic support.

Also, I believe that schools should be supporting the community around them. They can do

this through various methods, such as: students volunteering in the community, having

designated days where students and staff walk around the block and clean the trash that they

find, and hosting fundraising events where the proceeds go towards an occasion in need within

the community around them. There are many more things that schools can do in order to support

the society they live in. However, these are just some simple ideas that have come to mind.

The Curriculum

Based off what we have been learning in our present class(es), I am on board with everything

we have been teaching to students. A few additional courses that I do believe are absolutely

necessary to teach to students are race and ethnicity, sexual education, gender equality, and
financial lessons. These subjects should depend on the age group and level. For example, I do

not believe that kindergarten students need to be learning about sexual education. However, race

and ethnicity/gender equality classes should absolutely be taught at the earliest age possible.

Additionally, I believe that the present curriculum allows teachers to take learning into

different environments, which is necessary in accommodating different learners. Field trips and

using the school yard as a classroom one afternoon could be very beneficial in supporting

different types of intelligences and learning styles.

Learning

One particular theorist that I believe is meaningful to me is Lev Vygotzky. Vygotzky’s work

is based on two specific ideas. The first, is that intellectual development can be grasped from a

historical and cultural aspect of a child’s experience, and the second, is that development merely

depends on signaling systems that refer to the symbols which are constructed by the culture to

help people think, communicate and solve issues, thus revolving around a child’s cognitive

development (Nurkholida, 2018, pg. 62). This is important to me because I believe that culture is

strongly linked to our reality, and working with the school board, we see many students from

various cultural backgrounds come together. In order to grasp the students’ thoughts, behaviours,

values, and cognitive development, it is critical to factor their culture and to include diversity in

our lessons and curriculum.

Also, technology is becoming deeply embedded within education today. We use bright links

to perform lessons, jolly-phonics are now videos on YouTube, we have even shifted our grading

to digital platforms (report cards are edited on a technological device, and we also use apps such

as ‘FLOOP’ in order to grade students’ work directly at any location/time). In fact, technology is
able to help schools meet the diverse needs of students by offering multiple types of lessons in

various environments, such as through videos, digital read-alouds, and even music.

The Learner

The age range that I would like to work with is grade three. I have worked with this grade for

two years in the past and I really believe I connect more with them than other grades. I’m not too

sure as to why. However, one thing that I can link my experience to is our Learning Module 02

lesson pertaining to Howard Gardner and Multiple Intelligences. I believe that every child learns

differently, and as the module taught me, some children are more deep and philosophical, others

are more hands on, and some are more into stories. Every learner is different and learns at a

different pace.

Assessment

Students should be assessed and evaluated based on their individualized level and the goals and

objectives that are set out for them based off of their IEP/504 or the standards that are set in

place. Also, modifications and accommodations should be provided for students that are in need

of one.

Classroom Management

I believe that classroom management is absolutely necessary for a classroom to function at the

highest potential. Classroom management’s role in learning serves as a foundation in ensuring

the goals and objectives are able to be performed in an atmosphere where students are safe and

able to learn. Some effective techniques for classroom management that come to mind are

putting in place a reward system for both the class and individual students. Additionally, having
a ‘peace corner’ would be beneficial as it could serve as an area where students can self-regulate

their emotions and mediate their moods.

The Teacher

I believe that a teacher should have the educational background necessary to become a

teacher. I believe the present requirements of having an undergraduate degree is adequate with a

specialization in education.

Further, I believe that a teacher should be empathetic, patient, open to learning from their

students as much as they are about teaching them, and that a teacher should WANT to be a

teacher. I say this because I have often seen in the field how many teachers appreciate the

position because of the pay as well as the time-off, however, they are not passionate and do not

place an emphasis on being present and compassionate with their students.

Resume
This segment; the resume component, is a critical component to my MSED Elementary

Portfolio Project as it highlights my professional and academic experiences that align directly

with my candidacy as a teacher. As you can see through the content discovered in my resume, I

am very passionate about working with children and helping to support their academic goals and

needs.

JENN BALCAREK
3002-56 Annie Craig Drive, Etobicoke, Ontario, M8V-0C8

(c) 437-779-3422 ∞ Balc3350@mylaurier.ca

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Waterloo Catholic District School Board, Kitchener, Ontario September 2017 – Present
Educational Assistant
 Administered and corrected tests that were administered for students
 Instruct students under direction and guidance of teachers
 Utilize a variety of teaching strategies and assessments, such as guided reading,
differentiated instruction and group discussions.
 Implemented classroom management tactics

KW Habilitation-David Fisher Residence, Kitchener, Ontario July 2015 – Present

Counsellor/Support Worker
 Take residents on shopping trips, coffee runs, appointments, places of worship, and
various other activities
 Assist with washing, bathing, and bed-bathing residents
 Comprehensive knowledge of implementing personal support plans focusing on the
individual’s comfort, needs, and interests
 Oversee medicines to clients
INTERNSHIPS

Paidikes Fones, Thessaloniki, Greece May 2015 - July 2015

Teacher
 Structured English lessons around students’ individual needs, such as granting pupils the
option of whether they were more comfortable with verbally presenting in a solo manner
or working together in groups
 Provided extra support for students with special needs
 Educated the students about Canada through various movie clips, presentations, and
group activities in an attempt to expand their geographical knowledge
 Assisted with bathroom duties and clean up time
 Prepped and aided in the practice of the end of the year graduation ceremony

Accion Humana, El Carmen, Guatemala May 2016 - July 2016

Teacher
 Producing English lesson plans as well as constructing tests and exams for students
 Structuring classes so that students with minimal background in the English language can
grasp a more thorough understanding of the course material
 Creating assignments for the students to do as well as generating discussion groups to
practice language building skills
 VOLUNTEERING
Paulander Community Centre- Carizon Family and Community Services
Kitchener, Ontario February 2014 – November 2014

Mentor/Girl group leader

Key Accomplishment: I contributed to making a positive impact in the community of Paulander
through working with girls between the ages of 12-15 by organizing events and mentoring them
in order to keep them away from negative influences.
 Organized events, such as movie nights or weekly cooking classes as a means of
connecting with the girls and allowing them to connect further with one another
 Helped the girls with homework and studying, as well as offering support in other aspects
of their daily living
 Planned and hosted various events to support the outings with the girls—such as jewelry
selling and event dinners

CERTIFICATIONS
CPR and Non-Violent Crisis Training (NVCI)
DASA
LANGUAGES
English- Full Proficiency Polish- Full Proficiency
Fluent (Speaking, reading, writing) Fluent (Speaking, reading, writing)

EDUCATION
2012-2017 Wilfrid Laurier University – Bachelor of Arts: Honours Sociology and
Communication Studies
2019-Present Medaille College – Master’s of Science in Elementary Education

Conclusion

In conclusion, I believe that my prior work and educational experience has strongly

contributed to my skills and abilities to be a strong educational role model and teacher. My

previous teaching history in both Greece and Guatemala served as a strong foot in the door

regarding experience, and I have continued to grow since then.

My fieldwork placements as well as my role as an educational assistant with the Waterloo

Catholic District School Board has exposed me to how each and every student learns uniquely,
and how it is the job of the educator working with them in order to help and guide them as much

as possible with their learning needs. I am very thankful for these experiences, as they have

given me the privilege to truly understand what it means to work in a school and what the role of

a teacher is.

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